Sound system

[Surge]

Well, "Apple Lossless" is not the only lossless format. Try another one, like mP3 lossless and let us know if that works.
I'm not surprised Apple's doesn't work, as that is proprietary to Apple.

 

[I33t]

Well, "Apple Lossless" is not the only lossless format. Try another one, like mP3 lossless and let us know if that works.
I'm not surprised Apple's doesn't work, as that is proprietary to Apple.

Sorry, but that is not the case since 2011

in late 2011 Apple made the codec available open source and royalty-free.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Lossless

Are there any known lossless formats supported by the system?

MP3 is not lossless. For mp3 lossless you need MP3HD and that appears to be defunct, and I doubt it is supported by the sound system.

As of April 2013, the MP3HD website, specification and encoder software are no longer available, and promotion of the format appears to have been abandoned.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mp3HD

 

[agj]

Are there any known lossless formats supported by the system?

Update

Ok, I made some experiments and I now can confirm that the FLAC file format (https://xiph.org/flac/index.html) IS SUPPORTED indeed by the i3's sound system hard drive!!!!
FLAC is a lossless file format. It is not as popular/advertised as ALAC (Apple) but it does work and according to independent comparison (http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison), it seems that it is much better than the Apple format.

The only downside is that the FLAC format is not compatible with your iPhone/iPod (no kidding!). If you really want to have your CD library in a lossless format on your i3's sound system hard drive, you'll have to compress it on purpose.

Be aware that there is no point in compressing your mp3 files into a lossless format. In order to fully benefit from a lossless format you have to compress the file from a HiFi source (CD).

That being said, I just tested a couple of FLAC tracks on my standard sound system and the result is.... waowwww!!! Can't image what it could sound like on the Harman Kardon setting!!!!!!

 

[Surge]

Good to know re: flac

Lossless is overkill though, for a car setting.
Try 192khz and you should find iPhone compatibility and no audible difference vis a vis lossless (in a car setting, home controlled environment with very expensive equipment would be different.)

 

[DHP]

Anyone know if Apple lossless will play from a USB fash drive plugged in? I have an itunes library of about 38 GB and a mix of all formats include ALAC (apple lossless). If I can't import into the car's hard drive maybe buy a cheap 64 GB flash drive (I see one at micro center for $20) and keep it plugged into the USB slot? I have the HK sound system

Thanks if anyone has done this...

 

[MikeS]

I used apple lossless on my BMWZ4 and in my X1 with a USB and it works fine.

 

[agj]

Anyone know if Apple lossless will play from a USB fash drive ?

Hi

Just made the experiment this morning : tried to play a couple of Apple lossless songs from a USB drive. And ... It did not work
Though the title/artist is recognised, the system won't play file.

I guess this could be fixed through a software update. For the moment, only FLAC.

 

[nowtta60]

Good to know re: flac

Lossless is overkill though, for a car setting.
Try 192khz and you should find iPhone compatibility and no audible difference vis a vis lossless (in a car setting, home controlled environment with very expensive equipment would be different.)

+1 on that. A few years back i ripped my whole CD collection. Before starting out i ran a few test files of quiet soft music and noisy rock and some RnB type stuff with heavy bass. Listening in my head phones (Senheiser HD25) for discrepancies until i couldn't tell the difference on computer, or via an off board DAC or on ipod. At about 190kbits/s i couldn't tell but ripped everything at 220 variable bit rate. At the time that was the limit on a lot of systems.

 

[jadnashuanh]

FWIW, a typical stereo is likely only putting a few watts to the speakers except when the low notes are thumping, and then, only for a short time. But, the power going to the amplifiers will always be more than what is going out. IOW, if the speakers were getting 360W continually, they'd overheat and burn out but you'd be deaf long before. The peak current could still be an issue.

 

[psquare]

2 reasons why lossless in the car is useless

A) noise
B (and more importantly) - MP3 converter in the car won't support anything above normal a certain kHz anyway. It might play the file, but the reproduced sound is converted down to the level that's supported by the hardware. It's pearls to the pigs, so to speak.

Save yourself time, money and hard drive space and rip to 192 kbit/s. I love audiophile systems and do believe that there are real differences when , for example, a Studio Master file is played on a decent system. However a noisy car - even an i3 with HK sound system - is not an audiophile environment.

 

[Sparky]

Are you certain the i3 hardware converts flac files to MP3? I'm not. I played Tidal Hifi flac through the HK system and it sounded glorious!

 

[psquare]

Apologies, it's not an actual MP3 file converter. It's the actual digital converter I'm talking about.

Of course it sounds glorious (that's what the additional amplification, speakers and sound software does - and so it should for the price), but will you hear the difference between a 192 Kbps and a lossless file ? You will not, because the hardware will support the conversion (and hence plays the flac), but only to the bitrate and frequency the chipset in your stereo supports.

 

[thefuturenow]

The i3 uses a class D amp http://www.bmw.harmankardon.com/en/vehicles/BMW-i3/

Wow, the i3 engineers did not miss a trick minimizing every possible power draw. Impressive.

Interestingly (assuming the base sound system uses class AB amps), the upgrade to the Harmon Kardon system would actually increase your range (albeit ever so slightly) over the base system when operating at the same volume level.

Yeah, maybe a few feet! One point of note, everybody keep keeps referring to the stereo as "the Harman Kardon system" I wonder if they realize the base system is also Harman Kardon, just not as good.

Do you have a source for the base speakers also being Harman Kardon? It's odd they don't brand them if that's the case.

 

[Brice]

My BMW dealer in France said the exact same thing to me. HK provides BMW base speakers. But car manufacturers make you pay for a "real" badged option with big enhancement and prefer remain quiet about the base setup.

 

[thefuturenow]

My BMW dealer in France said the exact same thing to me. HK provides BMW base speakers. But car manufacturers make you pay for a "real" badged option with big enhancement and prefer remain quiet about the base setup.

The base speakers weren't awful so this is believable. Although the 12-speaker Harman Kardon system was much better, that isn't an option with the REX in my area.

 

[dmann]

The Harman Kardon system has a very nice clear, crisp sound. It also has very good low end. Having said that, I noticed it doesn't quite have the fullness that the enhanced sound system does in my X3. But then it has 16 speakers.

 

[Brice]

The Harman Kardon system has a very nice clear, crisp sound. It also has very good low end.

Really glad to hear that ! The only opportunity I had to listen to it was last year, during 10 secondes and the sales person had the good idea to put Radio with R&B.... so it was absolutely useless in other words.

I'm impatient to put real music in mine and enjoy it

 

[brorob]

I have the Harman Kardon upgrade and it sounds great, especially the low end. Definitely the best factory system in any car I've owned. I love being able to play music through many direct sources too, 1/8" jack, thumb drive, and internal storage. First car I've had with all of these choices too. Haven't had any distortion problems even at very loud volumes. I have noticed the rear left speaker making a strange noise like the surround is shot, but that's only happened at a certain frequency on a few songs.

The Harman Kardon system has a very nice clear, crisp sound. It also has
very good low end. Having said that, I noticed it doesn't quite have the fullness that the enhanced sound system does in my X3. But then it has 16 speakers.

I had a 3 series X-drive for a loaner and was really impressed with that system. More low end and depth and it felt like the bass was striking the back of my body. Made the HK system in the i3 almost a little disappointing after listening to that system...almost.

 

[levent]

Does anybody know if I can install an aftermarket amp to the base system? Assuming there is space under the back seat, where can I get power for it? and I believe cables to the speakers do not come to this space as in the HK option do, as there is no amp there. So a wiring may be necessary from headunit to the back seat then again to speakers. Any input appreciated.


Levent
2014 I3 base audio w/o REX.

 

[prettig]

Got the HK system (and a big audiophile) ..... it is pretty good (not as good as a lexus mark levinson system) worth the money.
And does play almost all my music from usb in high-res formats (flac etc ....).