According to this post: http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-prius-service-bulletins-tsbs/46700-noise-aux-port-06-08-a.html the noise from the aux port is a ground loop problem and should be fixed by dealers under TSB number 0067-08 for the 08' Prius. But I called two dealerships, Quality Toyota in Corona, CA and Riverside Toyota in Riverside, CA. Both dealership doesn't recognize the TSB number. I even brought the TSB to them and they just thought that I faked the TSB and told me they've never seen it. how did you guys get the dealership to honor this TSB??
I just got back from the dealer because I had a headlight aiming problem and wanted to get the coolant pump noise and AUX noise fixed while I was there. Good news is that they will fix the AUX and Coolant pump noise but since my cars headlights were not acting up today they would not fix the headlights. If they wont fix your ground loop problem just go down to radio shack and buy a ground loop isolator. I bought one before the TSB came out and it fixed my noise problem. I'm just wanting to get the official fix while I'm still under warranty.
The isolator is a band aid, not a real fix. Not only that, it will degrade the audio quality in both frequency response and volume.
Well I guess if your patching your MP3 player directly into an amp and speakers I guess that would be a problem to have a ground loop isolator. Plus the MP3s that are being played would need to be encoded at 320kbps or be played back uncompressed to get that CD quality sound. But for most people they will be using the AUX for MP3 players and the MP3s are most likely compressed at 128 or 192. I currently have my PC hooked in to the AUX and playing MP3s and they sound really good. I'm not an audiophile but I can tell the difference between a CD and a really good encoded MP3 but to me the difference does not justify spending thousands of dollars in audio equipment to to hear the sound better. To my ears the ground loop isolator does not make a noticeable difference with my MP3s and even some of my uncompressed music.
Um, who said anything about spending thousands of $$$????? BTW, all my CDs are ripped at 320kbs VBR. The average is around 128K but peaks at 320K when needed for detail.
