C4/DS4 II - RD5 L5 radio - poor music quality via bluetooth

[z_ds]

Hey there,
hello from newbie. I've been already visiting here for a while and been learning about my 2011 C4 B7 for a while, but now my first thread.

I've already found this topic here as well. Unfortunately, only after my "action".

I happily replaced the RD5 (aux only) in my B7 darling with the RD5 L5 (with aux, usb and bluetooth).
Everything was activated via diagnostics - change vin in radio, activation of necessary functions in C-display. Display shows everything, steering wheel control works, pairing with phone works...

And now the problem (which few members here have also experienced, I searched a lot) - the quality of music via bluetooth is terrible . Specially the completely distorted highs . Even the Chinese bluetooth receiver to aux had better quality

I read that someone solved / tried to solve it by updating the firmware in the RD5 unit - but unfortunately I didn't read anywhere how it worked out.

Please - has anyone managed to solve this somehow? Firmware update? Replacing RD5 with a more modern version? Or does it have no solution and only ugly Chinese aux things are the "solution"?

[GiveMeABreak]

Don't you mean your replaced the RD4 with RD45?

The system is getting on a bit now and there are no user-level firmware updates for these systems - only for the later telematic head units. A dealer likely won't be able to check the software of the unit you have or apply a later one if available as the unit was not originally fitted to the vehicle, so will still come up as the original RD4.

I think you'll need to just put up with it or consider another option.

[z_ds]

Hi Marc, thank you for your feedback!
no no, there is RD5 (picture) in C4 II, where with different trim levels there are different versions of RD5. Instead of RD5 L1 I installed RD5 L5 removed from DS4 2013
(BTW RD45 would not fit in C4 II too nicely )

I adjusted everything via diagbox (bluetooth activation, display, steering wheel control). Everything is beautifully elegantly functional. Except for this (not insignificant) - the sound via bluetooth. FM radio, aux-in, USB and CD are fine.

I tried asking in a facebook group with C4 II and DS4 owners as well, some have the sound fine and some have the same problem. Some report that their unit has been replaced and some that their firmware has been updated by dealer.
Unfortunately though, no one states what firmware version they got and how they got it and if this is only possible at the dealer. Of course, it's old, so I'm counting more on a home solution (even I don't know how to flash radio at this moment or if it is possible via OBD), but now I'm trying to sort of gather information, but I'm at a dead end

I'm quite disappointed that I built in this elegant PSA solution (not some android-whatever...) and it has this really weird "beauty bug"

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, got it, yes I often forget these as most of them were integrated into the fascia like on the DS5 and 508.

For these, there are no public software updates to these units released, so you will have to source a unit with a later hardware or software version, which you can usually see on the back of the units. Take this one that has obviously been updated at the dealership or after refurbishment.

Although this one is a L3 unit, it has been updated to software 3.8.01 and they have covered up the old software with a label to show this.

Older units were V3.4 or V3.5

[z_ds]

Mm, it may not seem like, but that doesn't sound like a completely bad hint (maybe)

Sticker = update. Sticker version = updated = theoretically could be better // The question is whether it solves the music quality problem over bluetooth.

I just found a unit with newer software than I have. Mine has 3.61 on it, I found 3.81 for "a few pennies" (still cheaper than chinese external cable with ugly buttons and blue lights and bleah...) It's worth a try...! Just ordered...
Oooof, those adventures...

[GiveMeABreak]

Most software updates are to fix certain issues or improve things like the bluetooth software / protocol to provide better compatibility or fix some issues like echo or the like. No harm in trying though.

[z_ds]

Hey there, update from my side.

I was curious and excited, so before the DHL brought the package yesterday, I removed everything from the car, including RD5 version 3.6.01 to be prepared.
In the afternoon the RD5 L5 version 3.8.01 arrived, which I installed, recoded, changed the VIN (...and removed CD from it - it came with Liam Gallagher's album inside )

The sound via bluetooth has great sound, perfect bass, mids and highs. But compared to other sound sources, the highs are still a bit fuzzy. So again not good

Maybe it seems a bit better (objectively) and at the same time I think (and maybe it's the reason why there are not much more angry people) a lot of people who, for example, listen to other genres, won't even notice it, but I think I'll just resign myself to having a little bit less elegant bluetooth-aux solution (I have already prepared something )

Maybe next adventure will come with RT6 RNEG2 in C4/DS4 version, but it's much bigger adventure... which I will maybe skip

[GiveMeABreak]

Great, thanks for the update, seems to be an improvement if nothing else. Enjoy the freebie CD!