Which is better, BT35-TOY or the Vais for Bluetooth media streaming with iPhone?

[LCVol]

I have a 2006 LC. I'm looking at purchasing either the USASpec BT35-TOY or the Vais iPhone integration kit. I don't need to install the mic for handsfree calling of course. My LC does have the factory navigation with factory BT handsfree calling. Purchasing for the ability to play music from my iPhone. Ive seen numerous posts on the options out there, but do you guys have any preference between the two?

 

[TwiceWithHair]

Not sure your phone will Bluetooth music AND have a separate Bluetooth connection to your cars phone. I'm pretty mine will only connect one at a time. Unless you do music from a different device than your phone, I think you might run into difficulties.

Written by someone who has used neither of the products you asked about =)


...via IH8MUD app

 

[David Stutler]

I have the BT35-TOY in mine and I like it. It works for both. Factory bluetooth phone and the BT35 for audio. So if I'm listening to music over bluetooth and I get a call, it will lower the music and allow me to accept my call.

 

[TwiceWithHair]

You are factory phone Bluetooth connected to your truck AND aftermarket music Bluetooth connected simultaneously!? I stand corrected. Guess the future is NOW!

This information also makes me want to spend more $$ on Elsie...


...via IH8MUD app

 

[LCVol]

I have the BT35-TOY in mine and I like it. It works for both. Factory bluetooth phone and the BT35 for audio. So if I'm listening to music over bluetooth and I get a call, it will lower the music and allow me to accept my call.

Thanks! Do you like the quality of the sound? I'm using the cassette tape adapter right now. Really would like to upgrade to Bluetooth if it's good quality sound. Where did you store the unit? Did u just keep it behind dash or in glove box? Thanks again guys.

 

[skivan]

there are some good writeups on the vaistech unit. pretty easy job and routes easily into the glove box. if you have a spare ipod/iphone just plug it into the 12v accessory under the arm rest and it's always ready. mine has BT phone stock, but i don't know how to use it…

sound quality is pretty good and so much better than the cassette or radio adapter.

 

[OregonLC]

Have the BT-35 in the 04 LX. Works great, completely seamless and automatic.

The only downside is they way the rear audio works. The BT-35 appears to the system as an MD. So say you start playing from your 5S through the BT-35 and one of the kids in the middle row hits Disc as the source. This will start the CD/DVD in the drive over the top of the BT-35. I don't think Toyota intended there to be both a MD and DVD hooked up so one won't shut off the other passively. Other than that little nuance it's absolutely great.

Have had no problem with it switching over to BT hands free. There seems to be info out there that BT is a single-connection system. I researched this when looking into Torque with the BT OBD-II dongle, many posts I found showed that it wouldn't support both voice and OBD-II. However real-world experience shows that it can do both. At least with the wife's 5S and my S5.

 

[LCVol]

Have the BT-35 in the 04 LX. Works great, completely seamless and automatic.

The only downside is they way the rear audio works. The BT-35 appears to the system as an MD. So say you start playing from your 5S through the BT-35 and one of the kids in the middle row hits Disc as the source. This will start the CD/DVD in the drive over the top of the BT-35. I don't think Toyota intended there to be both a MD and DVD hooked up so one won't shut off the other passively. Other than that little nuance it's absolutely great.

Have had no problem with it switching over to BT hands free. There seems to be info out there that BT is a single-connection system. I researched this when looking into Torque with the BT OBD-II dongle, many posts I found showed that it wouldn't support both voice and OBD-II. However real-world experience shows that it can do both. At least with the wife's 5S and my S5.

Thanks for the reply. Is it also possible to hook up to the satellite port in the back of radio, or does it have to be the cd changer? Thanks again

 

[OregonLC]

Thanks for the reply. Is it also possible to hook up to the satellite port in the back of radio, or does it have to be the cd changer? Thanks again

Good question and I don't know. Since the advent of services like Pandora I've not looked into Satellite.

 

[David Stutler]

I stuffed the unit behind the nav unit - plenty of room in there. The audio quality is good enough. Also, if you have a Sirius account, you could stream it via their app and output on BT if in fact it doesn't work on the satellite input. Mine is hooked up normally, so I don't know for sure.

 

[LCVol]

I stuffed the unit behind the nav unit - plenty of room in there. The audio quality is good enough. Also, if you have a Sirius account, you could stream it via their app and output on BT if in fact it doesn't work on the satellite input. Mine is hooked up normally, so I don't know for sure.

Thanks a lot. Sounds like this is the way to go.

 

[deanfun]

I bought the Audiovox AMBR-1500-TOY Mediabridge, as I wanted the option for bluetooth audio, aux-in, and USB (connected to an iPhone 4s/5s/6).

I replaced the 12V port in the centre console with a combo USB/aux plugin and leave a lightning cable plugged in. It charges my iPhone, slowly, and comes through as Sat radio. I have it in a mode that retains full functionality on the phone, and it'll play anything the phone spits out (youtube, vimeo, songza, etc.). There's an annoying voice that says "SONG MODE" and "PRESELECTED MODE" whenever you go from no sound to sound, and it has gotten itself pretty confused when google tries to do turn-by-turn audio (which I've disabled). Overall I'm satisfied, but not over the moon. I have not tried the bluetooth audio, and I used the factory bluetooth for handsfree.

 

[LCVol]

I bought the Audiovox AMBR-1500-TOY Mediabridge, as I wanted the option for bluetooth audio, aux-in, and USB (connected to an iPhone 4s/5s/6).

I replaced the 12V port in the centre console with a combo USB/aux plugin and leave a lightning cable plugged in. It charges my iPhone, slowly, and comes through as Sat radio. I have it in a mode that retains full functionality on the phone, and it'll play anything the phone spits out (youtube, vimeo, songza, etc.). There's an annoying voice that says "SONG MODE" and "PRESELECTED MODE" whenever you go from no sound to sound, and it has gotten itself pretty confused when google tries to do turn-by-turn audio (which I've disabled). Overall I'm satisfied, but not over the moon. I have not tried the bluetooth audio, and I used the factory bluetooth for handsfree.

Cool. Could you post a picture here so I can see what the sub/aux plug in looks like? How's the quality of sound?

 

[LCVol]

I mean what the USB port looks like that you added in place of the 12V. I looked this unit up, looks like it's what I'm looking for.

 

[3D FJ]

Has anyone been able to compare the vais unit and the bt35 unit? This is what i'm interest in. i have the bt35 and it does what i want with the exception that you lose low end bass sound when streaming music ie pandora. When i do the same in my cooper, i am connected via a 3.5 mm jack and i get the full range of sound. If i knew that the vais unit could produce the full range of sound, then i'd switch over.

 

[OregonLC]

Interesting. Do you get good bass out of the DVD when playing a disc? I would have thought it would be a straight pass through on the BT-35 with no attenuation or equalization. For that mater, does it pass analog or digital to the head? I will say that the BT-35 is about 3 or 4 notches lower on volume than DVD. I'm not much into loud volumes but I've not noticed any spectrum changes in the BT-35 stream other than slightly quieter volume at the same head setting.

 

[deanfun]

I mean what the USB port looks like that you added in place of the 12V. I looked this unit up, looks like it's what I'm looking for.

I don't have a picture handy of what it looks like in the cruiser, but this is what I bought:

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00CNUFGN6/ref=pe_386430_30332290_TE_dp_1

edit: okay I went outside and grabbed a photo. i do recall having to do some minor clearancing as the USB/aux plug is bigger than the 12v that came out.

 

[LCVol]

Nice! Thanks. Called the store that sells the audiovox, and they said it wouldn't work in my '06 LC. Not sure what to think.

 

[JohnnyUtah]

Im running the Vais. I did a writeup on the install with lots of pictures. Its pretty easy. I have no experience with the other product. I highly recommend the VAIS. The phone can be synced up for music and incoming calls overide the music and you can accept the call over the car speakers/Bluetooth. Ill be happy to answer any other questions about it you may have.

Also originally I was set on having a hardwired solution using USB or aux cable for better sound but due to a lack of options I gave Bluetooth a shot. I was impressed with the quality of sound and now consider it on par or a negligible difference with hardwire.

 

[3D FJ]

Interesting. Do you get good bass out of the DVD when playing a disc? I would have thought it would be a straight pass through on the BT-35 with no attenuation or equalization. For that mater, does it pass analog or digital to the head? I will say that the BT-35 is about 3 or 4 notches lower on volume than DVD. I'm not much into loud volumes but I've not noticed any spectrum changes in the BT-35 stream other than slightly quieter volume at the same head setting.

Coming out of the cd/dvd player, all levels sound as they should.