Cooper Brubacher

I have been puzzling over this for a while now...

I have tried several different inputs for sound in my 2017 A4:

Satellite Radio
Bluetooth from my phone's Spotify
Spotify via phone via Android Auto
Flash Card
Spotify via aux cable from phone

Of all of these inputs, for some reason the Satellite Radio is loudest and sounds the best. The bass hits much harder and the music is just generally better. This *really* confuses me because, from what I understand, the comparable bitrate of satellite radio music is something like 128-192 while my Spotify is set to stream at 320 kbps and the music on the memory card is even *higher* quality (FLAC).

Anyone have any insight ?

P.S. - Non B&O system.

bugout

SiriusXM should sound the worst of all. The bitrate is so low I can't even listen to the music stations.

A4Driver

MP3s played from my SD card sound 10 times better than Satellite radio.
.
.
.

Nyulak

I don't like the compressed sound of satellite radio either, but I feel that the satellite audio has better bass than what's on the SD card. I often wondered if the satellite source was given preferential treatment to help move more subscriptions. Maybe the louder bass would be interpreted as better sounding and help encourage subscriptions for XM.

emmgee

I assume you have the Premium model. The speakers on my Premium were so mediocre that I got better ones. The only thing comes to my mind is that somehow satellite radio is more sympatico with the cheap speakers than the better sources.

Nyulak

I have P+ with the B&O stereo.

emmgee

Are you using the enhanced sound feature (I forget what it's called)? I would try both ways and see what you think.

dseag2

There are two ways to enhance it. Surround Effect and 3D Sound. I have Surround Effect turned to a couple of ticks past halfway because it seems to bring out the mid-bass. I have 3D Sound turned to Low because to me it sounds really artificial at Medium or High and drowns out the actual highs and lows in the music. I'm old fashioned. I listen to my iPod and the music sounds great.