M4 radio quality

Duder · 07-29-2015, 01:18 AM

is it just me or is the radio quality on this car horrendous? even the hd radio is bad. everything is really tinny sounding and a lot of times bitcrushed. I'm a producer/engineer so I know sound pretty well. even with the da settings tweaked it sounds awful. iPods sound fine. it's just the radio. and don't even get me started on satellite radio. but that's not bmw's fault. seriusxm has horrendous sound quality. I swear they transmit at like 2kbs. but anyways, anyone else have issues with their radio sounding horrible? it's not the speakers, and it's not the easiest settings. cd's and iPods sound great on the HK system.

Duder · 07-29-2015, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Railgun

If you're a producer/engineer, then you know that radio sounds like crap anyway. Can't comment on HD as it wasn't all there before I moved, but I can comment on the equivalent, DAB, and that too is hit or miss depending on how they broadcast it.

Satellite is anywhere from 4-64kbps. Even more crappy.

I've had HK on two previous cars and FM was as expected.

Can't imaging there's any AD/DA conversion happening for FM, so it sounding bitcrushed is probably not the best way to describe it. Over compressed?

no it definitely sounds bitcrushed. that's an unmistakable sound. hd radio really doesn't sound terrible. I had the HK stereo in my John Cooper works mini and it really sounded good on hd radio. normal radio was a drastic difference. the M4 on the other hand sounds terrible all the time, hd or not. over compression is what happens with the satellite radio. the hd radio and satellite radio sound completely different but both bad. the satellite radio sounds compressed and you lose tons of audio information. whereas the hd radio just sounds bitcrushed. that's the best way to describe it.

RocketBoots · 07-29-2015, 09:29 AM

Are you in an area with really bad reception? I frequently drive through patches of bad reception, and the radio sounds terrible. When I get good reception, FM sounds as expected: OK, but far from good. When I want to listen to music I use CD's or lossless.

Duder · 07-29-2015, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

Are you in an area with really bad reception? I frequently drive through patches of bad reception, and the radio sounds terrible. When I get good reception, FM sounds as expected: OK, but far from good. When I want to listen to music I use CD's or lossless.

yeah it's pretty much on hd radio all the time. no issues there. it just sounds so bad compared to my Mini Cooper. same stereo system too. could it be a problem with the antenna?

RocketBoots · 07-29-2015, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duder

yeah it's pretty much on hd radio all the time. no issues there. it just sounds so bad compared to my Mini Cooper. same stereo system too. could it be a problem with the antenna?

I think it is a "problem" with the antenna. BMW antenna seems pretty awful. I think they've taken a dive since the E90's. I've been in Mercedes, Hondas, and Toyota's in nearly the same location, but they seemed to have much better reception and audio quality.

Duder · 07-29-2015, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duder

yeah it's pretty much on hd radio all the time. no issues there. it just sounds so bad compared to my Mini Cooper. same stereo system too. could it be a problem with the antenna?

I think it is a "problem" with the antenna. BMW antenna seems pretty awful. I think they've taken a dive since the E90's. I've been in Mercedes, Hondas, and Toyota's in nearly the same location, but they seemed to have much better reception and audio quality.

yeah that was my first thought. cuz every other car I've been in, even with much worse stereo systems, still sound better on the radio than my M4. it's horrible.

Duder · 07-29-2015, 05:47 PM

yeah the normal radio is bad, always. the hd radio is fairly close to what I'd get on like a 256mp3. at least in my JCW. the hd radio in the M4 is like a bitcrushed 192mp3. it really is bad. not sure why it's such a big difference between the JCW and the M4?

whatheheck · 07-29-2015, 10:47 PM

The sound quality of my FM radio is as expected - FM Radio.

And like you said - XM is so heavily compressed its sound quality is unacceptable. I really dont know how they stay in business.

I listen to my iPod and Pandora most of the time and rarely tune to FM and XM.

Dan

aboulfad · 07-31-2015, 07:47 AM

Yes, It seems that it's an antenna design issue or maybe the radio HU, on my previous e46 325, FM sounded good. And BTW FM quality given no transmission or reception impairments is supposed to be decent but not comparable to CD quality, 15khz bandwidth compared to 22khz for Red Book CD. I have HK sound system and regardless of the source, it's hurting my ears. I think BMW just doesn't focus much on car audio. I will be upgrading most of the system (amp, speakers and those useless underseat woofers) sometimes soon.

07-29-2015, 01:18 AM	#1
Duder Second Lieutenant 181 Rep 255 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	M4 radio quality is it just me or is the radio quality on this car horrendous? even the hd radio is bad. everything is really tinny sounding and a lot of times bitcrushed. I'm a producer/engineer so I know sound pretty well. even with the da settings tweaked it sounds awful. iPods sound fine. it's just the radio. and don't even get me started on satellite radio. but that's not bmw's fault. seriusxm has horrendous sound quality. I swear they transmit at like 2kbs. but anyways, anyone else have issues with their radio sounding horrible? it's not the speakers, and it's not the easiest settings. cd's and iPods sound great on the HK system. __________________ 2015 M4 Sakhir Orange, Executive Package, Adaptive M, 19" Wheels, Black Merino Leather
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07-29-2015, 09:29 AM	#3
RocketBoots Colonel 1860 Rep 2,104 Posts Drives: Horse Drawn Carriage Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Bay Area iTrader: (3)	Are you in an area with really bad reception? I frequently drive through patches of bad reception, and the radio sounds terrible. When I get good reception, FM sounds as expected: OK, but far from good. When I want to listen to music I use CD's or lossless.
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07-29-2015, 05:47 PM	#7
Duder Second Lieutenant 181 Rep 255 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 Join Date: May 2015 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (0)	yeah the normal radio is bad, always. the hd radio is fairly close to what I'd get on like a 256mp3. at least in my JCW. the hd radio in the M4 is like a bitcrushed 192mp3. it really is bad. not sure why it's such a big difference between the JCW and the M4? __________________ 2015 M4 Sakhir Orange, Executive Package, Adaptive M, 19" Wheels, Black Merino Leather
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07-29-2015, 10:47 PM	#8
whatheheck Private First Class 95 Rep 140 Posts Drives: Ferrari 360, 2015 SO M4 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Everett, WA iTrader: (0)	The sound quality of my FM radio is as expected - FM Radio. And like you said - XM is so heavily compressed its sound quality is unacceptable. I really dont know how they stay in business. I listen to my iPod and Pandora most of the time and rarely tune to FM and XM. Dan
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07-31-2015, 07:47 AM	#9
aboulfad Brigadier General 1596 Rep 3,945 Posts Drives: 2015 M4 MG/SO Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MTL, QC iTrader: (0) Garage List 2015 BMW M4 [10.00]	Yes, It seems that it's an antenna design issue or maybe the radio HU, on my previous e46 325, FM sounded good. And BTW FM quality given no transmission or reception impairments is supposed to be decent but not comparable to CD quality, 15khz bandwidth compared to 22khz for Red Book CD. I have HK sound system and regardless of the source, it's hurting my ears. I think BMW just doesn't focus much on car audio. I will be upgrading most of the system (amp, speakers and those useless underseat woofers) sometimes soon.
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