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has anyone tried to use spotify thru their mbux...and if so, did yours show a prompt that said a premium subscription to spotify was required?
which i do not have...so disappointed that it's trying to force paid model, cuz i use non-paid version thru its phone app.
Last edited by tonupbklyn; Jan 10, 2023 at 03:17 PM.
You can run it off your phone via bluetooth/cable of course but that would suck doubly if they ever actually get the high def going. In any event I'm running Tidal and there was no option I saw for running the free service when I started it up. In my case, I was already on their high def plan so there wasn't an issue there. I'm thinking about doing up the Amazon also, just to see how it works. I don't get all the tidal goods in the car app but don't get the master recordings if I run it off my phone so all is not perfect.
my amazon works perfectly...especially with the mbux voice command. i use the phone's hotspot internet connection, which draws the streaming for amz music.
was hoping it was going to be similarly seamless for spotify (for podcasts)...alas, no cigar.
bt would be a pita cuz then i'd have to handle the phone whilst driving...kinda defeats the purpose of the whole mbux/voice thing, and rather clunky ux.
If you use the wifi you can stream high def. I have quite a lot of lossless on disc; Tidal streaming master recordings often sounds better because some of it leverages the multichannel aspect with the 4D. They both sound better than XM, even to my old ears. The difference is enough that when my DJ cues up something on XM without my knowing I'm able to quickly pick it out even though I didn't know she had gone to it. Maybe it's different with the base system, cant say.
Has anyone else faced this Spotify hiccup with MBUX? I just tried to use it, and it's asking for a premium subscription, which I don't have. So bummed that it's pushing for the paid model when I'm happily rocking the non-paid version on my phone app.
All the Online Music Services require a premium subscription. Apple, Tital, Spotify and Amazon Music.
For one, I miss that iHeart radio isn't one of the offerings - even though TuneIn is offered under the Radio section. iHeart was an option in my 2018 E63, but is missing in my 580. :-(
I have a Spotify icon, but I am not a member of them, so I don't think I can do anything with them yet. Actually, I have been following Spotify and waiting for them to finally come out with their "lossless" music format. As an audiophile from the '70's, I abhor lossly, or compressed music, such as MP3 files. I was never so disappointed as when I took possession of our '21 S Coupe and discovered that there was no CD player. I have tried in vain to figure out some way I can play CD's through my vehicle, but haven't found one yet. Of course I have Sirius, as that is the only option other than HD radio, but I don't like it. The sound is just awful. As for using my phone for music? Nope. I refuse to use a phone to do something that I should be able to do easily from the car, like we've done for decades, not to mention that scrolling through a playlist on your phone while driving is as unsafe as texting while driving. Furthermore, with Sirius, I cannot play the artist or a particular song. The best I can do is choose a genre. I would absolutely appreciate it if anyone knows of a way to one, play songs in a lossless format or, two, if there is anyway to play CD's through my sound system. If I had known that car makers were going to stop including CD players in their cars starting around 2020, I'd have looked for an older model.
You can run it off your phone via bluetooth/cable of course but that would suck doubly if they ever actually get the high def going. In any event I'm running Tidal and there was no option I saw for running the free service when I started it up check now. In my case, I was already on their high def plan so there wasn't an issue there. I'm thinking about doing up the Amazon also, just to see how it works. I don't get all the tidal goods in the car app but don't get the master recordings if I run it off my phone so all is not perfect.
Yes, some users have reported seeing a prompt on their MBUX system that asks for a Premium subscription to Spotify, even though they’re using the free version on their phone. This happens because MBUX generally requires a Spotify Premium account for full integration with features like direct control through the car's system. If you don't want to pay for Premium, you can still use the free version of Spotify by connecting your phone via Bluetooth or USB. This way, you can control Spotify from your phone and still enjoy the free service without being prompted to upgrade.
You can run it off your phone via bluetooth/cable of course but that would suck doubly if they ever actually get the high def going. In any event I'm running Tidal and there was no option I saw for running the free service when I started it up. In my case, I was already on their high def plan so there wasn't an issue there. I'm thinking about doing up the Amazon also, just to see how it works. I don't get all the tidal goods in the car app but don't get the master recordings if I run it off my phone so all is not perfect.
Yes, several users have encountered a message on their MBUX system asking for a Spotify Premium subscription, even when using the free version on their phone. This is because MBUX typically needs a Premium account to enable full integration and direct control through the car’s interface. If you’d rather not subscribe, you can still use the free version by connecting your phone via Bluetooth or USB. That way, you can play music through the car while controlling it directly from your phone, avoiding any upgrade prompts. 4o
Yes, several users have encountered a message on their MBUX system asking for a Spotify Premium subscription, even when using the free version on their phone. While some try to earn spotify gift cards, this is because MBUX typically needs a Premium account to enable full integration and direct control through the car’s interface. If you’d rather not subscribe, you can still use the free version by connecting your phone via Bluetooth or USB. That way, you can play music through the car while controlling it directly from your phone, avoiding any upgrade prompts. 4o
Yes, that’s expected behavior. The MBUX Spotify integration requires a Spotify Premium subscription to work directly through the infotainment system. The free Spotify app on your phone won’t grant full in-car functionality. Without Premium, you can still use Spotify via Bluetooth or USB, but you won’t get the full touchscreen controls, playlist browsing, or MBUX integration. This is why it prompts for a paid subscription.
Now that Spotify is streaming in lossless, it sounds very good through the native player in MBUX. Spotify is a bit better than Apple Music; not quite up to Tidal. Once my two-month trial ends with Spotify, I'll likely switch back to Apple as I'm all in with the Apple ecosystem, which makes things easier.
Well, you do have those portable CD players that plug into the car's USB ports. Unfortunately they're only single CD players. Would probably fit in that useless cubby under the center screen. I used to use one when cars came with cassette players that plugged into the cassette slot. Worked great. But again, only single play
Now that Spotify is streaming in lossless, it sounds very good through the native player in MBUX. Spotify is a bit better than Apple Music; not quite up to Tidal. Once my two-month trial ends with Spotify, I'll likely switch back to Apple as I'm all in with the Apple ecosystem, which makes things easier.
When did Spotify switch to streaming in lossless? Is this formally documented? This would be HUGE if true, especially for cars with the higher end audio packages!.
When did Spotify switch to streaming in lossless? Is this formally documented? This would be HUGE if true, especially for cars with the higher end audio packages!.
I got a direct email from them coaxing me back about a month ago.
When did Spotify switch to streaming in lossless? Is this formally documented? This would be HUGE if true, especially for cars with the higher end audio packages!.
Just recently, amazed it took them this long. I'm going to try it out. Issue with Tidal is their terrible interface and way they organize music...
Agreed - all major streaming services now offer lossless - but different quality levels of lossless - who knew that was a thing?
From ChatGPT
Interpretation & Trade-offs
Max Quality Differences
Tidal and Apple Music both support very high-resolution streaming (24-bit / 192 kHz), which is well above CD quality.
Amazon Music also offers up to 24/192 in its Ultra HD tier.
Spotify, by contrast, currently goes up to 24-bit but only at 44.1 kHz, which is CD sample rate.
Bitrate Implications
Higher bit depth and sample rate (e.g., 24/192) mean much higher data usage. For example, Amazon’s Ultra HD files are quite large.
The average bitrates given by Amazon (850 kbps for HD, ~3,730 kbps for Ultra HD) show that Ultra HD is much more data-intensive.
Device & Playback Constraints
To actually benefit from hi-res (24/192), your playback chain needs to support it (DAC, wired connection, etc.). For instance, Apple notes that to stream at higher than 48 kHz on its devices, you often need an external DAC. [url alt="https://support.apple.com/en-tj/118295?utm_source=chatgpt.com"=https://support.apple.com/en-tj/118295?utm_source=chatgpt.com]Apple Support[/url]
On mobile or under bandwidth constraints, users may choose lower “lossless” settings or even higher lossy settings to save data.
Perceptual Difference
For many listeners, the difference between CD-quality (16/44.1) lossless and hi-res (24/192) may not be very noticeable unless using very good gear and in a quiet listening environment.
There are diminishing returns: higher bit depth and sample rate give more “headroom,” but not always perceptible improvement to the average listener.
Summary
Best “theoretical max” quality: Apple Music, Tidal, and Amazon Music (all support up to 24-bit / 192 kHz).
Lowest hi-res ceiling: Spotify (24-bit but only up to 44.1 kHz currently).
Most data-heavy: Amazon Ultra HD and Tidal Max, depending on track.
That's crazy. I would have expected them to send email and app notifications. I didn't know about that, and I don't thin Spotify knew that this is huge. I actually don't use Spotify and didn't subscribe for that reason, now I'll take a look again.
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