Playback-The end results

[ognib]

So I finally have my stereo where I want it, at least for now. I wanted to ask opinions on something I don't see much discussion about. I had to use my stock HU to keep Sync, climate control, steering wheel functions and keeping investment under control.

HU- seems to sound the worst. I know it is older with no HD function but it seems stations at least around here pump up bass and cut some highs or maybe I just don't get peak signal. Some stations do sound better than others. Remember, this is MY HU..

Bluetooth- If I IHeart the same station, it seems like a much flatter signal and better separation and sounds MUCH better than over air

USB- This seems by far the best so far but it depends on how the music was recorded. The few I have so far were converted from utube through clipconverter

AUX- I'm an old guy..don't have an ipod or a bunch of tunes on my phone

CD- I need to load it and try it. So far I have only played the Fix-82 calibration CD and the grandkids rocking out to 'Wheels on the bus go round and round..'

Sirius- Actually, this sounds the worst. At least with the HU and a radio station you have the unknown factor, kinda like when all of a sudden your signal goes HD..

So what is the preferred input method you guys with more time in prefer? Garbage in is garbage out..

Click to read more...

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

Yep. CD will be close to USB.

But yes all that is normal. BT in a high bit rate will be VERY close to USB

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

USB is what I prefer. Best signal, easy to search through music folders with the headunit controlls, and resumes your place in the song when you turn off and on your vehicle.

CD's skip really bad in my truck because everything shakes.

There are no good radio stations in my area except one Country station I like.

Bluetooth uses a lot of battery life on my phone, so I don't use it.

AUX is garbage signal imo, but is most convenient to most people.

 

[TnTBadman]

USB is what I prefer. Best signal, easy to search through music folders with the headunit controlls, and resumes your place in the song when you turn off and on your vehicle.
CD's skip really bad in my truck because everything shakes.

There are no good radio stations in my area except one Country station I like.

Bluetooth uses a lot of battery life on my phone, so I don't use it.

AUX is garbage signal imo, but is most convenient to most people.

wait so AUX is the worst?

i expected that it would be the best quality.

I will likely be playing music off a phone, it has no dac or anything (Note4) but i do have software installed (viper auido) would AUX really be the worst way to listen to music.

BT is 1000000% more convenient of course, so I assume ill be using this most.

USB is least convenient as my stock HU has to organize the tracks from all audio on my phone every time i add files to it.

how will i get the highest quality audio from my phone?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

AUX uses the phone as the Preamp. Some are better than others.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

wait so AUX is the worst?i expected that it would be the best quality.

I will likely be playing music off a phone, it has no dac or anything (Note4) but i do have software installed (viper auido) would AUX really be the worst way to listen to music.

BT is 1000000% more convenient of course, so I assume ill be using this most.

USB is least convenient as my stock HU has to organize the tracks from all audio on my phone every time i add files to it.

how will i get the highest quality audio from my phone?

Bluetooth is the worst in my opinion, followed by Aux.

With USB, it goes from digital to analog, which goes out the RCA's.

With auxiliary inputs, it's digitally processed by your phone, then spit out the headphone jack as an analog signal. Your headunit gets it and processes it digitally (usually, depending on the unit), then has to convert it to analog again. Less processing is better.

There might be more advances in Bluetooth since the last time I used it, but I don't like it. It sounds different to me, and it also wastes a ton of my phone's battery

AUX uses the phone as the Preamp. Some are better than others.

Yep. Personally, my phone's internal amp is awful. Iphone 5's and 6's are pretty good

 

[JohnKuthe]

...

So what is the preferred input method you guys with more time in prefer? Garbage in is garbage out..

I have discs full of MP3 files of all my audio CDs. Looking forward to getting my Alpine CDE-153BT head unit installed because it will play MP3 files just like my old Alpine head unit! My stock 2006 Grand Caravan does not know MP3s from dirt!

And yes I KNOW MP3's are a lossy format. My old Alpine head unit had an EQ button to try and accommodate the loss; worked pretty well too!

John Kuthe...

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

CD's are good signal too, but I physically can't use CD's anymore. Skips at 50% of full tilt //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[TnTBadman]

AUX uses the phone as the Preamp. Some are better than others.

Bluetooth is the worst in my opinion, followed by Aux.
With USB, it goes from digital to analog, which goes out the RCA's.

With auxiliary inputs, it's digitally processed by your phone, then spit out the headphone jack as an analog signal. Your headunit gets it and processes it digitally (usually, depending on the unit), then has to convert it to analog again. Less processing is better.

There might be more advances in Bluetooth since the last time I used it, but I don't like it. It sounds different to me, and it also wastes a ton of my phone's battery

Yep. Personally, my phone's internal amp is awful. Iphone 5's and 6's are pretty good

Thanks guys, I had no idea the AUX used the phones audio chip.

apparently my Note4 Exynos has a Wolfsen DAC, so i should be good with it.

Will be getting everything setup Thursday so will do some experimenting with USB and BT.

...again thanks for the help.

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Any time