Rank your car HiFi ;-)
Discussion
I can't say I have ever bought a car & expected the sound system to be anything but poor, in fact with most cars I have had listening to the engine is much more enjoyable. I have a relatively high end proper hifi at home for music listening, & a car for driving, seems the right balance to me.
Saying that, I have been pleasantly surprised by the Bose (spit) in my mk1 TT, plenty of clout lower down the bass register & loud enough to hear over the rather boring engine note. I have never been in a car that has had a truly impressive sound system, no matter the cost.
Saying that, I have been pleasantly surprised by the Bose (spit) in my mk1 TT, plenty of clout lower down the bass register & loud enough to hear over the rather boring engine note. I have never been in a car that has had a truly impressive sound system, no matter the cost.
Mk3 (NC) MX-5 (Bose) - 6.5/10 Pretty good system, not much in the way of fidelity but didn't distort when pushed.
Volvo s60 (High Performance - made by Harman/Kardon but badged Volvo) - 7/10 - Pretty good all round system - Dolby option best left switched off. Great value for money.
Honda S2000 - 3/10 - Awful. Cheap paper door speakers, inaudible headrest speakers, head unit straight out of the early 90's. Forget it if you've got the top down.
Range Rover L322 (Harman/Kardon) - 6.5/10 Pretty impressed with this, good bass but seemed to have reverb applied to give it some ambience that couldn't be switched off.
Range Rover L405 (Meridian System) - 8/10 Absolutely fantastic. Not the full fat 30 speaker version or whatever it is. Only let down by having the sub up front so bass sounds a bit strange and directional. Goes LOUD and never breaks a sweat. Interface is clunky and lets it down.
Mercedes s63 AMG (Standard Burmester System) 9.5/10 Incredible system, oodles of power and really tight deep bass. Treble can be a touch harsh at times with poor recordings. I have a nice Naim system at home and this is just as enjoyable to listen to, even handles high bitrate FLAC files. Can't imagine what the full 24 speaker 1500w system sounds like but it costs as much as a small car.
Volvo s60 (High Performance - made by Harman/Kardon but badged Volvo) - 7/10 - Pretty good all round system - Dolby option best left switched off. Great value for money.
Honda S2000 - 3/10 - Awful. Cheap paper door speakers, inaudible headrest speakers, head unit straight out of the early 90's. Forget it if you've got the top down.
Range Rover L322 (Harman/Kardon) - 6.5/10 Pretty impressed with this, good bass but seemed to have reverb applied to give it some ambience that couldn't be switched off.
Range Rover L405 (Meridian System) - 8/10 Absolutely fantastic. Not the full fat 30 speaker version or whatever it is. Only let down by having the sub up front so bass sounds a bit strange and directional. Goes LOUD and never breaks a sweat. Interface is clunky and lets it down.
Mercedes s63 AMG (Standard Burmester System) 9.5/10 Incredible system, oodles of power and really tight deep bass. Treble can be a touch harsh at times with poor recordings. I have a nice Naim system at home and this is just as enjoyable to listen to, even handles high bitrate FLAC files. Can't imagine what the full 24 speaker 1500w system sounds like but it costs as much as a small car.
2006 BMW Z4M Roadster - Logic7 DSP - 8/10 - Fantastic sound, and subs right behind you for a huge kick!
2015 Audi S1 - BOSE DSP - 8/10 - Much larger sound than the Logic7 in the BMW, and goes well beyond comfortable without losing clarity. Just misses the punch, as the subs are in the dash and in the boot.
2015 Audi S1 - BOSE DSP - 8/10 - Much larger sound than the Logic7 in the BMW, and goes well beyond comfortable without losing clarity. Just misses the punch, as the subs are in the dash and in the boot.
2016 VW CC GT - 7/10. Good bass and punch, let down by fiddly touch screen controls.
2015 Audi A4 SE Technik - 5/10. Had a separate sub, but just sounded hollow and boomy unless kept right down. The controls being arse-about face were particularly annoying. Rolling a steering wheel thumbwheel down, or turning the MMI controller clockwise should move you down a menu or track-list, not up it!
2012 and 2015 BMW 320d (standard stereo) - 2/10. iDrive based control was much better and more intuitive than the Audi MMI setup, but the acoustics were almost criminally bad, and would have been disappointing in a car costing £10k, let alone one costing over £30k. Sounded like a cheap portable radio. I guess that's how they sell the £600 Harman Kardon upgrade.
2001 Volvo S60 T5 - 10/10 - beats any factory setup I'd heard before or have heard since (possibly just pipped by the optional Bowers and Wilkins setup in the 1st gen Jag XF)
2015 Audi A4 SE Technik - 5/10. Had a separate sub, but just sounded hollow and boomy unless kept right down. The controls being arse-about face were particularly annoying. Rolling a steering wheel thumbwheel down, or turning the MMI controller clockwise should move you down a menu or track-list, not up it!
2012 and 2015 BMW 320d (standard stereo) - 2/10. iDrive based control was much better and more intuitive than the Audi MMI setup, but the acoustics were almost criminally bad, and would have been disappointing in a car costing £10k, let alone one costing over £30k. Sounded like a cheap portable radio. I guess that's how they sell the £600 Harman Kardon upgrade.
2001 Volvo S60 T5 - 10/10 - beats any factory setup I'd heard before or have heard since (possibly just pipped by the optional Bowers and Wilkins setup in the 1st gen Jag XF)
E90 with the Individual Sound System (825w with 16 speakers) about £2.5k option - 9/10
It's got 7 band EQ and surround sound etc.
Not so good at quiet volumes and the bass gets a bit boomy, but when you want it loud, it just keeps going and doesn't distort...at all. By far the best audio I've ever heard in a car, without going aftermarket
It's got 7 band EQ and surround sound etc.
Not so good at quiet volumes and the bass gets a bit boomy, but when you want it loud, it just keeps going and doesn't distort...at all. By far the best audio I've ever heard in a car, without going aftermarket
Edited by Dannbodge on Wednesday 31st August 13:23
last few cars-
2004 BMW X3 with the upgraded system (subwoofers under seat, etc) 6/10, not bad but you can hear the subs bottom out some
2013 imported Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 with the upgraded infinity system 7/10 (would be higher but the bass causes slight rattles)
2004 R53 mini with the "wave" cassette deck 1/10 (it works so I cannot give it a 0...replacing the headunit ASAP)
2005 Lexus GS300 basic stereo-actually fantastic 8/10
2004 Merc CLK500 Bose 7/10, sounded quite good, if just a little boomy
2014 Kia Sorrento 4/10, very basic
2004 BMW X3 with the upgraded system (subwoofers under seat, etc) 6/10, not bad but you can hear the subs bottom out some
2013 imported Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 with the upgraded infinity system 7/10 (would be higher but the bass causes slight rattles)
2004 R53 mini with the "wave" cassette deck 1/10 (it works so I cannot give it a 0...replacing the headunit ASAP)
2005 Lexus GS300 basic stereo-actually fantastic 8/10
2004 Merc CLK500 Bose 7/10, sounded quite good, if just a little boomy
2014 Kia Sorrento 4/10, very basic
Edited by fivepointnine on Wednesday 31st August 19:58
2006 Audi A8 with Bose Upgrade - Sounded good but was missing power behind the sound. 7/10
2007 Volvo D5 Exec with the Dynaudio kit - Sounds ok but needed more low end. 7/10
2010 Jaguar XJL Portfolio. B&W system sounds great, low and high ends are clear and doesn't distort at all at very high volumes.
2007 Volvo D5 Exec with the Dynaudio kit - Sounds ok but needed more low end. 7/10
2010 Jaguar XJL Portfolio. B&W system sounds great, low and high ends are clear and doesn't distort at all at very high volumes.
JZZ30 said:
Volvo V70 (2002) has a fantastic standard set up.
Volvo do seem to do pretty good systems. My '98 V70 has the best sound system (stock) that anyone in my family has had, was quite amusing when my dad would get a new company car and the speakers weren't as good as mine. Not the best I've heard though, a then brand new (2012) Suburban has probably been the best Standard sound system I've heard.Jakdaw said:
Why so? I'm pretty pleased with the Harmon Kardon in my F31 3-series.
It's certainly far far better than BOSE in the GT-R, although that's perhaps partly due to much less NVH in the BMW.
Dunno, just legitimately sounds worse than the standard stereo from a 20 year old fiesta. It's mind boggling. I assume cheap components. Looks like another 3 people have mentioned same since me. Crazily bad.It's certainly far far better than BOSE in the GT-R, although that's perhaps partly due to much less NVH in the BMW.
DaveCWK said:
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.
I have a Mk2 C70 with the Dynaudio system and access to a Mk1 with the premium system. I'd say the mk2 is a big, big leap forward for component quality as well as processing. 5 x 130 watt channels and a pair of 130W subs all carefully tuned to sound amazing. 9.5 out of 10. For a company with a reputation for real audio performance like Dynaudio to let them use their logo you know it's got to be good. Not like glossy magazine garbage for the cloth eared, like Bose 
Edited by dme123 on Wednesday 31st August 16:15
Jag XJ - Premium (Alpine) sound system. Ok, but not great considering it has 12 speakers. Clear, but lacks punch. 5/10
SWMBO's Fiat - 'Style pack' with factory sub. Not bad at all actually, unlike the rest of the car, which is s
te. 6/10
The Pioneer set up I've put in my T5 camper. Drowns out the diesel drone nicely. 7/10
SWMBO's Fiat - 'Style pack' with factory sub. Not bad at all actually, unlike the rest of the car, which is s
te. 6/10The Pioneer set up I've put in my T5 camper. Drowns out the diesel drone nicely. 7/10
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