Android Car Audio help

H

hpglow

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
373
I recently switched from an iPhone 5 to a Note 4. Apple products worked great with my Kenwood receiver but it only supports Android phones that support mass storage mode. Since the Note 4 does not support this mode I cannot get it to integrate with my receiver built in 2010. I tried using the aux port (like a peasant) and it was a pain in the ass to pick up my phone to switch tracks and the volume had to be maxed.

I like good audio but I'm no audiophile. My target price is $100 to $150 but higher is no problem if the feature set makes it worth while. Who makes a good Android compatible unit? Is this still an issue these days or has it been worked out?

I'm asking these questions because I don't want to spend 30 min to an hour replacing a head unit to find out it won't work with my phone. I prefer just using the USB since it charges the phone at the same time but I'm open to BT if the audio quality isn't compromised (which as far as I have heard in the past doesn't exist, but its been a while since I tried BT audio so maybe things have changed.)
 
I use BT in my car and it sounds pretty decent, probably on par with XM, but inferior to a CD. It's nice to get into my car, start it up and have my phone connect up and have the music/podcast pick right up where it left off without having to deal with cables... on that note, I would personally go with any deck that seems to have decent bluetooth connectivity and reviews.
 
I use a Sony DSX-S310BTX. Not sure of the price since I won it in a raffle at a car audio shop. Pairs up with my phone, which is android 4.2, real nice. The headunit also has a tray in it for things liek ipods, ipads, and such, but I have a 16gig usb drive in it.
Love the headunit. I can control my phone from the remote for it, use voice navigation through my phone to the stereo, hands free talking, and so on.
Just thought I'd throw that out to you.
 
TechSys said:
I use a Sony DSX-S310BTX. Not sure of the price since I won it in a raffle at a car audio shop. Pairs up with my phone, which is android 4.2, real nice. The headunit also has a tray in it for things liek ipods, ipads, and such, but I have a 16gig usb drive in it.
Love the headunit. I can control my phone from the remote for it, use voice navigation through my phone to the stereo, hands free talking, and so on.
Just thought I'd throw that out to you.
Click to expand...

I will look into that unit. There are many options including copying my music to a stick but I would prefer just having integration with my phone.
 
Don't waste money on a headunit, just get a decent low end tablet and leave it in there...you can probably score one with gps too.
 
I saw someone replace the car system with a N7. With that, the audio integration would be more smooth.
 
I bought a Sony cdx-gt710hd. It doesn't work with my Note 4. Evidentially, the big "Works with Android" icon on the box only applies to pre-KitKat devices. After talking to some people the only way to get good integration is to use Bluetooth and sacrifice audio quality (further over the already lossy encoded formats used for the music.)

Samsung and Google are aware of the issue and are supposed to be working on a fix after Lollipop rolls out. But that is all rumor as there is no official statement that I have found from either. I would never have spent $750 on a Note 4 had I known that it lacked the simple ability to plug into a head unit and just play some damn music. This should have been way up on their priority list of fixes not a if it gets done, it gets done item. Apple products have just plugged and played for over 10 years. That along with the fact that when I pause music at the gym the media app closes is bs. These are major flaws in what is pretty damn good phone.

What is the point of this rant. Just to let people to know not to trust the box when buying a car receiver. Many only work with Android devices that will connect in mass storage mode. Most that do work well only do so over Bluetooth. I may put some of my music on a CD or thumb-drive for now and hope Google fixes the issue in Lollipop. I'm pretty sure I'm going to return the head unit given the box was dead wrong and Sony knew it. They have no mention of Android integration on the product's web page, and the manual has like one line about it which would have saved me from buying the unit. But the box has a nice sized Android logo on it.
 
I would just get a cheap solution for now, and just wait for Android Auto to spend the big bucks.
 
I had to switch to using usb drives with my Pioneer DEH-80PRS after I got my Oneplus One. Bluetooth on the OnePlus sounds awful compared to the iphone connected to the USB port. Now I use a 32 gb flash drive with uncompressed wav files on it. Sounds pretty.
 
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