Is the Optional Sound System Better?
Soundtracks are becoming more and more important in cars. Not the ones out of the exhaust, but rather the ones out of the speakers. Primarily this is due to the fact that most cars are getting quieter and quieter, and as human beings, we don’t like the quiet. So what do we do? Slap a gigantic system in the car to bump some bass!
I’m being a bit facetious, but the point is valid. Look at all of the premium sound systems in the new luxury cars. For instance, Mercedes has Burmester, Bang & Olufsen and the standard speakers. We are all becoming audiophiles … or so we think.
From all accounts, everyone with the standard option thinks it sounds like a 2006 Honda Civic. That’s a pretty harsh criticism. And everyone with the optional sound systems thinks they sound like God’s gift to your ears. The optional packages range from $2,000-$6,000 — a hefty premium just for better music. I’ll admit, I haven’t had time to truly listen to the nuances of the systems, but it strikes me as odd that one would sound that much better than the standard one.
It almost seems to me that these companies are pulling punches with the standard systems only to entice you with the more expensive “better” ones. Again, I won’t say that is definitely happening, but it seems odd that there is that much of a markup on the systems.
So are we all becoming audiophiles, or is something fishy going on with the standard systems? What do you all think?