View Full Version : Best source for sound quality in MMI integration?
Kevin7
07-19-2019, 09:13 PM
S'up; new owner here of a '15 RS7. What gets the best audio quality out of the Bose system? I'm assuming CDs, but wondering which iPod versions people are using with success. I tried connecting my iPhone X through the AMI interface/cable and the system had intermittent issues reading the device. Bluetooth works fine, but poorer sound quality and not ideal for user experience while driving. SD cards I guess are an option, but I'm guessing a pain in the arse...
subterFUSE
07-20-2019, 04:24 AM
The best signal path is to use CD. The DVD player in the C7 acts as a transport, which means it reads the digital data from the CD and does not convert it to analog until the signal reaches the Bose amplifier.
CD is better than SD card or hard drive because Audi does not support WAV or AIFF formats.
CD is also better than SD card or hard drive because Audi does not support gapless playback for digital files. But CD can do gapless play.
iPhone connections to the AMI will convert the audio signal to analog and then back to digital before sending the audio over MOST to the Bose amplifier for a final analog conversion.
Bluetooth uses lossy compression for transmission, and MP3/AAC are lossy compressed formats.
The best signal path is to use CD. The DVD player in the C7 acts as a transport, which means it reads the digital data from the CD and does not convert it to analog until the signal reaches the Bose amplifier.
CD is better than SD card or hard drive because Audi does not support WAV or AIFF formats.
CD is also better than SD card or hard drive because Audi does not support gapless playback for digital files. But CD can do gapless play.
iPhone connections to the AMI will convert the audio signal to analog and then back to digital before sending the audio over MOST to the Bose amplifier for a final analog conversion.
Bluetooth uses lossy compression for transmission, and MP3/AAC are lossy compressed formats.
Thanks for that!
OlyS6
07-20-2019, 10:08 AM
For those with MY2016 and later vehicles, (MMI is an MIB2 radio), the SD card format is excellent, as the MMI supports .FLAC files (lossless files without compression), as well as .ALAC (Apple's proprietary version), and .AIFF files
Kevin7
07-20-2019, 12:46 PM
The best signal path is to use CD. The DVD player in the C7 acts as a transport, which means it reads the digital data from the CD and does not convert it to analog until the signal reaches the Bose amplifier.
CD is better than SD card or hard drive because Audi does not support WAV or AIFF formats.
CD is also better than SD card or hard drive because Audi does not support gapless playback for digital files. But CD can do gapless play.
iPhone connections to the AMI will convert the audio signal to analog and then back to digital before sending the audio over MOST to the Bose amplifier for a final analog conversion.
Bluetooth uses lossy compression for transmission, and MP3/AAC are lossy compressed formats.
Thanks! That's what I figured. Found some CDs and you're exactly right. Ripping them now to the internal drive; curious how that sound compares. Probably not as good as I'm assuming this will be in a compressed file format. Or does it burn as WAV?
Kevin7
07-20-2019, 12:48 PM
Thanks! That's what I figured. Found some CDs and you're exactly right. Ripping them now to the internal drive; curious how that sound compares. Probably not as good as I'm assuming this will be in a compressed file format. Or does it burn as WAV?
Sorry, never mind as I see your point above!
subterFUSE
07-20-2019, 01:11 PM
Thanks! That's what I figured. Found some CDs and you're exactly right. Ripping them now to the internal drive; curious how that sound compares. Probably not as good as I'm assuming this will be in a compressed file format. Or does it burn as WAV?
If you rip the CD to the MMI hard drive it will make it an MP3, so you will lose quality.
Stupid.... but that's just how they designed it.
subterFUSE
07-20-2019, 01:12 PM
For those with MY2016 and later vehicles, (MMI is an MIB2 radio), the SD card format is excellent, as the MMI supports .FLAC files (lossless files without compression), as well as .ALAC (Apple's proprietary version), and .AIFF files
Good to hear they finally support some lossless formats.
If I had to guess, though..... I bet the SD Cards and Hard Drive still do not support gapless playback.
Kevin7
07-20-2019, 02:15 PM
Has anyone got an iPod to work properly with the AMI cable? The system gets tripped up on my iPhone.
OlyS6
07-21-2019, 10:20 AM
Good to hear they finally support some lossless formats.
If I had to guess, though..... I bet the SD Cards and Hard Drive still do not support gapless playback.
What is gapless playback?
subterFUSE
07-21-2019, 10:25 AM
What is gapless playback?
The ability to play from the end of a track into the next track without an audible pause in the music. It is critical for proper playback of most classical music, live recordings or electronic music.
Audi only supports the feature via the CD player to the best of knowledge.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk