Slacker radio credentials

[jelly]

The 64kbps default and 128kbps higher quality is per Slacker.

Seems there is no option to select 128kbps for the model 3 at the moment, despite upgraded sound.

I use Spotify via Bluetooth. You could do the same for Slacker on your phone for higher bitrate.

But the built in streaming seems low quality 64kbps.

 

[ebmcs03]

Gotta save on that unlimited data they are providing you.

 

[flyingpenguins]

So....what does the Model 3 have? Slacker or Spotify?

Don't European Teslas (S/X) get Spotify by default? Slightly jealous...

 

[BioSehnsucht]

Not too worried about it, I plan to have a couple hundred gigs of much higher quality music on a USB key

I do wonder if they were waiting for the "everyone after this date pays for data after a year" thing to put audio quality options into the software update queue though.

For free one can only complain so much- but if I found out I was paying for data and only getting 64 kbps music I might be annoyed.

If you're planning on using USB music, I've got some bad news... the experience is all kinds of crappy, reportedly. If you get it to play a file, it plays it fine.. but UI/UX issues, no good playlist support (have to use folders), it does a bad job of resuming (if it even goes back to the correct audio source), it can't handle any weirdness with ID3 tags (so many mp3s may not function at all), if you use AAC files they don't work at all... just do a search for USB in the Model 3: User Interface forum ...

Considering all the trouble that's been had for S/X owners I wouldn't count on these being solved any time soon.

 

[vinnie97]

^The lack of resume was the most blatant oversight noticed when I initiated debut playback of files on a USB flash drive. With no CD player, they should at least look to make file playback more intuitive.

 

[Knightshade]

If you're planning on using USB music, I've got some bad news... the experience is all kinds of crappy, reportedly. If you get it to play a file, it plays it fine.. but UI/UX issues, no good playlist support (have to use folders), it does a bad job of resuming (if it even goes back to the correct audio source), it can't handle any weirdness with ID3 tags (so many mp3s may not function at all), if you use AAC files they don't work at all... just do a search for USB in the Model 3: User Interface forum ...

Considering all the trouble that's been had for S/X owners I wouldn't count on these being solved any time soon.

No, I'm well aware and I've read those threads already.... not playing seems to mainly be format/tag issues, those are easy enough to fix.

Can't help the interface but it's still better dealing with that and getting to play 320kbps mp3s and FLAC files rather than streaming 64kbps music.

Might revisit that choice if they enable at least 128 on slacker but we'll see if they do or not.

 

[GuyDude]

I reached out to Tesla.

They confirmed that there is NO way to adjust audio quality or explicit settings for Slacker using the FREE Tesla account.

In order to adjust these settings we must sign in to Slacker on the Model 3 with our own account.

There is NO setting on the Model 3 to toggle audio quality. This setting is changed on the mobile app which Tesla says will also make the adjustment automatically to the Model 3. See attached image.

I will say that i notice a HUGE difference in audio quality once I logged in with my PREMIUM account. Audio is at 320bit now and the sound is significantly cleaner. I cant believe i waited this long to upgrade.

 

[wbhokie]

Good to know, thanks for the info!

 

[ezevphl]

It seems like mine just stopped working in-car and is asking for credentials. Nothing happens when I select 'use tesla account'. Is it likely a problem on the Tesla side or one of those time I should do a soft reset?

 

[SageBrush]

Regarding logon, I thought @Knightshade was saying that it is not possible to change the login to a personal account.

Interesting that changing settings on the phone affects the car too. Perhaps the car is running Android.

 

[Knightshade]

Regarding logon, I thought @Knightshade was saying that it is not possible to change the login to a personal account.

Interesting that changing settings on the phone affects the car too. Perhaps the car is running Android.

Never said that- I said it wasn't possible to change the audio quality on the car- even if you change your login credentials. ie that "quality setting" from the owners manual does not exist on the model 3.


Slacker themselves say changing the quality on one platform DOES NOT change it on another... (which contradicts the email from Tesla which states changing that setting on a desktop will change it on the car).

I think the media computer is running linux- Android is a linux derivative- I suppose it's possible that slacker "thinks" your car is a phone so changing on the phone changes it in the car- but that would be a somewhat weird definition of "platform"

 

[Twiglett]

I thought the audio was better after I changed the quality setting on my Slacker account - I wasn't sure if it was just me assuming it sounded better or if it really was. I guess I can try switching back and specifically listening.

 

[SageBrush]

I think the media computer is running linux- Android is a linux derivative- I suppose it's possible that slacker "thinks" your car is a phone so changing on the phone changes it in the car- but that would be a somewhat weird definition of "platform"

I agree. If the phone setting does not carry over I would try setting the bitrate via a web browser to the slacker website since it also makes more sense to me that the car has a mini-browser to connect to Slacker. Good news if it works.

Question: other than people *thinking* the audio quality is higher, is there a way to prove the stream rate ?

 

[Snow Drift]

Regarding logon, I thought @Knightshade was saying that it is not possible to change the login to a personal account.

Interesting that changing settings on the phone affects the car too. Perhaps the car is running Android.

I bet the setting change isn't related to the car (outside of logging into your Slacker Premium account).

Once you upgrade Slacker and log-in, Slacker knows to stream higher bit rate to any of your devices/computer. This is like Netflix, upgrade your account to 4K, but you don't then tell your TV to display 4K, it already accepts it from the source.

 

[SageBrush]

I bet the setting change isn't related to the car (outside of logging into your Slacker Premium account).

Read above, Slacker says they let you set bitrate by platform ... although it is not clear to me what a platform means. Their example shows iOS, Android and Website.

 

[jelly]

Correct. Slacker requires you to set it on each device. Setting it on Computer will not affect iPhone etc.

Also just based on comparing to Spotify, I think it is streaming at 64kbps.

 

[Snow Drift]

Read above, Slacker says they let you set bitrate by platform ... although it is not clear to me what a platform means. Their example shows iOS, Android and Website.

So if you listen on your iPhone and PC, it won't stream the same quality? (assuming WiFi, etc is similar). You literally have to change the bit rate on each?

Since M3 doesn't have a way to adjust your Slacker profile, I guess it is set up to automatically accept the changes made via the other methods.

 

[AMIYY4YOU]

Audio quality I don't think changes.

It's 64kbps by default in Tesla and 128kbps for those that are enabled which previously was available for S and X that had the high Fidelity sound. Our M3s don't have the option to enable high quality streaming, despite having premium sound in the PUP, So it's either already on higher quality 128kbps by default or it's 64kbps.

When I play the same song at 190kbps on Spotify it is MUCH better and clearer to my ears.

So I'm guessing we are at 64kbps with slacker on the Model 3s.

Idc who you are. You cannot hear the difference between 128 kbps and 190 kbps. Anyone who says they can, take the npr audio quality test and you will finally come to the realization you're full of *sugar*.

 

[Electric Joe]

...take the npr audio quality test and you will finally come to the realization you're full of *sugar*.

Link? I'd be interested in checking this out. I often listened to the same songs in my (premium audio) Model S via Slacker and then via Bluetooth from purchased iTunes songs, and I could easily tell the difference. I'm no audiophile, but there were times when I thought the iTunes version was actually a remix, only to realize later that I could just hear the higher frequencies more clearly and it changed my perception of the song.

 

[lairdb]

Link? I'd be interested in checking this out. I often listened to the same songs in my (premium audio) Model S via Slacker and then via Bluetooth from purchased iTunes songs, and I could easily tell the difference. I'm no audiophile, but there were times when I thought the iTunes version was actually a remix, only to realize later that I could just hear the higher frequencies more clearly and it changed my perception of the song.

I was immediately curious too; goign through it now. Looks like their idea of "low" is 128, but the results are interesting. Will try it again another time on better hardware, but right now it seems as though I have potato ears.

How Well Can You Hear Audio Quality?


ETA: Here's a different and interesting one; not about quality but different subtleties.

QUIZ: Do you have the ears of an audio producer?