I agree, I can't tell a difference between songs ripped at 128 and above, although I am sure there are people who can. But songs ripped at 64 and below are noticeably not very good even to my ears.

I can't tell the difference above 128 on a car system but I can at home.

Biggest pain the ass to load songs into the music collection hard drive (12.5 gb internal). Why BMW couldn't provide some sort of ability for it to connect to a computer, as any other external hard drive is beyond me.

Anyone attempted to do so, with any luck? There must be a way. The USB stick sucks...

For the record, the entire system is a bit redundant if one has an iPod. I have a 60gb, I keep in the car 24.7. The navigation is equally awkward to use.

Lots to choose from though. AM, FM, HD, Satellite, iPhone Pandora, Music Collection 12.5 gb, iPod 60gb, 1-DVD loaded with songs...what more can one ask for?

I find the USB great. Plug it in and click load. It loads. If you turn the vehicle off, it stops and picks up where it left off next time you turn it on. Had a 4 GB stick loaded when I went to delivery. Have no idea how long the download took because I had a 2 hour drive home. Listened to the vehicle for some of the time, talked on phone thru the car's BT, which I'm told by people on the other end - sounds great, and played a CD for the remainder. The USB gives easy and unlimited music capability. Thumb drive sticks are cheap and you can have as many as you want. If you fill the HD, you can get 8 GB or 16 GB sticks and swap them out as necessary cause it'll play right off the USB port. The glove box location is pretty stupid, the console would be much better, or better yet - a closable little panel on the dash.

Not everyone lives in range of HD radio and some don't get the Sat (I didn't). I use a Blackberry Storm which has Pandora but don't think it will connect or stream via BT (haven't tried yet tho). Of course, I agree, if you have an iPod - I don't, that's easier with potentially greater capacity. Then again, you can load thumb drive sticks just as easily as loading an iPod.

My Infiniti was REDUNDANT! Had a 9 GB HD which only loaded from in dash CDs and only in real time (no MP3s), a 4 GB max capacity Compact Flash drive, Sat radio (no HD), CD/Mp3 slot in dash, an iPod connector, an aux red/white/yellow AV input and a 6 CD stacker (only plays store bought CDs) in trunk.

Haven't played with the nav much yet but seem pretty easy to use. Just wish you could say a location all in one sentence. I'm accustomed to the Infiniti which works pretty similar to the iDrive for entering a location.

Back to OT, contrary to forum posts I've read, my CA told me that the iDrive doesn't like music folders. Says they won't load properly so I dumped all my songs into the root level and trashed the folders.

The other way to look at this new capability on the X5 is that the hard disk storage of MP3 renders the need for an iPod redundant in the car. If you need more than the 12G, simply plug in a USB drive giving another 64G+ if you wish. This is alot easier and cheaper than worrying about iPods.....

I use an iphone so I plug it in the cradle and I have phone antenna connection, charging and lots of music all in one click.

Anything extra I just wiz to USB stick and on to the hard drive.

2 USB ports?!!
 

This might be a stupid post (as everyone else might already know this). I've only had my X5 a few days now. But, I noticed that there are actually 2 different USB ports. There is one in the glovebox that they tell you about during delivery. today I found a second one in the console. It is right next to the AUX in hole. You have to slide a little door/panel to reveal it. I was looking at the ports and saw the USB logo. Haven't seen this posted anywhere and dealer certainly did not tell me about it so I thought I'd throw it up here.

Haven't tested it yet, so I do not know if offers the same functionality as the one in the glove box. I cannot imagine why it would not.

One thing I wonder about: is there a chance the one in the glove box is standard on all X5s and the one in the console comes as part of the $400 iPod/USB option? If so, I'm pissed. Certainly I don't need two USB ports and I don't use ipods (but the console location is certainly a MUCGH better location for the USB - especially if you want to swap out sticks on the fly). I paid for the option for the USB as I am/was under the impression that if you don't order this feature, you don't get USB. Now, I am beginning to wonder... If this is the case, and they don't tell you...!!!! :angryfire

The one in the centre consul is for playing and the one in the glove box is for moving music to and from the HD.

So, does the one in the glovebox (for "moving music") come even if you do NOT order USB/iPod or do you only get the glovebox one if you order the option?

I believe the one in the glovebox comes with the Technology Package.