[elito]

Hi all, I've noticed a big/distinct sound quality difference (not sure if it was intended or not) but sound/music actually sounds better when on HD radio// or XM as compared to bluetooth streaming or external audio in-put from my phone - i have all the phones music enhancements turned off - also most of my music files are loseless - flac

i've noticed that music coming from the radios - the bass are much more tighter - sharper vocals as compared to either way of getting my music from my phone to the car - which is boomy bass and less sharper vocals. one of the first enhancements ive noticed with this car was the audio quality of the "bose" system as compared to the g37s - but it seems as if once on either source the bose system has lost its touch or something..i'm gonna try "usb" later on today and see if it makes anymore differences.

 

[toinfiniti]

Mine too. I feel the same way.

I'm using iphone 5 with bluetooth. I haven't tried with USB yet.

 

[1BadAssQ]

Every source sounds like garbage except making a MP3 CD with 320kbps quality music or having it from a USB. Anything else and it compresses the audio and will sound not as it is intended.

I had a mp3 DVD for my G37 and that's what I used to show my sound system to friends. Now since the Q doesn't read DVD, I use mp3 CD and the audio quality is fantastic. My brother said it sounds like a nightclub when 80% cranked up.

 

[kazilla]

Sound quality from my iPhone over USB is fine but bluetooth is a significant downgrade. I still use Bluetooth sometimes for iTunes radio since the quality on internet radio is average at best anyway.

 

[InfinitiPlusOne]

Stick with CD or USB mp3 if you wants the best sound quality.
XM is very compressed and Bluetooth is even worst. HD radio is pretty good if you can get good signal.

 

[selzini]

I have no complaints with the system. The sound is not degraded when I use my iPod to input the music. I recently had a friend sit in the car while I demonstrated the system, and she said it felt like she was sitting in the orchestra. Bass was rich and treble was "sweet," with no distortion, even though I had the sound up higher than normal. I wish my father were still here - he loved good music.

 

[Scott321]

I think that it completely depends on the quality of the original source. For example, I use the bluetooth all the time. I have a music subscription to "MOG" and the quality is fantastic. It is CD quality. If I take a very low quality song on my Iphone and play it via bluetooth, it sounds like crap. If I take a song I bought from Itunes with the highest quality or MOG, it sounds amazing through bluetooth.

As far as HD radio, it sounds good for the most part. XM totally depends on the channel. Do you notice how clear and crisp Howard Stern is and how "muddy" other stations sound.

What I notice about this vs. my G37 is that with my G37, everything sounded pretty good. Nothing blew me away, and nothing really sounded terrible. With my Q50, some songs are breathtaking and others sound very mediocre.

 

[mrq50]

I was at the car wash the other day when the guy next to me (drove an audi), asked me what I had done to the sound system because it sounds great. I told him it was the factory set up and he found it hard to believe. He really loved my car btw, specifically the color.

 

[SnowItch]

I have no complaints with the system.

Well, obviously you are wrong, because...

Every source sounds like garbage

 

[Rich]

I don't know for sure on this but I'm thinking that Bose is using the same A2DP spec in this implementation of BT Audio as they have in their SoundLink product(s). That spec would provide a transport channel capable of 320 kbps total, which would be roughly equal to a 128 bit encoded MP3 file, yes lower end. It's true that the source file would have a direct impact on the quality you hear but the BT audio itself will take even the highest quality file and make it sound run of the mill. Audio is VERY important to me so I have played with the system a lot recently. The very best sound is going to be achieved using high bit rate files (or lossless FLAC) and inputting them into the system in a way that no additional loss is added, that would be via CD or USB. All other input sources will be lower quality. XM is highly compressed and will always sound very mid-range heavy with no sparkle in the highs and muddy bass. Standard FM broadcasts will vary from station to station but for the most part they all stink, HD radio is a noticable upgrade from standard FM but don't expect perfection there either. If you seek audiophile level playback you need to either use good old fashion CD's, and high quality ones at that OR some type of lossless compressed files like FLAC or better yet un-compressed files (like WAV)played on an external player connected via the USB port or the external audio jack.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

Good ol' SnowItch...Telling it like it is...or isn't..


Yeah, I agree with Scott. It depends on the quality of the original source/format of the music. Audio CD's will give you the purest sound in most cases.

 

[elito]

i've noticed alot of ppl doens't read the entirety of the post - my music files/source are 95% FLAC - so the source factor is out of my way in my case. im glad to see that this is the behavior in general of this system - it auto compresses the signals unless its cd/usb - but whats interesting tho - i've tried with AUX input and its the same compressed sloppy signal.(I was planning on further testing by using my portable Fiio e11 amp [phone->amp>car aux input] - but looks like this wouldnt be needed) will be using usb from hereon and revert back on the new findings.

 

[selzini]

I don't know for sure on this but I'm thinking that Bose is using the same A2DP spec in this implementation of BT Audio as they have in their SoundLink product(s). That spec would provide a transport channel capable of 320 kbps total, which would be roughly equal to a 128 bit encoded MP3 file, yes lower end. It's true that the source file would have a direct impact on the quality you hear but the BT audio itself will take even the highest quality file and make it sound run of the mill. Audio is VERY important to me so I have played with the system a lot recently.

This is such a good example of what I was talking about: People not speaking English in this forum.

O.K., seriously: That kind of statement reminds me of the old adage, "I don't understand art; I just know what I like." I don't understand the technical jargon(I know all of you are shocked by that, just SHOCKED!). People here, as well as at my dealership, advised me to download to iTunes, and thus to the iPod, using the lossless mode. I guess that because I did, I don't have a problem with the sound. They all sound as good as what I get from my home stereo(a very good Pioneer set-up), and in some cases, even better.

An aside: elito, is your apostrophe key missing from keyboard?

 

[Rich]

selzini - I take no offense to your comment at all, in fact it made me chuckle. I was just attempting to add some reasoning behind what the other posters in this thread were saying. Technical jargon may not be on your daily reading list but maybe just maybe someone will understand it and as a result better understand how to get the most out of this really great audio system we all have.

 

[elito]

selzini - what are you? a grammar nazi of some sort? now the question is - will this updated system be able to play FLAC files from the usb - in the g37 - it wouldn't decode flacs from usb. we'll find out sooonnn...

 

[Rich]

selzini - what are you? a grammar nazi of some sort? now the question is - will this updated system be able to play FLAC files from the usb - in the g37 - it wouldn't decode flacs from usb. we'll find out sooonnn...

If it can't (and I bet it can't) then your best bet would be to play them via the AUX jack and use the controls on your external player rather than the on screen In Touch system controls.

 

[selzini]

Rich, I wasn't criticizing you at all. As I think you could tell, I use self-deprecating humor a lot, and what I said was a shot at my lack of technology knowledge.

elito: I try not to be a grammar Nazi, but it would be a lot easier to read posts if punctuation marks were used. I've already made known my opinion of others' lack of language knowledge.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

selzini - what are you? a grammar nazi of some sort? now the question is - will this updated system be able to play FLAC files from the usb - in the g37 - it wouldn't decode flacs from usb. we'll find out sooonnn...

Oh Im sorry that your new here but selzini is THE grammer Nazi The original OG. he don't take no mess neither so you betta cross yo i's and dot yo T's cuz if he see syou slippin up it's all ova period

 

[selzini]

The original OG

Hey, now just wait a minute! I haven't ordered you off my lawn, have I? (I had to look up "OG" on the Internet, and I'm assuming a certain definition). I really don't think it's asking too much for people to use punctuation marks. As I understand protocol, just about all comments are allowed in social media.

 

[SnowItch]

I really don't think it's asking too much for people to use punctuation marks.

No, it is not; However, the use of punctuation is, mostly, to help the person reading the post. In today's self-consumed society, everybody's time is more important than yours (or mine), so simple courtesies are ignored.

Yes, it is sad, but it is what it is...