The Y Cable iPod Sound Quality Mystery

[thetaobear]

Hi Everybody,

For good sound quality with the iPod controls:
Y-Cable BMW part # 61 12 0 440 812
AND
W-Cable BMW part # 61 12 2 167 663
OPTIONAL
CableJive dockXtender Premium Dock Extender Cable for iPhone, iPod, iPad (2 foot black)
= Extender is connected to the Y Cable, which is connected to the W cable, which is connected to the cig. charger, USB interface, and AUX.

My bottom-line was to
1. control the iPod from my steering wheel
2. good sound quality
3. iPod goodness (iOS7 radio, easy to manage playlists)
4. charge my phone
5. have the cable extend out so I can use my iPod while driving (don't text and drive, folks)

Why is just the Y cable not enough?
The problem with the Y cable when plugged in with the native USB port of the car is that the USB port does not provide enough to power the Y cable amp (the little chip that is needed to have both sound and controls). This is evident when I used the Y cable with the controls (plugging into the USB port of the car); the sound volume is a lot softer. But when you plug in the Y cable without the controls (using a cigarette USB charger), the sound volume is right (just as loud as your radio). Evidently, if you boost up the volume to compensate for the volume lost using the native USB port of the car, you lose a lot of sound quality (more static, etc.). This is just poor design of the Y cable and the USB port system.

Background:
2009 135i
I have the non-HK audio system (USA- so it is the BMW professional)
iPod (4th gen) and iPhone 4S

Verbose:
So I've been SO perplexed about the Y cable with my iPhone. The sound quality is terrible- compared to using a USB stick.

This is because the Y cable uses the AUX (analog input I believe). The USB stick outputs a direct digital signal to the audio system. I went to the dealer to get iPod interface adapter installed (65110439429) but dealers all refused because
1. doesn't make economical sense
2. hassle
3. you won't be able to use your AUX/USB interface with the installation supposedly

So here are my findings for my car.

Test 1: USB
+ great sound quality (or at least whatever your sound system should output)
- annoying to sync- you have to convert everything to MP3, etc.
- flexibility problems

Test 2: Y Cable with the USB interface and AUX
- poor sound quality (sometimes bass is missing, etc.)
- static is present: not always, but some/most times (refer to FAQ number 3 and 10)
- flat flat flat
+ iPod, etc. goodies

Test 3: Y Cable with my cigarette charger and AUX
+ great sound quality (or at least whatever your sound system should output)
+ iPod, etc. goodies
- can't control the iPod (since it isn't connected to the USB interface)

So... I was very perplexed that using that Y cable with the USB interface- the sound quality isn't good; but with the cig. charger, sound was great. What I am guessing is that
1. the USB interface doesn't power the amp of the iPhone enough, but the cig. charger does OR
2. the USB interface causes interference and static to the audio output

So I went to the BMW dealer and asked for the W cable (since this was advertised on the website). This is because the W cable contains connectors to the USB interface, cigarette charger, and AUX. I gave it a try since it will alleviate the problems 1 and 2 above. On the other side of the cable/converter/whatever... it contains USB and AUX female ports (don't ask me WHY they would do such a thing). This is the reason you also NEED the Y cable.

Test 4: iPod to Y to W to car
+ great sound quality (no more hissing and puffing)
+ charges phone MUCH better (now the battery bar actually goes up with intense iOS7 radio use)
+ control the iPod
+ iPod goodies

I am happy. Again, this is for my car- and I know there are a lot of confused posts/owners/threads out there about the iPod sound quality.

[P1]

Strange. My wife's 135i came with the Y cable and it sounds really good. Then again, she has the HK system but I doubt it makes _that_ much of a difference.

[jbrown]

I am having similar issues. With my new iPod nano, I had some luck for a few weeks where it was connected through the USB device (not the auxilery) where I had connected the iPod to my 2011 128i with 2 independent cables: 1) to the USB audio interface, and 2) through the Aux in. With this connection the IPod was able to be controlled by the BMW audio system.

However, the iPod was unplugged in order to add more songs, and now it does not synch the way it used to. When the USB and autdio out connections are established it will no longer synch through the USB port and the 128I audio will not recognize the iPod. Thus, the only way to play the iPod is through the auxilery/audio output.

Why is this so inconsistent, and is the only way in which to consistently establish a connection from the iPod nano to the 128I's audio is through the BMW factory Y or W cable?

I would appreciate anyone's feedback.

[crbalch]

Alright so as I understand it (sorry a bit confusing), you are saying:

a) Y Cable audio is bad (I agree)
b) You are using the iphone to the Y cable to the W cable, and are able to control everything, but more importantly the sound quality is good?

I currently use a USB stick for my music since the quality is great, but I would love to not have to bring it inside and update it each time I want to hear a new song or album I got. But on the other hand, the Y cable audio is miserable.

So I can get good quality and keep the functionality of the controls by going Y cable to W cable?

Thanks!

[Braudham]

Hey crbalch,

Were you able to replicate this in your vehicle? I'm looking for a alternative to the Y cable myself.

[thetaobear]

Hi crbalch,

sorry for the late reply.

b) You are using the iphone to the Y cable to the W cable, and are able to control everything, but more importantly the sound quality is good?

That is correct. I think it has to do with the Y cable not being able to transfer the analog sound to the amplifier sufficiently (might be due to power issues). That is why (I think) the sound quality is inconsistent with just the Y cable. With both the W and Y, I had no problems, especially with the iPhone 4s. However, recently, I got the iPhone 5s and used the adapter,
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD...30-pin-adapter

Sound quality is still good, but when the screen is on, I hear low volumes of static.

[crbalch]

I ended up just adding the following to my setup:

- Proclip iPhone 5/5s holder with the 30pin to 8pin Adapter Pass through (this keeps my phone mounted where I can see/control it)
- iPhone Lightning Adapter
- BMW W Cable

So far, I love the setup. I think the sound quality is slightly better being strictly USB when using a stick, but the convenience factor of the iPhone is worth the slight loss of SQ. I add music at least once a day to my itunes, and with itunes match, I can keep everything up to date without needing to sync to USB.

It was a pricey parts upgrade (W Cable - $100, Proclip mount - $60, Adapter - $40), but overall it will make my life so much easier, plus it keeps my phone 100% all the time.

[Flexo]

Got a link for that mount, crbalch? Could you post a pic of how it ended up looking.

[davis449]

I haven't had any SQ issues with the Y Cable in my 2012 with HK. I never hear any static and I use a 32 GB iPhone 4 (no service) as my iPod. I guess because I just use it as an iPod and never take it out of the car unless I am updating it, charging is a non-issue for me. But I, too, wonder why others are reporting issues.

[whitebimmer09]

I have been having some issues, I don't really care about charging the phone, I just want the audio to be clear. I use the AUX port directly into my headphone output from my android. I turned the AUX volume down and it made it better but I still get a lot of hissing.I have the standard professional head unit and standard speakers. I thought it was my cheap cable so I went out and bought a $30 one and still the same. Any thoughts?

[tom619]

Just a heads up, if anyone still needs one of these adapters I have one for sale here http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1049922

[Jedclampet]

However loose the ipod and get a usb stick ( I run a 32 G Sandisk )
SQ +++
Steering wheel controls still work and you can run WAV files, I have ripped many CD's to WAV and stuck them on a stick. As far as I know that's the highest quality you get get through the stock head unit. I ran Morels in my 135 with JL XD 600/6 through a MS8 it was nice. Next was a G37 with Dyn's Zapco ref amp and their processor was even better. Now in a x3 with the Match pp82 amp/processor and Jehnert speakers very easy install and unreal detail, added a JL amp and sub and now complete. Btw cut only 4 wires and removed the stk amp in the trunk never touched the dash!

[thetaobear]

Originally Posted by Jedclampet

However loose the ipod and get a usb stick ( I run a 32 G Sandisk )
SQ +++
Steering wheel controls still work and you can run WAV files, I have ripped many CD's to WAV and stuck them on a stick. As far as I know that's the highest quality you get get through the stock head unit. I ran Morels in my 135 with JL XD 600/6 through a MS8 it was nice. Next was a G37 with Dyn's Zapco ref amp and their processor was even better. Now in a x3 with the Match pp82 amp/processor and Jehnert speakers very easy install and unreal detail, added a JL amp and sub and now complete. Btw cut only 4 wires and removed the stk amp in the trunk never touched the dash!

You are right- USB stick has the best SQ.

Either way, I realized the problem with the Y cable when plugged in with the controls is that it does not provide enough to power the Y cable amp (the little chip that is needed to have both sound and controls). This is evident when I used the Y cable with the controls (plugging into the USB port of the car), the sound is a lot softer. But when you plug in the Y cable without the controls (using a cigarette USB charger), the sound volume is right (just as loud as your radio). Evidently, if you boost up the volume to compensate for the volume lost using the native USB port of the car, you lose a lot of sound quality. This is just poor design of the Y cable and the USB port system.

[thetaobear]

Originally Posted by whitebimmer09

I have been having some issues, I don't really care about charging the phone, I just want the audio to be clear. I use the AUX port directly into my headphone output from my android. I turned the AUX volume down and it made it better but I still get a lot of hissing.I have the standard professional head unit and standard speakers. I thought it was my cheap cable so I went out and bought a $30 one and still the same. Any thoughts?

Plug the AUX to the AUX port and the USB to a cig USB charger (powerful one)! See if that works.

[rod.bearings]

Damn id try this if the w-cable wasnt $100 lol

[halfhalo]

A few things:

The Y cable uses a minuscule amount of power. There is no amp in it, only a chip that converts the iPods Accessory Protocol to something the car can understand. Providing more power does nothing besides potentially frying that chip. More power will not make a (correctly) functioning cable louder, since the cable is just passing the Line Out of the iPod straight to the AUX of the car.

The Car's built in USB port is indeed underpowered though. It was designed for powering iPods, not iPhones, and is limited to 5V 500ma. While that is perfectly fine and defined in the USB spec, phones can draw much more power (my 5 and 6 have peaked at drawing close to 3500ma when using GPS + BT for radar detector).

The W cable bumps the power up to 5V 1000ma IIRC, powered via the power socket. Doubling the power solves most charging issues, assuming the phone is left alone/no gps. It also doesn't support passing through power/AUX when the power socket does not provide power, which annoys me (and is why I have a custom power setup).



There IS a difference between iPod and AUX volume wise, however. That difference is that the car has a separate input setting for iPod vs AUX.



I took SPL measurements with a calibrated mic when I installed my DSP and speakers. The DB level was identical when the source was from my iPhone via 30pin+lighting adapter or straight to AUX. Same tone, same mic level, same volume on the HU (45 clicks). Both were 105DB.