No AUX jack on base 2018 230i

fahizzo · 11-28-2017, 11:37 AM

I'll have to replace the front and rear Hi-FI speakers and add an aux jack.

I prefer aux or USB for music.

I have read the speaker guide and will be replacing with Eton B100 up front and JL in the back, however I'm wondering about the complexity of adding an aux and tips on making it simpler.

Thanks

mecodoug · 11-28-2017, 03:15 PM

Why not use the USB jack in the armrest? Or does the 230i not have that or maybe it is part of the H-K option?

I'll admit, most of the time I connect my source via Bluetooth because with any significant speed/road noise I could not easily tell the difference between that and the USB port. For me it is just audio books most of the time. This may change if I do any stereo upgrades.

fahizzo · 11-28-2017, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecodoug

Why not use the USB jack in the armrest? Or does the 230i not have that or maybe it is part of the H-K option?

I'll admit, most of the time I connect my source via Bluetooth because with any significant speed/road noise I could not easily tell the difference between that and the USB port. For me it is just audio books most of the time. This may change if I do any stereo upgrades.

There is a USB jack, however I don't have android auto. The phone charges but I don't know how to pull sound via USB to the sound system.

To my ears the same audio file over USB or AUX sounds clearer and louder than bluetooth

ctemkin · 11-29-2017, 10:24 AM

I would be interested in what luck you have in putting in an AUX input.

My 2018 240i has the same setup--no AUX input. It would be possible to use an input directly into the Bimmertech amp that I replaced the HK amp with, but that would mean that when I used the AUX input, I would not be hearing the various messages that iDrive sends (for example, the nav system). So what is needed is something that uses the head unit.

I have inquired about this, but have yet to hear anything.

MarcoZandrini · 11-29-2017, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctemkin

I would be interested in what luck you have in putting in an AUX input.

My 2018 240i has the same setup--no AUX input. It would be possible to use an input directly into the Bimmertech amp that I replaced the HK amp with, but that would mean that when I used the AUX input, I would not be hearing the various messages that iDrive sends (for example, the nav system). So what is needed is something that uses the head unit.

I have inquired about this, but have yet to hear anything.

Your car has a USB input in the armrest. That's the auxiliary input.

MarcoZandrini · 11-29-2017, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fahizzo

There is a USB jack, however I don't have android auto. The phone charges but I don't know how to pull sound via USB to the sound system.

To my ears the same audio file over USB or AUX sounds clearer and louder than bluetooth

What are you trying to add? The jack is a USB jack.

fahizzo · 11-29-2017, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

What are you trying to add? The jack is a USB jack.

I would like to add an Auxiliary port to the car, or find where it is located if the car already has one. In the book they say the aux port is next to the USB port in the armrest, however in my car that spot is blank.

I use my android phone to play music and podcasts. Right now I am using bluetooth.

If I can get the USB port to work with the sound system, then I would use that instead.

Viffermike · 11-29-2017, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fahizzo

I would like to add an Auxiliary port to the car, or find where it is located if the car already has one. In the book they say the aux port is next to the USB port in the armrest, however in my car that spot is blank.

I use my android phone to play music and podcasts. Right now I am using bluetooth.

If I can get the USB port to work with the sound system, then I would use that instead.

Ok, gentlemen, some clarification for you:

- The Aux jack the OP is referring to is a 3.5mm stereo jack that is analog. Unfortunately, it appears to have been deleted for the 2018 model year in 2 Series models. Doing away with an analog Aux (short for 'Auxiliary') input is a general trend in automotive OEM audio setups.

- That analog Aux jack was generally regarded as the best way to feed high-resolution audio to the 2 Series' audio system. This is because the analog signal bypasses both the software-based digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and most of the horrific digital signal processing (DSP) that the head unit (HU) imposes on digital source content. As the OP notes, it is also a good way to connect portable music players of any type, from smartphones to (if one feels so inclined, and with the right cable) 8-Track players.

- Now that the analog Aux jack is gone, it is highly unlikely that one can easily graft an aftermarket one into the head unit. This is why more and more aftermarket amplifier/DSP makers are including Aux inputs in their products. At first, the input was almost always digital (usually a fiber-optic TOS link). Now, analog Aux inputs are also being included (usually RCA jacks, but sometimes 3.5mm stereo jacks) on recent models ...

... though even some of those are starting to lose the analog input. The amp/DSP unit that Bimmertech repurposes, a Match PP86DSP, is a great example of this. It only has a digital Aux input, while its predecessor, the PP82DSP, had both.

ctemkin · 11-29-2017, 04:16 PM

On the assumption that I will not be able to add an analog AUX input alongside the USB input, I bought a new ipod touch to replace my aging classic ipod, which the BMW software had trouble recognizing. With the new ipod plugged into the USB input, iDrive recognizes the albums, playlists, etc., and can add the shuffle feature to a playlist. It may be that the sound would be even better if there were an analog AUX input, but it is looking as if that is unobtainium. As it is, having replaced the HK system with the Bavsound speakers and Bavsound/Bimmertech amp, I find that the sound is quite good. Not as good as my home systems, but enjoyable to listen to.

fahizzo · 11-30-2017, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viffermike

Ok, gentlemen, some clarification for you:

- The Aux jack the OP is referring to is a 3.5mm stereo jack that is analog. Unfortunately, it appears to have been deleted for the 2018 model year in 2 Series models. Doing away with an analog Aux (short for 'Auxiliary') input is a general trend in automotive OEM audio setups.

Thanks for the clarification, I didn't realize people weren't familiar with the aux jack. I made sure my phone has an AUX port, I refused to purchase a newer iphone for that reason.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctemkin

On the assumption that I will not be able to add an analog AUX input alongside the USB input, I bought a new ipod touch to replace my aging classic ipod, which the BMW software had trouble recognizing. With the new ipod plugged into the USB input, iDrive recognizes the albums, playlists, etc., and can add the shuffle feature to a playlist. It may be that the sound would be even better if there were an analog AUX input, but it is looking as if that is unobtainium. As it is, having replaced the HK system with the Bavsound speakers and Bavsound/Bimmertech amp, I find that the sound is quite good. Not as good as my home systems, but enjoyable to listen to.

I will likely have to do that, or use a USB thumb drive. That's a good suggestion. I'm wondering if I can get the car to recognize my phone when plugged in MTP

BEM-S4 · 11-30-2017, 09:56 AM

With no aftermarket amp, the best you can do in this situation is lossless files on USB I believe. With aftermarket amp, you can go straight into AUX there with something like a FiiO for upgraded DAC, but you lose some iDrive functionality.

Dirtboy · 12-25-2018, 01:46 PM

I'm bringing this post back from the dead...

With no analog way to input audio into the system, how does one connect laptop audio to the system? (for system tuning purposes)

Viffermike · 12-27-2018, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirtboy

I'm bringing this post back from the dead...

With no analog way to input audio into the system, how does one connect laptop audio to the system? (for system tuning purposes)

Howdy neighbor,

The OEM DSP is not tune-able. If you're running an aftermarket DSP, you would plug into the DSP unit itself.

Dirtboy · 12-27-2018, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viffermike

Howdy neighbor,

The OEM DSP is not tune-able. If you're running an aftermarket DSP, you would plug into the DSP unit itself.

Yeah I'm running the Match UP 7BMW amp/dsp. I was just wanting a way to include the OEM headunit in the chain.

I noticed on the NBT EVO pinout that pin 30, 35, 36 and 39 are for the AUX-in. But I'm wondering if you'd have to code to turn the feature on in idrive.

http://blog.obdii365.com/2016/09/19/...or-enet-cable/

11-28-2017, 11:37 AM	#1
fahizzo New Member 3 Rep 23 Posts Drives: '18 230i Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	No AUX jack on base 2018 230i I'll have to replace the front and rear Hi-FI speakers and add an aux jack. I prefer aux or USB for music. I have read the speaker guide and will be replacing with Eton B100 up front and JL in the back, however I'm wondering about the complexity of adding an aux and tips on making it simpler. Thanks
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11-28-2017, 03:15 PM	#2
mecodoug Private 15 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2017 M240i 6-speed Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: MA iTrader: (0)	Why not use the USB jack in the armrest? Or does the 230i not have that or maybe it is part of the H-K option? I'll admit, most of the time I connect my source via Bluetooth because with any significant speed/road noise I could not easily tell the difference between that and the USB port. For me it is just audio books most of the time. This may change if I do any stereo upgrades.
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11-29-2017, 10:24 AM	#4
ctemkin Private 40 Rep 95 Posts Drives: 2018 M240i Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Washington, DC iTrader: (0)	I would be interested in what luck you have in putting in an AUX input. My 2018 240i has the same setup--no AUX input. It would be possible to use an input directly into the Bimmertech amp that I replaced the HK amp with, but that would mean that when I used the AUX input, I would not be hearing the various messages that iDrive sends (for example, the nav system). So what is needed is something that uses the head unit. I have inquired about this, but have yet to hear anything.
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11-29-2017, 04:16 PM	#9
ctemkin Private 40 Rep 95 Posts Drives: 2018 M240i Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Washington, DC iTrader: (0)	On the assumption that I will not be able to add an analog AUX input alongside the USB input, I bought a new ipod touch to replace my aging classic ipod, which the BMW software had trouble recognizing. With the new ipod plugged into the USB input, iDrive recognizes the albums, playlists, etc., and can add the shuffle feature to a playlist. It may be that the sound would be even better if there were an analog AUX input, but it is looking as if that is unobtainium. As it is, having replaced the HK system with the Bavsound speakers and Bavsound/Bimmertech amp, I find that the sound is quite good. Not as good as my home systems, but enjoyable to listen to.
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11-30-2017, 09:56 AM	#11
BEM-S4 Major General 4516 Rep 8,942 Posts Drives: Dinan M235, Dinan Sport Wagon Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Philadelphia iTrader: (5)	With no aftermarket amp, the best you can do in this situation is lossless files on USB I believe. With aftermarket amp, you can go straight into AUX there with something like a FiiO for upgraded DAC, but you lose some iDrive functionality. __________________ 2022 Macan S 2016 F31 328i xDrive Sport Wagon 2006 E46 330ci ZHP Convertible
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12-25-2018, 01:46 PM	#12
Dirtboy Second Lieutenant 197 Rep 258 Posts Drives: F87, F97 Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Dallas iTrader: (0)	I'm bringing this post back from the dead... With no analog way to input audio into the system, how does one connect laptop audio to the system? (for system tuning purposes)
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