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      03-31-2014, 09:50 PM   #1
back2bimmer
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Crackling sound system?

I rarely listen to anything other than my iPod hooked up through the USB & a few days ago I noticed some crackling sound. I couldn't tell if it was the speaker or the iPod or the BMW's source system itself. It got bad enough where the system shutoff the MP3 & switched to regular radio mode.

I tested this out through bluetooth & my iPhone & the crackling persisted through this method as well, but not by radio?

Has anyone experienced this at all? To me it sounds like possibly a short or the in dash unit malfunctioning. Because if it was the speaker you'd hear it in radio mode too. But I don't. Any suggestions?

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      03-31-2014, 09:57 PM   #2
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They should share the same amplifier so if the Radio works just fine then we know that it is not the power amp.
The Bluetooth is not really relevant, however, you said that you tried a different source (iPhone) instead of the iPod and you have the same?
What about the CD? Does it work fine?

You need to narrow down the problem.

Try a different Ipod, borrow one, etc.
Try to replace the ipod cable.
I would also try to use a FAT32 USB flash drive with some songs (that is what I am using) to see if it works properly.

If everything stays the same, I will blame the Preamp for that input (Ipod input) which may be defective in the unit itself. If that is the case, the warranty will replace your whole audio unit.

To determine if it is the speaker, play with the fading and the balance feature and see if you get the same cracking noise everywhere. maybe it is a speaker.
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      03-31-2014, 11:00 PM   #3
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Thanks for the reply and suggestions. I'll definitely check a CD and the USB stick with a few songs.
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      04-01-2014, 09:55 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by back2bimmer View Post
I rarely listen to anything other than my iPod hooked up through the USB & a few days ago I noticed some crackling sound. I couldn't tell if it was the speaker or the iPod or the BMW's source system itself. It got bad enough where the system shutoff the MP3 & switched to regular radio mode.

I tested this out through bluetooth & my iPhone & the crackling persisted through this method as well, but not by radio?

Has anyone experienced this at all? To me it sounds like possibly a short or the in dash unit malfunctioning. Because if it was the speaker you'd hear it in radio mode too. But I don't. Any suggestions?

it happens to me also, only when i'm using the bluetooth from the iphone. mostly when the music is load ill hear that crackling sound. the only way it will go away is by turning it off and then back on. usually
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      04-01-2014, 07:41 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gangsta D View Post
it happens to me also, only when i'm using the bluetooth from the iphone. mostly when the music is load ill hear that crackling sound. the only way it will go away is by turning it off and then back on. usually

Well I'm going to take it to the dealer this week. I did some testing on it & it only happens on "External Devices". Not on CD's, not on radio. Just iPod, iPhone by way of bluetooth & through the auxiliary jack. So this let's me know it can't be speakers because every source would be affected.

So technically the bluetooth route I originally mentioned is not truly irrelevant because if my music is coming from the iPhone through bluetooth & that's considered an external device then I'm going to assume that each source has it's own pre-amp port, CD, radio have their own & then external devices have their own.

Oh well, I guess this is my first gremlin with the X1. I'll keep you all posted.
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      04-02-2014, 12:39 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by back2bimmer View Post
Well I'm going to take it to the dealer this week. I did some testing on it & it only happens on "External Devices". Not on CD's, not on radio. Just iPod, iPhone by way of bluetooth & through the auxiliary jack. So this let's me know it can't be speakers because every source would be affected.

So technically the bluetooth route I originally mentioned is not truly irrelevant because if my music is coming from the iPhone through bluetooth & that's considered an external device then I'm going to assume that each source has it's own pre-amp port, CD, radio have their own & then external devices have their own.

Oh well, I guess this is my first gremlin with the X1. I'll keep you all posted.
You are correct. The speakers are ok, the amplifier is ok. Obviously your problem is in the prea-am section of the external devices. They will most likely replace your audio head unit. Keep us posted.
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      04-02-2014, 06:12 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tracus View Post
You are correct. The speakers are ok, the amplifier is ok. Obviously your problem is in the prea-am section of the external devices. They will most likely replace your audio head unit. Keep us posted.
Hey Tracus, I just came back from the dealer. I knew they wouldn't really want to tackle the problem due to it being under warranty sooooooo they gave me the old, "Try buying this new cable first" it's the Y cable & of course they sell one for freaking $93.00 US !!!!!

But so far so good, no crackling sound. I did notice after inspecting my original iPod cable that there was a slight tear which was showing the metal portion of the cable. IDK, maybe the exposed cable was picking up other electrical interference in the car maybe?

Bad part is for whatever reason the new cable doesn't display the album art? Not sure why, I even turned back around & showed them & they couldn't understand why the album art wasn't being picked up either. In the end the service guy said, "Why don't you google the problem"?

What??? NO, you're the service guy why don't YOUUUU research the problem & fix it?
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      04-02-2014, 10:05 PM   #8
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Oh, I had a good laugh man, the dealerships never stop to amaze me.
Well so far, so good, at least is working. I presume that your old cable had a small tear on another wire as well, so from time to time the probably touch each other and that gave you the noise.
I was under the impression that might be the cable, but it didn't explained the Bluetooth problem. Maybe because even if you use the bluetooth the cable was still connected to the USB so that explains it.
Anyway, I guess that it might be a compatibility problem, I heard of some interesting differences between some cables.
I know for sure that if you have a 30 PIN iPod, the lighting/30pin adaptor will not display the album art.
I am also thinking that the cable might be for the new vehicles, I have read about some cases when after a certain build date the new cable didn't display the album art.

Is the cable similar?
Did you also tried to turn off and restart your iPod before connecting it with the new cable?
That might help.

Everything ok in IDrive?

Last edited by Teutonic; 04-02-2014 at 10:21 PM..
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      04-02-2014, 11:57 PM   #9
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@ Tracus,
You know the funny thing is that I tried the old cable out, played the iPod for about 3 minutes until the album art came back up, then removed it & put the new cable back on the iPod & then the album art came up!?

I thought okay it's back, turned the car off. Came back an hour later to go get some dinner & the art was gone & didn't come back again the whole time I was away driving around.

I'm going to do a reset of the iPod. Maybe my year "Classic" iPod is too old? My wife has an iPod touch so I'm going to try that as well.

I'll keep you posted

PS oh yeah iDrive seems okay, everything is functioning.

Last edited by back2bimmer; 04-02-2014 at 11:57 PM.. Reason: forgot to answer iDrive question
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      04-03-2014, 08:23 AM   #10
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I know its what you want , but why is album art so important when driving and listening to music in your car? when I have music streaming to the radio, I see the album name, the song name and the length of the song.

please, not a dig, just curious.
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      04-03-2014, 12:49 PM   #11
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When I got the OEM Y-cable, my album art didn't come up the first time either. Then the next drive - there it was - weird. By the way, I got mine for $75 - still a ripoff but a lesser ripoff than $93 lol. I don't care much about album art either, but if its supposed to be there it should be there.
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      04-03-2014, 04:23 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fjrmann View Post
I know its what you want , but why is album art so important when driving and listening to music in your car? when I have music streaming to the radio, I see the album name, the song name and the length of the song.

please, not a dig, just curious.
Honestly not a big deal but I come from the school that if you pay for something to work. It should work, period. It was honestly a feature that I liked. In the long run as long as the music plays then thats 98% of it but as a consumer if I had to talk to BMW i'd say this is not a high technical component that shouldn't work flawlesslly 100% of the time.

What angers me a bit is i'm paying a premium buying a german car like BMW, Benz Audi & for every high line vehicle I've bought this feature hasn't worked that well. However in my wifes CRV she's had for 2 years it's worked flawlessly, more intuitive & well just works!

Sorry, I'm just venting a bit!
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      04-03-2014, 08:21 PM   #13
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Still the same ?
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      04-05-2014, 03:32 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tracus View Post
Still the same ?
Tracus, I may have to "eat crow". This issue doesn't seem to be a BMW gremlin issue.

While I was messing around trying to get the album art to show up with the awesome "y" connector, I decided to purchase a stock iPod cable & noticed not only did the crackling stop but the album art came up like normal.

I think had I just been patient, bought the stock iPod connector to begin with then the original theory I had that the slightly exposed wire picking up electrical interference or maybe "grounding out" may have been a more logical conclusion.

So far that seems like what happened. Oh well, maybe I can take the "Y" connector back.

But in the end it seems like problem solved!

But thanks for checking in dude & giving me some suggestions, much appreciated!
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      04-05-2014, 04:01 PM   #15
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I am glad to see that you found the problem and that everything works properly!
I will return the cable and get the money back. I was thinking about a normal Ipod cable but didn't suggested since mine works fine with the y cable.
For me though was different, I have received the cable when I bought the car.
The cable you bought from Apple is a regular cable like the one that the iPod came with?
Anyway, great resolution, enjoy the car and your albums.
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