Car Audio and the High End


I am both an automotive hobbyist and a dedicated audio geek, and something that has always struck me is the difference between the two when it comes to music reproduction.

The car guys often spend a huge amount of money on 'improving' their car audio, which mostly means creating a bass heavy unnatural (usually loud) sound that gives them some sort of satisfaction.

The audio geeks like me may make some slight improvements in the stock car system (a notable one is swapping out the speaker drivers that perhaps cost the factory $5 for something that cost 10 times that and calling it done) but don't seem to be bothered by mediocre sound (by high end standards). Personally, I view car audio as having to be good enough not to annoy me while driving home to listen to some really well reproduced music on the home system.

Then of course there are the outliers of car audio who load up the vehicles with some much amplification that they win SPL level contests at levels that preclude anyone actually being inside the vehicle lest they have their hearing seriously damaged (the audio equivalent of those people that like to watch cars spin their tires on the spot until they burst, IMHO)

I wondered whether there were any that hang out on this site that overlap their interest in audio between cars and home, or whether they mostly stuck to home use.....
128x128wspohn
Lexus LS460 with a Mark Levinson Sound System….

Luxury with superb sound.

Nuff Said..

—Charles—
For car audio I have always taken a "is it good enough" approach - especially with the way most cars are designed today and aftermarket is not such a great option. 

Right now I keep going back and forth on getting an Audi Q8 or A7. The system it comes with is what I will use and it seemed decent enough. 

Agree with the OP that the home system is where the I place all my efforts.

The portable Bluetooth speaker is the best way to listen to music on the go. Portable Bluetooth speakers are available in a wide range of shapes, sizes and designs. They're small, portable and easy to use. They're also easy and convenient to charge, which makes them perfect for your daily commute and long road trips.