How do YOU listen to music?

[PaulWhitt20]

Hi,

Just wondered how people listen to music in their cars? What is the best way to get the most out of the sound system?

I tend to use apple Music via Wireless Bluetooth, but also have a USB stick with old CDs on. Not that impressed with the sound quality although it seemed better playing Classical music than Thrash Metal.

There seems to be something called miracast, does anyone use this, or do you use apple CarPlay etc.

What is you method of connecting up to listen to music ?

Paul 

[Jim1977]

Hi Paul

I’ve been using Iphone with lossless files to wired CarPlay.

Have you tried adjusting the balance of the speakers. I read it sounds better when you move the “dot” to be central in the car, but just behind the front seats. I tried that and it did sound better. I also tweaked the sliders for treble bass etc. 

[Martin Bailey]

I'm using Spotify via apple Car Play. I like the split screen display that shows the player controls on the left and whichever satnav app (Waze is my weapon of choice) in the main screen. That works seamlessly, although it'd be nice if all satnav apps integrated with the HUD - a conversation for another thread, me thinks!

I posted this on another thread, but I noticed some distortion at higher volume - it turned out to be Spotify's equaliser conflicting with whatever the Mark levinson system in my car was doing. As soon as I disabled the equaliser in Spotify's settings screen the sound quality improved significantly.

[Martin Bailey]

1 hour ago, Jim1977 said:

Hi Paul

I’ve been using IPhone with lossless files to wired CarPlay.

Have you tried adjusting the balance of the speakers. I read it sounds better when you move the “dot” to be central in the car, but just behind the front seats. I tried that and it did sound better. I also tweaked the sliders for treble bass etc. 

Yes, moving the centre to behind the front seats improved the quality significantly, as prior to that it sounded like most of the sound was coming out of the centre dashboard speaker. The difference was huge!

[First_Lexus]

Three ways for me. Most of the time I listen to the DAB radio built into the car.

Alternatively I use apple CarPlay to access my Spotify account and playlists.

Lastly I still load CDs and listen to those if I just want to hear one album (find it easier than Spotify in that situation if I already have the CD, and I’ve got over 1000 so I do have most that I want to hear!)

[Don C]

5 hours ago, Jim1977 said:

Hi Paul

I’ve been using IPhone with lossless files to wired CarPlay.

Have you tried adjusting the balance of the speakers. I read it sounds better when you move the “dot” to be central in the car, but just behind the front seats. I tried that and it did sound better. I also tweaked the sliders for treble bass etc. 

I do exactly the same.  I’ve got the ML system which sounds really good.  Don’t know if wiring it is actually better but it makes me feel like it.  

[PaulWhitt20]

I have the dot in the centre, just behind the middle. Base +1, Treble -1.

With your wired set up, where do you plug the cable in and does it look tidy? I notice some of the newer albums say lossless on apple music. Is this automatic or is there a setting to enable lossless?

I've not played with Car Play apart from today just to test. The graphics looked a bit basic on the big screen.

Thanks

Paul

[Jim1977]

40 minutes ago, PaulWhitt20 said:

I have the dot in the centre, just behind the middle. Base +1, Treble -1.

With your wired set up, where do you plug the cable in and does it look tidy? I notice some of the newer albums say lossless on Apple music. Is this automatic or is there a setting to enable lossless?

I've not played with Car Play apart from today just to test. The graphics looked a bit basic on the big screen.

Thanks

Paul

I plug it into the centre console under the arm rest. I leave a short USB lead permanently plugged into the USB socket in there, so the phone gets plugged into that rather than the one built into the car (on the basis it’s easier to replace the lead than a worn out port in the car). All tucked out the way in there.

Everything on my phone is apple Lossless ripped from my CD collection. It may be that you can now download in lossless format too, but not looked into that. Originally I had all my music on an IPod Classic 160GB, but when the hard drive failed I stuck the music on the phone instead, and was surprised how much better everything sounded. The DAC in the phone must be better, that’s all I can think.

 

[Lmafudd]

Standard sound system, wireless dongle running Android Auto. Sounds great.

This conversation reminds me of the CD v Vinyl conversation of old, apparently only about 2% of the population have perfect ears and none of them are in my age bracket!

Now, if only Google and amazon would grow up and work together I may one day ask 'OK Google, play Wish you were here' and actually hear that playing! Last time I got the 12 days of Christmas, comedy version!

[DavidCM]

Initially I had a stack of CDs,but very soon came across the Android auto wireless dongle which connects instantly as I start the car.

Sound quality with this and Mark Levinson is superb(although at high volume the rear view mirror vibrates in tune to the music).

I use the Musicolet app to store/shuffle and generally organise about 1500 tracks.It is free,simple to use and advert/junk mail free.

[Neilo]

Along with CD's and the Radio and I have my favourite play list on a SanDisk Clip Jam mp3 plugged into Aux under the centre armrest...its a neat little thing. 

[Don C]

I can remember the first time I heard one of the dj’s on BBC radio 2 announcing he was about to play a track on cd rather than vinyl and now look.  With the right kit you can listen to hi def lossless and Dolby Atmos after apple have been at your bank account.