[Magnus]

Hello,
   I'm notorious for having audio plans that get derailed, but I'd like to get an portable amp for between my iphone and aux input in my car. It always sounds like I need to crank my volume to get sufficient punch for my music. I'm on a budget, but hopefully there would be an amp that could augment things sufficiently. Your advice is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Steven

[mix4fix]

I used to use a car audio line driver with a couple of cables to go from rca to headphone jack in my work van. You will need to rig up power from the cigarette lighter or from somewhere.

[Mr Peabody]

Does your head unit have Carplay or Bluetooth?  Also, make sure your volume on the phone is max out.

You may be able to use a portable headphone amp, I'm not familiar enough to make a recommendation.

[vinyldavid]

Do you have your phone at maximum output level?

Do you have see all sonic professing and volume limiting turned off on your phone?

What are you listening to?  Streaming?

This is a decent looking line driver.  https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item-108241-Install-Bay-IBR67.html

[Magnus]

It’s a standard Cd/radio, with an aux input…so alas no Bluetooth or Airplay. Volume is set to max…often on the deck itself. I can hear it just fine, but it’s so much more laid back and subdued; in contrast to the CD player or radio. I’ll look at the details on that product. Hopefully, it’s good. The price is right.

[Magnus]

Oh, it’s almost exclusively classical, with a Little Rock thrown in.

[mix4fix]

This is a decent looking line driver.  https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item-108241-Install-Bay-IBR67.html

That is exactly what i was talking about. I am not familiar with that one. I used to use a Memphis Car Audio one and a something different which was made by Orion as well as a clone of it.

Easy on the gains, but you can set it up so it sounds strong. Headphone jack to RCAs - RCAs to headphone jack. If your cigarette lighter is switchable (with the key), just jumper the constant 12VDC and remote in connections. You can get a cigarette plug from Walmart or auto parts store.

[justauby]

I use the THX Onyx AAA dongle for both my car aux input from my phone and my portable headphone amplifier.  It was recently onsale for black friday, may still be going on too.  Works great with plenty of power for my Senn HD660s.

https://www.audioholics.com/gadget-reviews/thx-onyx-mqa-dac-aaa-headphone-amp-to-go

[Bob in St. Louis]

Have you tried the little twenty dollar wireless 12volt dongle thingies? They turn any car (equipped with an FM receiver) into Bluetooth compatible.
This way, you can stream wirelessly from your device, to this unit, that then sends the signal to your cars receiver.

[mix4fix]

Those FM modulators have equally low volume as what he is already doing.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Those FM modulators have equally low volume as what he is already doing.

Roger that. I supposed I missed that in my 'scans' of the text.
With the ones I've used over the years, there are now three different units with their own individual settings that might come into play.
That being said, I never had an issue with overall volume, I just hated the SQ of them all, it was horrible.

I gave most of them away to co-workers in the search to find a better unit. As a funny side note, a few of them commented that their unit would "play music that's not theirs" when they entered the employee parking area (when I happened to be sitting there with my engine running).
I simply smiled. 

[vinyldavid]

I quite like those FM modulators, but I almost exclusively listen to podcasts in the car.

Best car-audio purchase I ever made was a pair of Sony WI-C200 bluetooth earbuds.  That solved all the problems once and for all!

[Magnus]

I may look into the Install Bay. I couldn't download the user manual. Is it battery powered or would I have to run it through the "cigarette lighter" port?

[mix4fix]

Cigarette lighter if plug is switchable by key, or under dash fuse block for power. Screw for ground.

http://metraonline.com/files/products/IBR67_manual.pdf

Constant 12V and remote in can be jumper-ed if cigarette plug is switchable by your key.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7822002
or whichever fuse type you have

Can tap into under dash fuse block to give you constant voltage and/or switchable voltage. Ground to a suitable screw.