Volvo V50 Audio & Entertainment Questions

PF_Flyer

From AM/FM to ipods and MP3's, this is the place for your questions about your V50's entertainment systems.

ncflyer

Anyone out there know if and when Volvo will offer satellite radio with this car? I would have bought one by now but I'm holding out. I'm addicted to Satellite radio but am tired of all the wires with my portable unit.

volvo4lifnal

Sorry to say, Sat radio is not available in the new S40/V50 yet. It will be Sirius when available. Things to note. With an FM modulator and using the 12V outlet in the back of the console, you can minimize the wiring issue.

grochef

I am interested to hear more about the hook up of an FM Modulator. I have spoken to Volvo reps while I was in Sweden and here at my local US dealer and no one seems to know if this can be done. I understand that because of Volvo's wiring, that messing with the flow of electricity could mess other things up.

I've installed FM Modulators in Toyotas and a Miata and I love the results.

Any information would be great!

funhouse_ny

Hey,

I recently leased a 2005 S40, which has the exact same interior/dash/audio as the V50. Here is my post from SiriusBackstage.com:

Hey all - well - I finally took some pictures of my Starbase install in my 2005 Volvo S40.

If any of you have read any of my recent posts RE: installing Sirius in the 2005 Volvo S40, you are aware that all 2005 Volvo S40, V50, and XC90 have no way (currently) to hardwire (either Aux or SATSWB) a satellite radio to the audio system. The guy from Volvo tech support explained to me that there is actually no antenna wire in the car but rather, a new fiber optic cable system known as MOST. My only choice was to try the wireless FM transmitter.

Well, it works amazingly!!! Now it is important to note that the sound quality is ONLY good if you plug in one of those FM antenna wires they give with the Sportster - into the FM out on the Starbase tuner. Without this wire, the sound quality is terrible. But with it - it is almost as good as hardwired!!! I was amazed myself!!

If anyone has any questions at all about the install - please let me know. Also, the antenna is on the rear deck - inside the car (up against the back windshield) - perfect reception - no dropouts whatsoever - and I live in Long Island, NY so that is a good test of the reception and sound qaulity.

Man do I love my SIRI!!!!

Well, anyway, here is a link to the finished product

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/funhouse_ny/album?.dir=/ef15&.src=ph&.tok=ph444uCBX4yOMjdm I is basically the same

kosherbacon

I am thinking about purchasing a V50 and I want to be able to play my ipod (3G with dock connector) in the car. My understanding of the new Volvo/Ipod relationship is that the v50 connection is through an FM transmitter. I hate the static inherent in the FM transmitters out there and I'd be reluctant to choose this option. The console design precludes any aftermarket stereo and the V50 does not come with a tape deck, so the only other option is a direct connection to the factory stereo.

So my questions are--Does the factory stereo (or the upgraded audio package) have an AUX input and an adapter available? Do any of them charge the iPod as well? Does anyone know of a source of information on the V50, factory stereos, and ipod adapters?
Thanks,
Len

Apple/Volvo press release

robbie89512

The way I understand it is that all the other Volvo models do have an aux jack in the glove box (2005 + models) allowing one to hook up their iPod (and control it remotely). The v40/50's however do not have this and there are no plans to have one at this time.

I was told by Volvo corporate (when the Apple press release was issued a couple of months ago) that the v40/50's owners could buy an FM transmitter that was sold through Volvo (avail summer/fall 2005).

I already have a (non-Volvo) transmitter and I rarely if ever use it in my Volvo due to FM static which is very apparent when playing the iPod. I have the 12 speaker premium sound system, so I don't know if that has something to do with the static or not. The same transmitter however works perfectly fine with my 2002 New Beetle's Monsoon system and in my 2004 F-150, so I don't know what's up with that.

When the Volvo transmitter comes out I plan on getting one, but will return it if there is static (the other issue is that these transmitters are supposed to "hang" off the dashboard to the right of the radio with your iPod swinging away). Because Volvo does have aux jacks in the other models, it may mean that the radio system in the v50 (under the current design) is not capable of dual input systems (CD / MP3) due to the motherboards themselves.

rousslang

Hi,

I use the iTrip FM transmitter, and play my iPod back through a chosen frequency on the FM radio. With high resolution, you get CD quality music. It's simple and cheap ($40). Since the antenna is in the rear hatch glass, reception is good from anywhere in the car!

Cheers,

Rousslang

grochef

Since I first posted my question about an FM Modulator in the V50 and S40, I devised my own cables and a manual for installation. I use an In-Line Modulator and get great sound.

It can be done, it's inexpensive and it's worth it.

Cheers.

bacon2

Hey there grochef,
Could you please share how you installed the cables and what is needed? I want to get this to work too!

thanks !

hawaiivolvo

Hi,

We have a 2005 V50 and have found that 1/2 of the time when you turn on the radio no sounds comes out (either radio or CD) . This happens equally whether you turn the radio off before the car or just leave it on when the car is off. You have to turn off the car and restart it to get the sound back, but that only works once in awhile. Has anyone else found this and had a dealer address it successfully?
Thanks. V

volvobuff

My Volvo V50 has the Premium sound system and the dealer-installed Hands Free Bluetooth car kit, which is an OEM version of the Motorola IHF1000. It worked fine for the first two weeks, then developed an odd little quirk: the car kit no longer mutes the paired cell phone handset ring on incoming calls, so both the cell phone and the car kit ring at the same time. It does this with three different Verizon network cell phones, so the problem is not with the phone. I have talked at length with both Motorola and Verizon tech support to no avail. Anyone out there have any thoughts on this problem? Apologies in advance for cross-posting this message to the S40 and C70 forums.

volvobuff

My apologies in advance for cross-posting this message from the S40 forum:

I just took delivery of an 2008 S40 T5 FWD. It is a wonderful vehicle that has numerous incremental improvements over my 2007 V50, some of which were expected and others of which were pleasant surprises.

The only disappointment thus far is the new Dynaudio digital sound system, which is simply not only not as good as the Dynaudio in the C70, but also not as good as the Premium analog system in my 2007 V50. The high end response may be marginally cleaner than the latter, thanks to the Class D digital amplification (Dynaudio licenses the ICE power technology from a division of Bang & Olufsen), but the low end response is very weak compared to the 2007 V50 Premium system, even with the latter's subwoofer disabled.

I don't think that adding the dealer-installed subwoofer option to the 2008 S40 Dynaudio will help it appreciably, since it is largely ineffectual in the V50. The only upside to this problem is that the new Dynaudio system didn't cost any more than the old Premium system.

My best guess is that the Dynaudio system was designed with the supplementary integrated subwoofers of the C70 in mind and doesn't work well without them without further design tweaking. Unfortunately, the dealer-installed trunk subwoofer simply doesn't deliver the same performance as the C70 integrated in-cabin ones. My V50's Premium system doesn't sound appreciably different with or without the subwoofer.

In theory, it might be possible to improve the frequency response of the Dynaudio digital system with a firmware upgrade, but whether the unit is actually capable of accepting software upgrades is unknown to me. It is certainly something I will be looking into.

I am currently experimenting with tweaking the frequency response through the equalizer settings, but as any experienced audiophile knows, this is not wholly effective if the low frequency drivers' response is not very good to begin with. In any event, it is a minor complaint with an otherwise superb vehicle.

dubbu2

I have experienced the same problem with my 2005 Volvo S40. Since it happens sporadically, the dealer has not been able to duplicate it and subsequently won't repair it. I just gave up, and restart the car when it happens if I'd like to drive with music. You're not the only one!

kpo546

This happens to my 2005 s40 as well. I brought it up to the dealer as well who couldnt help me. I found that ,in my car at least, if you turn off the car, remove the key, and then turn the steering wheel till the lock kicks in then restart the car it seems to work everytime. maybe it is some sort of security feature.

zillybov

I have the same problem. I thought it was only my car so I'll kinda glad that others have this anoyance. It can be embarrasing sometimes too. The other day I was at a friends house and I was telling him how amazing the sound system was. I took him out to the car so I could demonstrate. Imagine the howls of laughter as I had to turn the ignition off and wait for 45 seconds until I could get any sound. He now thinks that I have to do that before every journey.

dubbu2

I no longer own this vehicle. I got pissed off with it because the cd player just stopped working one day. I was driving and the music was playing oh so nicely when suddenly it just stopped and spit my cd out. So, I put it back in and it pushed it back out. So I select one of my other six disc and each one I selected it fumbled with it and then spit it out. I cut the car off and even let the car sit for a day, and still the same problem. The only thing I could listen to was the radio. I couldn't even do an iPod hook up because my model didn't have that capability, except through a poor sounding radio transmitter that doesn't do the sound system justice. So, all of this occurred just after no longer met the mileage requirements for the warranty and would cost over $500 to replace. How convenient right? I spent more time in service with this vehicle than my first car which was a used 98 Chevy Cavalier. I had confidence in Volvo, but not anymore. I wonder if all the problems I experienced, not just with the stereo, but mechanical have something to do with Ford's involvement with Volvo. The Volvo S60 hasn't changed in almost a decade, which only seems like something Ford or GM would do. Anyway, I now own a new BMW 3-series. Nice! No problems. Great service. I say get out while you can.

boeri

Dear all,
I have a 2.5" HD of 320Gb. How should I format it to be able to use the full disk size for music by connecting it to the USB plug in my Volvo V50? When I format it with 1 partition, 320Gb, fat32, the car audio system does not recognize it. When I format it with several 32Gb partitions, it only recognizes the first one, not the other partitions. (so I lose 288Gb)
What should I do? :confuse:

parsons1

I just bought a Volvo V50 and have hooked up my iPod with a cable to the Aux jack. I can play all of my songs, but is there a way to see the album covers, artist's name and song title?

I can alter the volume from the steering wheel. But is there a way I can skip a song or go back to the beginning of a song using the steering wheel?

Thanks very much for your help and Happy New Year.