[LSU_Man]

What is everyone’s take on iDrive Spotify vs CarPlay Spotify? In my limited experience, the iDrive version seems clearer but not significantly. The curiosity that I have is will the integrated version have a better chance at delivering lossless audio (once Spotify enables it)? It seems that CarPlay is limited by the connection from the phone. But an integrated solution could get past that, right? Or is this wishful thinking?

[Rondi]

CarPlay is terrible. Music quality through iDrive is 10 times better, i just discovered this today, after driving my G06 for 2.5 months…

[mmm50i]

I love iDrive Spotify!! It was having lots of connection problems back in November, but it's been flawless since.

I've stopped using CarPlay altogether. For navigation, I just use iDrive now as well. I enjoy nav guidance appearing on my HUD.

[ewizzle]

Originally Posted by mmm50i

I love iDrive Spotify!! It was having lots of connection problems back in November, but it's been flawless since.

I've stopped using CarPlay altogether. For navigation, I just use iDrive now as well. I enjoy nav guidance appearing on my HUD.

Interesting. I'll need to try Spotify via iDrive, I've only done it via CarPlay. Also, if you use Apple Maps - the nav guidance shows up in the HUD. Google Maps/Waze does not.

[nZtiZia]

interesting, when audio streams through CarPlay, it streams through wifi which has a higher streaming quality than streaming iDrive which is through bluetooth.

my default iPhone connection is CarPlay, but once in a blue moon it'll connect via iDrive, and I can instantly notice the lower quality and volume when music starts playing. when I look up at the top menu bar, I see that's it's playing via bluetooth.

[Bearco]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

interesting, when audio streams through CarPlay, it streams through wifi which has a higher streaming quality than streaming iDrive which is through bluetooth.

my default iPhone connection is CarPlay, but one in a blue moon it'll connect via iDrive, and I can instantly notice the lower quality and volume when music starts playing. when I look up at the top menu bar, I see that's it's playing via bluetooth.

I think they are talking about Spotify baked into iDrive and not bluetooth from your phone?

The way I'm reading this is:

Spotify in iDrive > Spotify CarPlay > Spotify Bluetooth

I'll have to try it myself. I've been sticking with CarPlay, but I haven't driven my new car much yet.

[LSU_Man]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

interesting, when audio streams through CarPlay, it streams through wifi which has a higher streaming quality than streaming iDrive which is through bluetooth.

my default iPhone connection is CarPlay, but once in a blue moon it'll connect via iDrive, and I can instantly notice the lower quality and volume when music starts playing. when I look up at the top menu bar, I see that's it's playing via bluetooth.

I was referring to the iDrive version of Spotify, which doesn't rely on Bluetooth. You should be able to connect to the iDrive Spotify with your cell phone powered down. This direct connection interests me because it stands to reason that a direct connection could have a higher throughput capacity than a wireless connection (speculation on my part).

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

interesting, when audio streams through CarPlay, it streams through wifi which has a higher streaming quality than streaming iDrive which is through bluetooth.

my default iPhone connection is CarPlay, but once in a blue moon it'll connect via iDrive, and I can instantly notice the lower quality and volume when music starts playing. when I look up at the top menu bar, I see that's it's playing via bluetooth.

Your iPhone supports regular lossless 24bit / 48kHz.

Even though you're streaming via CarPlay over Wi-Fi, CarPlay and Wireless CarPlay will convert down to 16bit / 44.1-48kHz which is the lowest tier of lossless support and sends the signal to the head unit as:

- Wired CarPlay sends 16b / 44.1-48 LPCM
- Wireless CarPlay transcodes and sends 16b / 44.1-48 as compressed AAC-LC

[LSU_Man]

Originally Posted by Auricom

Your iPhone supports regular lossless 24bit / 48kHz.

Even though you're streaming via CarPlay over Wi-Fi, CarPlay and Wireless CarPlay will convert down to 16bit / 44.1-48kHz which is the lowest tier of lossless support and sends the signal to the head unit as:

- Wired CarPlay sends 16b / 44.1-48 LPCM
- Wireless CarPlay transcodes and sends 16b / 44.1-48 as compressed AAC-LC

With the above in mind, doesn't it seem plausible that the iDrive Spotify app could be capable of 24bit/48kHz? Obviously, Spotify has to enable a HiFi signal, but this seems like the simplest HiFi solution.

[Auricom]

Originally Posted by LSU_Man

With the above in mind, doesn't it seem plausible that the iDrive Spotify app could be capable of 24bit/48kHz? Obviously, Spotify has to enable a HiFi signal, but this seems like the simplest HiFi solution.

Plausible but I don't see Spotify making it happen or ConnectedDrive integration returning any time soon.

Where is Spotify HiFi?
Spotify's take on lossless streaming is still MIA after being announced in February last year
https://www.theverge.com/platform/am...i-fi-streaming