update: "high end" audio systems in new cars still suck.

[heinz]

Bought my first new car in about 16 years last weekend.

What is up with Bose "engineers"? How you can you design a 7-speaker 300w system specifically for a single car, "tailor-made" to the interior environment STILL make it sound like shit? This new one is mush city, heavy on low-mids and bass, no upper mids and a very narrow range of highs that also happens to be annoying. And this is the "premium" audio system option... the factory system in my 94 car sounded better.

Not that I bought the car for the stereo or anything, but you would hope that in 10 years someone would advance the state of the art.

[flexoffset]

Lowest common denominator.
That's what everyone shoots for.

...to illustrate....

Trying to justify to my better half why I have spent a few thousand bucks on gadgets, I gave her a simple A/B comparison test.

The conversation went as follows and is pretty much verbatim:

Richard: "Ok, put these headphones on and listen casually, yet pay some attention. I will quickly give you this other pair of headphones to see what the difference is that I'm talking about. It will blow you away."

Amy: "Why? These stupid things are gonna mess my hair up.....(sighs)....how loud is this going to be? You know, I've heard headphones are bad for your....."

Richard: "Just TRY it for God's sake. You'll see exactly why in just a minute. I don't want to sway your vote. Just listen."

(supplied her with a pair of AKG 66 cans plugged into a Pioneer Elite Receiver (c. 1989) with all settings as 'neutral' as I could possibly get them, and played the loop of music out of my DAW.)

Amy: "Wow. That sounds fantastic!. I really like that."

Richard: "God, nooooo. That's the bad one....I mean....just wait. Listen to THIS one."

(I begin playing the loop with the AKG's still on her head, then immediately switch over to the audio pumping through the Benchmark DAC-1 through Sennheiser HD600 headphones)

Richard: "OK. NOW what do you think? It's freakin' amazing isn't it?"

Amy: "Hmmm. I like those other ones better. They sound a lot better to me. Let me hear those again."

I swear to God I made her switch back and forth ten times, pleading my case but it was to no avail.

The moral of this pathetic story is that sadly, not everyone has ears that can pick up on even the most blatant subtleties.
Every night, before you go to bed, thank God that YOU can hear things that others simply can't grasp.

Of course, with that Bose system in the car....it could turn out to be a curse.

[ExistanceMusic]

Just get yourself a set of Dynaudio system 240's, then get obsessed with car audio for a couple of years...... worked for me



Until some bastard stole 'em....


But yeah, it's about the lowest common denominator, and I've yet to hear a stock system that sounds even as good as a relitively cheapo aftermarket system....they just like to say they've got Bose (yeah........wow.......)

[Steve Smith]

so.. If we get an Infiniti, go with the standard system? Funny I have been fastinated with the G35 sedan this whole week.. it aint gona happen... but God, what a cool set of wheels.

[heinz]

Originally posted by ExistanceMusic
I've yet to hear a stock system that sounds even as good as a relitively cheapo aftermarket system....they just like to say they've got Bose (yeah........wow.......)

But listen to the marketing drivel in the brochure, no shit:

- - -

"Rivaling the engineering sophistication of the car's engine and suspension, the Acura/Bose music system is the kind of system that even the most demanding audiophiles will appreciate. Six carefully calibrated and strategically located speakers provide optimum sound distribution and clarity for all occupants.

Acura and Bose engineers carefully mapped the unique interior acoustic signature and the designed the audio system to provide the best possible sound quality. It provides impressive clarity and faithful reproduction throughout the passenger cabin."

- - -


Carefully mapped. Careful Calibration. Strategic Location.

What happened?

Makes me miss my old boxed Jensen 6x9s sliding around in the back.

[PRS1JAZZ]

I agree. I just bought a new SUV and the "premium sound system" is the worst. Very harsh overall. (maybe a good change from the NS 10 though....) My 1991 Explorer had a kickin JBL system that was full and warm. Loved to listen to music in that thing......I want it back!

[Kris]

My 2000 Dodge dakota has a REALLY great sounding system, ... stock Infiniti thumbsup

[flexoffset]

Who makes that car that advertises a Mark Levinson sound system?

It would most certainly cost more than the car if it was truly a crafted Levinson product.

It's just hard to believe that auto manufacturers who, by the way, won't invest an additional twenty cents in each car to make a safer air bag, will pawn off a 'High End' audio system.

The way to avoid crummy car audio systems is simply listen to talk radio. Of course all of those guys are in rehab right now!!

O/T Question:
By the way, is that a Manley Gold Reference mic that Rush Limbaugh uses? I never have gotten a good look at it.

[Riccardo]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by flexoffset
[B]Who makes that car that advertises a Mark Levinson sound system?

It would most certainly cost more than the car if it was truly a crafted Levinson product.

It is the Lexus if I remember well.

Never heard it....can't afford it anywaygrudge

[PRS1JAZZ]

Originally posted by flexoffset


O/T Question:
By the way, is that a Manley Gold Reference mic that Rush Limbaugh uses? I never have gotten a good look at it.

No....it is a Neumann....special edition

[jbuntz]

If it's boomy, then it's much better quality. The more bands on the eq, the better. You can more accurately draw a smiley face with the eq which of course makes everything sound better. Make sure you are boosting at least 10db at 60hz and 10db at 12k. Stock eq's on cars are very phase linear and do not create any of the harsh frequency ringing you'd expect out of say a Crane Song Ibis. Also, install a few subs so that you can make everything below 80hz about 40db louder relative to the 1k range. That makes everything sound amazing. Also if your display on your stereo is animated, it will sound better.

[Steve Smith]

Originally posted by PRS1JAZZ
I agree. I just bought a new SUV and the "premium sound system" is the worst. Very harsh overall. (maybe a good change from the NS 10 though....) My 1991 Explorer had a kickin JBL system that was full and warm. Loved to listen to music in that thing......I want it back!

I had a 95 Explorer with the JBL system.. it kicked majorly!

I want mine back too!

[tunesmith]

Anyone heard the monsoon system upgrade in Jettas / Passats? Pretty darn good.

[smoothmoniker]

i have a ford truck, and the sound system has a compresser built in for CD playback, i guess because commercial releases aren't compressed enough for the Ford engineers.

Anyway, I always leave it off, but for some reason (i think my wife borrowed the truck) it was turned on as i was listening to some song demos, and on one particularly horrid mix, the prosumer compressor just happened to be the perfect match, and made the drum sound explode off the speakers. Bizarre.

So now I'm working on a new transative property of crap.


Crap = Crap.
Crap + Crap = Crap.
Crap + Crap + Ford Super Crap Compressor sometimes = perfect.

back to the Jack and Cokes
-sm

[ExistanceMusic]

So in 50 years time will people be ripping out their "old" ford CD players and selling them on ebay as "vintage" gear? Or posting stupid threads on PSW-2053 like "how do I run my mix through my two Ford Trucks for ultramegavintage compression"?

[heinz]

LOL yeah there will be a guy racking and selling them with 12v power supplies and car-eq sidechain.

[smoothmoniker]

alright, but when some undergound mag does an article in 50 years on the "good old days" of engineering, I get to be the undiscovered genius who never made a record, but everyone respected because of his creativity and odd hair.

fair?

[Randy]

Hey SM, are you strongbad?

For a while i would give my wife rough mixes on cd to play in her car. I thought : it's a new car (altima), got to be a decent system, and she is the perfect example of the record buying public, she will be the perfect critic.

But then i started to ask why did you like this one over that one?

Answer: this one shakes my rear view mirror.

randy

[ExistanceMusic]

Originally posted by Randy
.........this one shakes my rear view mirror.

your wife's cool!