[Soul_Glo]

Question about the USB under the arm rest. What is the maximum sample rate it can support? So far I have tried 320 Kb/ps and it sounds quite clean but I want to push for a higher resolution if I can.

I have not attempted to play any FLAC files as yet. Are these compatible? Everything else works from mp3, wma, m4a...

Muchos grassy-arse for your advice.

[RunFlatOut]

Nice discussion here about what other drivers are having success with:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=537025

[ctuna]

https://www.theguardian.com/technolo...o-music-hi-res

I can't tell the difference between 320kbit mp3 and cd.

[RunFlatOut]

If you're not greedy with file size and only take away those frequencies outside of the threshold of human hearing, MP3s will keep most of the quality.

Funnily enough true audiophiles used to say the preferred Vinyl to CDs because they could hear some tracking/skipping/artefacts when listening to CDs. Most of us don't have the hearing range to pickup on that, plus all of us gradually lose a little hearing with age so good MP3s will mostly sound good enough that we won't notice a difference, especially in a car.

[ctuna]

I think a good aftermarket sound system
makes all the difference.
Looks like Niel Youngs Pono hasn't taken off.
I have been through all the formats Vinyl cassette real to real
and cd's Kind of don't want to have to pay for my whole library
all over again and my ears are getting bad though the are trained.

[Soul_Glo]

Thanks for the replies guys. Upon my search I started reading about high resolution audio and stores that sell it, players that play it back... the audio bug has started up again! When I started listening to music on the road years ago I went all out with an SQ / Reference system and won many a competition. Since buying my first BMW it left me scared thinking a ghetto install would ruin the layout of the dash. Consequently I sold my Pioneer P99RS and various DLS/Zapco reference bits.

[ctuna]

You can avoid the BMW portion by using direct Input to a
DSP or using a wi fi or aptx connection to a dsp. Although
the Head Units in the BMW are pretty adequate if you don't
do through the aux.

[RunFlatOut]

I've been looking at aftermarket head units and wishing so hard I could find a clean replacement, but it's such a headache to get everything working. The car has bluetooth that works beautifully, sat nav that works well, 676 HiFi sound is good although I'm thinking of upgrading it at some point, just better clarity, separation, better defined low bass. I just can't get myself to explode the oem setup. I've had a look at the drop-in replacements like Erisin, Dynavin etc but as much as I'm glad they exist, I just know they're not what I would look for in terms of audio.

And there's me talking to myself when all I wanted to say was that I spotted a Kenwood (I think) amp with aptx input...