Rank your car HiFi ;-)

Author
Discussion

Thankyou4calling

Original Poster:

10,596 posts

172 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
I'm not a music buff but can appreciate a decent sound system. Having just changed cars here is my take on the last few I've experienced.

VW Phaeton W12. This was a standard system albeit high end and I'd rate it at 7/10

Porsche 911 turbo. Standard Bose system. great bass produced. 8/10

Chrysler 300C. This had the upgraded Boston Acoustics system (factory fit) WOW!! Radio and CD both 9/10 I'd give 10 it was that good but there must be something better.

E Class Mercedes (2014 model) Standard system. You can upgrade it but for me no need, 8/10. Very good indeed.

Lexus LS430. This has the standard but very highly rated Mark Levinson. loads of speakers, sub woofers etc. I may be missing something but it is a massive disappointment. 5/10

That's my recent list. So I can conclude that if the lexus was as good as it got in 2004 (and it was purported to be) things have moved on hugely.

JZZ30

1,070 posts

114 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Volvo V70 (2002) has a fantastic standard set up.

Leins

9,422 posts

147 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
I'm no audiophile, but the Bose set-up in my RS4 sounds pretty good to my ears - 7/10

The standard head-unit in my R53 MINI is bloody awful, but the fact there are no rear speakers probably doesn't help biggrin - 2/10

AshBurrows

2,552 posts

161 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Harmon Kardon in my M3 is absolutely rubbish. 3/10.

SirSquidalot

4,039 posts

164 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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MX5 Mk2 - Standard speakers, uprated head unit. 5/10 It'll do..

Best one ive heard was the optional Bose in the Vauxhall Omega my Dad had, sounded ace for a £1100 car 10/10 laugh

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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2008 Merc CLS, not the Harmon Kardon but pretty good 6.5/10.

2014 Fiesta, fairly Average 5/10

2010 Citroen C1, grim but makes a noise, 2/10

I am going to buy a Bowers and Wilkins next, comes with a free XFR.

Leins

9,422 posts

147 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
J4CKO said:
I am going to buy a Bowers and Wilkins next, comes with a free XFR.
Actually, it does raise the question of what is generally viewed as the best set-up available on a new car? I've heard great things about Jag's B&W

Jimmy Recard

17,540 posts

178 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Surely it's not a hifi if the sound is very poor?

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
2015 Focus ST-3 - Utterly dreadful

J4CKO

41,287 posts

199 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
Leins said:
J4CKO said:
I am going to buy a Bowers and Wilkins next, comes with a free XFR.
Actually, it does raise the question of what is generally viewed as the best set-up available on a new car? I've heard great things about Jag's B&W
Had a brief go of one that one of the kids friends parents had and it sounded absolutely immense based on a minute or less, hugely powerful and detailed, he cranked it up past comfortable and it didnt falter, best I have ever heard.

Would be interested to hear the upgraded Harmon Kardon in the Mercedes, someone bought mine and spent all that money on the V8 then got stingy come the options list biggrin

Bose in my 350Z was a bit crap, had a bit of punch but not as good as I would have expected for something someone would put their name to, the components are very cheap and the head unit crap, the CD failed so I repelaced it with a 99 quid Kenwood or pioneer which was way better but took a day to fit.

MJ85

1,849 posts

173 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Standard E39 system - 1.5 out of 10, maybe? Pretty appalling. Same with E46 M3, 328i and 316i.

AshBurrows

2,552 posts

161 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
Leins said:
Actually, it does raise the question of what is generally viewed as the best set-up available on a new car? I've heard great things about Jag's B&W
Tbf, it's worth ignoring the brands because it's usually(in my experience always) just a licencing deal and not actual brand hardware...

jonwm

2,505 posts

113 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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BMW E90 standard set up was terrible, couldn't believe they would put it in a £30k car 1/10

Current Audi with B&O is pretty decent 9/10

David A

3,602 posts

250 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Burmester is the panamera. Ridiculously good. Should be though as I think the option for it is the price of a small hatchback.

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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B&O in the V10 S8 is the best in car stereo I think I've ever heard.

HK in the RR is not great. Adequate, but nothing special.

The Bose in the 996 turbo was utterly nondescript. Not a patch on the Bose in the D2 A8 we had.

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Bose in my RS3 was barely acceptable 5/10

Dr_Rick

1,592 posts

247 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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On the basis that the following cars were next in line after driving a 2014 Lotus Elise S with a Stage 3 exhaust....

Previously had the B&O option on my 2009 Audi S4. Thought it was a good setup as the dynamics were good and to my untrained ears, music sounded excellent - 8 out of 10.

Now have the Mark Levinson system on my 2010 Lexus ISF. This is on a par with the S4, with the exception of the bass, which is a little weedy. Other than that it's fine - 7 out of 10.

untakenname

4,953 posts

191 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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I have a 9 speaker Bose system in mine and don't rate it at all, for some reason Bose use speakers which are 0.5ohm so I can't upgrade them to anything better either frown

rayyan171

1,294 posts

92 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
BMW E39 - 1/10 as there was no bass at all! Don't get how this was called a sound system

BMW E70 upgraded BMW Professional Hifi - 8/10 as there is lots of bass and sounds great throughout all frequencys. Lack of equalization makes it lose points.

Volvo XC90 Dolby Hi-Fi system - 9/10 as I don't know how they cracked it. Shockingly great car with concert like acoustics. Speakers at every corner of the car makes for an immersive listening experience once the Dolby has been activated.

DaveCWK

1,980 posts

173 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
quotequote all
The processing & cabin acoustic design side of things has undoubtedly moved on, but the best speakers ever fitted to a production car were IMO the 3 component Dynaudio door speakers in the old Volvo c70 coupe. You'd be happy with those drivers in a £5k home theatre setup.