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Technical Topics iDrive, Nav, Phone, Audio, Video, Cameras, Electronics Poor sound/ music quality via Android Auto

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      01-07-2021, 07:21 PM   #1
fkyang
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Poor sound/ music quality via Android Auto

Hi,
Not sure if anybody also feel poor quality when playing music via Android Auto (e.g. Spotify/ Apple Music...etc.)
I can easily feel the volume is much more lower and music the detail such as bass, vocal are blur; compare to original Bluetooth audio.

I tried to Google this and found actually not only BMW, also other car's AA has same problem, since few years ago. However it seems nobody really resolve the problem. Even some discussions on Android Auto's official forum I don't see any resolution.

Anybody knows how to fix it?
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      01-09-2021, 12:13 AM   #2
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Remove Spotify or other audio sources from Android Auto and play directly from your phone via bluetooth or the integrated Spotify app. Currently WiFi AA compresses the audio into sh** quality. When I realized this, my HK system was NIGHT AND DAY difference.
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      01-09-2021, 04:28 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CeriusM View Post
Remove Spotify or other audio sources from Android Auto and play directly from your phone via bluetooth or the integrated Spotify app. Currently WiFi AA compresses the audio into sh** quality. When I realized this, my HK system was NIGHT AND DAY difference.
Thanks for the recommendation, however by doing this, I guess I'll not able to operate the Spotify on the iD7 screen, right?
And how can I have integrated Spotify? I don't have such native app on my car.
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      01-09-2021, 08:41 PM   #4
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If you have ID7 look under Media, Spotify should be an option already provided? (not sure which update you have to be on but I got my car in Dec, 2020 and had it before the 2020.7.56 update) I paired it up via the QR Code and is fully integrated even into my heads up display.
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      01-15-2021, 03:37 AM   #5
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Does anyone know if Android Auto Music be played via the Cable while in the Wireless Interface is projecting to the head unit?
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      01-15-2021, 06:01 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TakeshiJin View Post
Does anyone know if Android Auto Music be played via the Cable while in the Wireless Interface is projecting to the head unit?
AA is wireless only unfortunately
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      01-15-2021, 10:16 AM   #7
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Android auto is a bag of shit. Reboots constantly. Seems that iphone / apple car play is flawless. (sigh!).
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      01-15-2021, 12:26 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Blown284 View Post
Android auto is a bag of shit. Reboots constantly. Seems that iphone / apple car play is flawless. (sigh!).
I've had the opposite experience. AA has been flawless for months and car play constantly reboots!
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      02-05-2021, 04:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by G20NZ View Post
I've had the opposite experience. AA has been flawless for months and car play constantly reboots!
Ditto, same positive experience here with AA. The volume does seem lower compared to direct bluetooth though, but not enough for it to be an issue for me personally.
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      02-05-2021, 05:05 PM   #10
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Audio over Bluetooth is always compressed. Android Auto doesn't compress audio data as it can transmit more data. Quality absolutely should be better over AA. The issue here has to do with encoding/decoding; change music players. Poweramp works perfectly. It also has EQ and many other settings, if you care to mess with those.
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      02-20-2021, 07:59 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Merami fan View Post
Audio over Bluetooth is always compressed. Android Auto doesn't compress audio data as it can transmit more data. Quality absolutely should be better over AA. The issue here has to do with encoding/decoding; change music players. Poweramp works perfectly. It also has EQ and many other settings, if you care to mess with those.
Hi,
So far I don't have any options but stick on Spotify.
However this also happen on Apple Music for Android.

Could it be the issue of BMW's head unit?
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      02-23-2021, 04:17 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fkyang View Post
Hi,
So far I don't have any options but stick on Spotify.
However this also happen on Apple Music for Android.

Could it be the issue of BMW's head unit?
There is some sort of issue with the communication between the app you are using/Android Auto and the BMW head unit. The details don't really matter since all you can do is wait and hope for an update to fix it. The DAC in the BMW head unit is disappointing for the price, but that's beside the point. This is a software issue, not hardware--people have reported similar issues with many different cars.

Regarding Spotify, I read that disabling "normalize volume" may help, as well as removing/defaulting any EQ (equalizer) settings. You can also try disabling "OK Google" in Android Auto settings. That's all I can offer regarding this type of app, though. I don't use any music streaming services as my library is mostly my own CD rips. Not a direct solution, but my suggestion is to have a local library and use an app like Poweramp that has its own audio processing to avoid this kind of issue.
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      02-26-2021, 04:19 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CeriusM View Post
If you have ID7 look under Media, Spotify should be an option already provided? (not sure which update you have to be on but I got my car in Dec, 2020 and had it before the 2020.7.56 update) I paired it up via the QR Code and is fully integrated even into my heads up display.
WOW!! This is something new to me!
I got 07/20.46 version which doesn't have that in the Media menu.
But also it might because the country doesn't support it? I'm in Taiwan.

Is this function in the same place of "Radio", "USB", "Android Auto"...?
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      03-04-2021, 08:59 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fkyang View Post
WOW!! This is something new to me!
I got 07/20.46 version which doesn't have that in the Media menu.
But also it might because the country doesn't support it? I'm in Taiwan.

Is this function in the same place of "Radio", "USB", "Android Auto"...?
Yea look under "Media"
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      03-14-2021, 03:13 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CeriusM View Post
Remove Spotify or other audio sources from Android Auto and play directly from your phone via bluetooth or the integrated Spotify app. Currently WiFi AA compresses the audio into sh** quality. When I realized this, my HK system was NIGHT AND DAY difference.
How does one do this?
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      02-18-2022, 02:12 AM   #16
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I have been struggling with sound quality on Audi, Honda, Lexus and now BMW. It is AA issue for sure and here is a tentative way around:

Get your old ear buds with charging box (I use Samsung Buds+) pair it with your phone and leave it in the car. Once connected to android auto, connect to buds as well and your sound quality will change to best. Don't ask me how and why but it works! guaranteed.

BTW, unclick "calls" in BT setting for buds so phone calls are still routed through AA and car speakers.

Enjoy the bass
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      02-18-2022, 03:30 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slides2021 View Post
ow does one do this?
Pretty easy!! Go to AA settings in your phone, then go to Customize Launcher and un-tick Spotify or another apps you don't want to show on your AA apps screen on your idrive. That's it.

That's what I do and sound quality from the Spotify app from the Idrive is like a work of art. Enjoy!
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