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Cygnett GrooveTransmit review: Cygnett GrooveTransmit

It mightn't offer the best fidelity, but the GrooveTransmit is a handy, non-invasive way of getting your MP3 collection to play through the car stereo.

Derek Fung
Derek loves nothing more than punching a remote location into a GPS, queuing up some music and heading out on a long drive, so it's a good thing he's in charge of CNET Australia's Car Tech channel.
Derek Fung
2 min read

Design

Cygnett's GrooveTransmit can be a bit of a bugger to set up, as its bendy arm is on the stiff side, requiring a good deal of force when configuring it to suit a car's dashboard layout. Also, it requires an incredibly firm shove to get it into the cigarette lighter socket.

8.0

Cygnett GrooveTransmit

The Good

Should fit most cars. Suits all manner of iPods, iPhones. Good transmission strength. Four presets.

The Bad

Bass lacks kick. Light background hiss too much for jazz, classical. Auto tune is hit and miss.

The Bottom Line

It mightn't offer the best fidelity, but the GrooveTransmit is a handy, non-invasive way of getting your MP3 collection to play through the car stereo.

The cradle features a depth adjuster and padded, moveable arms so that any type of iPod (excluding the Shuffle) or iPhone can fit. Once within the GrooveTransmit's embrace, iPods and iPhones do sway and jiggle a little bit. This is rather an issue with iPod Touches and iPhones, as their big glass displays tend to catch the eye, especially when it's busy reflecting daylight.

Whenever we packed the GrooveTransmit away, we resorted to pulling the arms apart manually, as the arm release switch, on the back of the device, is not only hard to find but finicky to use.

Features

As the cradle is fitted with one of Apple's proprietary iPod/iPhone connectors, your favourite device from the house of Jobs will be recharged as you use it. At the bottom of the cradle is a display for the current FM transmission frequency, as well as four buttons to store and recall frequencies. On each side of the cradle's base is an up or down switch for adjusting the current frequency.

By holding down both up and down switches, the GrooveTransmit will attempt to find a clear FM band to broadcast on. Unfortunately, it sometimes selects the same frequency as low powered community stations. Owners of iPod Shuffles and non-Apple MP3 players can hook their devices in via a 3.5mm auxiliary jack located on the bottom of the cradle's base. There's also a somewhat redundant power switch on the cigarette lighter attachment.

Performance

Select the right frequency and the Cygnett will provide decent performance in the suburbs, with forays into the CBD only marred by occasional occurrences of interference. If you're a jazz or a classical music aficionado, the GrooveTransmit won't do your favourite genre any justice, as there's always a slight hint of background static, most noticeable at standstill, that these more subtle forms of music can't quite overwhelm.

Conversely for R'n'B fans, the Cygnett's transmitter takes the kick and the punch out of bassy music. iPhone users will be disappointed to discover that calls taken while docked on the GrooveTransmit aren't played back on your car's stereo.

Conclusion

The GrooveTransmit FM transmitter doesn't offer the best fidelity, but it is a handy, non-invasive way of getting your MP3 collection to play through the car stereo.