All of you forum members with your killer home systems…what do you listen to in your cars? Do y’all have custom stereo systems? Does the quality of the stereo system actually impact your car buying decision? I have a B&O setup in my 2021 truck, which was an upgrade and sounds decent enough, but nothing compared to a typical HiFi home system.
Pioneer head unit that runs Android Auto that I can stream Tidal, or downloaded hi-res from the Tidal app if I lose cell service (I live in Alaska), as well as flac from a USB drive. Morel Elate Carbon 3 way component set up front, and in back as well. Custom A Pillar Pods for mid and tweeter. 2 JL Audio 10W3v2 subs in a JL Audio Stealth Box. 3 JL Audio Class A/B amps. JL Audio DSP w/ Time alignment and Parametric EQ for every channel. Fully sound wrapped in DynoMat (roof, floor, all 4 doors). Upgraded Alternator, and dual battery under the hood. Its amazing. I have had similar systems in every vehicle I have ever owned. The system is tuned to be punchy but very transparent. I’m not into the high SPL "boom" that bugs the guy next to you at the stop light. Having a system like this in my vehicles was also a "gateway drug" for my kids to get into hifi as well because they were listening to good sounding systems at home, and in the truck their entire lives. Having a system like this was also essential, as I am a working musician and will learn songs while driving, and the stock systems in every vehicle I have every owned just wouldn’t cut it when you’re trying to isolate a single instrument in the mix..... That being said, the best stock system I have ever had was the Bose system that I tore out of the GMC pickup I drive now :-)
Got a Lexus LS460L with a lot of speakers including a full set in rear doors. It’s as large as my Honda Odyssey Minivan. It has Mark Levinson speakers which to me means zilch- ML is known for their electronics and not their speakers. Quote for Morel upgrade $6k, Yow! I usually drive my car into the ground (purchased 1998 Accord new in 97, ran until 2020 330k miles). Not sure if will keep Lexus as everything is expensive but love the quietness because I listen to music and sports talk. If I keep the car then $6k amortized over 20yrs+ maybe worth it…at least that’s what I’m telling myself…and wife.
The car is usually talk radio or a phone call or maybe a podcast or mp3 from my phone. It’s really just an afterthought. On the motorcycle I’m usually wearing ear plugs under my helmet. Wind can be loud. Gotta protect your hearing.
Yeah, I should of mentioned that my GMC is a 2008 in pristine condition. I drive my vehicles into the ground, so the cost of the gear is worth it in the long run. Not to mention the JL Audio Amps were in my last vehicle as well, and I moved them over to this one - they have been kicking for 20 years now with no issues.....
only when the engine is not running, can i abide serious music listening in the car. when i am driving, i am a danger to other drivers if i am boppin' along to the tunes, so only news/talking head programs/audiobooks qualify for safe listening. i find almost all cars have mediocre sound insulation which also precludes serious music listening.
i think if i were one of the elect that could easily afford a luxury car with hushed interior and magic carpet ride quality, i'd just enjoy the hushed sonics as music of its own kind, i wouldn't wanna sully such a library quiet luxe with music or anything else.
I listen to SiriusXM, CDs, FM in the AMG (Harmon/Kardon). Best sound of my vehicles.
CDs and FM in the Z4M (Bose)...same as in the 97 Ford pickup truck. Just replaced the truck's 4 speakers with Polk 6x9s, uses the original factory head unit am/fm/cassette with a 6 banger CD.
Just to keep it real...1976...had an am radio in a 69 Skylark, added the cursory (and terrible) FM tuner, 8 track player and rear deck speakers. Accidently discovered the 8 track owner's manual last week... still have it after 45 years...don't ask me why; and looking back whoever thought 8 track was a good idea??? Sign of the times back then.
2018 Tundra Crewmax...Alpine head, Morel Ultra speakers (component in the front and coax in the rear), 2 AD 10" short throw subs in a custom box behind rear seats, Morel 4 channel amp for the speakers and mono amp for the subs. And then lots and lots of Dynamat extreme. I use my Samsung S21+ wired to the Alpine via USB C and running Andriod Auto. I play from Amazon Music HD to give the highest fidelity as the source. Basically, it gives fairly clean and clear music at most volumes I want to play it at. Even when I am not playing music, the sound dampening means the cabin is more quiet than most vehicles short of high end ones.
If there were a less expensive quiet reliable car I’m all ears. Not yet willing to switch to all electric cars because of the inconvenience of finding the limited charging stations vs gas. Seems luxury cars only ones available. Got my $85k car for $45k used - someone else ate the depreciation. Not used to expensive gas and expensive maintenance and the car is rather large for my needs.
The quality of the stereo system never impacts my car buying decision because nothing that is OEM (including upgrade options like Mark Levinson, B&O, etc.) is worth the price you pay. Even the renowned Lexus Mark Levinson upgrade is very poor sound quality. The speakers seem like they're made of cardboard. So I buy whatever car I like and then custom build my audio system. I do it because I drive longer distances and the music helps me relax. If your ear is "trained" to hear/notice differences in home audio setups you will also hear them in your car. I usually drive with the windows up to minimize outside interference. If I feel like a nice breeze of course the sound quality suffers but the option is mine. If you don't know whether it's worth it just go to a custom sound shop and listen to one of their demo cars while driving.
In my collector cars I don't have music, I enjoy the car. In my everyday cars I listen to BBC Radio 4, the best radio channel in the world, and CDs on long overseas trips where R4 is difficult to pick up; I also talk to the wife.
Sooliwen Congratulations on your first post, and welcome. You are absolutely correct about overpriced car upgrades. This is where the manufacturers make all their profit. If you buy used, even after just a year or two there is no premium for the fully loaded versions - if that's what you want, that's the way to buy it.
There are still some enthusiasts who compile home brewed lashups with huge amps and speakers in the boot (trunk). This was very popular in the UK in the 70s and 80s.
Leer at women much too young and good looking for them while remaining passively dissatisfied with the disappointing melange of muddy frequencies served up daily by their car audio system.
I have a tragically mediocre UConnect/Beats Premium stereo in my Jeep. The only thing I could say for it is, occasionally, I forget how disappointing it is on a good song at high volume.
We had an ’18 Nissan Pathfinder a couple years ago with a premium Bose system in it. It never sounded particularly good if you were listening to the radio or CD. Volume wise you really couldn’t get satisfactory punch or crank on, but on a long road trip I plugged my iPod in to listen to some albums and it sounded absolutely terrific. In fact, the iPod is the best sounding input in my current Jeep as well. Better clarity, more punch. It’s all mostly lossless stuff, well as lossless as an iPod will let you have, but the point is, if I’m plugging an outboard device with a 3.5 audio cable coming out of a headphone jack and it sounds better than anything else is going on on the head unit, most likely that head unit really sucks, which would come as no surprise to any of the posters here.
In my 96 911 993 Turbo l have a $8k system and that still doesn't complete with that glorious sound of that flat six l'm also restoring a 1973 2002tii that's a bit of a resto mod and I'm tlhinking of installing the Pioneer head unit (single din)that has the flip out screen and will give me Bluetooth phone and Andriod Auto
I have a 2018 911 and it came with a Bose upgrade but who cares. When you get above 30 you can only hear the engine and wind which is what I like. Porsche offers a $6000 Burmester upgrade but unless you just drive around town it makes no difference. Perhaps on the Panamera it might or the new all electric.
From the early 80's, I had a number of after market systems in all my cars. My last serious project was in 2014. I looked at many options at updating the stereo system in my BMW 7 series, but was limited with the depth in the doors. So for the sake of good sound I decided to buy a Holden Caprice V8 (about same size of the 7 series) to add to my collection of cars. I removed the door trims and added about 200kg of Dynamat panels to all the walls, floors, boot & engine compartment. Each front door trim was customized for 2 X 7" Focal K2 Kevlar Mid Bass Drivers, 7" Focal K2 Kevlar Midrange and Raal 70-10D Ribbon Tweeter. In the glove box I had a Clarion Head Unit (copper chassis) with separate DAC. I also placed to 2 X Focal Audium TD5 Tweeters
in the dash running from a proprietary digital processor to improve staging. In the boot I placed 4 X Soundstream Human Reign amplifiers, an Audio Control Electronic Crossover with Processor and 2 X 10" SEAS L26ROY subwoofers in 1ft cubic boxes for each. The SEAS 10" subwoofer is the best I have heard for speed and musicality for a home system. It is capable of matching well with my Analysis Audio Speakers. The Wilson Benesch Taurus Infrasonic Generator is the best subwoofer I have used.
While driving Apple Music or Tidal via onboard system… I don’t expect any good sound from it.. mostly focusing on lyrics and meanings…however, I also keep my Dragonfly Cobalt with SennheiserHD 650 in my car and when I have to wait, for example, for my kid at the practice I’m actually using this mobile setup for better sound.
First thing I did to my 2015 911 GTS was to upgrade the sound. Kline headers and IPE cat back exhaust was like upgrading to TEKTON Speakers and $3k isolation platforms!!!!! ;)
Focal separates, 3 old school Fosgate DSM amps and a JL Audio 10W3. Using an active crossover. Doors lined inner and outer with Soundskin along with the trunk.
"Tweeks" (long explanation) and sound deadening has made the factory installed stereos in my late model cars much more listenable. I don't have stereos in my old/vintage vehicles: a) can't hear them anyway via wind/road/motor noise b) want to be able to hear when parts from a 50+ year-old-car fail or fall off the car completely
Have very good system in my Lexus. Did not renew xm satellite subscription after trial it made my ears bleed with listening fatigue. Have plenty of good local radio stations both music snd sports talk. Some bluetooth apps can sound ok but some like pandora are as bright as the sun. I do have an aux plug i can us and have thought of trying out a dragonfly from my iphone. Will update if i do.
For many years I owned a Volvo sports with a Dynaudio stereo. I played it in the showroom when I bought the car, and never again. I never listen to music in the car, I never have music on in the house. I never have background music on anywhere. I have a dedicated music room where I listen and apart from rare trips to dealers or other like minded friends houses, it is the only place I listen to music. Anywhere else is just noise.
Hello bigtex22. I installed the best Focal car speakers (wood fiber cones,
$500 ish) in my Mazda van and it made a great improvement. A bit pricy, I was flush at the moment, but worth it in the long run.
Listening while driving is different than listening at home. I prefer to listen loud in the car and quieter at home. In the car is the only time I can stand heavy metal; at home is when I can listen to bluegrass or folk music. Equipment in the car doesn’t matter, while it does matter at home.
In my 2009 E350 sport sedan, I listen mostly to prerecorded jazz, old school soul/R&B, or soft rock on SD cards. Sometimes I listen to CDs, or stream Qobuz or Tidal via my phone. Same goes for my 2003 CLK500 coupe.
I replaced the CLK’s factory radio with a more modern one, but kept the Bose speaker system. So I use a USB stick instead of an SD card.
The E350 factory Harmon Kardon system and CLK500 Bose system sound good to me.
2016 F-250 lariat stock upgraded system ... listened to SiriusXM for a couple years. Got tired of it. Local rock/hard rock radio station works fine now. ‘16 Taurus... same. 2011 Hayabusa. Ear plugs in for wind noise. No music... it’s best to pay attention.
I do some of my best listening in my car and since I buy good ones they last me quite a while. It is worth the cost, time and effort for me to put a great aftermarket system in. Using a Pioneer DEX P99 6-channel preamp only head unit CD player DAC with DSP and time alignment (retail $1300) JL Audio 900 watt 5-channel amp and 600 watt 2-channel amp. Focal 3-way components front and real with active channels and crossovers, custom install and door work. Custom built Scan Speak Discovery 12" sealed subwoofer. Took several years to tune the DSP for time alignment, speaker crossover frequencies and slopes and frequency response curve. Sound stage is pinpoint, dynamics, volume and transparency are spectacular. Overall neutral full range sound with lots of music appropriate impact and slam. Love it. Not for everyone because it took a lot of technical skill for the installation and tuning.
Stock Mercedes Benz Bose. Listen to FM NPR. For me, Hawaii Public Radio. HPR1 and HPR2. I installed a sd/memory card module in place of the cd deck. I only use it in pockets around the island where there is no FM reception. Sound system influenced car purchase? No.
I don't feel my car audio will ever come close to my home systems. I'm not going try. I will certainly not put music on while driving, relax, close my eyes, listen, concentrating deeply into said music as I do at home. I try to drive with open eyes, attentive, concentrating operating my motor vehicle. Which I consider a destructive killing machine. Not my recliner that gets me to the grocery store and post office.
Hello, I had a HK system in the Mercedes. That was very nice. I have a basic Ford now with the Sync 1 system. With Tidal Connect it sounds really good. No more commuting to work so I don’t need anything special. My wife’s Honda CRV touring has nine speakers. It sound really great with Tidal app. A good source really helps.
Surprised how many folks on here seem dismissive of car audio. Sure it’s not your all analog 2-channel where Miles David literally appears in your listening room, but cruising and bumping the toons is a blast. An X5 I drive sounded so so, but I upgraded with the full Bavsound package, all drivers, woofers, amp and DSP, and it’s all tailored to the vehicle without customization and it rocks. Way back in the day I had a Mazda sedan with 2 18” JL W3s, Memphis Audio amps, and MP3 player, and JL components and it was all soundproofed. I had to get a second car battery, and oh do I miss those days. Can’t imagine loving music and shunning car audio. Can’t imagine many things these days.
My Lexus has a Mark Levinson system in it. Designed for the car, sounds great with classical or jazz.
But honestly, while the Lexus IS really quiet, it is still not the kind of quiet required for a true audiophile experience. So, you real;y have to wait to get home… or Bose QuietComfort on the plane.
In the Focus, whatever amuses....but I don't expect 'perfection'. In the Land Cruiser, less....but I'm preoccupied hustling a not-so-nimble overweight beast.
Driving the Dodge dually, towing a 20' trailer with a Bobcat and a couple of it's attachments.... I'm working on not letting you kill us both by doing some bone-headed maneuver in front of me.
I can stop on a dime. If you're not paying attention to what's going on around you, it may be in your pocket.
Save your musical excursions for home, where you're not doing 70+ in some NASCAR fantasy 'midst the rest of us.
I have 3 vehicles and except for my Golf GTI which has a very nice stereo system i have upgraded the other 2 with Bluetooth players and decent but not extravagant speaker setups. I predominately use Tidal playlists i have made up though on some of my longer trips
2500+km
reception is not available, so I am sometimes reliant on saved MP3's on my phone, I carry around 50Gb of music for those times. My ex Australian Army 4wd (Perentie Commander) is generally towing my semi off road van, so it works hard, so I have sound proofed it somewhat, floors and firewalls with double sheets of Roadkill, has a big turboed Isuzu truck engine under the bonnet which makes some serious noise so I have the speakers mounted in a false roof to blast away just behind my head or use noise cancelling headphones which cannot be used going thru towns and cities !!! I need music to survive when driving long distances.
In my C-2, which is a DRIVER that I decided to buy after years of trailer-queens and a room full of dusty trophies, I put in a system against all the "rules." The C-2 world is composed mostly of people who "listen" to their cars, and I get it. I do too, sometimes.
However, on a longer drive, I like some tunes, so I bought, before the major price increase, a look-alike radio from Antique Automobile Radio in Tampa (really Palm Harbor, but close enough for people who do not know the state.) Current price is $700; I got it for less a few years ago, and it is the same unit.
Then, I was able to modify the Custom Auto Sound footwell speaker enclosures to fit my car, which has factory A/C (pretty rare--only 5% had it). So, when my daughter is with me, she can blue tooth her music through the system, and I have a plan to do something along those lines as well.
The daily driver (2007) needs a new radio--all of a sudden it is static-y when the engine is on. I don't know what I will do there yet.
Whatever they want , I used to have 6 amps and custom woofers, in back and over 1500 watts , not to good have that much sound in a small area after I sold the car , we just have the premium sound in the new Volvo X90 the Mrs says good enough . this way I can save for a new set of speakers I am trying to max out around $20 k give or take . Ifyou can’t find something good for That price then something is seriously wrong.
You guys are a bunch of nice Hollywood jokers. You need to quit the nurse stuff. Just ask what everyone wants to know: how much money do they win and where’s house at?
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