Why does Android Auto sound so bad?
Android Auto is an in-vehicle infotainment system developed by Google that allows drivers to control music, navigation, calls and messaging from their Android smartphones while on the road. It presents a simplified interface optimized for safely operating Android apps in a vehicle’s dashboard. The idea is to only show information and controls relevant to driving while minimizing distractions.
Android Auto can be connected wirelessly or via USB cable. It allows you to use your car’s speakers and microphones to play music, get turn-by-turn navigation, place calls, send and receive messages, and use voice commands to control it all hands-free. The audio playback capabilities depend on the quality of your smartphone’s DAC (digital-to-analog converter), music apps, codec support, equalizer settings, audio signal processing, and wired/wireless connectivity.
Hardware Limitations
One of the main reasons Android Auto’s audio quality can suffer is due to hardware limitations, specifically Bluetooth bandwidth restrictions. Android Auto connections utilize both USB for data and power and Bluetooth for the audio stream (source). Bluetooth audio has a limited bandwidth around 200-500 Kbps depending on the Bluetooth version (source), which is not enough to transmit high quality lossless audio that requires 1,500+ Kbps. The Bluetooth audio stream is compressed, reducing audio quality compared to a direct wired connection. While newer versions of Bluetooth like 5.0 offer higher bandwidth, it still falls short of wired quality. Android Auto prioritizes the USB data connection for power and interface functions, relying on Bluetooth for bandwidth-limited audio only (source). Upgrading to car systems with Bluetooth 5.0 may provide some improvement, but hardware restrictions remain a core limitation.
Codec Support
One reason Android Auto’s audio quality suffers is its lack of support for higher quality audio codecs like aptX, aptX HD, and LDAC (Source). Android Auto uses basic SBC and AAC codecs which are limited to bitrates of 328kbps and 250kbps respectively (Source). This results in obvious compression artifacts and loss of audio fidelity compared to lossless or higher bitrate codecs.
aptX and aptX HD support bitrates up to 576kbps and can provide CD-like or high-resolution audio quality. But Android Auto does not currently support these codecs, even for devices and car systems that have aptX capabilities. Similarly, LDAC can handle bitrates up to 990kbps but is not enabled in Android Auto. Without support for these advanced codecs, Android Auto is limited to lower bitrate streaming which diminishes sound quality.
Enabling lossless or high bitrate codec support in Android Auto would significantly improve audio reproduction and match the fidelity that modern smartphones are capable of. But currently users are stuck with lower quality baseline codecs leading to a markedly inferior listening experience compared to the device’s native music apps.
Audio Processing
One of the key factors influencing Android Auto’s audio quality is the audio processing pipeline and effects it applies. Android Auto uses a specialized audio system architecture optimized for in-vehicle use. This includes an AAC encoder that encodes all audio at 512 kbps to a standardized format before sending it to the car’s head unit over USB.
While this AAC encoding standardizes the audio for broad hardware support, it also represents a bottleneck in terms of sound quality compared to the lossless audio format used by many music services. The AAC compression can result in degraded audio quality, especially for high-resolution source material.
Additionally, Android Auto applies its own equalization and audio effects on top of the source audio. This further alters and processes the sound. Many users complain Android Auto’s audio effects excessively boost bass and lack proper equalizer controls to tweak the sound.
Taken together, Android Auto’s AAC encoding and audio processing pipeline significantly affects sound quality. With two stages of lossy processing applied, the resulting audio can lack clarity and precision compared to the original source.
Equalizer Settings
One reason Android Auto’s audio quality may suffer is the limited ability to adjust equalizer settings while using the system. Unlike a traditional car stereo or media app, Android Auto does not include robust EQ controls or presets to shape the audio output. As a result, music and other audio can sound unbalanced, with too much bass or treble for a car’s speakers (source).
Some workarounds exist, like tweaking EQ settings on the phone prior to connecting or using a third-party equalizer app with Android Auto. However, these options are limited and the lack of direct control within Android Auto itself remains an impediment to achieving the best possible sound quality (source). More refined EQ presets tuned specifically for in-car audio could help compensate for the acoustic environment and improve the listening experience.
Pairing Issues
One of the most common issues with Android Auto is getting your phone to successfully pair and connect with your car’s infotainment system via Bluetooth. This can manifest in a few ways, such as Android Auto not recognizing your phone at all, struggling to maintain a steady Bluetooth connection, or randomly disconnecting.
There are a few key troubleshooting steps to try if you are experiencing Bluetooth pairing problems with Android Auto (source):
- Unpair both your phone and car head unit, restart your phone, and re-pair the devices.
- Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on both devices and they are visible for pairing.
- Check for obstruction, interference, or significant distance between the phone and head unit.
- Update to the latest firmware/software on both the phone and head unit.
- Forget the Bluetooth connection on both devices and re-pair from scratch.
If you continue having issues, you may need to reset network settings on your phone or consult your car dealership/manufacturer. Some vehicles may have software bugs with Android Auto pairing that require an update to resolve.
Aftermarket Integration
Integrating Android Auto into an aftermarket car stereo can introduce various audio challenges compared to built-in factory systems. Aftermarket head units utilize third party interfaces like ZLink or TLink to connect to Android Auto, which can cause compatibility issues leading to poor audio quality (https://www.reddit.com/r/android_beta/comments/15wlopd/android_auto_issue_poor_sound_quality_after/). For example, software updates to Android Auto may trigger bugs or glitches when interfacing with the ZLink/TLink software in aftermarket stereos. This suggests the integration was not robustly tested across different aftermarket hardware and software versions.
Aftermarket car stereo manufacturers also tend to use lower quality DACs (digital-to-analog converters) and amplifiers compared to OEM factory systems. The inferior audio components lead to worse frequency response, dynamics, distortion, and noise floor. Finally, aftermarket head units may lack customizable equalizer settings to properly tune and optimize the sound. Altogether, these limitations demonstrate why Android Auto audio quality suffers more on aftermarket versus built-in factory stereos.
Wired vs Wireless
There is a noticeable difference in sound quality between using wired Android Auto via USB and wireless Android Auto according to many users. Wired Android Auto generally provides better audio quality compared to wireless. According to a Reddit discussion on r/AndroidAuto, users have reported that wired Android Auto delivers “smoother, more extended bass” and overall better sound quality (source). Similarly, on the Ram Truck Forum, users noted that wired Android Auto either via USB or CarPlay produces the same good sound quality while wireless Android Auto’s audio quality is described as “crappy” (source).
The main reason for this difference in sound quality lies in the audio codecs used. Wired Android Auto can take advantage of lossless codecs like LDAC that deliver CD-quality audio over a direct wired connection. Wireless Android Auto relies on the lossy SBC codec over a Bluetooth connection which compresses the audio more, reducing quality. Wired also provides a more reliable and consistent connection without signal interference or drops which leads to better audio playback. For those wanting the best possible sound quality with Android Auto, using a direct wired connection is recommended over wireless.
Audio Focus
How Android Auto handles audio focus between apps is a key factor in sound quality. Android Auto uses a system called Audio Focus to manage which app’s audio is played through the car speakers at any given time. When multiple apps try to play audio simultaneously, the Audio Focus system decides which one takes priority.
By default, navigation guidance audio will take precedence over music or podcast playback. This frequent interruption and ducking of music audio can negatively impact sound quality. According to the Android developer documentation, the system forces audio playback to fade out when another app requests focus. Music doesn’t sound as good when it’s constantly fading in and out.
Some users have reported better sound quality by disabling the default Audio Focus behavior in developer settings. This prevents navigation prompts from interrupting media playback. However, it requires advanced tweaking and may not be ideal for all use cases.
Improving Sound
There are a few tips for improving the sound quality when using Android Auto:
[https://www.slashgear.com/1392676/boost-audio-quality-android-auto/](https://www.slashgear.com/1392676/boost-audio-quality-android-auto/) One of the best things you can do is connect your Android phone to your car’s console using a high-quality USB Type-C cable. Avoid low-quality cables that can degrade the audio signal. USB provides higher quality audio compared to Bluetooth.
[https://support.google.com/androidauto/thread/201479163/cause-solution-for-bad-audio-quality?hl=en](https://support.google.com/androidauto/thread/201479163/cause-solution-for-bad-audio-quality?hl=en) You can also adjust the volume normalization setting in the Android Auto app settings. Lowering this setting can improve audio quality and volume. Additionally, check that audio enhancements like EQ are disabled, as these can negatively impact Android Auto’s sound.
Using a high-quality head unit designed for Android Auto rather than just a basic car stereo can also make a big difference. And if possible, wired Android Auto generally provides better quality than wireless Android Auto.