WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions.
Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
If you're using pink noise then you want to be in RTA mode, not Spectrum mode. Smoothing level is up to you. The finer you go, the more problems you can see. But sometimes the problems aren't anything you can fix. I toggle between 1/24 and 1/3 depending on what I'm using and what I'm trying to fix.
I don't think the newer VW based sound systems ("PCM 4.0") do support 5.1.
The last generation of Harman influenced units ("PCM 3.1") do support 5.1 MLP 24/96 both from DVD-Audio discs and MLP files on USB.
Back when I specced my Cayman, I tried all 4 audio systems:
1) Base audio - 2.0 Terrible, I wouldn't use it for music
2) Soundsystem Plus - 5.0 - Much better, fairly balanced with good volume.
3) Bose - 5.1 - Sounded like loudness was stuck on all the time despite having neutral tone controls. Having heard some other Bose setups I'm starting to think that is what they aim for and it isnt nice.
4) Burmester - Good; fairly neutral with good bass extension and goes loud but not worth more than 10% of the cost of the car.
Savagegesse is the only YouTube car reviewer that includes audio system measurements that I'm aware of. The most recent video reviewed the Cayenne GTS with the optional Burmester 3D High-End Surround Sound-System. Apparently it tested well.
Interesting that you mention the BMW Base Hi-Fi option for the US. I came from an F30 328xi with that audio spec. Other than the lack of bass and limited volume, I like it more than the Bose system. A good example of well thought placement / design.
Also interesting about the Bose being worse off in a 911 than a Macan. When my mother went from the Cayenne to the Panamera she remarked that the stereo didn't sound quite as good.
Side note: this morning I went to drop off the car for service. I was excited to get a loaner car (never gotten that before). They pulled up a slick 2020 Macan S and were about to hand me the keys. Then the SA sees my license and says "Oh....Sorry....You have to be 25 to get a loaner." It stung watching them drive the car back to the lot :/
Yes, I agree. I just picked up an M340i lease with the base Hi-Fi system (would have preferred the Harman Kardon but no cars on the lot had it and my prior lease was ending too soon to wait for a custom ordered car) and I think it's a lot better than the Macan's Bose system. The bass doesn't go down as low but the rest of the frequency range is much more neutral.
The prior lease, a 540i had the Harman Kardon system, and other than a mild scoop it was pretty sublime. It did have a non-defeatable loudness EQ though.
The F10 535i I had before with the base Hi-Fi was also very tonally on-point with deeper bass than the M340i. Overall it seems like Harman does a very good job with engineering car audio systems. There's definitely some well-tuned DSP magic going on in them. I'm not expecting anything in terms of soundstage in a car either, just the bare minimum of correct tonality... a low bar that Bose sadly can't even meet.
LOL about the loaner story. I got a 2020 Macan S as a loaner too, and I was 25 a few weeks ago! Didn't know there was a minimum age for the loaners, guess I got lucky
The F10 535i I had before with the base Hi-Fi was also very tonally on-point with deeper bass than the M340i. Overall it seems like Harman does a very good job with engineering car audio systems. There's definitely some well-tuned DSP magic going on in them. I'm not expecting anything in terms of soundstage in a car either, just the bare minimum of correct tonality... a low bar that Bose sadly can't even meet.
My daily car is also F10 535i but with the Harman system and I can confirm it has good sound quality with all EQs set at 0, I really like and enable also the Harman Logic 7 DSP it has as it enhances quite usual stereo recordings.
My GTI had that...'feature'. If you can turn it off at least that's something. With VW you had to go under the hood, pry open a plasticized cover, and disconnect some wires. And those instructions were only found on Internet message boards. Idiotic.
How do you program a car audio system if you are competing with phony baloney engine noise piped through the speakers?
Some sound systems are designed to increase loudness/EQ at speed. I had an Audi that featured it. I don't know if my current one does. I was able to turn that off, because the sound would 'pump' as you changed speed. Annoying.
I see that the large family trucksters have video screens in the back seat headrests. I guess kids use Bluetooth phones with that.
Measuring car audio seems to me like a hack. So many variables. I think Bose was the first company (at least that I recall) that offered it. I never heard a Bose car system that I thought was very good--in spite of all their (supposedly) high tech measurements. I still don't know how measurements of a car stereo when parked can have much of a relationship to a car traveling at highway speeds. All I ever needed or wanted was a tone control, a balance knob, and volume control.
As to the original post's question, I realize that the conversation has drifted. Sorry for that.
My '98 C280 had the Bose system and sounded ok. My '09 C350 has the HK system with 5.1 audio. Has a DVD player but the screen goes black as soon as Drive is engaged but the audio is still there. It sounds fairly good with decent volume but could use a sub. I believe the newer MB HK systems have much more elaborate systems and am certain sound great. In the old days I had systems with electronic crossovers, multiple power amps, subs, etc. I enjoyed installing them until I didn't.
The fly in the ointment is road/wind/engine noise. It can be reduced somewhat, but there will always be a lot of it at higher speeds. The bass is the first thing that seems to get drowned out. I don't like having as much bass boost as that Porsche/Bose system - maybe half of that. I usually end up with the bass sounding slightly recessed at speed and slightly boosted when sitting in traffic. +6-8dB in the sub-100Hz region would be the ballpark for me, but it depends on how much cabin noise there is at speed. My current daily driver is a modified Saab convertible, so louder than most.
and reducing road, tire, and wind noise requires things like undercoating, dampening, sound barriers, and double paned glass (Benz used that on some sedans) - all of which are directly opposed to the thing that matters most in a sports car: light wt.
and reducing road, tire, and wind noise requires things like undercoating, dampening, sound barriers, and double paned glass (Benz used that on some sedans) - all of which are directly opposed to the thing that matters most in a sports car: light wt.
There lots of multi-speaker tricks used in some systems also.
My guess would be that Lexus would have the best sound systems. Porsche has always for gone tossing a few cheap speakers into the cabin for a lot of $$$, and decades ago seemed bewildered that buyers for its cars even cared.
That was the right channel. I've attached the Left vs Right.
I was trying to work why the Left measured worse but sounded better when I discovered the tweeter in the front right door and the woofer in the rear right door were out of action.