[alexwhittemore]

I'm trying to figure out all my options for phone integration, since my car as it stands has USB+Aux, but no bluetooth, and I'm using an iPhone 5 so at least for now the USB+Aux integration is halfhearted (no headunit control).

I've seen a couple of aftermarket bluetooth systems, particularly the Parrot MKi9000 and FISCON Pro for BMW E-Series, which have headunit integration and will handle phone calls as WELL as audio streaming via A2DP. I know the Fiscon does the audio in to the headunit by emulating a CD Changer, I can only assume the Parrot does something similar.

My goals are A. integrate phone calls and B. integrate audio. As it stands, I'm just using aux-in since I've got an iPhone 5. Not so hot. Presumably once Apple actually SHIPS the damn lightning to 3o pin adapter, I'll be able to use that and a y-cable for full headunit audio integration with song browsing and whatnot. On the bluetooth side, I'm working on a factory bluetooth retrofit, which, since I've already got 6FL, should basically be add an antenna and mic and code it. I can deal with that.

But at the same time, if I can kill two birds with one stone, it might be kind of nice to only need the wire if I legitimately need power. Headunit audio integration might not be AS good, but I don't REALLY care about library browsing on there, it's easier to do that on the phone anyway. Mostly just track skip functions.

TL;DR: Have you used any aftermarket bluetooth unit that offered audio streaming and good integration (parrot's steering wheel strap-on controller I think counts), and if so, was the streaming music quality good enough that you'd use it primarily in preference to a normal aux-in?