[stephen0205]

So i recently bought this android head unit (3t model) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005...21ef1802cYBIv7

And .... well I didn't do my homework, I looked at what it could do rather than thinking about sound... which I know sounds odd, but you kind of just expect a stereo to sound decent , more so than a 2010, 12 year old stereo

Can it do sat nav, yep, touch screen, yep, android auto, yep, reverse camera and dashcam integration, yep.

But it sounds like garbage. So i bough this from aliexpress, waited a month, spend a day fitting it and running all the wires for gps and cameras etc (they all work which is really kl, nice things to have), so i need advice on what to do, it comes with a dsp which ive sat for hours changing settings trying to make things sound better, reading online looks like if i had just ponied up a little more could have got like a xenon or joying, or even tried to retro fit a nice sony unit which have much better sound/dac chips in them.

Is there.... anyway i can make this sound better, i say the settings thread and it looks like its full of settings for the original stereo or just chalk it up to what it is, a cheap unit with crap sound, and save a little and buy a decent unit. If so any recommendations for a product to make the sound better, or to replace the thing with, music is my happy place in the car, i drive alot for work and on the road alot, so decent sound is a must, even podcasts sounds..... muddy for the lack of a better word.

Please help

[ctuna]

What BMW sound system did you start out with.
All the android cheap chinese head units use the AUX which tends
to make them sound like crap.

If you started out with the base system it already sounds like crap
If you are in a country other than the US it likely has this system.
There are three common system it's important to know which one
you have.
Pretty much the same for the Hi Fi system
Logic 7 system is sorta decent I hear but the specs say is isn't.
BMW sound system went downhill when they went to the E9x
tiny speakers and weak amplifiers if you even have one.

BMW stereo types
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352586
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780865
http://bmwcoders.com/forum/3-er-8/bm...1-e92-e93-291/
http://technicpnp.com/menuDiagrams/d...e90_92_93.html
http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...3&d=1169133185
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780605
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...4&d=1278871872
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=343673
https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/e...n-752.1275694/
base system wiring pre/post 3/09
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...tDpLJPcGkw_ui_
Base System Guide
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...5&d=1493273253

[stephen0205]

Hi there thanks for the reply, im from the uk, the car stereo says its a Sony professional model, looking at the head unit i bought and the pictures for installation its not the logici have in mine, there is a demonstration of the wiring for the logic system and mine was the opposite. (318i exclusive 2010 e90 model)

Looking at the links (thanks, i think i have either the base or the hifi sound system), just tying to find a way to get it to sound like it did without putting the old one back in.

Its ..... i dunno, muddy on all rock songs, peaky on anything like country or popish, and just feels like there is some frequency giving me a headache when its up loud (didn't happen before).

I thought maybe there would be a way to let it use the phone audio chip but seems to all pass through the sterio regardless.

Tried it with spotify on the stereo on wifi
Tried it with android auto, both wifi and usb
Tried the aux with the phone

All sound very underwhelming. I did see a post on here with somone using a small audio like device through usb, with an aux input. Wondered if that would work, there like 60 quid tho

[ctuna]

You have to know what you are starting out with ...
Please read the links.
you have to understand the speaker setup it came with .
If you are already starting out with non stock head unit you
have to consider what output of the head unit is and how its
hooked up.
Which means no guessing about what you started out
with.
The mention of the Sony Head unit only confuses the issue since
it's not what you started out with.
You bought a 200 dollar chinese head unit and you expect it to sound
good !

[stephen0205]

I have the base/stereo option, i seem to have 4 Mids + 2 underseats, no amp.

Original head unit was a sony one, with the labeling sony professional. From reading what you posted and my limited understanding of stereos, it looks like the cheap android head unit altho looks nice only delivers auto through the aux with a crappy audio, instead of fiber.

Im still confused about how i would fix all of this. In audio grade terms in not even close to a beginner never mind an expert, so to anyone who knows audio my setup is basic and probably sounds pretty crap to start with, if im getting it right the android head unit because it uses aux is why it now sounds worse.

I work long hours, and i dont get enough time to go through all this stuff that i dont understand.

If you would be so kind, would changing this out for a better unit, or a more respectable brand solve my issue. My local store has some sony android auto ones in stock, for not much more than i paid for this

thoughts ?

https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/sony...xoCl7sQAvD_BwE

[ctuna]

When you mention Sony there is no way that could be an orignal head
unit . Then you say you bought the Android unit you had in the first link.
So which is it ?

Sony is not a BMW head unit.
There is no way to make sense of what is actually going on here
any about the aux is dependent on using an original BMW Head Unit.

Your first post is about something you bought of alienexpress
and now you say you have the Sony.

If you want better sound you need to replace the speakers with better ones
and you need at least a 6 channel amplifier that will run each of the physical
major speaker locations.

All component's of the base system are crap.
If you look at the "Base System Guide Link " it tells you how to modify
the base system and why .
It does not start from an aftermarket head unit though .
You need to understand this system to get the results you want.

Base System Guide
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...5&d=1493273253

[stephen0205]

Apologies. I had it in my head it was a sony unit, its BMW Professional it states on it.

I know your saying its all crap, im not asking how to install and replace all the speakers, speaker wires, learn all about amps and subwoofers etc.

I just want it to sound semi decent again and not like a £5 pair of headphones that go on special for £3.

The sony android auto system i linked was one that was available from a local halfords, you mention how i thought a cheap android system would sound good, and yeah i did, id have thought the chips in stuff now would be better than 12 year old components, my bad.

I just wanna fix my audio to be tolerable, i don't wanna blow close to 1k on a stereo system.

[ctuna]

That 1k and more is pretty much what it takes .
It's the law of physics for and aftermarket stereo.
I was conflicted about this a long time but finally spent about
1.5k and self installed. I don't regret it but it was more than
I ever spent on aftermarket stuff before .

[stephen0205]

Originally Posted by ctuna

That 1k and more is pretty much what it takes .
It's the law of physics for and aftermarket stereo.
I was conflicted about this a long time but finally spent about
1.5k and self installed. I don't regret it but it was more than
I ever spent on aftermarket stuff before .

Thanks. Whilst i appreciate your advice on what i imagine is an insane audio system. I just wanted sat nav and a reverse camera buddy.

I think ill just go back to the bmw stereo and go somewhere that fits them get some advice on cost of something to just do those things