Bluetooth,music streaming

[sw4nny]

Hi after some advice and guidance around best sound quality music streaming device to plug into cig lighter socket.
Needs to be good quality sound that can play through car speakers ,,play spotify and answer hands free phone calls.
I have used these in the past but they seemed to be poor quality sound wise background interference etc.
Can anyone recommend a tried and tested product for 2003 3.0 e85.thanks.

 

[ZedsDeadbabyZedzdead]

Hi
Ive very recently started a thread on the same thing, as it stands I haven’t settled anything on firm conclusion seemingly something people refer to as “grom” is popular however I don’t know anything about it personally other than that it appears to me the highest cost solution, others recommend a “bluemusic” loom that attaches to the multi changer wiring loom in the boot which is awkward to get to (from personal experience) then there’s the universal Bluetooth cigarette lighter plug in things which (from personal experience) are just about ok but require your ashtray lid to be left open and the connection is not seamless and requires a few seconds work each time you use it and the sound can sometimes be crackly.
I guess the budget should dictate the solution, Grom most expensive then bluemusic loom in the middle then ashtray plug in the cheapest.
I’ll watch this thread and see if anyone comes along with another option.

 

[Rossm09]

Hi mate, on my Z4M I done the following of which I’m personally happy with the quality on
Got one of the adapters that plugs into the back of the standard business cd head unit that creates an aux in into that I bought a ugreen Bluetooth receiver, it runs off a usb power output so Iv got the small little unit itself plugged in and hidden behind the little panel under the heating controls with the thin power lead just poking out to plug into the usb charger Iv got plugged into the 12v it’s fairly neat plus allows me to plug and unplug easily without the concern over any battery drain etc and cost me like £25 all in for both the aux adapter and then the Bluetooth receiver

 

[sw4nny]

Cheers guys,ideally looking for best audio quality with no interference plug and play into lighter socket.I dont want to pull radio unit out or faff with hardwiring.

 

[Mau]

Cheers guys,ideally looking for best audio quality with no interference plug and play into lighter socket.I dont want to pull radio unit out or faff with hardwiring.

I am afraid this option does not exist. Anything not hardwired to the CD Changer (either directly at the head unit, or at the CD Changer in the boot) will result in a poorer audio quality. Anything ran via AUX will result in a poorer sound quality and either way - due to lack of hardwiring - will need external power supply.

However, you could opt for some rechargeable Bluetooth dongle you plug into the AUX connection. Such as this one:

https://www.amazon.com/DockLinQ-Bluetooth-Receiver-Compatible-Sounddock/dp/B07G3653DF

or this one:

https://www.conrad.nl/p/logilink-bt0050-bluetooth-stick-42-1926837?WT.mc_id=gshop&utm_source=google&utm_medium=surfaces&utm_term=1926837&utm_content=free-google-shopping-clicks&utm_campaign=shopping-feed&gclid=Cj0KCQiAkZKNBhDiARIsAPsk0WhEXI-DjDe2XpvbQnUyOtreD9slnGKfzzozdH2wAW-cQaJcPe-wnKsaAkjfEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&tid=14578088349_124831942457_pla-304375120201_pla-1926837&WT.srch=1&vat=true&insert_kz=8J

I had the predecessor (i.e. BT0020) of the LogiLink BT0050 for quite a while and it works fairly decent. Battery life is also quite good (both in terms of operating time and stand-by time0.

However, as I started with: this will mean a compromise in terms of sound quality and you have to think about recharging every now and then. Which is why I upgraded to BlueMusic dongles in both my e85 and my E86. Both installed directly behind the head unit and not in the boot.

 

[tomscott]

Would this be helpful

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=125967

 

[healeyneil]

Like RossM above I bought a £16.67 adaptor from eBay that connects to the back of my head unit. It’s so easy even I could do it right! Flip out the air vent, undo 2 screws, and the whole thing slides out, and the new adaptor is plug and play.
I had spent hours scrabbling upside down in the boot trying without success to find the plug to connect to before I went for this one

 

[ZedsDeadbabyZedzdead]

Please can someone send me the details to search for or a link to make sure I get the correct one?

quote=healeyneil post_id=1886088 time=1638199188 user_id=31735]
Like RossM above I bought a £16.67 adaptor from eBay that connects to the back of my head unit. It’s so easy even I could do it right! Flip out the air vent, undo 2 screws, and the whole thing slides out, and the new adaptor is plug and play.
I had spent hours scrabbling upside down in the boot trying without success to find the plug to connect to before I went for this one
[/quote]

 

[futureZ4buyer]

I'm pretty happy with Xiaomi Roidmi fm transmitter.
Quality is good, just don't go to max volume on phone slider, set it to one level behind max.
I'm currently looking at BlueMusic since I would like some an OEM like solution.

 

[healeyneil]

Try searching eBay for 384262753191

 

[sw4nny]

Try searching eBay for 384262753191

Cheers,I will give this a try.

 

[Tango22]

I bought a plug in version which goes into the cigarette lighter, from Amazon. The Bluetooth calls are nice and clear, easily as clear as my brand new 71 reg Peugeot 208 GT, the music output is decent and perfectly good with no issues. I would have probably went the Aux route if I had realised it was an option but at the time I didn't know it was so just assumed a cig lighter FM transmitter type was the way to go. Thought 'what the hell?' can't go wrong for £17 and so far I'm happy although I might try the Aux option at some point.

I bought this one:- https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B085HPJDL3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[poss]

I just ordered one of these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003497974017.html?spm=a2g0o.search0302.0.0.46d1353bh9ZZ3P&algo_pvid=c68f1b46-b53e-4a34-aba6-0f5fe7f552e1&algo_exp_id=c68f1b46-b53e-4a34-aba6-0f5fe7f552e1-29

 

[Tango22]

I just ordered one of these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003497974017.html?spm=a2g0o.search0302.0.0.46d1353bh9ZZ3P&algo_pvid=c68f1b46-b53e-4a34-aba6-0f5fe7f552e1&algo_exp_id=c68f1b46-b53e-4a34-aba6-0f5fe7f552e1-29

That looks interesting, any idea how it connects up to the existing stereo and mounts on the Z4 dash?

 

[poss]

That looks interesting, any idea how it connects up to the existing stereo and mounts on the Z4 dash?

I will once I get it - it's supposed to be a drop in replacement. The harness inserts the unit into the existing stereo connection - supposedly retaining all existing features. I have the satnav/cd changer/DSP so that should be a good test of compatibility.

 

[sw4nny]

Just to close this thread ,i ordered this
Fitted in 20 mins,18 mins trying to find clips to remove air vent,plug and play easy diy.
It gives good enough quality music streaming i use spotify and android phone you can also answer and make calls,the sound quality and clarity of calls are decent too even though the mic does look poor quality .
For £15 its well worth it.
Thanks for all the ideas and advice that led me to this result

 

[Bristolcot90]

That’s it I’m sold! I’ve been waiting for feedback on these so I’m going for it.

Be good to see some pics of your set up if you have time?

 

[NS66]

Looks good - can I ask where and how you feed the mic cable?

 

[sw4nny]

That’s it I’m sold! I’ve been waiting for feedback on these so I’m going for it.

Be good to see some pics of your set up if you have time?

Theres not much to see,only the mic ,the rest fits behind existing head unit.

 

[sw4nny]

Looks good - can I ask where and how you feed the mic cable?

There is a piece of trim below heater controls this just pulls out enough to pull mic cable through after dropping it down behind dash,when the panel is pushed back there is enough gap as to not harm the wire.
In the pics i still have to took the cable away to tidy things up.the pics are bad but its dark outside.