iSimple iPod / Bluetooth Interface Disappointing, Low Volume

[consultant1027]

Installed the iSimple iPod and Bluetooth modules in my G37X Journey. Not very happy with it.

The major problem is the iPod volume via the cable or via Bluetooth streaming is about 40-50% lower than the built-in analog aux input in the car and the Radio and CD. I think the fault though may primarily lie in the low input sensitivity of the SAT input for the factory head unit. What frustrates me a bit is the iSimple tech support claims it is only 20% lower volume. They are WAY off.

Here's how I determined that aside from just noticing right away. I plugged the iPod into the analog built-in Aux jack of the car and turned the iPod volume to 100% full. I then adjusted the car volume to a nice medium volume level which is about 1/3 volume on the car stereo. I then switched to the iSimple interface and the volume is WAY WAY lower. To get the same volume I had to turn the car stereo volume up to about 2/3!! My normally loudest listening level is now 100% UP / FULL on the car stereo when listening. It is probably actually about 90% of highest listening level but it won't go any farther. In a way it is now almost like protecting my ears only allowing me to crank my music to 90% my maximum tolerance. But, if you leave the volume that high and switch to the radio or CD, you might DAMAGE your ears!

All my MP3 gains are optimized to 93db which is about as high as you can go on most songs without clipping. There is no Sound Check or Volume Limit turned on, on the iPod. I found many other complaints in other forums and threads regarding this low volume issues. It's a real shame.

In addition the bass and treble need to be boosted a little when using the iSimple. But that is just the difference between the balance on the digital versus the analog input. The stock stereo sounds very good (as good as the Premium or maybe even a little better) when an iPod with flat EQ is plugged into the analog Aux input.

Further more, the up and down buttons on the steering wheel don't advance the track like the instruction booklet says they should. They make the system switch to FM radio and advance to the next track and you get BLOWN OUT with the volume being SUPER high. You have to use only the Tune knob to for next and previous track. You can HOLD the down button and it changes to P.List on the stereo but I haven't figured out what you can do from there with the steering wheel controls as pressing it again, changes to FM radio and advances the station (and blows your ears out.)

In addition, I haven't figured out a way to actually pause song playback either. In fact if the song is already playing and you plug it in, the iSimple may actually pause the song instead of start it and there is no way to start it (as far as I can tell so far) except unplug it and then plug it back in (I may have that backwards but you get what I mean)

I was almost thinking of just going back to the analog aux input and buying a bluetooth based remote control that mounts on the steering wheel, but that is kind of cheezy.

The streaming bluetooth sounds exactly the same as the ipod interface. I'd use that but I prefer to just throw an extra iPod in the glove compartment and not put additional drain on my phone.

The best solution may very well be using BT streaming on your iPhone coupled with a BT remote device to control the phone. You could mount the phone on a mount on the dash or plop it sideways in the ashtray area so then you could see album art, etc. But if you wanted to charge it you would have to run an unsightly cord.

You can't really put the iPhone in the glove compartment because there is no way to initiate a voice dial using the cars buttons, you have to press and hold the button on the iPhone, then you can do a hands free voice dial. That's really the only major flaw with the BT interface.

I would think most of these drawbacks are limitations in the factory head unit's interface, but I would also think, (being a programmer years back), that at least some of these things can be overcome or improved a bit with some changes to the iSimple's firmware programming.

[RemmyZero]

i too had the same issues with the iSimple and they were no help to me over the phone or email. i've also tried the USAspec adapter and the GROM adapter. by far the GROM is the best but you have to give up your satellite radio to use it. in the end i ended up buying a parrot bluetooth system which has an ipod adapter for it, so i play the ipod through my parrot now, and the sound quality is phenomenal. if i had an iphone i could direct connect via bluetooth to stream music.

it's unfortunate that the iPod is such a tough topic to tackle on the g35.

[consultant1027]

I was considering the USA Spec + Parrot combination (not looking for to another $200 in install fees though) but then I was under the impression the Parrot doesn't display any information on the car's screen and you have to install a Parrot screen to see that info. I don't like having another little screen.

Right now I'm living with the iSimple as 100% volume is about the loudest I usually listen at anyway but seems odd having to turn it up all the way. And yes, tech support won't admit this product has a design flaw.

I don't mind giving up Sat as I do listen to Sat radio.

I sent an e-mail to Parrot asking if they had a product that would display the phone number/caller ID info on the factory screen like the iSimple and haven't gotten a response (and that was like a week ago.)

I assume the Parrot doesn't interface showing iPod track info etc on the factory screen?

[RemmyZero]

you're correct that the parrot will not display on the factory screen. i wish it would but i've learned to live with it. the iSimple does display nicely on the factory screen, i'll give it that. i have a parrot module with a small screen but they make some with larger color screens.

also the parrot is very easy to install yourself, i've never let a stereo shop install anything in any of my cars (i don't trust them!). if you're interested in the grom i highly recommend you check it out. you have to remove the stereo but that's fairly easy to do. also the USAspec installs in the trunk, so it's not too bad to install.

[consultant1027]

Ya, one of the things the iSimple tech asked me to do was disconnect my SAT Tuner. I said, but isn't it already disconnected from the head unit to plug the iSimple unit in? (You have to use iSimple's SAT tuner if you want to use SAT with their device). They said ya, but it can "interfere" I said, honestly, it sounds like you guys are really "reaching" here as I fail to see how having the SAT tuner plugged in in the trunk but disconnected from the head unit can "interfere" with the operation of your device. Luckily it was easy for me to pry the plugs off the tuner without taking much apart except the top panel in the trunk.

I asked the USA Spec guys if there's plugged into the trunk and they said ya, but they said the control module mounts in the front of the car then you run the cable back to the trunk. I would think you would mount the control module in the trunk and just run the iPod cable up to where you want it. Guess it doesn't make a different you still just run two cables.

So the USA Spec doesn't have a separate cable for power? You just need to plug it into the SAT tuner wiring harness at the point it terminates at the tuner in the trunk? That would be a super easy install.

If the Grom is like the iSimple and plugs into the head unit, you may not need to take the head unit out unless it is different than the iSimple. The reason is when I took the car back to the shop he couldn't figure out the problem so I asked him to swap units to make sure I didn't have a defective unit. The car was ready 15 min later so I think you can get in behind the head unit by removing just the side panel of the center console in the foot well? But I could be wrong as I wasn't there to see what he took apart to get to it and that was on a unit that was already plugged into the head unit so maybe initially you need to pull the head unit?

It looks like the GROM works the same as the iSimple. But if it doesn't have the volume issue and the UP/DOWN on the steering wheel actually goes to PREV/NEXT track on the iPod instead of changing to the FM tuner and going to the next station like the iSimple does, it may be worth the hassle/cost to swap them.

I wonder if the Bluetooth Microphone for the iSimple will plug into the Grom? Then I wouldn't have to have the microphone re-run.

[RemmyZero]

i never had any issue using my satellite radio with the iSimple interface installed....i had some issues with the "pad data" from the xm not displaying correctly sometimes but i was always able to use the xm radio itself so i think they're pulling your leg there, but maybe there is something i'm not familiar with for the newer ones. the unit i had was from peripheral audio (which is really a re-badged iSimple).

as for the head unit it does have to be removed, i haven't been able to remove the panel you're referring to, it's held in at too many points. the stereo honestly comes out in 5 minutes, it's not difficult to remove.

the USAspec is powered from the harness for your xm receiver in the trunk. it has a ground you have to screw in but there is a convenient screw right on the bracket that holds the xm receiver anyway.

as for the grom, it didn't have any bluetooth functionality that i remember so you would lose that but it has an iPod cable and a USB cable so you can just plug in a flash drive and use that instead of an iPod. as for the track next/previous question i really don't remember but i do recall the details on the website were pretty thorough so i'm sure you can find out there.

the difference in the grom is that you physically disconnect the xm harness on the radio itself and plug it in there, then you have to tap the 12V power for it, which is easy enough once you have the radio out.

if you really want to keep the bluetooth AND have iPod i still recommend a parrot but since you already have the iSimple it might be easier to just keep it....

Bob