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CarPlay music versus Bluetooth music.

S

Spinstorm

Ready to race!
Location
Brighton
This is more for those who don't have App Connect and so don't have CarPlay or Android Auto or those that want a bigger display (7") or those that maybe don't have nav built in.

If you have all those then there isn't any obvious benefit.
 
KevinC

KevinC

Autocross Champion
Location
The land of Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday
Car(s)
'19 Golf R, '21 M2c
Bluetooth is compressed, CarPlay is a direct connection and sound quality will be better.

Personally, I don't like either solution. BT for the above-stated reason, and CarPlay is just a hassle to screw around with every time I enter/exit the car.

My solution? 2 options, I'm using both. First, a dedicated older iPod Nano in the front compartment, permanently connected. My entire library is loaded on it. No screwing around connecting my phone every time I get in the car, direct connection to my music with no further compression.

Option 2, SD card. Lots of ways to load music to one, I took the easy route of simply copying my entire iTunes library to one. Works flawlessly, including album art. Only thing I haven't figured out yet is getting playlists to work, but I'll get that solved. Once done I'll probably pull the iPod and just use SD card as lone solution. Both are cost-effective, particularly the SD card route since they're SO cheap nowadays. Good luck!
 
P

Pay2play

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Pittsburgh
KevinC said:
Bluetooth is compressed, CarPlay is a direct connection and sound quality will be better.

Personally, I don't like either solution. BT for the above-stated reason, and CarPlay is just a hassle to screw around with every time I enter/exit the car.

My solution? 2 options, I'm using both. First, a dedicated older iPod Nano in the front compartment, permanently connected. My entire library is loaded on it. No screwing around connecting my phone every time I get in the car, direct connection to my music with no further compression.

Option 2, SD card. Lots of ways to load music to one, I took the easy route of simply copying my entire iTunes library to one. Works flawlessly, including album art. Only thing I haven't figured out yet is getting playlists to work, but I'll get that solved. Once done I'll probably pull the iPod and just use SD card as lone solution. Both are cost-effective, particularly the SD card route since they're SO cheap nowadays. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Your idea that CarPlay will sound better is only accurate in theory. In reality, CarPlay sounds like absolute shit. I freaking bought a sub and was looking at changing the speakers on my brand new mk7 because I thought the audio quality was terrible. Then when I listened to satellite radio, not through carplay, it was way wayyyyy better.

At this point CarPlay is useless. It's kind of BS to be honest.
 
K

KlipZ

Ready to race!
Location
AZ
AntGTD said:
Wireless Carplay is disabled by Apple, not sure why but it might be enabled under the next major IOS release. Well here's hoping anyway!
Click to expand...

My understanding is that wireless CarPlay requires an additional piece of hardware behind the dash for the phone to connect to. I dont believe it works over standard Bluetooth. There are vehicles out there now that have wireless carplay functionality. I dont believe our cars will ever get it.. which is a damn shame. I'd use care play way more if it was wireless.. Its much more convenient to just jump in the car and have music start playing over BT automatically as opposed to taking the phone from my pocket, grabbing my cable and plugging in (usb port is also in a horrible spot.)
 
D

darkmag1k

New member
Location
chi
quality_sound said:
Hold the home button on the screen or press the voice button on the wheel.
Click to expand...

this doesn't work on the '17 w/ iphone 7 (when not connected to carPlay)

did you ever get an answer how to fix? (i remember this used to work on older VWs via bluetooth only)
 
K

kri$han1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Toronto
darkmag1k said:
this doesn't work on the '17 w/ iphone 7 (when not connected to carPlay)

did you ever get an answer how to fix? (i remember this used to work on older VWs via bluetooth only)
Click to expand...

Sorry man, but it works on my car: iPhone SE & 2017 GTi PP.

"Hey siri" works, as long as the phone can hear me, then it just interrupts the car's audio system and does it's thing, and I use iPhone commands.

If I push the button on the steering wheel, then audio is interrupted and I use the VW commands, as per instructions on the dash to use my phone.

I prefer using the hey siri method, but I use both regularly.
 
D

darkmag1k

New member
Location
chi
kri$han said:
Sorry man, but it works on my car: iPhone SE & 2017 GTi PP.

"Hey siri" works, as long as the phone can hear me, then it just interrupts the car's audio system and does it's thing, and I use iPhone commands.

If I push the button on the steering wheel, then audio is interrupted and I use the VW commands, as per instructions on the dash to use my phone.

I prefer using the hey siri method, but I use both regularly.
Click to expand...

Thx, so steering button does not work via bluetooth only? (it does work for me, only when connected to carPlay)
 
B

Bäsemödel

Go Kart Champion
Location
Lancaster PA
Agreed. If it’s just music you want, the SD card is a virtually flawless solution. But with maps and podcasts and such, CarPlay would be great. I got to use it for a bit in a dealer loaner and it was great. I’m used to taking my phone out of my pocket when I get in the car as it is. It sits horizontal just above the shifter in front of the port. Plugging it in is no problem.
 
KevinC

KevinC

Autocross Champion
Location
The land of Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday
Car(s)
'19 Golf R, '21 M2c
I was using CarPlay on a 3-hour drive home tonight, first time I've used it in quite a while. I was playing music and it sounded 100% equal to the same music I have on SD card. If anything, there's more punch from the amp when using CarPlay - the volume doesn't have to be turned up as high to achieve the same output as SD card. But as for sound quality/clarity, it's perfect. Always has been when I've tried CarPlay in the past.
 
D

digitalrurouni

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
East Coast
KevinC said:
I was using CarPlay on a 3-hour drive home tonight, first time I've used it in quite a while. I was playing music and it sounded 100% equal to the same music I have on SD card. If anything, there's more punch from the amp when using CarPlay - the volume doesn't have to be turned up as high to achieve the same output as SD card. But as for sound quality/clarity, it's perfect. Always has been when I've tried CarPlay in the past.
Click to expand...


Wonder if it's because of the volume setting for whatever the input is in your car set to low. There's an option in the menus for that if memory serves me right.
 
KevinC

KevinC

Autocross Champion
Location
The land of Wyatt Earp & Doc Holliday
Car(s)
'19 Golf R, '21 M2c
digitalrurouni said:
Wonder if it's because of the volume setting for whatever the input is in your car set to low. There's an option in the menus for that if memory serves me right.
Click to expand...

Naah, they're all like this. Play something from USB, crank it up pretty high. Then switch to any other input such as FM radio. You'll get blasted out of the car. You always have to crank up anything coming in via USB or SD card.
 
K

kri$han1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Toronto
darkmag1k said:
Thx, so steering button does not work via bluetooth only? (it does work for me, only when connected to carPlay)
Click to expand...

I'm sayin yes; it does work when the phone is paired wirelessly through Bluetooth only. I haven't tried it with CarPlay (plugged in) yet, so I guess that's something to try on the way home today :)

KevinC said:
Naah, they're all like this. Play something from USB, crank it up pretty high. Then switch to any other input such as FM radio. You'll get blasted out of the car. You always have to crank up anything coming in via USB or SD card.
Click to expand...

Also, I concurr with digitalrurouni; there is an input level setting that can be adjusted in the audio settings menu.
 
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