[90c4]

Just wondering if there will be much of a sound quality improvement if I add one of the new Chromecast Audio devices to my car instead of using my bluetooth (with Aptx phone) if I send hiqh quality audio to the stereo.

Question 2 - if I'm using a streaming service like Pandora or Spotify, is the quality already so poor that it really doesn't matter?

I have unlimited data with verizon and the chromecast audio has a guest mode, so it looks like for $35 or whatever I can use it without adding a wifi network to the car - just turn on my phone's hotspot and access the chromecast as a guest.

Any thoughts?

[ctuna]

Wi Fi is better than bluetooth but
the bottleneck is usually the aux Input on a BMW,
for the hardware. If you have a base system or Hi Fi
you should improve your audio hardware first.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1002984
There are high quality streaming services (high bit rate)or different
plans inside each i don't know how good they are.

[90c4]

Thanks. Are there any devices out there that allow me to run an optical output into a Logic7? If the aux is the weak link, obviously an external DAC isn't going to do much.

[bmw325i]

My solution is an aftermarket headunit. Why waste your time with the stock headunit unless you have idrive. I got an Alpine s920hd and I used the connects2 harness. Bluetooth sounds the same as using a usb cable to me.

[ctuna]

Dension gateway 500s bluetooth is the only thing I know
that attaches to the most bus . The aux on that or some of
the aftermarket amps that support one is suppose to be better.
There might be other stuff by now but you would still have to go through its usb, a2dp or aux.
There are some guys on here that have actually done the Wi Fi
thing that are likly to know more.
The guys on that thread reported better results with the DAC but
not as good as USB.

[Meeni]

The audio quality is more dependent on the DAC than the technology. BT audio has made leaps, and is good enough to not be the limiting factor in quality. Some other links are typically weaker.

[cdgatti]

I use a kinivo btc 450 which is very inexpensive and does aptx bluetooth protocol. with my pandora one (supposed to be higher bittate) than free pandora) the Sq through the aux input is quite good. almost on par with playing wav files through the usb input. I am a stickler for sound quality and this strikes a real nice balanc e between Sq and simplicity/functionality.

I also have apple airport express wired into my helix dsp via optical so that would be clean wifi. I don't think the Sq improvement was worth all the effort I went through to use the AE in my car.

[90c4]

Thanks cdgatti. That answers my question perfectly. I'll just stick with my aptx bluetooth.