Rank your car HiFi ;-)

[02joe]

Crossfire - Standard system is pretty good - 7
Burmester in S-Coupe - Can't see any reason why this wouldn't get a 10! Awesome!

[anonymous-user]

BigR said:

2008 Maserati GranTurismo - appallingly bad for what is a relatively high-end car, 4/10
2014 Maserati GranCabrio - optional Bose set-up - 6/10 i.e. acceptable

These guys seem to agree, but have a solution:

http://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/index.php?option=...

[P-Jay]

The Bose in my Exeo (same system in high-end B7 A4s) is pretty nice, but only 7/10 - the effort they put into the speakers, sub and whatever else slightly wasted by the fact it can only play music in MP3 format or via FM radio. It's got an almost useless after-thought of a iPod/iPhone dock where the CD player was in the Audi version.

[kayzee]

I've had an amp and sub in every car I've ever owned, so much of the standard system is completely negated. However after many years of great service my Alpine headunit gave up the ghost the other week so I've been running with the standard (non HK) system in my MINI.

You know what it's bloody fantastic, definitely the best I've ever owned. I'm even considering saving boot space and leaving out the amp and sub, which is a massive decision for me! I do love me choonz

I'd give it 8/10

I wonder if the HK system actually sounds much better... I certainly don't feel like I'm losing out.

[stinkspanner]

I wonder if there is something wrong with the Burmester in my Mercedes V class.. Everyone rates Burmester stuff highly, I reckon it's carp.
Maybe it's just because it's in a poshed up van

[MrGeoff]

Burmester in my C250 is great to be honest, had an A220 Motorsport beforehand with an HK system in which was great, probably better than the Burmester.

My CSL however, what a joke, no wonder it was an optional extra, that said I hardly ever use the CD player/radio, it's got the engine for that!

[ozzyt17]

Ok here it goes -
2009 Volvo XC60 W. High Performance Sound - very clear but base can't be turned up suitably high for some songs even when maxed out thus 7/10
2013 VW Up Move Up (2 Speakers) - Lots of Bass, can't adjust treble or bass only stereo not surround, not the clearest 3/10
2014 VW Up High Up (Sound Pack 6 speakers) - half decent speakers, well positioned for driver but not rear passengers, can alter base and treble significantly and has quite a lot of base. Quite good acoustics in the car and also clear sound through AUX and BlueTooth. 8/10
Aunts 2014 LR Disco with Meridian surround sound 17 speaker 825W - Loud, clear and powerful. Sounds great what ever seat your in 9/10

[Lagerlout]

Burmester high-end in my W222 S is the best factory system I've heard in a car - 8.5/10. Stunning dynamic range, controlled bass, hard hitting system with huge detail. Highs could be a sweeter/smoother but generally it's a knock out.
Bose in a 991 - 4/10. Just pants. Waste of money.
B&O in a DBS - 6.0/10. OK, just average.
B&O high end in a Gran Coupe - 7/10. Slightly better but ruined by fat, woolly bass. Headache inducing.
Standard system in a current C class - 6/10. Just sounds musical.
HK in a current 3 series - 6.5/10. Good system for the money.
Standard system in Disco gen 3, 6/10. Big car, lots of bass, great for rock.
Edited to add, the Becker/Bose system in my W140 is pretty damn cracking for a 1998 car. 7/10.

Since Nakamichi stopped making systems, no one makes pure in car music systems anymore, it's DSP everything. I think some of my old Nak systems from the 90's sounded a lot better than a few modern systems but of course in this day and age of surround everything most people wouldn't agree.

Edited by Lagerlout on Friday 2nd September 23:05

[canucklehead]

My hearing is far too gone from age and too many very loud gigs attended in my younger days to really get too stressed about car audio quality. Anything that can play the music without the speakers physically breaking up at louder volumes is ok by me. Simple interface and proper knobs and buttons that I can control by touch, without looking while I am driving, are what I want.

So the CR-1 head unit with M490 'hi-fi' option in my 993 does me, along with the (currently non-functional) aftermarket CD changer in the boot.

However what does routinely drive me insane and make me actually scream at my 2016 Golf is the ridiculous touchscreen 'infotainment' system fitted to it. You can do nothing intuitively while driving - all interaction requires you to look at the bloody screen. Pointless and dangerous. And the less said about the Apple 'CarPlay' fitted to it, the better. What a disaster - utterly impossible to use unless you are parked up somewhere with the handbrake on.

Oh, and the CD player is in the glovebox, for no adequately explainable reason.

[928GT-tastic]

I believe expectations have gone up over the years like most things but here's mine.
Modern stuff:
Ford Cosworth Saphire - phenomenal specifically designed for the car. 9/10
BMW Z3 2.0 (wife's) - std unit excellent 9//10
BMW 328i Conv (1999) was really excellent - seem like the std system. 8-9/10
BMW X5. 4.4i - std unit. Very good as well 8/10

Classics stuff:
All pretty much upgraded head units with either standard speakers or those upgraded as well.
MG Midget - Good - Aiwa head (pioneer) speakers 6/10
VW Scirocco GTI MK1 1.8 - mild upgraded (jvc) - Good - 6/10
VW Golf GTI mk1 Conv - 4/10
Por 3.2 Targa 1987 - mildly upgraded (pioneer) - good - 6/10
Por 3.6 Turbo 1992 - mildly upgraded. Okay - 5/10
Por 928GT 1991 - mildly upgraded head unit - okay-ish 5/10.

Won't bother going any further back than that....

[topless360]

macajc88 said:

'13 Focus ST MK3: poor sound from the standard Sony head unit and out-dated Sync 1 system, but at least i could plug my phone into it 4/10

The standard stereo is much better than the Sony for some reason, at least it is on the Fiesta's of that era.

[Relax]

The Bose systems I have listened to have not impressed me, just sounds like a mediocre normal car stereo that they have fitted the Bose branded crap over, and your general sucker in the car showroom would think it was something special. However on brief listen the 2016 gtr was the best of the Bose's I have heard.
Nothing has gotten over a 4 from the car's I have owned, a import wrx 1997 ( clarion adzest) leon cupra r 3, Mondeo 2 ep3 2.
The worst car stereos I can remember are the old fords, woefull quality in their stereos, comical, how I laugh..........
I think it was what hi-fi that tested the premium car systems, from memory the naim Bentley came out on top. Not sure if I trust their opinions tbh.

[craigjm]

Guvernator said:

I've never heard a factory fitted system that has been anything more than adequate, even the expensive branded\upgraded systems. A car just isn't a good place in terms of acoustic properties to get decent sound, it's a very small metal and glass box at the end of the day which WILL vibrate and rattle. Plus you are competing with large amounts of engine, road, wind and traffic noise at the same time.

Admittedly sound systems have been getting a bit better over the years but that's mostly because they are at least fitting systems that work properly and don't cut out or distort at anything above half volume.

The only way to get decent sound is to go aftermarket and even then after spending loads of money you'll only get to about 7/10ths of a decent home setup. That's why I just accept it's going to be merely adequate and as long as I can hear it over the other noises and it doesn't distort too badly when I turn the volume up a bit, I'm happy. I'd never spend £1k-£4k of my own money upgrading the sound system and it's not something I really look for when I am looking at second hand either.

I could not agree more!

It also annoys me slightly that ALL manufacturers name their upgraded systems after the speaker manufacturer. It is not a Bowers and Wilkins system for instance just as much as it isnt a Meridian system etc.

To add to the above most of these systems now feature bluetooth streaming or spotify or plug ins for your smart phone and all of a sudden you are passing st through as the main source for these systems to eat and the old adage of put st in get st out rings true.

The B&W system in my XF was awful (in comparison to their home speakers) and drove far too much through the sub. The Bose system in my Cayman S was beyond awful especially at high volumes. The speaker positions are always a compromise, you dont listen to your home audio with the speakers behind your ears for instance. There is also not enough done in terms of sound deadening. There is a reason why decent aftermarket installations swath the whole interior in the likes of dynomat before they start.

[Condi]

Bang and Olson system in Audi A4 is okay. I would actually say its good for a car based system, but nothing compared to an average home system.

[alolympic]

Tricky, not only is it subjective, it is also relative to expectations.....but,
2005 Volvo S60. Standard kit, HU-650 head unit with 6 speakers. Sounded great to me, and relative to the age and value of the car, felt it more than impressed. 8/10.
2007 Volvo S60. Again standard but HU-850, 9 speakers and iPod connectivity. 9/10. Absolutely no need for a better system unless you really have money burning a hole...

[Craikeybaby]

craigjm said:

It also annoys me slightly that ALL manufacturers name their upgraded systems after the speaker manufacturer. It is not a Bowers and Wilkins system for instance just as much as it isnt a Meridian system etc.

To add to the above most of these systems now feature bluetooth streaming or spotify or plug ins for your smart phone and all of a sudden you are passing st through as the main source for these systems to eat and the old adage of put st in get st out rings true.

The B&W system in my XF was awful (in comparison to their home speakers) and drove far too much through the sub. The Bose system in my Cayman S was beyond awful especially at high volumes. The speaker positions are always a compromise, you dont listen to your home audio with the speakers behind your ears for instance. There is also not enough done in terms of sound deadening. There is a reason why decent aftermarket installations swath the whole interior in the likes of dynomat before they start.

In most cases the brand isn't actually the speaker manufacturer. It is just a license to use the name. A representative from the brand may have some input at the tuning event, but that is as far as the involvement usually goes.

[craigjm]

Craikeybaby said:

craigjm said:

It also annoys me slightly that ALL manufacturers name their upgraded systems after the speaker manufacturer. It is not a Bowers and Wilkins system for instance just as much as it isnt a Meridian system etc.

To add to the above most of these systems now feature bluetooth streaming or spotify or plug ins for your smart phone and all of a sudden you are passing st through as the main source for these systems to eat and the old adage of put st in get st out rings true.

The B&W system in my XF was awful (in comparison to their home speakers) and drove far too much through the sub. The Bose system in my Cayman S was beyond awful especially at high volumes. The speaker positions are always a compromise, you dont listen to your home audio with the speakers behind your ears for instance. There is also not enough done in terms of sound deadening. There is a reason why decent aftermarket installations swath the whole interior in the likes of dynomat before they start.

In most cases the brand isn't actually the speaker manufacturer. It is just a license to use the name. A representative from the brand may have some input at the tuning event, but that is as far as the involvement usually goes.

The speaker cones etc tend to be the "brand" name but all of the electronics and source equipment behind them are often Alpine, Sony, Pioneer etc.
You can also hook amazing speakers up to a crap source equipment and it wont give you great sound

[Anjum]

Speciale - with upgraded stereo - 1 out of 10 - the speakers are just useless. I guess that you pay the money for the engine.......

[paralla]

I replaced the Harmon Kardon speakers in my BMW E46 and they were cheap, pressed metal baskets with knackered paper cones and foam surrounds. Mid range Hertz after market replacements were much better. I was surprised how rubbish the HK ones were when I removed them.

[Craikeybaby]

craigjm said:

Craikeybaby said:

craigjm said:

It also annoys me slightly that ALL manufacturers name their upgraded systems after the speaker manufacturer. It is not a Bowers and Wilkins system for instance just as much as it isnt a Meridian system etc.

To add to the above most of these systems now feature bluetooth streaming or spotify or plug ins for your smart phone and all of a sudden you are passing st through as the main source for these systems to eat and the old adage of put st in get st out rings true.

The B&W system in my XF was awful (in comparison to their home speakers) and drove far too much through the sub. The Bose system in my Cayman S was beyond awful especially at high volumes. The speaker positions are always a compromise, you dont listen to your home audio with the speakers behind your ears for instance. There is also not enough done in terms of sound deadening. There is a reason why decent aftermarket installations swath the whole interior in the likes of dynomat before they start.

In most cases the brand isn't actually the speaker manufacturer. It is just a license to use the name. A representative from the brand may have some input at the tuning event, but that is as far as the involvement usually goes.

The speaker cones etc tend to be the "brand" name but all of the electronics and source equipment behind them are often Alpine, Sony, Pioneer etc.
You can also hook amazing speakers up to a crap source equipment and it wont give you great sound

I agree the whole system needs to be good, but in my experience, based on working for an automotive sound system company, the home audio brands don't make the hardware for automotive.