Bluetooth receiver/adapter

[LisaLannister]

Hi,

I have to purchase a Bluetooth receiver/adapter for my 2007 Z4 3.0si which I am picking up next week.

There are many available and I am wondering which is the best one to get for telephone and wireless music and I do not mind paying more to get a really good one.

Thanks

[No_Dominion_2]

Myself and quite a few others have had good luck with the Audiovox Mediabridge. I'm not sure if they're still available, but I've had mine for around 6 years and haven't had an issue with it.

[LisaLannister]

Thanks but I don't want to do an install but was looking for more of a 'plug and play'.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by LisaLannister

Hi,

I have to purchase a Bluetooth receiver/adapter for my 2007 Z4 3.0si which I am picking up next week.

There are many available and I am wondering which is the best one to get for telephone and wireless music and I do not mind paying more to get a really good one.

Thanks

It depends on what you have in the car. If it has a factory iPod cable in the glove box you are in luck. You can buy an adapter which gives you what you want for very little cash. The one I have in mine is called CoolStream.

Like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Ada...ef_=ast_sto_dp.

It only streams music, no phone calls. You can use the built in BT for calls.

If you don't have the iPod connector and you want it all in one, there is a great new offering but it takes some work. https://www.bluebus.dev/

There isn't a plug and play solution which gives you everything that I am aware of.

[No_Dominion_2]

WHS...

Dongles/adapters for music streaming are readily available, but if you want voice calls and BT streaming in one device, you'll have to do some sort of install.

[KevinC]

I would go with a Grom if you want to add Bluetooth. If you have factory voice Bluetooth and just want to add it as a music source - compromised sound quality, glitchy interfaces, dongles, etc. made me look in another direction. I would suggest just streaming from your phone - get an appropriate short cable (coiled preferably, stays out of the way nicely) and connect up. I find it to be the least obtrusive solution and it's fairly easy to navigate to whatever source you want to play (while stopped of course).

[wdb]

I'm quite happy with my Tunai Firefly. I plug it into a cigarette lighter adapter and the auxiliary input.

Here's the company website. I purchased mine (2 so far, may get a third) on Amazon.

https://www.tunai-creative.com/firefly/

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by wdb

I'm quite happy with my Tunai Firefly. I plug it into a cigarette lighter adapter and the auxiliary input.

Here's the company website. I purchased mine (2 so far, may get a third) on Amazon.

https://www.tunai-creative.com/firefly/

There is your solution. I don't have aux-in on my 2006 but you will with a 2007. This seems like a no brainer. Very cheap too.

[LisaLannister]

Would this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetoot.../dp/B01KXIKCSI

As well, does BMW offer something that has handsfree calling/music streaming where I can go and have the dealer install it?

Thanks

[CloneZ4]

I use this one and it works well:
https://www.amazon.com/TaoTronics-Bl.../dp/B082Y4SNFF

[LisaLannister]

Hi CloneZ4,

- Is the music streaming quality good with no ambient hissing sounds?
- Is the microphone pick up good enough so that that I don't have to be shouting while on a call?

Thanks to everyone who responded.

[Shigg614]

I want to add some information regarding specific set ups and possible complications that you might find yourself having to deal with.

GROM (and firefly for that matter) + HandsFree capable Z4 = popping and crackling when switching from a phone call to music and vice versa. This is due to the voltage drop from switching between the two sources.

This is PAINFULLY LOUD when you've got your music cranked up and happen to receive a phone call.

My opinion, after trying various bluetooth solutions, is to wait for the Blue Bus as it seems to be the most promising solution.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by Shigg614

I want to add some information regarding specific set ups and possible complications that you might find yourself having to deal with.

GROM (and firefly for that matter) + HandsFree capable Z4 = popping and crackling when switching from a phone call to music and vice versa. This is due to the voltage drop from switching between the two sources.

This is PAINFULLY LOUD when you've got your music cranked up and happen to receive a phone call.

My opinion, after trying various bluetooth solutions, is to wait for the Blue Bus as it seems to be the most promising solution.

Interesting, I have never heard this before. I don't have an aux-in so can't try for myself. I am not happy with the solution I have now which connects to the OEM ipod cable in the glovebox as the volume level and sound quality are not as good as I would like. It seems the Bluebus will be the ultimate OEM level solution. I have signed up for info about it, but have not received anything about when it may be available.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by LisaLannister

Would this work?

https://www.amazon.com/Mpow-Bluetoot.../dp/B01KXIKCSI

As well, does BMW offer something that has handsfree calling/music streaming where I can go and have the dealer install it?

Thanks

There is no dealer solution. Our Z4's are way too old for BMW to care anymore. Nothing new will coming from them.

[CloneZ4]

Originally Posted by LisaLannister

Hi CloneZ4,

- Is the music streaming quality good with no ambient hissing sounds?
- Is the microphone pick up good enough so that that I don't have to be shouting while on a call?

I find the audio quality to be very good with no hiss. I do note, however, that the one I linked to appears to be an updated version with Bluetooth 5. The one I have is Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX. I don't see a specific mention of aptX in the description. aptX is a codec that provides essentially CD quality audio as long as your phone supports it.

I've only taken a few calls with it but communication was fine - no yelling needed.

Like @chikdr I am also waiting for the Bluebus device to be available:
https://www.bluebus.dev/

I contacted the developer and he indicated he expected to have a batch to ship out in August.

[bosstones]

BlueBus seems promising. I installed Grom earlier this year and, well, it is better than nothing.

It works most of the time but will not pair or play once in a while (remedied by cycling BT on my phone and/or toggling 'radio' modes in the car). I also lose functionality of the steering wheel track up/down buttons if I do not enable phone in my BT settings.
It's a bit annoying since I didn't install the mic because I had no intention of using Grom for hands-free calls. My biggest gripe is probably that I can't change the Nav screen to anything but the media screen or close/fold down the screen. Still, it's way better than just th OE setup.

[LisaLannister]

I received the Anker SoundSync A3352 and it is an amazing product.

It fits perfectly, is small enough to clear the center console and looks really good. The sound quality from the music streaming is great as is the sound quality from the hands free calling. The mic is adequate but it may be better than I think it is as I took some calls with the top down

I recommend this product immensely.

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by LisaLannister

I received the Anker SoundSync A3352 and it is an amazing product.

It fits perfectly, is small enough to clear the center console and looks really good. The sound quality from the music streaming is great as is the sound quality from the hands free calling. The mic is adequate but it may be better than I think it is as I took some calls with the top down

I recommend this product immensely.

Excellent news. For $25 how can you go wrong if it does what you want? I wish mine had the aux-in so I could try it.

[TheDetailer]

how does the audio quality compare to a bluetooth FM transmitter? I have one lying around from an old car, but I was curious if the Aux bluetooth receivers are worth the upgrade

[wdb]

I'm no audiophile but my Tunai Firefly seems to me to deliver a good enough signal to produce pretty good sound.

[GaddyZ]

Tunai Firefly works great. Also (at least on my iPhone) I can have both it and my BMW bluetooth connect and when I get a call it automatically switches over to the phone and when I hang up swaps back to the Firefly. Very happy with it so far.

[eggman51]

Originally Posted by Shigg614

I want to add some information regarding specific set ups and possible complications that you might find yourself having to deal with.

GROM (and firefly for that matter) + HandsFree capable Z4 = popping and crackling when switching from a phone call to music and vice versa. This is due to the voltage drop from switching between the two sources.

This is PAINFULLY LOUD when you've got your music cranked up and happen to receive a phone call.

My opinion, after trying various bluetooth solutions, is to wait for the Blue Bus as it seems to be the most promising solution.

I have a Grom. Good cheap solutrion, but *lots* of audoble hissing. I will try the Blue Bus when available - looks promising.