[Carbide]

So since the phone is the source of music here and a person has limited data plan that will present a problem.

Pandora really doesn't use that much data. Unless you use it 24/7, you won't burn thru much.
My phone plan is about $70 a month with unlimited data. Not an issue.

 

[Medsport]

You're Mustang must be older than 2017. That's when Android Auto/ CarPlay compatible units went into Dodge vehicles anyways.

yep, 2016
btw, apparently the new Supra isn't android compatible. Does that mean you can't hook your phone up to it to play music or use waze and google maps?

 

[Pioneer4x4]

If you use Google Maps, via Android Auto (or just standalone...) on long road trips, I highly recommend configuring "offline maps" for trips. It can download the map data (roads only, obviously not traffic info) and use it offline. This will save data usage a bit, but mainly it will keep working if/when you go to an area without cell coverage, just like the built in nav will, and it will still be up to date with current roads. They can auto update as well.
Also back to Android Auto, remember the voice button on your steering wheel.
Press and release, then talk after the beep - You are talking to the CAR
Press and hold until it beeps then release - YOu are talking to your PHONE
A fun tip, if you have unlimited data, set your google maps to satellite view. Looks like you are actually being tracked in real time (which you probably are, unless you put tin-foil over your car)

 

[jtrosky]

Yes, you are using your phones data plan when the phone is connected to the car via android auto. I pay $40/month for unlimited talk, text and data though (MetroPCS or whatever it's called now), so I'm not worried about data. I honestly thought that most cell phone plans were unlimited nowadays... I really haven't had any issues with loosing connectivity while driving and I live in the middle of nowhere. It just works.

I do still put all of my music on the USB thumb drive though - I don't keep music on my phone. I honestly feel that I get better sound quality via the USB drive than I do via Android Auto (even when the same files are stored locally on the phone). I've also noticed that Android Auto is lower in volume than when using the USB thumb drive. Since the car has two USB ports, I keep the USB drive in one port and use the other one to connect my phone. I mainly use the USB for navigation, but sometimes (rarely) use the steaming music services via the phone.

Lots of different ways to do things...

 

[Ramcharger68]

I’m just looking for the best possible SQ without heading down the slippery slope of a system upgrade. The stock Alpine system is definitely a limiting factor but even that system emphasizes the compression of Sirius, I don’t have any familiarity with iTunes.

 

[Hemiman33]

So the new Challengers DO NOT come with a CD player only usb ports. Now I have all these CDs I can no longer play? My iphone has little music on it and you can't copy mp3s to iphones so can I get a CD player installed or plug an external cd usb port player into the car? I tried playing my mp3s off of a usb stick into the usb port on the car but it doesn't recognize the media. My previous 2009 Challenger not only played CDs, MP3s but DVDs (audio) too? Is it possible to have a CD player installed into the car? The dash is all digial so I dunno? Also don't want to void the warranty. Anyone else unhappy about this CD player delete?

ya know I was going to write some seriously sarcastic crap but your about to plug a CD player into your car. That can’t be allowed. Have you tried importing your CDs into ITunes? I assume you can still do that. It’s been a LONG time since I did this so PLEASE try it first

 

[Go Mo]

I am still trying to understand why my ripped cds play at a lower volume than than the radio. I found a aux volume offset adjustment in settings and put it to the max of plus 3 but made not difference. I think the sound quality is ok but does not have the "punch" of the fm radio. I have the 2015 alpine system. I think it has a 276 watt amp. Maybe the amp only works for the radio ?? when I play with the equalizer I can improve the usb sound but still doesn't have the range of the radio sound. Then the equalize settings are way off for the radio. Seems like the usb port is not amplified like the radio ....

 

[Pioneer4x4]

I am still trying to understand why my ripped cds play at a lower volume than than the radio...

They don't as a rule. It all comes down to how you do it, and what software/setting you use.

 

[jtrosky]

Like I mentioned, the FM and XM radios have more "boominess" to them. I think they boost the low end on the radios to help compensate for the lack of true bass in over-the-air broadcasts. THey are also by far the loudest of the sources - but are also the lowest in actual fidelity of all of the sources, believe it or not.

That being said, I tune my system (aftermarket system with full DSP, etc) to sound it's best with 320k mp3s and flac files from the USB drive (which is the 2nd loudest source). Android Auto and the 1/8" aux-in jack are the lowest volume-wise (but you can adjust the aux level). Unfortunately, there really isn't a good solution to get both the over-the-air EQ and the USB/AndroidAuto/Aux-in EQ to sound the same. Again, in terms of actual fidelity, the over-the-air broadcasts will be the lowest (regular FM and XM). Then aux-in, ,then Android Auto and finally mp3/flac from the USB drive.

So yeah - I noticed the same thing - XM actually sounded the "fullest" with the stock system. Once I upgraded to a full aftermarket system, it was obvious that FM and XM were the lowest in actual fidelity though. It's just the way that they EQ'd the OEM system. Personally, I never use FM or XM anymore - the sound quality it far too low on my aftermarket setup. I use the USB drive as my source 95%+ of the time - so I tuned my system for the USB drive.

 

[Go Mo]

Thank You..Last question is I see the option in windows below ripping in mp3 to rip in wav lossless..should I be ripping in wav lossless instead of mp3 like i have been?

 

[jtrosky]

The format is up to you. You have multiple options - these are the most popular:

• MP3 ("lossy") - Smallest file size, music files are compressed and musical information is lost. I would recommend 320k if using mp3. Most people can't tell the difference between 320k .mp3 and CD
• FLAC ("lossless") - Medium file size - music files are compressed, but no musical information is lost - will sound exactly the same as the CD.
• WAV ("lossless") - Largest file size - music is not compressed in any way and no musical information is lost - will sound exactly the same as the CD.

Personally, I prefer FLAC format - you get full sound quality and compressed files to save space. FIles are larger than .mp3 files, but there is absolutely no loss in sound quality with FLAC.

In my 2018 GT with the 8.4 system, it supports all three of these formats.

 

[Go Mo]

Don't see option for flac but tried the wav and as you said I can't tell a difference. I will stay with the mp3 setting. To anyone regretting not having a cd player give the thumbdrive a try and you will not miss the cd player anymore. It is much easier to use. Thanks for the help.

 

[Pioneer4x4]

The format is up to you. You have multiple options - these are the most popular:

• MP3 ("lossy") - Smallest file size, music files are compressed and musical information is lost. I would recommend 320k if using mp3. Most people can't tell the difference between 320k .mp3 and CD
• FLAC ("lossless") - Medium file size - music files are compressed, but no musical information is lost - will sound exactly the same as the CD.
• WAV ("lossless") - Largest file size - music is not compressed in any way and no musical information is lost - will sound exactly the same as the CD.

Personally, I prefer FLAC format - you get full sound quality and compressed files to save space. FIles are larger than .mp3 files, but there is absolutely no loss in sound quality with FLAC.

In my 2018 GT with the 8.4 system, it supports all three of these formats.

My opinion is MP3 is beyone perfectly fine for listening to anything audio. 128 is fine as well for the vast majority of people/equipment. I typically encode higher now, just because storage is basically free now. I do still encode audio books at 128 mono, so it is ½ the space of "normal" MP3 and I sure don't need stereo for those.
Nothing wrong with 320 since storage is so cheap now, but personally I don't bother that high. Maybe I will re-rip stuff to compare, but the only thing likely to be affected is high frequency and I can't hear that high of a frequency anymore unless it is blasted.
Lossless is one of those things that is cool, but never notice the difference, like shooting RAW in a camera, unless you are going to be processing the data, not just enjoying it, let the compression do its thing and enjoy the 1/10 of the space it takes up. That also speeds up copying the data by 10x!
I must have messed with 5-6 different audio management programs, and encoders. I finally settled on iTunes a good while ago, for the standardization, and haven't looked back.
For video I use a ton of various open source tools, same as the OS on my players, I used Rockbox for a long time, even on iPods. But I stuck with iTunes on my PC itself. I think my default is 192 now, just for kicks, 50% more data can't hurt, and I'd never notice the additional space needed.
The best thing is, as long as you are doing it legally, you can try over and over.

 

[jtrosky]

I think that the difference between MP3 and FLAC is more noticeable on higher-end systems. Depending on the recording quality, FLAC can sound better on my system - but it just depends. If it's a crappy recording to begin with, you're probably not going to benefit from lossless, but for good recordings, you can hear the difference. I won't even consider anything below 320k .mp3 though. However, I have thousands of dollars into my car audio system - with 1000+ watts of RMS power - and I've spent TONS of time tuning the system via RTA with a calibrated microphone, etc.

To me, for as cheap as space is, I'd rather have the best quality source material that I can in order to take advantage of my system capabilties. It's not like I'm hurting for space.

It all "just depends". Hell, nowadays, the big "audiophiles" even consider my setup to not be good enough. They have to use a special "DAP" music player to really squeeze every last bit of sound quality out of their system. I'm not willing to give up the convenience of my head-unit though.

 

[STINGRAY]

Yes, you are using your phones data plan when the phone is connected to the car via android auto. I pay $40/month for unlimited talk, text and data though (MetroPCS or whatever it's called now), so I'm not worried about data. I honestly thought that most cell phone plans were unlimited nowadays... I really haven't had any issues with loosing connectivity while driving and I live in the middle of nowhere. It just works.

I do still put all of my music on the USB thumb drive though - I don't keep music on my phone. I honestly feel that I get better sound quality via the USB drive than I do via Android Auto (even when the same files are stored locally on the phone). I've also noticed that Android Auto is lower in volume than when using the USB thumb drive. Since the car has two USB ports, I keep the USB drive in one port and use the other one to connect my phone. I mainly use the USB for navigation, but sometimes (rarely) use the steaming music services via the phone.

Lots of different ways to do things...

Once I can figure it out it would seem that the flash drive USB thumb drive would be the best as far as taking up little space in the car. Smaller than a phone and smaller than an MP3 player. Don't need to rely on having phone.

 

[STINGRAY]

What are CD's? I kid.

A crossdresser?

What is a CD?

Is this 1997?

The opposite of a DVD but just the audio portion. It's 2021

 

[Blaque Diamond Wheels]

Ripping your tracks from CDs and storing them on the thumb drives seems to be the most practical way to sort this out. Just be mindful of the file type you're converting them into so that loss in audio quality is kept to a minimum

 

[STINGRAY]

Ripping your tracks from CDs and storing them on the thumb drives seems to be the most practical way to sort this out. Just be mindful of the file type you're converting them into so that loss in audio quality is kept to a minimum

I will probably be happy enough with the XM Sirius as that appears to be the easiest to do. Just listen. But once I learn about flash drives and how to use my home computer to copy CD's and music maybe I will go further.

 

[Pioneer4x4]

I will probably be happy enough with the XM Sirius as that appears to be the easiest to do. Just listen. But once I learn about flash drives and how to use my home computer to copy CD's and music maybe I will go further.

If you are happy with the XM/Sirius, then just about any level of MP3 will (should) sound even better. Don't get sucked into all of the variables with higher bitrates and lossless, give it a shot some day using the defaults and try it out. The best thing is, copying CDs to MP3 isn't like copying any analog, no wear involved, and if you try again, no harm.

 

[SKT PK 9 Man]

Ripping your tracks from CDs and storing them on the thumb drives seems to be the most practical way to sort this out. Just be mindful of the file type you're converting them into so that loss in audio quality is kept to a minimum

Ok, I am totally new to this. I did figure out how to rip my CD's to a USB stick but not sure about the settings that will give the best audio quality on my HK system when it gets here. Here are the RIP settings I am using for Format and Audio quality (these were default settings). Should I change these? I also don't understand what "lossless" means. Tech is probably my weakest field of knowledge (partly because I don't care for it and avoid it like the plague). Thanks for any help!