E 350. Their Take...
01-23-2011, 06:37 PM
#51
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With the snow here in NJ, I was forced to put my 2001 e55 in a remote garage for much of the last two weeks. I took it out for a spin today and got to enjoy my after market Focal Utopia, JL Audio subs, Zapco Reference and Pioneer p7/p9 head unit and digital crossover/eq stereo. My ears feel free!!! Most people just don't appreciate how good a true high stereo can sound in a car and what a joy it is to tool around with music reproduced with that kind of quality. Most people don't understand that each part of the chain has to do its' job with transparency and control over the signal. Once again, not that I think the e550 stereo is terrible, just lacking in the low end and not top shelf in other parameters, but serviceable. It makes me pretty jealous that Porsche has the option of a Burmester stereo. That could be outrageous. The B&O stereo I heard in an Audi sounded extremely clean. I would love to read the discussion regarding those super high end systems. Thanks. Ned.
Sad to say but in reality most people don't care or don't want to fork out the cash.
"Control" that is the key word in your statement. IMO the main problem here is the automakers seek the counsel & partnerships of manufacturers from well known high end to ultra high end home audio manufacturers, like Harmon, B&O, B&W, Bose, etc. It's basically a partnership with a name, more than anything, that probably most people that drive these vehicles can associate with cause their familiar with there home audio line. When they wake up and actually seek partnerships with companies that actually build car stereo's and are known for their car stereo line, these systems will probably never be worthy of their price tags or be as good as they could be. They throw big power and more speakers and this is suppose to equal better sound.
In cars, the less drivers you have has always been better unless you can keep them on 1 plane, but as we know this is virtually impossible in a car. They need to incorporate "in car" sound technology that makes aftermarket systems so successful, and that is honestly the very essence of having "control". Control has never been a major attribute from a home stereo manufacturers point of view like car stereo manufacturers cause it is soo much more important in a car, at least for success.
Oh on a side note, many of these home audio companies have tried to make speakers for the aftermarket car stereo line and have failed miserably. Just cause they are successful in home audio does not make them a worthy candidate to complete with the best in car stereo. There are some that do incredible in both arena's though.
Last edited by RNBRAD; 01-23-2011 at 06:47 PM.
01-23-2011, 06:52 PM
#52
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2016 Audi S8 Plus/ 2011 Mercedes e550 4Matic//Gone:1985 500SEL/2000 e320 4Matic/ 2001 e55 Kleeman
Did you try track 10 "underground beats" when doing your listening? If so let me know what you get. I can't really make my bass or midbass muddy. It's very tight and crisp and I've never been able to overpower or distort the drivers. I do get significant amounts of midbass from the doors and always thought this car has bass drivers up front. I had no idea it actually had a sub tell several months of ownership did I figure it out. One thing I did notice on this car which I thought was kind of weird, but good, while playing a 0 bit track ( no music) on a test disk, this system has absolutely no noise even at max volume. I've never experienced this and not sure how it happens. I've had equipment that has "noise gates" that drops the sound between tracks to limit hiss but with this system, it is virtually non-existent. The only thing I can gather from that is the amplifier gains or however they control that from the factory may be turned very low. Putting in music like Bass Mechanik and other bass oriented recordings, it wakes the sub up. It actually ouperforms my 10'' kicker L5 that I have in my civic with 300 watts. So like i said before, it is a capable sub it just has no volume or output under normal listening conditions, even with the bass slider all the way up. Problem is the sliders are usally set at a certain frequency. It actually increases output from the midbass drivers up front versus the sub in the rear, further drowning out or overpowering any low bass from the sub. It should be the opposite. It would be an easy fix in a system with better crossover and frequency control, but not sure that this can be done here but then again it may. Just a little tweak could actually fix it easily, if that tweak can actually be done. Otherwise the rest of the system is awesome and imaging and balance is very good considering the speakers are mounted in the doors.
The only thing I can gather from that is the amplifier gains or however they control that from the factory may be turned very low. Putting in music like Bass Mechanik and other bass oriented recordings, it wakes the sub up. It actually ouperforms my 10'' kicker L5 that I have in my civic with 300 watts. So like i said before, it is a capable sub it just has no volume or output under normal listening conditions, even with the bass slider all the way up. Problem is the sliders are usally set at a certain frequency. It actually increases output from the midbass drivers up front versus the sub in the rear, further drowning out or overpowering any low bass from the sub. It should be the opposite. It would be an easy fix in a system with better crossover and frequency control, but not sure that this can be done here but then again it may. Just a little tweak could actually fix it easily, if that tweak can actually be done. Otherwise the rest of the system is awesome and imaging and balance is very good considering the speakers are mounted in the doors.
01-23-2011, 09:29 PM
#53
Out Of Control!!
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Oh man, you guys are turning every Thread into sound system banter.
I think to most of us, "it sounds good" about sums it up.
I don't want to egg the system debate on any more, but I'd be curious as to how both of you guys feel after sitting in other W212's, as it could be proof as to whether there's a quality problem or not (varying from car to car).
I think to most of us, "it sounds good" about sums it up.
I don't want to egg the system debate on any more, but I'd be curious as to how both of you guys feel after sitting in other W212's, as it could be proof as to whether there's a quality problem or not (varying from car to car).
01-23-2011, 09:40 PM
#54
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Titleist
I could see the connection in the air suspension thread. Air suspension, suspension speakers...I get the connection! 
The stereo sounds good enough to me, but hearing in general and hearing of highs and lows in particular may differ person to person, which could lead to the varying opinions.
The stereo sounds good enough to me, but hearing in general and hearing of highs and lows in particular may differ person to person, which could lead to the varying opinions.
