1. Home
  2. misc-audio
  3. 198641-223087

Car audio - not a topic?

A search for the phrase "car audio" returns the most recent thread from 2019. Searching for car audio as a topic, I find none, so here we are in misc. Is Audiogon the wrong place to discuss car audio?

Should it become a place?

Active noise cancellation and other cabin treatments are expensive enough to suggest buyers want the quiet cabin. What about music in that cabin?

Recently, I auditioned a Bang and Olufson system in a Genesis GV70. It sounded distant to my ears. I don’t know why? Does the "Quiettuning" that keeps the road noise out also deaden the music? I could hear the music but it seemed very far off and was anything but involving. Anyway, maybe this is a better topic for AI in a Google search?

jr1000
jr1000 OP
35 posts
 

Quieter cabins are coming for the masses -- HURRY UP!

https://fastlaneonly.com/engineers-are-rewriting-the-rules-on-how-car-cabin-noise-is-measured/

toddsyr's avatar
toddsyr
237 posts
 

I bought a 2020 Toyota Tundra brand new with the basic sound system. It SUCKED. Six speakers but it still sounded like a single mono speaker in the middle of the back seat in an old car.

In less than a week I put 2 grand into the audio. That got me new JL Audio speakers, soundproofing in the doors and an Alpine subwoofer/amplifier combo that's made to go under a Tundra front seat. MUCH better and good enough to get me to work and back. 

gjfalls's avatar
gjfalls
64 posts
 

@jr1000 

I’ve often wondered if “Car Audio” would be talked about on this forum.

In August of 2024 I bought a new TESLA Model Y, AWD, Long Distance with Tesla’s Premium Audio System (which is a Tesla-engineered system with;

  • 13 speakers (some sources count 14-15 depending on model year and speaker-count methodology)
  • 1 subwoofer
  • 2 amplifiers
  • Immersive Sound processing

I find it to be a very good system. The best car audio system that I’ve ever had including my Land Rover and Corvette (which are both good).

The subwoofer adds that extra dimension and spaciousness in the cabin with an 8 inch subwoofer mounted in the right rear side-panel. There is an equalizer for adjustments. So it’s not just “Boom” that you hear. It can be adjusted for the sub along with bass, treble and mid-range and create a more balanced sound.

I took a road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles (900 miles round trip) to attend an Upscale Audio’s REL Subwoofer Event and bought back a pair of REL subs.

I had a real chance to put the Tesla Premium Audio System through its paces with playlists I created in Qobuz and Spotify. I was pleasantly surprised with the sound quality through many genres of music…It’s a keeper!!

Thanks for broaching the subject,

Enjoy the music, even in your vehicle!

jr1000 OP
35 posts
 

At the risk of sounding like a commercial, copied below is the system included in the car I chose. I added some additional underbody/wheel well soundproofing offered. Prior to that, the cabin measured at 56.1 Db cabin noise - respectable. Better now. I am greatly enjoying the system. Cabin shape, size and low noise is having an effect I think.

From Subaru:

The all-new Crosstrek brings many new features, including an available Harman Kardon premium audio system on the ‘Limited’ trim. The 8-speaker, 432 watt Harman Kardon premium audio system in the Subaru Crosstrek will provide a soundtrack as big as the adventure… on or off the road.

kennyc
3,106 posts
 

@jr1000 

What was your prior car? What was its stereo brand? 

More to discover