[team7]

I created a post in the past in regards to using my Sony MP3 player by way of AUX cable to listen to music in the car. I have the Hi-Fi stereo system with no dash speaker or idrive.

The issue with using an MP3 player is that I have the volume half way up on that (where I listen to it in the gym) and then need to crank the car stereo up just about all the way to get an acceptable amount of volume. When doing so high notes are ear piercing where as everything else is about acceptable.

In the past post I was sent a link about a possible solution. In that link many people were looking to go Bluetooth so I might have misread what I needed for my solution. I read where most people were getting a headphone amp/dac through FiiO and specifically the E10k.

Is the Olympus 2-E10k what I need? Setup seems pretty straight forward. I have a headphone jack which I believe I have an Aux cord going from that to the Aux port in the armrest. On the other side of the unit I have another aux port that goes into my MP3 player. Finally there is a USB cable for power that goes into the USB port in the armrest.

The issue: When I power everything on I originally thought I was getting no sound. I cranked up the volume dial on the FiiO to 8 (max) and then started turning the dial on the car radio. I still have to move the dial almost to max on the car stereo to get any sound. When I do get sound it sounds like every speaker in the car is a sub. There is voices and music but it is very low and muddy. So.... is this not the hardware I need for my problem or am I using it wrong? I have read the instructions and researched but it seems like all applications are for computer to headphone use, not car audio. Thanks!

[Renegadenick]

Have you tried a different audio cable (the 3.5 mm cable) and a different source (a cell phone, laptop, etc)? I think it would be best to rule those out before you purchase a dac/amp.

I also don't believe the dac/amp will work with your MP3 player unless your MP3 player has a USB port that it can route audio out to.

Best of luck!

[team7]

Renegadenick thanks for the response. The FiiO amp is already purchased. The MP3 player works with the car fine, just needs more power. My thought was the amp would just make the accessory better. I have tried different cables but not a phone vs MP3 player for the reason stated above. I dont believe the amp is designed to take audio input from the MP3 player through USB, its for the power.

However, maybe thats the issue. The USB is for power and audio just like if you plugged a laptop into it. Im not sure then how the other people on this site are using this in conjunction with their audio setup.

[Renegadenick]

The MP3 player already has a dac built in so the signal outputs as an analog signal. The input of a dac is a digital signal (like usb). So what I am understanding is that you want to input an analog signal into the dac that takes a digital signal, which will not work as far as I know.

Have you doubled checked your equalizer settings on the HIFI stereo?

[team7]

I see ok. So essentially I don't need this FiiO. I was thinking the problem was that the factory stereo needed to be turned all the way up and was distorting the sound so we needed a way to run the sound up before the stereo.

Yes Ive adjusted the equalizer. If I turn the treble down the sound is very muddy but no longer piercing. I had resorted to just moving all the sound to the back speakers which helped quite a bit.

[Renegadenick]

I have a CIC iDrive so I am not sure if you have this option, but there is another setting for volume, specific to the aux input, that is independent of the volume knob. Try to see if you can find that setting on yours and make sure it is turned up. Also look to see if you can get your MP3 to have a line-level output and try that.

[OTO335i]

I'm in the same boat as you, getting good audio streaming out of our non-Idrive cars sucks...

I'm going through this exact problem except it's with my phone and I haven't purchased a Aux pre-amp/DAC yet..
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1484000

I had an Aux cable running from my phone straight to my Aux port under the armrest and the sound was terrific, exactly the same as if I played a CD. Then I got this Bluetooth streaming device and the volume and bass are much lower... I'm trying to locate a amp that would power the signal better but just haven't bitten the bullet yet. These are the two options that I would want to go with..

http://phpaudio.jigsy.com/passive-preamp

or

http://boostaroo.com/store/AC-Batter...-Splitter.html

Hope you can find something that will work. It's getting pretty frustrating not being able to attain good sound quality because of how BMW wired in our units...

[OTO335i]

Disregard my post above, I'm an idiot... I played with my eq settings on my Hu and it made a significant difference..

[team7]

Ha! well glad you figured it out. My eq setting dont help. I still need to see if there is something on the MP3 player side to mess with. I know it has a ton of audio settings but im not confident anything is going to help. Might just have to go the bluetooth route.

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by team7

Ha! well glad you figured it out. My eq setting dont help. I still need to see if there is something on the MP3 player side to mess with. I know it has a ton of audio settings but im not confident anything is going to help. Might just have to go the bluetooth route.

This is the Bluetooth unit I got:

https://www.anker.com/products/varia...Drive/A3351011

$30 and it works great except for a low buzz noise that I'm getting due to ground loop ( I don't hear the buzz when the song is playing, it's more in-between switching songs and if I pause). I ordered a ground loop isolator so we'll see if that helps.

[team7]

so how does that work. The aux and usb plug in the arm rest and then on the head unit you need to be under the aux setting when you want to use bluetooth?

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by team7

so how does that work. The aux and usb plug in the arm rest and then on the head unit you need to be under the aux setting when you want to use bluetooth?

That's correct, they're hooked in the arm rest and then I have to choose Aux to stream my Bluetooth from the unit, but I can at least switch tracks from the Bluetooth device and don't have to pick up my phone. So there's no song information that comes up on your head unit but I don't need that since I know what music I have..

[team7]

Perfect, that sounds ideal to me. This looks good man, Ill check it out!

[OTO335i]

Originally Posted by team7

Perfect, that sounds ideal to me. This looks good man, Ill check it out!

I relocated my Bluetooth unit today, the wires were literally an inch to short though so I had to get an extension for the USB connection, I also received my ground loop isolator (that gave me my extension for the aux cable and it cleared up the sound a little more..

I'm not sure why but when I post photos through the app it posts them sideways..