Audiophiles, what gives better sound quality? Apple Music via bluetooth or the built-in Apple Music app?

[johnruiz94]

I've been using Apple Music on my phone and via bluetooth playing it on my Tesla.

With the recent software update, Tesla added a built-in Apple Music app.

Which way should I be playing the music if I want to get the best sound quality, bluetooth or the Tesla app? Or are they the same sound quality wise?

 

[hlca]

I know BT has been getting better, but historically it's not known to help sound quality, only hurt it.

 

[stopcrazypp]

I've been using Apple Music on my phone and via bluetooth playing it on my Tesla.

With the recent software update, Tesla added a built-in Apple Music app.

Which way should I be playing the music if I want to get the best sound quality, bluetooth or the Tesla app? Or are they the same sound quality wise?

Normally native streaming options would be better than Bluetooth, but I just checked and according to this post (from way back in 2018): "When paired to the Model 3, an iPhone chooses the following codec for Bluetooth streaming: MPEG2 AAC LC Stereo, 44.1khz, variable bitrate @ 256kbps peak"
Bluetooth Audio Codecs

That actually is surprisingly decent.

From this list, this is the same as Apple Music natively on High-Quality:
Apple Music:
High-Efficiency -- HE-AAC @ 64kbps
High-Quality -- AAC @ 256kbps
Lossless -- ALAC -> topped at 24-bit / 48kHz
Hi-Res Lossless -- ALAC -> topped at 24-bit / 192kHz

https://www.reddit.com/r/AppleMusic/comments/uvpa49

So the answer would depend entirely on what quality setting the Tesla's Apple Music app uses.

 

[ElectricIAC]

IME definitely not Bluetooth!

 

[Djlw84]

My experience today is that the sound quality from Bluetooth is far superior than what I’m getting via streaming over the Apple Music app….

 

[Utumno]

My experience today is that the sound quality from Bluetooth is far superior than what I’m getting via streaming over the Apple Music app….

Whereas my experience today is the opposite.

Sound quality is the ultimate "horses-for-courses" conversation anyway, with no possible objective resolution.

 

[Djlw84]

Whereas my experience today is the opposite.

Sound quality is the ultimate "horses-for-courses" conversation anyway, with no possible objective resolution.

I did just find a setting in my iPhone for streaming quality options - it was ‘High Quality’ - I’ve changed now to lossless to see if this makes any difference.

 

[heavyD]

I'm jealous of people that already got the update. Does the app perform much like Apple Music in CarPlay? Is there shuffle?

 

[ElectrikFred]

I general use Spotify in the car. I loaded Apple Music today and it sounded better to me. Not sure vs BT Apple Music, But somehow direct Apple Music sounded very good

 

[ElectricMagma]

It will always sound better from the app. Bluetooth is compressed. That being said, once Tesla offers Dolby Atmos, it will sound better. Not sure if it’s lossless now already or not

 

[ElectricMagma]

My experience today is that the sound quality from Bluetooth is far superior than what I’m getting via streaming over the Apple Music app….

Interesting. I’ve downloaded on my wife’s car, but haven’t toured around yet. Mine is in the FSD branch so no love for me yet

 

[stopcrazypp]

I general use Spotify in the car. I loaded Apple Music today and it sounded better to me. Not sure vs BT Apple Music, But somehow direct Apple Music sounded very good

I don't know if it changed, but I remember Spotify was only 96kbps, worse than Bluetooth actually (for IOS). If Apple Music streams in high quality mode, it'll be a lot better.

 

[heavyD]

In my car Bluetooth sound quality is easily twice as good as the Spotify app. The Spotify app is the worst quality music source I have heard in a long time. Tidal is a lot better but still not as good streaming. Downloaded tidal songs in HIFI sound as good or better than Bluetooth.

 

[Zacster]

Unlike with Tidal, where there was a definite lossless CD quality download capability, I haven't seen any claims on how the Apple Music will stream. If Apple is the same quality as Tidal I'll stick with Tidal. If Apple can offer true hi-res at 24/96 I'll go with Apple. I don't need them both.

With Tidal though you need to either download in advance while connected to wifi or use your phone as a wifi hotspot to stream directly while driving. Is there any such requirement with Apple? I don't have the update yet.

 

[UncertainTimes]

Unsure if audiophile quality audio matters in a car with such bad road isolating properties.

 

[DadRS99]

Will any streaming quality beat 256 AAC coming direct from a USB drive? That’s been a very satisfying source for me but I miss proper album art and all the other smart playlisting functions I would get from using AM or Spotify.

 

[jjrandorin]

Will any streaming quality beat 256 AAC coming direct from a USB drive? That’s been a very satisfying source for me but I miss proper album art and all the other smart playlisting functions I would get from using AM or Spotify.

Probably not, but I feel the same as @UncertainTimes said earlier in this thread:

Unsure if audiophile quality audio matters in a car with such bad road isolating properties.

I consider myself a home theater audiophile but for music, I basically dont care much. Especially since my car is fairly noisy. To my ears apple music sounds better in the car than spotify, but not sure that is saying much. It certainly is good enough for me, though.

 

[Slavas]

After a software update last week, I started using Apple Music in my Tesla. The sound is decent and definitely not worse than spotify, but the artists from my library do not sync correctly. Out of several dozen performers on my iPhone, only seven got into the Tesla and nothing has changed for several days. Does anyone have a similar problem?

 

[heavyD]

Yeah there's some bugs for sure. As at least with Tidal the current song, album, and playlist would pickup up where you left off from your last sitting when you got into your car. Now everytime I get into the car it asks me to select a media source and I have to go through my Apple library again. Also moving the media to the bottom left of the screen covers up the Homelink controls so they don't pop up anymore when you get close to home. I actually preferred the media where it was before below the map as my right hand obstructs the view of the artist/song information when I'm driving.

 

[rwiegand]

I've been told that this version of Apple Music won't play content from the USB storage; haven't been able to test that because I can't get past the first step since I don't have (and don't want) an Apple Music streaming account. (on all my other devices Apple Music works fine with no account). I'd (very grudgingly) consider an account if it let me play my stored music with a decent interface, as long as it didn't also require premium connectivity, which I'm also not about to buy.