streaming spotify - awful sound quality

[darrude]

Hi,

Recently signed up for spotify on my phone and I have changed to streaming quality to the highest settings and through my headphones (Good quality, shure SE535) it sounds great.  I get into the car however (connected via bluetooth), it sounds dreadful.  Streaming of music stored on my phone is slightly better, not great however music direct via usb sounds as I'd expect.  Anybody know if there any settings that could be changed either on my phone or on the car?  I guess streaming via the Aux would solve it but don't really want to mess around with cables if it can be avoided.

 

Thanks is advance,

Darren.

[matt8]

I'd consider getting a different handset and connecting that via Bluetooth. If it sounds good, then it's an issue with your handset (not necessarily defective, but perhaps some conflict or incompatibility with the car / Bluetooth versions).

If same issue, then you can begin to focus on the system. I'd be looking at car software updates at that point.

[rich1068]

Try uninstalling Spotify and removing the car's BT from the phone's BT memory. Make your phone "forget" your IS. A restart can't hurt then start fresh with a new install of Spotify and re-pairing with your car.

BT audio isn't great but it's not dreadful so something's amiss.

[Vince Donald]

I tend to listen to a podcast over Bluetooth and it sounds fine, I've streamed from amazon Prime and that sounded just fine too though I usually use the USB memory stick for my music.

 

Vince

[Jayw13702]

I use Spotify and apple Music on my Iphone, I've found the music quality better on the usb, over Bluetooth it loses a bit of the quality.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[gdh300]

Streaming? Spotify? Bluetooth? What is this witchcraft of which you speak?

Can't we get back to sensible discussions about balancing carburettors and so on? 😉

[rich1068]

I've got a rather nifty mini disc player in my IS300. I believe you had some sort of phonogram in yours didn't you Glyn?

[gdh300]

Wax cylinder for me, mate. But that was only a recent innovation. I much prefer the actual artiste in the car, nothing like a live performance. 

[Ala Larj]

You've obviously not heard my wife singing!

[darrude]

thanks for the advice, i'll try the suggestions, and test with my lads Iphone, both me and wife has android so maybe an issue with that.  Just found out you can also download for offline playback so will try that as well.

[darrude]

13 hours ago, Vince Donald said:

I tend to listen to a podcast over Bluetooth and it sounds fine, I've streamed from Amazon Prime and that sounded just fine too though I usually use the USB memory stick for my music.

 

Vince

any good podcast recommendations?  I've just finished Mafia from audioboom, very good.

[Zotto]

I don't use spotify, so I don't know about the sound quality of broadcast, but if the audio settings are like in my GS 300h with Mark Levinson,, each sound source has separate tone settings (low-mid high), so be sure to have them properly set else all are "flat" by default and may be you don't  like sound this way.

About other internet radio sources, I find that Swiss radio (pop, jazz and classic) has an excellent quality, other reliable sources are Linn radio and Concertzender from Nederlands.

[Mr Vlad]

How is the general sound of the music system in your car? Which system is it? The only problem I had with my IS was paring my android phone to the car. Streaming Spotify premium via Bluetooth there were no problems what so ever. OK my had ML and it sounded aweome.  

Does the radio sound good or great? How do CD's sound?

Maybe there is a fault with one or more of the cars speakers.

[sorcerer]

On 6/13/2018 at 4:17 PM, darrude said:

Recently signed up for spotify on my phone and I have changed to streaming quality to the highest settings and through my headphones (Good quality, shure SE535) it sounds great.

So not a problem with Spotify or the phone then.

On 6/13/2018 at 4:17 PM, darrude said:

I get into the car however (connected via bluetooth), it sounds dreadful.

1.

On 6/13/2018 at 4:17 PM, darrude said:

Streaming of music stored on my phone is slightly better, not great

2.

 

On 6/13/2018 at 4:17 PM, darrude said:

however music direct via usb sounds as I'd expect.

So, USB sounds perfect. Common denominator with 1 and 2 is Bluetooth.

I don't play music via Bluetooth (that's for hands-free phone as far as I'm concerned) so I don't know for sure but logically I'd say it's got to be something to do with the Bluetooth bandwidth and the music bitrate. Maybe Bluetooth can't handle the high bitrate you're chucking at it and it's being swamped. Maybe try lower settings or do as I do and put your music collection on a USB drive at the highest quality you like.

[darrude]

Yes I assumed a Bluetooth issue. I was hoping someone might know a weird setting. From googling I found some recommdeded tricks to improve, but don't seem to have the option on Lexus / Android. 

[rich1068]

I've used Android and Spotify for years with no problems. I stream via BT to many devices and can't complain. Did you try just starting over? And could you expand on "dreadful"?

[matt8]

Time for a software update I think. Someone kindly posted the latest on the forums a few weeks back. Else, take it to dealer to do, you'll probably be charged.

[rich1068]

Lol. I forget cars need software updates now.

[darrude]

Well after 2 weeks of messing it is all sorted now. I'm not 100% sure what the exact fix was, but my old sony phone was fine.  My phone had a big software update at the weekend which is what prompted me to test it again, streaming rather than using stored music, and spot on :)

I don't think I'll buy and LG phone again,  think it is down to that, I never had call clarity issues until this phone (although since the big update this seems better as well).

Thanks for the feedback.

[Britprius]

On 6/13/2018 at 10:42 PM, gdh300 said:

Streaming? Spotify? Bluetooth? What is this witchcraft of which you speak?

Can't we get back to sensible discussions about balancing carburettors and so on? 😉

Only when you have the points, and timing done correctly. Balancing the carbs is a waste of time without doing this.

John

[PWOOD]

Probably obvious, but you need to have your phone on full volume as most assume your using headphones and the default  output is far too low to drive the car when using Bluetooth.  It’s very annoying that I cannot override the volume default on my SamsungS8 so it remains at whatever I set it.  

Overall Spotify sounds fine to me and no different to 256 mp3 on a stick at sensible volumes anyway.

[matt8]

This may help you @PWOOD

https://androidforums.com/threads/set-media-volume.1103218/

[PWOOD]

6 minutes ago, matt8 said:

This may help you @PWOOD

https://androidforums.com/threads/set-media-volume.1103218/

Thanks I’ll have a look into that app.

[Mincey]

4 hours ago, henry00 said:

I enjoy Spotify music on my car with high quality via the USB drive. To get Spotify songs to the USB drive, I use the DRmare Music Converter to make it. Did anyone know this tool? It is for Spotify music and can help save Spotify music as local files for listening anywhere and anytime. Maybe you could give it a try. https://www.drmare.com/music-converter/ 

A very interesting post - I wasn't aware this could be done. Part of my hobby involves ripping tracks into Audacity in real time - obviously being able to do this more quickly has a great appeal. A quick Google turned up this which lists some free alternatives to DRmare. Thanks for the heads up!

[200h]

On 6/13/2018 at 10:42 PM, gdh300 said:

Streaming? Spotify? Bluetooth? What is this witchcraft of which you speak?

Can't we get back to sensible discussions about balancing carburettors and so on? 😉

here an image of glyn's premium audio boot install