E90Post
 


Extreme Powerhouse
 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > AUDIO/VIDEO + BLUETOOTH + Electronics/Alarm/Software > Bad Sound Quality Through Auxiliary Jack



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      06-15-2010, 11:26 PM   #1
BobKingerman
Private First Class
BobKingerman's Avatar
United_States
88
Rep
197
Posts

Drives: 2007 e90 335i, 1969 Mustang
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cleveland, OH/ Andover, MA

iTrader: (2)

Garage List
2007 E90 335i  [0.00]
Bad Sound Quality Through Auxiliary Jack

I've have had my 2007 e90 335i for about a month now and I have noticed that when I plug my Ipod in the auxiliary jack that sound quality is terrible. The speakers are completely fine if I play the radio or a cd. If I fool around with the aux cable at the input the front speakers will go in and out also. Is this a normal issue with the 335i and will the dealer acknowledge this? Tomorrow I will try another aux cable and ipod to see if that is the problem.

Thanks in advance,
Rob
Appreciate 0
      06-15-2010, 11:29 PM   #2
Barbera335
Captain
168
Rep
660
Posts

Drives: F25
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: socal

iTrader: (0)

Using your radio, press the soft button that say "aux vol" on the display. When in that menu turn it all the way down to either 0 or 1. That will correct your issue.
Appreciate 0
      06-15-2010, 11:33 PM   #3
BobKingerman
Private First Class
BobKingerman's Avatar
United_States
88
Rep
197
Posts

Drives: 2007 e90 335i, 1969 Mustang
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Cleveland, OH/ Andover, MA

iTrader: (2)

Garage List
2007 E90 335i  [0.00]
Thanks for the quick response, I will have to try that out tomorrow morning.

EDIT: Just tried it now, aux-vol was turned all the way up to 6. Set it to 1 and it sounds perfect. Thanks Again.

-Rob

Last edited by BobKingerman; 06-15-2010 at 11:43 PM..
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:05 AM   #4
Ron1n
Speed Demon
Ron1n's Avatar
United_States
205
Rep
3,689
Posts

Drives: 2021 M5C
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Irvine

iTrader: (6)

Garage List
2021 M5 Competition  [0.00]
2016 BMW 550i  [0.00]
2011 335is  [0.00]
2009 E93 M3  [10.00]
2010 335d  [9.50]
Also, try turning off the EQ on your iPod if you have it on, too (if yours has one).
__________________

Current: '21 M5C, '15 X6 50i Previous: '18 M550i, '16 550i, '11 335is, '09 E93 M3 DCT, '10 E90 335d, '07 E90 328i
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 03:24 AM   #5
1bad335
Captain
15
Rep
606
Posts

Drives: 2007 335I/ 2012 335I sportline
Join Date: May 2010
Location: New York

iTrader: (2)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Barbera335 View Post
Using your radio, press the soft button that say "aux vol" on the display. When in that menu turn it all the way down to either 0 or 1. That will correct your issue.
Good info.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 08:31 AM   #6
fdriller9
Banned
United_States
252
Rep
7,089
Posts

Drives: '06 AW 330xi
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC

iTrader: (4)

Garage List
2006 330xi  [6.44]
I don't have this aux volume....wtf
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 08:45 AM   #7
DANMACINSD
First Lieutenant
44
Rep
324
Posts

Drives: 2013 BMW 535i
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SAN DIEGO

iTrader: (1)

I had this problem before too. It was a bad cable, because I was using like a cheapo $2 from Radio Shack. Bought a 2 foot Monster Cable and all was good. Now I just burn MP3 CDs with 150 songs. They last a while and sound better.

Where is the aux vol located? I have I-drive and I don't see it.
__________________
13 535i Msport
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:23 PM   #8
ragingclue
One cam is enough
ragingclue's Avatar
130
Rep
6,801
Posts

Drives: VF
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: mulletville

iTrader: (1)

I don't see this aux volume either.

I've brought this issue up with the dealer before, and all they did was give me a new cable which still sucks balls.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:30 PM   #9
phistyle
Lieutenant
United_States
19
Rep
562
Posts

Drives: 2007 BMW e92 335i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Dallas, TX

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ragingclue View Post
I don't see this aux volume either.

I've brought this issue up with the dealer before, and all they did was give me a new cable which still sucks balls.
I thought the same too but when you see Aux display on your headunit, the aux. volume button is right under the word Aux.
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:32 PM   #10
ragingclue
One cam is enough
ragingclue's Avatar
130
Rep
6,801
Posts

Drives: VF
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: mulletville

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by phistyle View Post
I thought the same too but when you see Aux display on your headunit, the aux. volume button is right under the word Aux.
Do I technically not have a head unit? I've got IDrive. Is it in the display?
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:36 PM   #11
phistyle
Lieutenant
United_States
19
Rep
562
Posts

Drives: 2007 BMW e92 335i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Dallas, TX

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ragingclue View Post
Do I technically not have a head unit? I've got IDrive. Is it in the display?
What year is your car? I think 2009+ models don't have the Aux volume setting..
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:41 PM   #12
ragingclue
One cam is enough
ragingclue's Avatar
130
Rep
6,801
Posts

Drives: VF
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: mulletville

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by phistyle View Post
What year is your car? I think 2009+ models don't have the Aux volume setting..
08
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 01:45 PM   #13
phistyle
Lieutenant
United_States
19
Rep
562
Posts

Drives: 2007 BMW e92 335i
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Dallas, TX

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by ragingclue View Post
08
hmm, I don't have idrive but I'm pretty sure there should be an option somewhere in the idrive interface..
Appreciate 0
      06-16-2010, 09:17 PM   #14
fdriller9
Banned
United_States
252
Rep
7,089
Posts

Drives: '06 AW 330xi
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: North Jersey/Philly/NYC

iTrader: (4)

Garage List
2006 330xi  [6.44]
'06 here and no AUX volume...iDrive with L7.
Appreciate 0
      06-17-2010, 01:40 AM   #15
jsarai
New Member
2
Rep
25
Posts

Drives: 2007 335i
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: pittsburgh

iTrader: (0)

hey you dont need to have a aux volume..... i had the same problem... it isnt the cable either... just turn the volume down on the ipod to about 50% and try it again, if your ipod is cranked all the way up you will have terrible sound... worked for me... should work fine.. if it doesnt it is prolly the cable...

Cheers.
Appreciate 0
      06-17-2010, 08:14 AM   #16
kaigoss69
Brigadier General
kaigoss69's Avatar
United_States
300
Rep
3,969
Posts

Drives: '08 335i
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: JAX

iTrader: (6)

Whenever possible, DO NOT use the headphone out of the iPod. It has to do with a mismatch in out- and input impedances and voltages. The headphone output is optimized for driving HEADPHONES only. The line output is optimized for aux inputs and it bypasses the iPod's volume and EQ settings to give a flat, strong signal.
Appreciate 0
      06-17-2010, 10:08 AM   #17
ragingclue
One cam is enough
ragingclue's Avatar
130
Rep
6,801
Posts

Drives: VF
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: mulletville

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by jsarai View Post
hey you dont need to have a aux volume..... i had the same problem... it isnt the cable either... just turn the volume down on the ipod to about 50% and try it again, if your ipod is cranked all the way up you will have terrible sound... worked for me... should work fine.. if it doesnt it is prolly the cable...

Cheers.
I will try that once I get my car and ipod back from the dealer. I don't think my volume is up very far, probably about 70-80%, but maybe if I crank it down a bunch it'll go away.
Appreciate 0
      10-04-2012, 03:00 PM   #18
cruzer_88
New Member
United_States
4
Rep
14
Posts

Drives: 335i Coupe
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Dallas, Texas

iTrader: (0)

Speakers

Quote:
Originally Posted by BobKingerman View Post
Thanks for the quick response, I will have to try that out tomorrow morning.

EDIT: Just tried it now, aux-vol was turned all the way up to 6. Set it to 1 and it sounds perfect. Thanks Again.

-Rob
Rob do your speakers still go in and out?
Appreciate 0
      10-17-2012, 09:41 AM   #19
M0.92
First Lieutenant
18
Rep
368
Posts

Drives: 2007 335i e92
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Barcelona, Spain

iTrader: (1)

You guys made my day! I have been so disappointed with the audio quality out of my iPad using the aux channel, almost to the point I considered selling the car and get one with an USB port. The aux volume took care of that!
Appreciate 0
      10-18-2012, 01:57 AM   #20
18000rpm
Registered
0
Rep
2
Posts

Drives: E92
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Singapore

iTrader: (0)

Can someone do an A-B test: play a good quality MP3 via the CD player, and play the same MP3 file on your iPod/iPhone via the aux input. Then switch back and forth and compare the quality.

For me, the quality via the aux input is definitely much worse than the CD player. It sounds a little muffled and lacking in high frequencies.

I am using an iPod to 3.5mm adapter that provides a line-level out, and my aux vol is set to 1.
Appreciate 0
      10-18-2012, 02:54 AM   #21
alexwhittemore
Lieutenant Colonel
109
Rep
1,951
Posts

Drives: 2009 Crimson 328i
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Eh, kaigoss, you're technically correct about the impedance matching, but headphone outputs are very explicitly designed to be happy with a very wide range of load impedances. The BIGGEST problem is that you NEVER crank any volume to 100%. You probably don't need to sit the iPod at 50%, but whenever an audio system is designed, it usually is designed with a 10% or so overdrive in mind. The idea is that some songs hit the player with poor normalization. The recording happens to be quiet. And in that case, you can amplify by a larger factor and still remain within the drive characteristics of your system. HOWEVER, for normal volume recordings, by using that extra buffer, you're actually clipping the peaks of the output signal off totally and introducing distortion. It's true of both the iPod and radio - crank either to max and drop the other so it's comfortable, and you'll still hear distortion for most songs.
Appreciate 0
      10-18-2012, 07:43 AM   #22
taibanl
Brigadier General
taibanl's Avatar
279
Rep
4,121
Posts

Drives: BMW
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NA

iTrader: (4)

Quote:
Originally Posted by kaigoss69
Whenever possible, DO NOT use the headphone out of the iPod. It has to do with a mismatch in out- and input impedances and voltages. The headphone output is optimized for driving HEADPHONES only. The line output is optimized for aux inputs and it bypasses the iPod's volume and EQ settings to give a flat, strong signal.
I don't believe it will bypass eq, based on experience. I do however recommend use of the dock connector.
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:30 AM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST