After switching cars recently and noticing I had no MP3 player, no auxiliary input, and no cassette player, I was back to the drawing board trying to find the best FM transmitter to stream my iPhone mp3 music over the FM radio. The last time I used a FM transmitter, the options were limited and quality was subpar, but the technology has certainly changed with options available for even bluetooth FM transmitters that will automatically find the optimal station. Scouring the net for reviews on which mp3 FM transmitter was the best, I decided to give the GoGroove X2 Bluetooth transmitter a try (about $60). While my goal was streaming my MP3′s and listening to Pandora on occasion from my iPhone, I had no clue how much I would love making bluetooth phone calls over my car’s radio.
Whats included with the GoGroove X2 FM transmitter?
- GoGroove X2 Bluetooth FM Transmitter
- MicroUSB cable (charging MicroUSB devices, including newer BlackBerrys, Motorola Atrix, etc)
- MiniUSB cable (charging popular devices using the MiniUSB interface)
- iPhone USB cable (charging the iPhone with the GoGroove X2)
- 3.5mm Auxiliary Audio Cable (connecting devices that do not have built-in bluetooth)
Setting up the GoGroove X2 FM transmitter
When you plug in and turn on your GoGroove FlexSmart X2 FM transmitter, it automatically enters pairing mode and can be searched for on your bluetooth device. If you miss the initial pairing window, you can reactive pairing mode on the mp3 FM transmitter by holding the blue (call) button for about 2 seconds (pairing mode is indicated by the end and call buttons flashing). If you device requires a PIN, it is set to a default value of 0000.
To take advantage of the automatic clear station finder, hold down the control knob until the station changes. Change your car radio to the same frequency and you are ready to start enjoying music from your mp3 player with no wires required! Note that the automatic station finder works pretty well, but check out my how-to on finding the best static free station for your FM transmitter for more tips.
So how well does the GoGroove X2 FM Transmitter work?
Pretty amazing if you ask me. Within a few minutes I was listening to Pandora streaming through my iPhone, all with no wires. I tried pressing the “Next Song” button on the X2, and sure enough, it skipped to the next song in Pandora. While listening, my music suddenly muted and I was concerned there was something wrong with the X2; about a second later, my phone started ringing through my car’s speakers and pressing the “Call” button answered. After a clear conversation, I hung up and immediately Pandora resumed. This device has exceeded my expectations by far and for the price, really can’t be beat. One warning to note – this is still a FM transmitter, so the audio quality will not be flawless, and certainly not as good as connecting your MP3 player or other device with an auxiliary cable, but for people like me without auxiliary inputs, it is a great substitute. I happily give the GoGroove X2 5 stars.
