C7 (ZR1) audio question...
 

So I'm old school. I have iPods for all my cars because they can actually hold all 90Gb of my music and cell phones cannot. But I have not found a way to connect my iPod with the ZR1. On my BMW X3 I just plug the iPod USB adapter into the charge port and it auto-syncs and I'm good to go. I can't "pair" it to the ZR1 because the iPod obviously doesn't have bluetooth. So...what do I do?

As an alternative can the C7 read mp3s correctly off a thumb drive? I could get a couple of them, or a large one.

Just get a 128gb usb key

- So the C7 will read mp3s then? Does file/folder structure matter?

I just plug my iPod into a USB port and it shows all of my music. I don't have Apple Car Play which you do so I would think it would be even easier in your ZR1.

As stated above, get yourself a 128gb USB stick. Format it using NTFS formatting and drop your MP3's right onto the stick. Im not sure if you have them in folders it will work - maybe someone can confirm, but I just copied the MP3s directly without folders and my songs show up nicely on the screen and dash (if you have your dashboard view set to "Audio").

The USB stick can be inserted behind the NAV screen or in your center console / arm rest. :thumbs:

Use a different USB slot. it should read your Ipod no problem. Or try a better USB cord. I've had problems with cheap cords.

Funny, I ordered my September 2013 built C7 Z51 months before there was pricing and had read enough to know it didn't have CDs. So I bought an iPod before I got it! Plugged it into the USB in the Cubby and it worked. But PIA so put all the music as MP3's on Thumb drives. See pic, you can buy one now with 256 GB. I plug mine in to the USB port in the console.

Can't speak to files but like I quickly found the tire/road/engine/exhaust noise is so bad (especially would be in a ZR1) I never have my sound system off! So my 1000+ songs play in Shuffle mode as soon as I start the car! Therefore my music is not in files. If I want a song (seldom) I can use a voice command.

Now, the only problem you'll find is some songs are too boomy! In my case about 10%. So bad at my average setting I was reducing the volume or skipping the song with the keys on the left of the steering wheel. That was defeating my reason for having the sound system playing at a bit over half volume. (I like Joss Stone singing "Tear Drops" by way too boomy.)

When I got my Grand Sport a poster showed a way to switch to different adjustments for the balance, base or whatever anyway you want with the push of a preset button. I have three levels of bass set. This is a PDF I made that shows now step by step in pics/text: http://netwelding.com/Boomy_Bass.pdf

Have fun.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...4f7a7d58ef.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...024d364e90.jpg

Here is more information regarding a USB. Check out posts 12 and 31 (mine) as well as others.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...r-to-a-c7.html

Post 12 in the above:
Strongly suggest OB consider a USB as was already mentioned. At this point I have about 1500 songs on my 32 GB USB. While this only uses 13 GB I'm not sure if the media player in the car could handle all 32 GB utilized. I should add that I have a '15 with the 2LT trim level.

All of this music came from my CD's that I ripped using Windows Media Player. I rip to MP3 format at 320 kbps. If the original source is high quality the playback in our vehicles will sound very good in my opinion.

The media player is feature rich. All songs get ripped with metadata (at the song level) which includes song title, artist, album, and genre. Through an app such as Media Monkey you can also add album art after the songs have already been sync'ed to the USB from WMP.

When you are about to rip songs you can edit all the metadata to your wants so that you can group music that way you like. For example, I have ripped many Beatles albums. I created one genre called Beatles Studio Albums and another called Beatles Anthology. You can also create Playlists as another way to group songs together. I have another post in this forum that describes how to create a playlist, its not easy.

Another example, when I insert the CD, sometimes the song list from contains additional artists on select songs. Because I sometimes want to play back everything by an artist I edit the Contributing Artist field and reomve the extra contributors. Then in our car I see all the songs grouped together from the main artist even if some songs have secondary artists (that I edited out).

Post 31 in the above:
MANAGE MUSIC USB DRIVE for CORVETTE

1. Rip CD to Laptop
a. Open Windows Media Player
b. Insert CD to Rip.
c. Check Rip settings. Format = MP3, Audio Quality = 320 Kbps.
d. Edit song title, album, or artist as necessary.
e. Click ‘Rip CD’.

2. Copy (Sync) Album (CD) to USB
a. Insert USB into laptop
b. Click ‘Sync’ button
c. Drag album to bottom right window
d. Click ‘Start sync’

3. Adding Album Art to individual songs on USB
a. Find album art and ‘save image as’ into AlbumArt folder
b. Insert USB
c. Open MediaMonkey
d. Drag / moves songs to main window and highlight them all.
e. Select Edit -> Properties
f. Select Artwork tab then click add
g. Select album art from Desktop -> AlbumArt folder.
h. Click OK

4. Creating a Play List using Windows Media Player.
a. Click ‘Create playlist’
b. Drag songs into right window.
c. Click on ‘List options’ and select ‘Save list as..’
d. Choose filetype M3U and give the Playlist a name.
e. Open playlist with Notepad.
f. Edit playlist file removing ‘../’ from the beginning of each detailed line, second line for each song.
g. Line should start with one blank character followed by artist name.
h. Copy playlist file to USB within Music folder.
i. Note that by using Notepad you can add songs to an existing Playlist, just use the same formatting.

5. Periodically back up USB

Jerry, I keep seeing you post this and it has me wondering because I never run into this problem. What bit rate did you use to rip the songs?

I've got 206 GB used on a 256 GB thumb drive and it works flawlessly. Took a very long time to load the first time but works great now.

Spotify and a smart phone plus 10 bucks a month and you have access to virtually every song/album you could want it in 15 secs or less.

The issue is the song not the MP3.
One good example is Joss Stone singing "Tear Drops," and other is most Adel songs. The old Heart songs have a lot of bass BUT not nearly what the more modern folks use. And this old dude does not listen to RAP!

Had the same issue with CD's playing in my modified S-10 that I added a subwoofer and amp just to power it. But that amp had a remote to adjust the volume level and I mounted the knob on the center console in easy reach. I used that for some songs as well. The 3 1/2 years I have my 2014 C7 I was often having to bypass certain songs or lower the volume because of a boomy bass. I do have the sound system set somewhat above half volume to drown out the tire and road noise. Works for me BUT not if I turn down the volume.

Then when I got my 2017 Grand Sport, someone posted how you could set different base, balance of whatever and use presets to save the setting. He showed the finished solution but not all the detail. That is what I put in the PDF. Perhaps it's not bass variation you need but other balance of midrange settings for some songs. Set whatever and just put in a preset. There are many presets available. That approach can be used for some other infotainment features.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...b4f67adcfd.jpg

Can you choose songs on Spotify or is it like radio?

Jerry: odd, since Adele sounds great in mine...and no rap for this old guy either. Mostly old hard rock.

^^^
Has nothing to do with the radio. Once you are on the screen for balance etc setting the Presets are only for that function. However if you are on other screens it is for them.

The real trick is getting Presets to come up when you are on the balance, etc adjustment screen. You have to press real hard on the bottom edge and sweep up. I probably did that 10 times before they appeared. Others have said the same. Once they are there changing the names is straight forward.

I have a lot of Oldies as well and the quality of those recording is not great. That is probably why I have a pretty high bass setting. No issue with Janis Joplin singing "Cry Baby!" :lol:

So all you guys are awesome with the advice! Thanks very much. I have about 16,000 songs (90Gb) so they will fit fine on a USB. But I wonder how in-car navigation of the files will be, not yet being able to see the options for listing them. Curious if having them in folders might change the ZR1's way of grouping them. I won't have the car back from the detailer for another two days, then immediate road trip. Will have a couple hours to pack, but that includes outfitting the car with sundries besides music as well.

Congrats on your ZR1:thumbs:

I stream music from the iPhone via BT, and have a 128GB thumb drive, like posted above w/3K + songs. The SD is almost invisible.

They’ve certainly come a long way from things that spin...

Only suggestion from a post where fellow spent a lot of time transferring and it didn't work! Do a test with a few files an check!

I think Spotify is like pandora you can pick and play any type music. I have unlimited data on my iPhone so I can use either one or my own music from amazon. Hope this helps.

Ok, thanks anyway.

You go into search for an artist and you get all of their albums and songs. Download a song(s) or album into a playlist(s) you make up. The free version only allows 3 fast forwards and has 30 sec commercials every 30 minutes-they make it just annoying enough where you say screw it for 10 bucks I get rid of this crap. The ability to go always to another song is worth 10 bucks a month.

You have access to all music period whenever you want it. Especially good if you have car play which in my 15 I do not so I have to fiddle with my phone to change albums or songs. Down load the free version and try it. I hear a song on the radio I like-I search for it on Spotify and put it on a misc play list I have for certain songs. Best thing since sliced bread.