difficulties connecting to car stereo, volume issues.

[flurka]

I have some problem when I play musik through my car stereo. the volume is very low, plus the sound quality is very bad. I have to to use max volume om my car stereo and 100% om my Z3 to hear something. i use the 3,5mm headphone output on my Z3, connected to the 3,5mm aux-in jacket on my car stereo. 

I have tested my Z3 in a friends car stereo with my connector cabel and it sounds great and with good volume. I also tested my friends phone on my car stereo and there was no problem there either.

And if i do not connect my Z3 to the stereo exactly the right way, there is no sound at all in my stereo and the music plays on my Z3.

I didn´t have this issue with my Oneplus One connected to my Saab car stereo, it worked fine and with out any problem.

It´s a Saab original stereo, (Saab 9-5 2008 with Saab Soundsystem 150)

I have a freind who have the same make and modell of car and car stereo and she is having the same problem, but her smartphone is a Samsung galaxy S4.

Best regard Lars

[Rickard]

Hi and welcome to the community! Since you're new please be sure that you have checked out our Discussion guidelines.

Sorry to hear that you're having issues connecting to your car.
I've heard of this before with certain cars and it's something that i've forwarded internally as feedback but i'm afraid i don't know what causes it or how to fix it.

But i did find a forum about Saab cars where there were several discussions about this and it seems to happen with several different brands. Some users suggests that it helps to get a cable with a higher impedance but i'm afraid i can't say for sure it that helps.

[flurka]

Okay, I will read the guidelines before posting again.

I will search in the saab forums for some more answers and try a cable with higher impedance.

Thank you for your time and effort to help me!

Best regards

Lars

[flurka · Accepted solution]

Hello again

I think I might just have a solution to my problem.
After extensive research on saab forums worldwide I found that others have had similar problems, but mostly with Samsung galaxy s3 units. And the problem stretches to some other car manufacturers stereos, but mostly manufacturers within GM and around 2006-2008, such as Saab 9-5..
It has to do with impedance to some extent but what I can understand the phone (in my case a Sony xperia z3) doesn't sense that the stereo is connected and vice-versa. There was many different ways to fix this problem but when it comes to the xperia z3 it's very simple. Just download a app from Google play store called "soundabout", in that app you will have the opportunity to set and dedicate which output the phone will use for sound, both media and calls. Just set media sound to "wired headphones".
I have tried it out and I think this is a adequate solution to my problem and that this must be a software related problem and therefore it can be fixed. So maybe you can forward this issue to the right people within the Sony corporation, and they could come up with a permanent solution in the next firmware update Rickard? 🙂
Thanks for your time and effort to help me! 🙂

[Rickard]

Glad to hear that you found a solution and thanks for the feedback

I did forward this internally to our development some time ago when i first heard of it but i'm afraid i don't know if this is something that we can solve or not.

[AVRELIVS]

I, too, was surprised to discover the rather low quality of the “line out” or “AUX Input” performance of my new Xperia Z3. Considering nearly every single vehicle manufactured in the last several years has a universal 3.5 mm AUX Input, you'd presume any device with a Sony Walkman application accommodates a direct line out functionality for an AUX Input and sound great (unimpeded).

After downloading “SoundAbout” as suggested, I managed to set it up so that the volume would be maxed out conveniently when “wired headphones” were jacked in, which is all I could really get SoundAbout to do for me. Also, I cranked all frequencies in the Walkman equalizer settings to full and, in conjunction with SoundAbout, I found this worked pretty well. Effectively, adjusting all equalizer frequencies equally just changes overall volume instead of changing the bass or treble relative to each other.

Despite those efforts and tinkering more with my Z3, I found an equivalent solution that doesn't require third-party software and one can carefully readjust the volume automatically after unplugging. I setup Sony's Smart Connect application (factory installed) to maximize the volume upon jacking in and then reducing the volume when unplugging, which along with automatically launching Walkman is really convenient. Now the volume level from my Z3 is similar to the volume level of the radio in my vehicle. Smart Connect saves a lot of hassle (& my hearing). Hopefully, other Z3 owners looking for a similar solution will find this helpful and Sony will provide a direct line out capability in the next Xperia flagship device.

All in all, the Sony Xperia Z3 is fantastic in design, elegance, and functionality, plus optimal in overall dimensions and shape. The Walkman application is great that does its job well, isn't cumbersome, and organizes my library logically & exactly as I expect tagged music files to be organized. The variable background color that complements the cover art of the song being played is a nice little touch of class. From my previous phone, Nokia N8, I do miss the “cover flow” interface in landscape that sequentially organizes artists’ albums—alphabetically by artist and chronologically by album (preferably). Using anything “Walkman” after many many years is very nostalgic, too.