jtx

As far as I can tell, in my wife's expensive 2016 RX 350, fully loaded, with the Mark Levinson audio system, the audio system can only play back MP3 files on a USB memory stick. AAC (M4A) does not appear to work. Can anyone confirm this? Strange how this much more expensive vehicle can't do something that my 2014 Mazda's (CX-5 and 3) can do.

dfc350

Page 424 in the Owner's Manual lists all the compatible formats. Some but not all AAC files are compatible. Why, I don't know.

jtx

Thanks for the reply. The AAC files that I tried match the description contained in the manual, except the manual does not state if variable bit rate and/or constant bit rates are supported. The files I tried were VBR, so I am guessing that may not be supported. I will try CBR tonight and report back if that works. (I use MediaMonkey to sync. media to a USB stick and can change encoding settings to try and match what the vehicle supports).

bootman

Or use an ipod with ACC lossless on it. Fits perfect in the small compartment, almost like it was made for it.
Lots of options just not all of them. (like flac on a stick)
...or you should have got your wife another CX-5 but I don't think she bought the car for playing acc files.

jtx

After further review, the USB media specs. are actually on pages 433-436, but look the same as for the CD player. The 255 file per folder limit was one issue which I have now addressed.

I have still not been able to get AACs to play on a USB stick. I have tried both VBR and CBR low complexity files (AAC-LC) with bit rates and sample rates in the indicated ranges.

I am starting to think that there may be firmware bug in the audio system. These same files play in other vehicles and on media players in our house. I see the audio file type "AAC" on the upper left corner of the display, but it won't play. MP3's seem to work fine.

One other shortcoming is that I don't see any playlist support.

Can anyone verify these issues or point me to a solution?

Gregshin

Does the RX have a SD slot to play mp3s?

I did see 2 USB ports...will they accept flash drives with MP3's?

kolokmee

I don't believe the RX has an SD slot. The USB ports do accept flash drives formatted with FAT32, and will happily play MP3 and AAC (m4a) files from them. Just remember to limit each folder to around 250 files (255 to be exact I believe).

mikemu30

So does that mean you have to convert the standard iTunes media files which I don't think are MP3?

ggebhardt

I thought there was an SD slot but it was for map updates.

aznkorboi

there is an SD slot, covered by a black cover right under the right side of the temp I believe. but it's a mooo point anyways because it's just for the maps update

ccm14

Hope you're wrong because our salesman told us we could play recorded music via the SD slot.

Charlie

ccm14

I would really like to know the answer to this question as well. Our salesman told us the audio would only accept recorded music in MP3 format. Since all of our recorded music is on itunes, this could pose a problem.

Charlie

JSracer

Microsd slot behind the cover with the map, is map only. The USB is in the arm rest big storage area.
Toss some on a thumb drive and see what happens, I would do a few to see how it works.
I keep my 160 gig ipod classic in the car, in the small cubby in front of the big arm rest one.
Stream bluetooth, and screen mirroring too from my android phone.

ccm14

We have a 2018 RX 350 on order that should be in this week and I need some advice about playing recorded music on our car sound system. All of our recorded music is in ITunes. Some has been downloaded (from Apple and other sites) and some has been ripped from our CD's. Our salesman told us that we could play our recorded music from a thumb drive, from our IPhones via a cable or via Bluetooth but the music has to be in MP3 format. From what I can tell, ITunes music is not in MP3 format and since the music on our phones was synced from ITunes that music will not be in MP3 format either. I have burned CD's of the music we want to play in the the new car. It was my intention to set up folders in a thumb drive and copy each CD to the thumb drive. Again, I assume the burned music is not in MP3 format, since the burn came from ITunes. My questions are:

Is our salesman correct about the 3 options (thumb drive, phone via cable and phone via Bluetooth) we have for playing our music?

Does our music have to be in MP3 format?

If the music must be in MP3 format, what would be my best route for converting the file format for our music.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Charlie

ccm14

We have a 2018 RX 350 on order that should be in this week and I need some advice about playing recorded music on our car sound system. All of our recorded music is in ITunes. Some has been downloaded (from Apple and other sites) and some has been ripped from our CD's. Our salesman told us that we could play our recorded music from a thumb drive, from our IPhones via a cable or via Bluetooth but the music has to be in MP3 format. From what I can tell, ITunes music is not in MP3 format and since the music on our phones was synced from ITunes that music will not be in MP3 format either. I have burned CD's of the music we want to play in the the new car. It was my intention to set up folders in a thumb drive and copy each CD to the thumb drive. Again, I assume the burned music is not in MP3 format, since the burn came from ITunes. My questions are:

Is our salesman correct about the 3 options (thumb drive, phone via cable and phone via Bluetooth) we have for playing our music?

Does our music have to be in MP3 format?

If the music must be in MP3 format, what would be my best route for converting the file format for our music.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

Charlie