Better Bluetooth

[moviewithnotitle]

I have an 2019 Axis A22 with the SP1. (Its the INFMBB-400 (Prospec Electronics) unit.) In 2020 I added the RCA plug to the blackbox, then two amps, 1 for a 12" Sub and 4 Tower speakers in custom boxes. Everything has been working exactly as I want for our purposes, but their are a few gripes. 

Gripe 1: Bluetooth volume is awful. It's signifcantly quieter than the radio, USB thumbdrive and 3.5mm plug. (We use USB for 99% of the music because of this) Reading the manual, it states that it's specifically designed to connect to Apple products, ...and we are an Android Family). 
Gripe 2: The controls on the helm panel work but are slow. It's not awful, but annoying. 
Gripe 3: When using a USB thumbdrive for music, the menu system sucks. It sometimes doesn't include songs or folders that are setup. Even with no folders it won't list everything, and appears to have a 99 song limit. 

What are some of the better options for improving the Bluetooth signal? 
Would a better option be to just upgrade the entire HU/Black box with a Wetsounds, Kicker or other unit? 

Thanks. 

 

 

[lake4life]

8 hours ago, moviewithnotitle said:

I have an 2019 Axis A22 with the SP1. (Its the INFMBB-400 (Prospec Electronics) unit.) In 2020 I added the RCA plug to the blackbox, then two amps, 1 for a 12" Sub and 4 Tower speakers in custom boxes. Everything has been working exactly as I want for our purposes, but their are a few gripes. 

Gripe 1: Bluetooth volume is awful. It's signifcantly quieter than the radio, USB thumbdrive and 3.5mm plug. (We use USB for 99% of the music because of this) Reading the manual, it states that it's specifically designed to connect to Apple products, ...and we are an Android Family). 
Gripe 2: The controls on the helm panel work but are slow. It's not awful, but annoying. 
Gripe 3: When using a USB thumbdrive for music, the menu system sucks. It sometimes doesn't include songs or folders that are setup. Even with no folders it won't list everything, and appears to have a 99 song limit. 

What are some of the better options for improving the Bluetooth signal? 
Would a better option be to just upgrade the entire HU/Black box with a Wetsounds, Kicker or other unit? 

Thanks. 

 

 

I know this may be obvious but if you are like me sometimes we miss the obvious, so at the risk of stating the obvious...  some bluetooth interfaces require the volume on your phone to be turned all the way up to get full signal input so may want to double check that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

[MLA]

9 hours ago, moviewithnotitle said:

specifically designed to connect to Apple products, ...and we are an Android Family). 

Be thankful. Many media units take over the volume control from the apple phone, when connected via BT. 

9 hours ago, moviewithnotitle said:

Gripe 1: Bluetooth volume is awful. It's signifcantly quieter than the radio, USB thumbdrive and 3.5mm plug.

This is actually the norm, across the board. To compensate, some media unit have adjustable sensitivity for the various inputs, so their output can be matched. Not sure that the axis OEM unit offers this. One thing I would suggest if not done already. Go into to you phone's EQ and make sure they are flat or off. May not improve volume, but typically improves overall sound quality. The pre-sets are designed for earbuds and headphones, not full-range setup with actual low, mids= and hi drivers.  

[moviewithnotitle]

@lake4life no worries, I have experienced that issue before many times and we do check volume. The low volume is consistent across all devices we have tried as well, (phones and tablets). We haven't had an iPhone in the family until this year, so we didn't get much opportunity to test. 

@MLA - interesting, I was not aware of the volume hijack over BT. 

Speaking with the wife last night, she thinks just replace the headunit. It won't go unused and we love our music. We've both tilted this direction. 

[shawndoggy]

as a stopgap, you could try running a different bluetooth dongle (like a JL Audio MBT-RX) through the AUX input into the black box.

If I were going to replace the whole HU, I'd go with https://www.crutchfield.com/p_867WSMC1/Wet-Sounds-WS-MC1.html?tp=96441

 

[Jbcain]

 

Wet Sounds WW-BT UR $70
Fusion BT-100                $55
JL Audio MBT-RX           $50

Audison B-con               $270

[lake4life]

If you do end up wanting to try a BT dongle add-on, I'll add my  +1  to   JL Audio MBT-RX
Have had that in use for 2 seasons and its had rock solid perfomance.

[markdental]

How did you all install (wiring) the JL audio Bluetooth adapter? 

[lake4life]

16 hours ago, markdental said:

How did you all install (wiring) the JL audio Bluetooth adapter? 

Into the factory Aux input.

[moviewithnotitle]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I ended up purchasing a new headunit to eliminate the OEM system. I'll have more info soon after I get it installed and tested. 

[markdental]

4 hours ago, lake4life said:

Into the factory Aux input.

The power wires and ground wires, how did you wire those?  Did you get a cable that turned the RCA outputs into an AUX 3.5 stereo out?

 

Thanks!!

[lake4life]

10 hours ago, markdental said:

The power wires and ground wires, how did you wire those?  Did you get a cable that turned the RCA outputs into an AUX 3.5 stereo out?

 

Thanks!!

For my 2013 VTX the box next to the amps that has all the inputs and outputs had a RCA aux input so was easy (the 1/8 aux in the glove box was tied into the aux RCAs and I just unplugged that).  For the power I just tied them into the amp power blocks.  The dongle draws so little power you could really tie it into any +\- that is convenient.

Edited April 4, 2023 by lake4life

[MLA]

13 hours ago, lake4life said:

The dongle draws so little power you could really tie it into any +\- that is convenient.

Yes, but dont. Its guaranteed to create unwanted news.  

[markdental]

What about this as an option?

 

https://a.co/d/cm27U2j

[shawndoggy]

20 hours ago, markdental said:

What about this as an option?

 

https://a.co/d/cm27U2j

dude.  c'mon.  Take your boat to a stereo shop if you can't tap B+ and B- from the black box.  

tapping wires will always be inferior to hardwired connections with spades or even better soldered connections.  That said, I've used these in the past and they are far and away the best wire taps:

https://www.amazon.com/Posi-tap-Connectors-20-22-Gauge-Wire/dp/B004D0C2RC/ref=asc_df_B004D0C2RC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=351606580515&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13794654081478013544&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1022653&hvtargid=pla-782229919583&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=71965060518&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=351606580515&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13794654081478013544&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1022653&hvtargid=pla-782229919583

[granddaddy55]

On 3/3/2023 at 8:07 AM, MLA said:

Be thankful. Many media units take over the volume control from the apple phone, when connected via BT. 

This is actually the norm, across the board. To compensate, some media unit have adjustable sensitivity for the various inputs, so their output can be matched. Not sure that the axis OEM unit offers this. One thing I would suggest if not done already. Go into to you phone's EQ and make sure they are flat or off. May not improve volume, but typically improves overall sound quality. The pre-sets are designed for earbuds and headphones, not full-range setup with actual low, mids= and hi drivers.  

yea my buddies phone was used in my boat EQ off and there was no harshness even at full volume, very nice sound quality. we have changed our phones and cant  wait to try them EQ off in our boat

[wakesetta12]

I use the dongle but I do hear some high pitched interference, seems to be less when the volume is up or the volume is just taking over it.  

 

Any ideas on the cause of this?  Only on the bluetooth, so that is definitely the cause.  Also, it is there when the engine is off as well....

 

[formulaben]

2 hours ago, wakesetta12 said:

I use the dongle but I do hear some high pitched interference, seems to be less when the volume is up or the volume is just taking over it.  

 

Any ideas on the cause of this?  Only on the bluetooth, so that is definitely the cause.  Also, it is there when the engine is off as well....

I was able to cure some irritating noise by using these on the power supply to the XM receiver...mind you, it was making noise while using the Bluetooth.  Go figure.  Take take the power wire and wrap it 5 or 6 times if you can (numerous loops) and close it up.  Worth a shot given the price.

https://www.amazon.com/Taigoehua-Pieces-Black-Suppressor-Diameter/dp/B09XXCBFVV/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2KLFR77HEABBM&keywords=ferrite+choke&qid=1681437092&sprefix=ferrite+choke%2Caps%2C196&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFKUk5FWjhSTE9WTDMmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAyNDgyNjEyWjJJS0lGRk84RjNTJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA5MzY4MTZJTlhaODRVVk1WSUgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

[MLA]

For unwanted noise, you first need to make sure ALL the audio sources and amps, share the same voltage source. 

[granddaddy55]

On 3/3/2023 at 8:07 AM, MLA said:

Be thankful. Many media units take over the volume control from the apple phone, when connected via BT. 

This is actually the norm, across the board. To compensate, some media unit have adjustable sensitivity for the various inputs, so their output can be matched. Not sure that the axis OEM unit offers this. One thing I would suggest if not done already. Go into to you phone's EQ and make sure they are flat or off. May not improve volume, but typically improves overall sound quality. The pre-sets are designed for earbuds and headphones, not full-range setup with actual low, mids= and hi drivers.  

thank you,  the unmodulated signal from EQ off made a huge difference in sound quality and allowed us to turn up the volume and it wasn't painful because it was cleaner.  the ICE processor in my boats oem system probably could better process its input.  this improvement was greatly evident even with the oem WS dsp amps.  since i paid about $2500 after discount in my boat price for 2 rev 10’s, 8 revo 8’s and a boxed non ported revo 12 sub i am now even more satisfied than i already was and have no intention of upgrading the amps or sub in the future.  it sounds great and def much better than before with eq on !!!  i wonder how many folk on here are running their oem or custom systems with an incorrect eq setting in their phones.  i imagine in a tuned custom system it would have a significant impact  

Edited April 18, 2023 by granddaddy55