Connecting iPhone via USB/digital

adityab · 06-08-2020, 11:41 AM

Hi all

What's the best way to connect an iPhone to a pre-combox E90 in terms of sound quality/cost? I'm looking to use Spotify in the car, and not via Bluetooth.

I know this question has been asked in the past, but I'm curious what the state of the art is.

I have CIC and the USB and 3.5mm jack, but the Y cable sound quality isn't great. One of these?

1. Combox retrofit
2. Grom
3. Dension

ctuna · 06-08-2020, 07:27 PM

The thing about bluetooth is there is always going to be some loss.
There are many long threads on this already .
The aux in the BMW is a known low fi bottle neck.

For a cheap adapter that works well except for the somewhat
lame interface . Gives usb , sd card phone and another aux.
The phone is actually pretty good through this and the bluetooth
sounds worse than the usb but not bad.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1499808

It also has an aux which may be better than BMW aux I don't know,
as I only use the usb and sd card.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1002984

Hint the Y cable actually plays the music through the aux.
That's why it doesn't sound any better than the aux alone.

Canadiesel · 06-08-2020, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctuna

The thing about bluetooth is there is always going to be some loss.
There are many long threads on this already .
The aux in the BMW is a known low fi bottle neck.

For a cheap adapter that works well except for the somewhat
lame interface . Gives usb , sd card phone and another aux.
The phone is actually pretty good through this and the bluetooth
sounds worse than the usb but not bad.

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1499808

It also has an aux which may be better than BMW aux I don't know,
as I only use the usb and sd card.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1002984

Hint the Y cable actually plays the music through the aux.
That's why it doesn't sound any better than the aux alone.

If you do the combox upgrade, can you then play music directly through the USB in the armrest? as opposed to the Aux? I just want a lossless digital connection to play music through my phone without having to download mp3s onto a thumbdrive.

adityab · 06-08-2020, 09:07 PM

Wow, ctuna, those are interesting solutions!

And yes, canadian, installing a combox should do just that

ctuna · 06-09-2020, 04:28 PM

Don't know anything about iphones on a Android you can make it
look like a usb card but then you might as well have a usb card.

Last time I looked that thread came to the conclusion that you could improve the aux somewhat but using a DAC but usb was still better
with his res files.

There are endless discussions about bluetooth.

06-08-2020, 11:41 AM	#1
adityab New Member 0 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 2009 328i Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Connecting iPhone via USB/digital Hi all What's the best way to connect an iPhone to a pre-combox E90 in terms of sound quality/cost? I'm looking to use Spotify in the car, and not via Bluetooth. I know this question has been asked in the past, but I'm curious what the state of the art is. I have CIC and the USB and 3.5mm jack, but the Y cable sound quality isn't great. One of these? 1. Combox retrofit 2. Grom 3. Dension
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06-08-2020, 07:27 PM	#2
ctuna Lieutenant General 2098 Rep 13,467 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	The thing about bluetooth is there is always going to be some loss. There are many long threads on this already . The aux in the BMW is a known low fi bottle neck. For a cheap adapter that works well except for the somewhat lame interface . Gives usb , sd card phone and another aux. The phone is actually pretty good through this and the bluetooth sounds worse than the usb but not bad. https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1499808 It also has an aux which may be better than BMW aux I don't know, as I only use the usb and sd card. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1002984 Hint the Y cable actually plays the music through the aux. That's why it doesn't sound any better than the aux alone.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-08-2020, 09:07 PM	#4
adityab New Member 0 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 2009 328i Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Wow, ctuna, those are interesting solutions! And yes, canadian, installing a combox should do just that
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06-09-2020, 04:28 PM	#5
ctuna Lieutenant General 2098 Rep 13,467 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	Don't know anything about iphones on a Android you can make it look like a usb card but then you might as well have a usb card. Last time I looked that thread came to the conclusion that you could improve the aux somewhat but using a DAC but usb was still better with his res files. There are endless discussions about bluetooth.
	Appreciate 0 Quote