What's the best audio??
Discussion
I've been listening to the B&O in my Vanquish with my jaw dropped, I don't think I've ever heard a system like it in a car. Somehow using my regular iPod and files I'm hearing more levels and parts of the soundtrack that I didn't know where there before - I've definitely not owned a car that comes close and I had Premium in my Vantage Roadster and in my GT8 too; granted different models.
Shmee said:
I've been listening to the B&O in my Vanquish with my jaw dropped, I don't think I've ever heard a system like it in a car. Somehow using my regular iPod and files I'm hearing more levels and parts of the soundtrack that I didn't know where there before - I've definitely not owned a car that comes close and I had Premium in my Vantage Roadster and in my GT8 too; granted different models.
Funny how we all perceive things differently. The bass in my B&O'd Vanquish somehow felt "disconnected" from the rest of the sound range. The premium audio just seems to deliver a more complete sound. I have the B&O in mine and I think the sound is great, although to be fair I rarely switch it on, my wife does as she isn't mechanically inclined and prefers to listen to the music that doesn't come from the exhaust.
I can't compare to Premium, never had Premium.
We have B&O at home and the sound is great too! + I love the design and quality.
I can't compare to Premium, never had Premium.
We have B&O at home and the sound is great too! + I love the design and quality.
Shmee said:
I've been listening to the B&O in my Vanquish with my jaw dropped, I don't think I've ever heard a system like it in a car. Somehow using my regular iPod and files I'm hearing more levels and parts of the soundtrack that I didn't know where there before - I've definitely not owned a car that comes close and I had Premium in my Vantage Roadster and in my GT8 too; granted different models.
How good is your home Hi-Fi? No car system will get close to mine. There's jus no way in that compromised space with all the extraneous noise that it could.The AM Premium is very good and, I think enough in a car. When I had my M3 CSL, I spent a lot getting Auto Audio in Park Royal to put in good audio, but again, it had so much engine, tyre and exhaust noise, that I don't think it was really worth it.
Zod said:
How good is your home Hi-Fi? No car system will get close to mine. There's just no way in that compromised space with all the extraneous noise that it could.
An opportunity to ask an expert.
I am by no means an audio enthusiast, but each time when at a performance of live musicians, I realise my Hi-Fi is not good.
On rare occasions, my home Hi-Fi is used out of doors. The improvement in the clarity of sound is noticeable, even to my non-musical ears. Does the bouncing of sound on the hard surfaces of a domestic room, reduce the quality of the audio sound that we hear, by a considerable amount?
Perhaps, if it might help, audiophiles fit egg boxes to their listening room walls.
The staging is pants!
The tweeters do create pretty good imaging of the high frequencies, but that's the only part that is done well.
The mids are too close to each person in the cabin have a huge bias towards the doors at a lower stage than high frequencies. Mid bass is in the centre of the footwell pointing out. This means each sound comes from a different direction and at a different height and the mid bass drops to the floor with no centre stage.
Having the three components at different height and distance to the listener makes a very dis-jointed stage height.
Its the usual case of making the cabin pretty then asking an engineer to shoe-horn this pile of kit in. Equal path lengths are the key to a good consolidated image. That's right, the opposite of what they did....
What the B&O does do well is tonal accuracy and spectral balance.
The tweeters do create pretty good imaging of the high frequencies, but that's the only part that is done well.
The mids are too close to each person in the cabin have a huge bias towards the doors at a lower stage than high frequencies. Mid bass is in the centre of the footwell pointing out. This means each sound comes from a different direction and at a different height and the mid bass drops to the floor with no centre stage.
Having the three components at different height and distance to the listener makes a very dis-jointed stage height.
Its the usual case of making the cabin pretty then asking an engineer to shoe-horn this pile of kit in. Equal path lengths are the key to a good consolidated image. That's right, the opposite of what they did....
What the B&O does do well is tonal accuracy and spectral balance.
I'm half deaf anyway, so a £5-6k sound system would be completely lost on me.
When I was deciding between a V12S and a V12M the S had B&O and it was nice enough, but for my knackered ears it certainly wasn't 5 times better than the Premium.
Must say I'm more than happy with the Premium that I've had in my three, not saying I wouldn't happily take the B&O if i it was offered, however I wouldn't seek it out or spec it.
When I was deciding between a V12S and a V12M the S had B&O and it was nice enough, but for my knackered ears it certainly wasn't 5 times better than the Premium.
Must say I'm more than happy with the Premium that I've had in my three, not saying I wouldn't happily take the B&O if i it was offered, however I wouldn't seek it out or spec it.
I'm not a fan of B&O - although I've not heard a system in an Aston to comment any further.
The Premium system was on my list of must haves and I'm very happy with it. It depends on your expectation and there's also a smorgasbord or reasons that a system is compromised in a car but the quality is excellent for such a system.
For me, it's more about enjoyment/fun than listening seriously. When setting it up, I was surprised by the overall separation and imaging on the soundstage. Ok, this is with no engine or road noise, but it acquitted itself pretty well for such a small cabin.
The Pro Logic II setting gives music a more 'live' presentation which is quite nice to have in the car but in standard playback could quite happily listen to it all day.
The Premium system was on my list of must haves and I'm very happy with it. It depends on your expectation and there's also a smorgasbord or reasons that a system is compromised in a car but the quality is excellent for such a system.
For me, it's more about enjoyment/fun than listening seriously. When setting it up, I was surprised by the overall separation and imaging on the soundstage. Ok, this is with no engine or road noise, but it acquitted itself pretty well for such a small cabin.
The Pro Logic II setting gives music a more 'live' presentation which is quite nice to have in the car but in standard playback could quite happily listen to it all day.
divetheworld said:
The staging is pants!
The tweeters do create pretty good imaging of the high frequencies, but that's the only part that is done well.
The mids are too close to each person in the cabin have a huge bias towards the doors at a lower stage than high frequencies. Mid bass is in the centre of the footwell pointing out. This means each sound comes from a different direction and at a different height and the mid bass drops to the floor with no centre stage.
Having the three components at different height and distance to the listener makes a very dis-jointed stage height.
Its the usual case of making the cabin pretty then asking an engineer to shoe-horn this pile of kit in. Equal path lengths are the key to a good consolidated image. That's right, the opposite of what they did....
What the B&O does do well is tonal accuracy and spectral balance.
Brent, as you pointed out very comprehensively a few years ago, set-up is absolutely everything & there is a day & night difference when the system is 'tuned' properly (accepting the compromise present in any car audio system).The tweeters do create pretty good imaging of the high frequencies, but that's the only part that is done well.
The mids are too close to each person in the cabin have a huge bias towards the doors at a lower stage than high frequencies. Mid bass is in the centre of the footwell pointing out. This means each sound comes from a different direction and at a different height and the mid bass drops to the floor with no centre stage.
Having the three components at different height and distance to the listener makes a very dis-jointed stage height.
Its the usual case of making the cabin pretty then asking an engineer to shoe-horn this pile of kit in. Equal path lengths are the key to a good consolidated image. That's right, the opposite of what they did....
What the B&O does do well is tonal accuracy and spectral balance.
V8 Vantage GT said:
Mine came with the standard audio system and I want to cry each time I turn it on it is so awful. Baffles me why so many dealer ordered cars have the standard stereo systems or why Aston Martin would put such a piss pour sound system in any of their cars.
Exactly. Even stepping into an equivalent age Audi A8 is like night and day.I know everyone will naturally "big up" the option they have. Mine has the B&O, it sounds fantastic and as Schmee says, all of a sudden you are aware of sounds in the track you're listening that previously had no idea were there before. I'm no audio expert, but having had a number of "premium" option audio in a number of cars (Jaguar/Bowers&Wilkins, BMW&HarmanK etc) the B&O trumps them without a doubt. The B&W in the Jag felt like it had more depth though.
However saying all this, if I specced a brand new AM I wouldn't select the B&O. Why? 3 reasons: people talk about the Premium Audio option, the fact I love listening to the car more and the £5k+ price for it?
However when it comes to finding an used AM it was quite high up on my list of not, must haves, but would really want. My ideal car would have had B&O and lightweight seats, but it had to have one or the other, primarily for the resale value / desirability.
However saying all this, if I specced a brand new AM I wouldn't select the B&O. Why? 3 reasons: people talk about the Premium Audio option, the fact I love listening to the car more and the £5k+ price for it?
However when it comes to finding an used AM it was quite high up on my list of not, must haves, but would really want. My ideal car would have had B&O and lightweight seats, but it had to have one or the other, primarily for the resale value / desirability.
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff