[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Wristdoc

After reading your posts I attempted to download some songs in the AIFF format however they did not appear when looking for the files on the iDrive 7. I am going to try again in the FLAC format...do you just load them off of a USB or have them on the USB drive? I am hoping the FLAC files will appear...appreciate any advice!

One BMW shortcoming is they do not publish full specs in regards to the audio support. That said according to the online 8-series manual states that only the following formats are supported via USB: MP3, MP4, M4A, M4B, AAC and WMA. Thus, there is a theory anything else is somehow converted to one of these formats during playback. I personally doubt that as the transcoding power to do so in stream is intensive and there is absolutely zero drop off, digital burps etc. when listening to FLAC sources. Rather I believe they just state the standard formats vs having to deal with support issues for the more exotic ones.

I've read elsewhere on Bimmerpost that AIFF does play in the earlier models but does not in the latest gen it. I am already FLAC oriented for a high-resolution file type so the issue was not a concern for me. That said I did get bit on my first purchase of a SSD drive for the USB-C port in the center console. It was a 2TB LaCie USB-C drive (STHK2000800) and it was not recognized by the car whatsoever regardless of OS format of the drive (NTFS, Fat 32 or ExFAT) as I tried them all.

I've had great experience with LaCie drives (although now owned by Seagate) and did the purchase based on it being one of the highest capacities available in a small footprint. However, digging into the details it has a chipset specifically designed for the Windows and MacOS to support the highest transfer speed possible. So I returned it (have to love Amazon) and picked up a 1TB Crucial SSD that is built to be 100% agnostic (supports Linux) and it works like a champ (https://amazon.com/gp/product/B07YD5...?ie=UTF8&psc=1) formatted in ExFAT as I have both Windows and Mac's in the house.

Primarily everything runs off of the Crucial SSD in the center console but I did test out importing some albums to the iDrive hard disk. From either source everything works as expected. Not sure what format you have on your USB drive your trying but if it does not show up in the USB media menu regardless of the AIFF files that may be the issue. NTFS, Fat32 and ExFAT should all work.

[Wristdoc]

Thanks for the detailed and quick reply! I was able to download the files in FLAC format and they loaded onto the iDrive hard drive without an issue. I will also appreciate the link to the external hard drive...may have to get one soon!

The B&W really does sound completely different with the right source!

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Wristdoc

Thanks for the detailed and quick reply! I was able to download the files in FLAC format and they loaded onto the iDrive hard drive without an issue. I will also appreciate the link to the external hard drive...may have to get one soon!

The B&W really does sound completely different with the right source!

Albeit the gesture controls are a bit gimmicky but I love the wave the hand to reject phone calls (why interrupt my music experience ) and more so for FLAC playback the thumb right or thumb left to skip or go back.

[bloozemanAZ]

Resurrecting the thread as today I finally found a track on my FLAC high resolution source that for the first time I could actually feel the subwoofer under the driver's seat. In conjunction to my recent thread on a new found love for the BMW Assistant to play albums/tracks from my SSD in the center console today I said "play Balls to the Wall". After voice confirming the title track vs the album the track started playing and all I can say is WOW! It is now my reference track to further dial in the B&W equalizer settings... more to come!

[erichaw]

First off? I have to thank you for your suggestion of the SSD drive. I bought and loaded the 500GB version and have been more than happy with how it has performed. We have roughly 6,000 audio files, most flac, but also many lossless WMA, and have barely half filled the device.

For reference I have found "Michael Murray-Toccata And Fugue In D Minor-Organ Blaster Sampler - Best of Michael Murray" to be a very nice test of systems. Lots of nearly subsonic lows, and broad range of volume and tones. I like this particular recording better than others of this Fugue for the pace and the details you can hear of the organ.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by erichaw

First off? I have to thank you for your suggestion of the SSD drive. I bought and loaded the 500GB version and have been more than happy with how it has performed. We have roughly 6,000 audio files, most flac, but also many lossless WMA, and have barely half filled the device.

For reference I have found "Michael Murray-Toccata And Fugue In D Minor-Organ Blaster Sampler - Best of Michael Murray" to be a very nice test of systems. Lots of nearly subsonic lows, and broad range of volume and tones. I like this particular recording better than others of this Fugue for the pace and the details you can hear of the organ.

Originally Posted by erichaw

First off? I have to thank you for your suggestion of the SSD drive. I bought and loaded the 500GB version and have been more than happy with how it has performed. We have roughly 6,000 audio files, most flac, but also many lossless WMA, and have barely half filled the device.

For reference I have found "Michael Murray-Toccata And Fugue In D Minor-Organ Blaster Sampler - Best of Michael Murray" to be a very nice test of systems. Lots of nearly subsonic lows, and broad range of volume and tones. I like this particular recording better than others of this Fugue for the pace and the details you can hear of the organ.

Thanks for the recommendation on the Michael Murray album as will seek it out. Unfortunately, one of my references for when trying out new home audio gear (Yo Yo Ma's Appalachian Journey) I only have on SACD and DSF tracks the iDrive 7 system does not recognize. That said once dialed in the B&W audio is flat out amazing with a near perfect soundscpe considering a car cabin experience.

[erichaw]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

... Unfortunately,, one of my references for when trying out new home audio gear (Yo Yo Ma's Appalachian Journey) ...

Just checked that out on Amazon and even the low bit rate sample played on cheap PC speakers sounds nice. I have ordered the remastered CD so I can rip it to my drive. Thanks!