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Do Atmos tracks sound better in your ES than regular high resolution audio? If so, how much better?
I wouldn't use the word "better" since music is highly subjective. That being said, there is a notable difference. Also, not all Atmos tracks are created equal, below is a list of some songs recommended by Jonathan Morrison from Youtube:
... Make sure to also set Audio Quality to the highest "High-Resolution Lossless = ALAC up to 24-bit/192 KHz." Also make sure "Lossless Audio" is enabled. This will give you sound that will surprise you in any genre.
The "High-Resolution Lossless = ALAC up to 24-bit/192 KHz." won't make it though all the way to the Lexus's hardware DAC. Per the LEXUS 20[XX] ES 350 Navigation and Multimedia [System] Owner's Manual:
*2. Sound source of 48kHz or more is down-converted to 48kHz/24bit.
There's also responses on Apple's support forum where people have reported replies from third party CarPlay audio app developers to the effect that CarPlay provides no better audio playback quality than what the car's hardware DAC provides no matter how high the quality of the input digital audio file fed to auto's CarPlay software.
Provided all the music you want to play from Apple Music is in fact streamed/downloaded always in full 48kHz/24bit ALAC with the "Lossless" setting and not a mixture of lower 44.1kHz/16bit CD quality then the "High-Resolution Lossless" won't really provide anything extra other than burning up your data streaming quota [if any] or your devices storage.
Last edited by grp52; 08-02-21 at 08:23 PM.
Reason: Fixed forum spelling error
So I used this thing over the weekend... and yeah it works and yeah it's cute... turns out it is janky. The most annoying thing is it takes forever to load when you first get into the car and start it, like almost a full 45s to a minute, and you can't listen to or do anything during that time. Then when it is loaded, at least when using spotify, there's a delay and one time the audio just stopped playing. I can see this thing being nice to use for a long drive/road trip where you aren't turning the car off and back on but it's annoying for every day use.
Also it takes up space. Either it sits in the cupholder where I can't put a drink or it sits in the phone slot where I can't put my phone.
Also there's like a weird flash screen that pops up during the loading time which looks like a highschool computer programmers class from the 1990s. doesn't really fit with the car. For now I'll be fine with the wired setup.
Was its firmware up to date? Only reason I ask is it doesn't take anywhere near 45s to connect for me. It also is not instant, though for what it's worth, my Toyota Supra has wireless Carplay from the factory and it takes similarly long to connect when starting the car. The CP2A loading screen is indeed disappointingly basic, but the guts inside are legit, with Apple supplying the chipset. And they do make free firmware updates available to keep it current and fix glitches. Since I figured out that I could update it, it's been at least as reliable as the BMW system in the Supra.
Neither the factory wireless carplay or Carplay2Air are entirely glitch free though, and they have their draw backs (lag/latency, audio vs wired as mentioned). Wired Carplay will be the fastest and most reliable, no doubt. If there had been a USB port to connect to inside the armrest, I wouldn't have even considered buying the CP2A unit in the first place. Silly as it sounds, I just wanted to keep that door closed on the console
Wonder if I can transplant another manufacturers wireless ACP? (lets face it the one in the Supra is BMW) lol.
I didn't touch any firmware. I pulled the CP2A dongle anyway since the audio quality was very noticeably atrocious, even compared to BT streaming. Sucks cause I really enjoyed the Apple Maps/Google maps map coming up on my screen along with all the apple stuff every time i drove, without needing to go wired.
I'm really loving the Apple Car Play wire relocation. Got my fast charger in the center console too--charges Lightning (heh heh) fast.
If I come across a spare "USB box" i'll buy one and install it in place of the carpet blank I installed. will take me 10 min or less. Installing this wire required COMPLETE removal of the entire console which actually was not that hard.
Tnw2933… agree the adapter connects to the iPhone wirelessly via WiFi in my 2021 RX450 as well… BUT THE ADAPTER somehow disables the AT&T cellular wireless, requiring the iPhone to use cellular service versus the more cost effective car cell modem. Investigating why/how this happens.
Tnw2933… agree the adapter connects to the iPhone wirelessly via WiFi in my 2021 RX450 as well… BUT THE ADAPTER somehow disables the AT&T cellular wireless, requiring the iPhone to use cellular service versus the more cost effective car cell modem. Investigating why/how this happens.
I would think it's because your phone can't be connected to two wireless networks simultaneously. Because it's using WiFi for the Carplay2Air, it has to disconnect from the car's network.
Tnw2933… agree the adapter connects to the iPhone wirelessly via WiFi in my 2021 RX450 as well… BUT THE ADAPTER somehow disables the AT&T cellular wireless, requiring the iPhone to use cellular service versus the more cost effective car cell modem. Investigating why/how this happens.
The CPlay2Air adapter is designed to only use wireless (CP2A internal WiFi) to connect to vehicle, BT is not an option… how it disables the Car’s Wifi adapter is a technical “mystery”
I found a clean solution to add wireless Carplay and still be able to close outer lids without taking up the cup holder space, on both 19 and 20-21 models. There are two components - a small Carplay adapter box and a low-profile cable.
There are quite a few tiny square-shaped Carplay wireless adapters of dimension 2.36"x2.36". They are listed under different brands on Amazon (with different logos, colors, and finishes) but were actually based on the same OEM solutions. I compiled a photo showing a few examples I found on Amazon. These adapters would fit exactly and snuggly in the phone slot while leaving some side spaces to connect a USB-C cable. The indicator light would point upwards and be visible when placed in my way. They don't come with the latest hardware though due to size constraints, but I find them good enough. They are also among the cheapest wireless Carplay adapters (I got mine with Prime shipping for less than $50). Boot-up time is generally fast at around 22 seconds, but there is one time it froze and I had to replug it. I haven't met any disconnection issue but I haven't used it for a long time either.
The cable for the 19' model year is in fact not as easy to find as you would expect. You need a cable with (1) an angled AND low-profile USB-A connector, (2) an angled OR low-profile USB-C connector, and (3) is short. Note that some angled USB-A connectors are still too tall to close the outer lid, and some straight USB-C connectors may be too long to fit the width of the phone slot. I didn't find any suitable cable on Amazon, but found a perfect cable on AliExpress which costs me $5 and arrived in 2 weeks. It still looks a bit industrial but is much better than other DIY solutions. You can either remove the flappy inner lid or leave it hanging on the side; the outer lid closes smoothly in either case.
Finding a cable for the 20'/21' model year is a real challenge. If you can remove the inner lid, the aforementioned setup would work just fine, but the inner lid doesn't seem to be easily removable. I eventually found a custom cable made by an enthusiast in China with a thin ribbon and practically no depth. The cable is shaped and routed specifically for ES to be perfectly flat and preserve the other USB port. You can close both inner and outer lids in that setup. It costs around $10 on Taobao (cheaper on multi-pack) but there is no sales channel in the US. You have to find a friend or package forwarding company to get it
I’m just got a a CarLinkit 3.0 for CP and so far it works very well. One thing I have noticed is that my USB drive (loaded with music) is no longer recognized as a source, whenever the 2nd USB port is being used for CP. Is this normal?
I read the Lexus manual and can only find reference to some features not being available when CP is also connected, but in my case, the USB is not even accessible. Sorry if this has been answered already, but I couldn’t anything. I assume this is just a drawback of these CP devices??
Thanks!
I’m just got a a CarLinkit 3.0 for CP and so far it works very well. One thing I have noticed is that my USB drive (loaded with music) is no longer recognized as a source, whenever the 2nd USB port is being used for CP. Is this normal?
I read the Lexus manual and can only find reference to some features not being available when CP is also connected, but in my case, the USB is not even accessible. Sorry if this has been answered already, but I couldn’t anything. I assume this is just a drawback of these CP devices??
Thanks!
I believe it's a limitation of the ES infotainment system. The infotainment system can only recognize one USB device at a time.
^That method pictured above takes up the phone holder slot which is the reason I developed my professional method of hiding the unit altogether which is free and takes way less effort than ordering on tao bao and waiting a month. And looks completely classy and is reversible. Completely hidden and wireless.
However I pulled it cause the module sounds like poop for audio and that's a no -go for me. like noticeably poopie. i was like wth? Maybe it's more obvious now that i have upgraded door and dash speakers and a subwoofer.
My 2020 ES300h was able to have android auto and usb music at same time until software update was done. This was either an overlook of programmer or necessary to fix numerous problems like remote start and battery drain
07-30-21, 10:53 AM
