Stereo sucks...

[jmichael]

Driving my 2015 for a while now and think the stereo is awful. My wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee has better sound. Anyone do anything aftermarket to theirs?

Thanks -

[eyeloveteeth]

really? what were you looking for? more bass?

I listen to Alesso/EDM shit alot and i enjoy hearing mids better without head pounding bass.

I think what it lacks the most is tweeter clarity though

[redrocker55]

Do you have the base stereo, the Bose or the B and O?

[jmichael]

Do you have the base stereo, the Bose or the B and O?

I was looking for more volume and greater high-end (tweeter clarity). Unfortunately, I have the base system (I think) - whatever is standard. I didn't think that an 85k car would need the 'upgraded' stereo. Frustrating. Honestly, I've had a LOT of different cars over the years and this is one of the worst stereo systems I've had. Looks like I'll have to see what can be done. Clearly my next one will need to have an upgraded system.

Fortunately, the car makes up for it in a million different ways.

[BlueSVT]

I was looking for more volume and greater high-end (tweeter clarity). Unfortunately, I have the base system (I think) - whatever is standard. I didn't think that an 85k car would need the 'upgraded' stereo. Frustrating. Honestly, I've had a LOT of different cars over the years and this is one of the worst stereo systems I've had. Looks like I'll have to see what can be done. Clearly my next one will need to have an upgraded system.

Fortunately, the car makes up for it in a million different ways.

If you had the Bose or the Bang & Olufsen, you'd clearly notice the emblems on the door speaker grills of either system. Shame that they wouldn't make at least the Bose system standard!!!!!

[Big Pat]

Are you finding this to be the case from all audio sources? Only reason I bring it up is that the sound quality from Sirius/XM is pretty bad. I know the bitrate on satellite radio is bad, but, I've heard it sound at least OK in other vehicles - I notice a massive difference when I play things via bluetooth...

[texsun]

Are you finding this to be the case from all audio sources? Only reason I bring it up is that the sound quality from Sirius/XM is pretty bad. I know the bitrate on satellite radio is bad, but, I've heard it sound at least OK in other vehicles - I notice a massive difference when I play things via bluetooth...

Bluetooth is almost as bad sounding as SiriusXM. You need use direct source like CD, SD card, or jukebox for starters.

[Big Pat]

Oh I realize that bluetooth audio isn't high quality. But it seems like high quality compared to what I get from SiriusXM - I'm not sure what it is - I have had plenty of rental cars with SiriusXM that have much more dynamic sound.

[JoeGie]

S7 - he has the Bose system, that's standard on the S models.

[agent47]

The Bose is not horrendous- you really start to appreciate it once you listen to the so called non brand name 'premium sound system of A/S4, bmw's. Plus I noticed one thing- initially the bose sounded kinds shallow but it kinda broke in and sounds better now. Btw I never listen to sirius or any BT streamed audio- all of it sucks. I try to keep most of my audio in m4a format, if not then its 328kbps mp3's.

TortoiseA6

[name.goes.here]

I had the standard stereo in my A4 and, not being an audiophile, thought it was fine. When I test drove the A6 with Bose, I realized what I was missing so the upgraded stereo was must-have for me. Now, I know that the Bose is not the "end all/be all" when it comes to stereos - but it is a big improvement over the stock stereo.

[redrocker55]

The Bose used to be the 'upgraded' or high end stereo in the C7's. The subwoofer is located in the spare tire well and this is not the idea location but it's the best they could do considering the shape and internal structure of the 'boot'. I have also heard it gets a bit better as time passes...but I do think with about $400 you could easily upgrade the tweeters and the subwoofer and have something better. I think the Bose is missing the clarity of the highs and it doesn't have much punch down low...less bass even than the base system in the A6.

[eyeloveteeth]

Yeah he has an S6 so it should be Bose default.

It's weird I at first also didn't like it but have now grown to thoroughly enjoy it


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[jmichael]

I'll have to look at my speakers when I get into my car. Again, whatever comes standard in the S7 (2015). I listen (mostly) to my iPod, which is not connected via bluetooth, but through the Audi cable in the arm rest. At first, it was very quiet, but I realized that I could turn up the input level through the MMI. When I did, it got louder, but again, not any clearer. My wife has a 2015 Grand Cherokee Overland and her stereo is WORLDS better than mine. Annoying to say the least. Not to mention, these upgraded stereos through the factor are crazy expensive. I love music, but I'm not going to spend 5k for an upgraded stereo - at least not on a 85k car. That's money you'll never get back when you trade the car in.

I've tried using XM and the SD card - all results are about the same.

[confinedz]

Driving my 2015 for a while now and think the stereo is awful. My wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee has better sound. Anyone do anything aftermarket to theirs?

Thanks -

getting ready to start a build with a local stereo shop in Tampa, Florida. Going full digital audio using Mosconi components and Illusion speakers with a processor.

[Vishnu]

On a 2016 S6 the Bose is an option on Premium Plus models - its standard on prestige only. B&O is of course optional on both.

[UFmike316]

i attempted upgrading the tweeters in my A7 w/ Bose to JL Audio C5 tweeters. it sounded good, but too bright for me (even though they are silk dome tweeters). I went back to the Bose tweeters as they sounded better matched. Ive also played around with several subwoofer setups, and i think by far the one that sounds best is my current setup. 1 JL 13w7 sealed off of a JL 1200 watt amp. I never turn it all the way up, so a 12w7 would have done the job just fine. once you dial in all the DSP settings, i actually think the bose system with an aftermarket subwoofer sounds pretty good.

[Big Pat]

Wow, I don't even want to know how loud that 13w7 can get in an A7 haha, but looks awesome! I have a 10w6 in my S6 and it's more than enough, although, the sound dampening and build quality of our vehicles clearly show here - I have to open up the backseat if I really want to let the sound in. I am happy with the Bose system + aftermarket sub. The low end on the Bose system leaves a lot to be desired though.

[iten]

I am glad someone brought this up.....

I have a base system in my C7A6 and the Bose in my S7, and I found the Bose system in my S7 inferior to my A6's Standard. The bass is not as strong and the treble is not as clear...I used to own a S5 coupe with B&O and it was better than either one of the C7 system....I am wondering if the lack of a trunk in the A7/S7 a factor in the difference in sound?

[subterFUSE]

Anyone do anything aftermarket to theirs?

Yup.

[subterFUSE]

i attempted upgrading the tweeters in my A7 w/ Bose to JL Audio C5 tweeters. it sounded good, but too bright for me (even though they are silk dome tweeters). I went back to the Bose tweeters as they sounded better matched.

I have a pretty good idea why the tweeters sounded too bright.

Check out this measurement I made of the C7 Bose frequency response curve coming out of the Bose amplifier:





That's what you get when you run a test sweep from 20Hz to 20kHz and measure. It shows that the Bose amplifier has a lot of EQ applied to the signal.
The bass is reduced, and the highs are boosted. There is also a strange dip at 200Hz which must have been a resonance the engineers were trying to tame?



Here is the same test sweep run on a mObridge DA1 preamp that is grabbing signal from the MMI before it reaches the Bose amp:





Almost perfectly flat response. So, I think that confirms that the Bose amp is messing with the EQ and making the highs brighter. They are probably compensating for a Bose tweeter that doesn't have good response up high, or is not very sensitive. It sounds fine on their tweeter, but when you installed a superior tweeter it sounded too bright and harsh.


That's my best guess, anyway... based on my own testing.

[UFmike316]

I have a pretty good idea why the tweeters sounded too bright.

Check out this measurement I made of the C7 Bose frequency response curve coming out of the Bose amplifier:





That's what you get when you run a test sweep from 20Hz to 20kHz and measure. It shows that the Bose amplifier has a lot of EQ applied to the signal.
The bass is reduced, and the highs are boosted. There is also a strange dip at 200Hz which must have been a resonance the engineers were trying to tame?



Here is the same test sweep run on a mObridge DA1 preamp that is grabbing signal from the MMI before it reaches the Bose amp:





Almost perfectly flat response. So, I think that confirms that the Bose amp is messing with the EQ and making the highs brighter. They are probably compensating for a Bose tweeter that doesn't have good response up high, or is not very sensitive. It sounds fine on their tweeter, but when you installed a superior tweeter it sounded too bright and harsh.


That's my best guess, anyway... based on my own testing.

would you mind explaining the signal source path you have running and why? years ago i used to install car stereos, but the amount of OEM signal summing and conversion pieces that have hit the market since then makes be a bit of a novice on which processors are used for what, pre-amp. thanks

[subterFUSE]

would you mind explaining the signal source path you have running and why? years ago i used to install car stereos, but the amount of OEM signal summing and conversion pieces that have hit the market since then makes be a bit of a novice on which processors are used for what, pre-amp. thanks

I have two sources:

1. Audi MMI via mObridge DA1 preamp.

2. Audison Bit Play HD media player



The main source is just the Audi MMI head unit, but I added a mObridge DA1 preamplifier. The mObridge takes the digital signal from the MMI before it reaches the Bose amp. It then converts it to a standard Optical Digital output. Since the Bose amplifier is disconnected from the input, the factory audio and EQ are totally bypassed. That's why I got the flat response test in the picture above. The mObridge removes all of the unwanted Bose EQ and processing.

The mObridge only works on cars using the MOST fiber optic communications system, so Audi, BMW, Merc, Range Rover, Porsche, etc..
It is simple to install, and causes no permanent changes to the factory audio. You simply unplug the factory wire harness from the OEM amp and plug it into the mObridge.

Just keep in mind that the mObridge is only an option if you plan to upgrade the entire stereo system, because it will disable the factory amplifier completely. None of the factory speakers will play while you use the mObridge.



The Audison BitPlay HD is an SSD based media server for the car. It can store and play FLAC files up to 24/96 resolution, and has an Optical Digital output.
Think of it like a Pono player for a car. The internal hard drive can be swapped up to 2 TB SSD. It also has 2 USB slots for connecting external hard drives or USB sticks.

The BitPlay can output video to the MMI screen, you just need to enable VIM with a VCDS cable if you want the screen to show while driving.
It is controlled either by wireless remotes or there is an iPhone / Android app that controls it via WiFi. The mobile app can also stream music to the BitPlay via WiFi.



Both of my sources use Optical Digital cables to go into my DSP, which is a Helix DSP Pro.


My DSP then feeds my amplifiers. All of my crossovers, EQ, and time alignment are done actively in the DSP.

I am running 4 amplifiers:

Sinfoni Prestigio (2 channel) running a pair of Horn Loaded Compression Drivers
2 x Sinfoni Presto (2 channel - bridged) I am using a separate amplifier on each of my 8" Beyma midbass speakers.
Sinfoni Grave (2 channel - bridged) A Grave amp is running the subwoofers. 2 x Dynaudio Esotar 1200 12" subwoofers, in a trunk baffle installation.

[Shane94116]

I am glad someone brought this up.....

I have a base system in my C7A6 and the Bose in my S7, and I found the Bose system in my S7 inferior to my A6's Standard. The bass is not as strong and the treble is not as clear...I used to own a S5 coupe with B&O and it was better than either one of the C7 system....I am wondering if the lack of a trunk in the A7/S7 a factor in the difference in sound?

+1
After the initial wow phase of getting my S7, first thing I noticed was that the sound quality wasn't nearly as good as my S5 B&O.

[dseag2]

+1
After the initial wow phase of getting my S7, first thing I noticed was that the sound quality wasn't nearly as good as my S5 B&O.

Interesting comment, because the B&O in my S5 isn't nearly as good as the Mark Levinson in my '13 Lexus GS F Sport. It sounds pretty good now, but only because 2 months has made me forget the ML system. Audi makes fantastic cars. Why can't they include fantastic sound systems (A8 B&O excluded)?

[VeryBadman]

Interesting comment, because the B&O in my S5 isn't nearly as good as the Mark Levinson in my '13 Lexus GS F Sport. It sounds pretty good now, but only because 2 months has made me forget the ML system. Audi makes fantastic cars. Why can't they include fantastic sound systems (A8 B&O excluded)?

I found the clarity in S4/5 B&O is better than Bose in S6/7 but the bass is very week while the Bose has slightly heavier bass than B&O. Yes, Mark Levinson in the Lexus blows both systems away unless it's B&O system in the 6 and 8. That system is truly amazing (with the terrifying cost of $5900 of course).

[agent47]

I think I have a decision for myself- b&o is going to be a must on my next car whenever it comes. I am not hugely disappointed by the Bose but listening to the b&o for 15mins has bitchslapped me in my head. CPO will be my only choice

[eyeloveteeth]

I think I have a decision for myself- b&o is going to be a must on my next car whenever it comes. I am not hugely disappointed by the Bose but listening to the b&o for 15mins has bitchslapped me in my head. CPO will be my only choice

yeah, i also recently heard one. It's nice, but i'm not in a car long enough to wish i had it all the time. LOL, plus I the stereo almost always off as I listen to the AWE exhaust more often ... or should i say "try"....

[jmeenach]

i attempted upgrading the tweeters in my A7 w/ Bose to JL Audio C5 tweeters. it sounded good, but too bright for me (even though they are silk dome tweeters). I went back to the Bose tweeters as they sounded better matched. Ive also played around with several subwoofer setups, and i think by far the one that sounds best is my current setup. 1 JL 13w7 sealed off of a JL 1200 watt amp. I never turn it all the way up, so a 12w7 would have done the job just fine. once you dial in all the DSP settings, i actually think the bose system with an aftermarket subwoofer sounds pretty good.

I would be scared to get in that thing with a W7 bumping. That has to be SO loud...

[DB22]

I would be scared to get in that thing with a W7 bumping. That has to be SO loud...

Loudness is not the issue - it has a volume control. The trick is reproducing the original recording and that includes all of the audio spectrum. A booming bass with nothing else is as obnoxious as tweeters that screech in your ears. Once you can reproduce everything correctly then how loud it is becomes an issue determined by the volume control setting. Yes, speakers have to reproduce the amplitude and the amplifier has to put out the necessary power without distortion so the problem becomes the "system". The Bose is a balanced system, unfortunately it consists of numerous components all of average ability.

My first car was the limited production 1970 Firebird Formula 400 and I had JBL studio monitors held in the back seats with the seatbelts and fed by my AM radio. The sound? The JBL's faithfully reproduced the crap source that was feeding them.

[subterFUSE]

Loudness is not the issue - it has a volume control. The trick is reproducing the original recording and that includes all of the audio spectrum. A booming bass with nothing else is as obnoxious as tweeters that screech in your ears. Once you can reproduce everything correctly then how loud it is becomes an issue determined by the volume control setting. Yes, speakers have to reproduce the amplitude and the amplifier has to put out the necessary power without distortion so the problem becomes the "system". The Bose is a balanced system, unfortunately it consists of numerous components all of average ability.

Absolutely true.

I'm running a pair of 12" subwoofers with 950 Watts, but they are tuned in such a way that they a not so obvious to the casual listener. Most people look at the subs and think "this thing must bump from around the block." That's not what they are tuned for, however. It's all about accuracy and detail, not loudness. If I don't tell people there are subs in the car, they might not even notice. But if I turn them off, it's like losing a whole section of the music.

I actually considered running a pair of 13W7s in this car in the same IB config. Only reason I didn't was because the woofers are so large I would have lost more trunk space.

[DB22]

Absolutely true.

I'm running a pair of 12" subwoofers with 950 Watts, but they are tuned in such a way that they a not so obvious to the casual listener. Most people look at the subs and think "this thing must bump from around the block." That's not what they are tuned for, however. It's all about accuracy and detail, not loudness. If I don't tell people there are subs in the car, they might not even notice. But if I turn them off, it's like losing a whole section of the music.

I actually considered running a pair of 13W7s in this car in the same IB config. Only reason I didn't was because the woofers are so large I would have lost more trunk space.

Your system, knowledge and investment is the reference by which others are judged.

You, unlike many others, understand the difference between a woofer and a sub woofer. A true subwoofer has a very narrow bandwidth whose intention is to faithfully reproduce frequencies that a woofer is not designed for. 99% of people listening in cars do NOT need a subwoofer, they need a woofer but I think that car audio has muddied the definition of "sub-woofer".

[ttusqrl]

Had a buddy get in Luna last night that was in town from NYC and hadn't seen her yet. He commented on how treble-y the sound was -- and that is with B&O.

I think you can answer the Audi audio question like you can the cup holders -- they don't believe anything should get in the way of the driving experience.


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[subterFUSE]

Bang & Olufsen are known for their designs that make their equipment like modern sculpture. Sound quality is, and always has been, secondary to them. They are not that dissimilar to Bose in that regard. Form over function. Car companies choose names like Bose and B&O simply because of the brand recognition/marketing appeal.


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[DB22]

Bang & Olufsen are known for their designs that make their equipment like modern sculpture. Sound quality is, and always has been, secondary to them. They are not that dissimilar to Bose in that regard. Form over function. Car companies choose names like Bose and B&O simply because of the brand recognition/marketing appeal.


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Interestingly, Acura's highest end stereo is a Krell system. Krell is the opposite, their only endeavor is to create great sound quality with function over form and quite possibly the best stock car audio system on the market.

[car_gal_jenni]

All of this talk is definitely making me reconsider some audio decisions for the day I order my A6. Definitely makes me aware of how audio-clueless I really am. I had a pretty darn good system in my old DD, so it'd be hard for me to not have another great system. Time to do more research into everything.

[agent47]

Bang & Olufsen are known for their designs that make their equipment like modern sculpture. Sound quality is, and always has been, secondary to them. They are not that dissimilar to Bose in that regard. Form over function. Car companies choose names like Bose and B&O simply because of the brand recognition/marketing appeal.


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I respect this guy's opinions after looking at the depth of knowledge he has.
Anyway @subterFUSE- what would be a good upgrade over the bose that I can get without selling one kidney? I mean just doing an upgrade to the existing bose in my a6?

[subterFUSE]

I respect this guy's opinions after looking at the depth of knowledge he has.
Anyway @subterFUSE- what would be a good upgrade over the bose that I can get without selling one kidney? I mean just doing an upgrade to the existing bose in my a6?

When you consider that the B&O upgrade was nearly $6000 in my car.... and you were to apply that budget to aftermarket equipment, you can easily do a full replacement that will outperform anything OEM.


For a solid upgrade without going crazy with a bulky install I would suggest looking into some of the newer, small-footprint amplifier/DSP combo options hitting the market.
Some examples might be the Mosconi D2 80.6 DSP, or the Helix P Six DSP. These are both small, 6 channel Class D amps with onboard DSP. They are easily small enough to fit in the side compartment below the Bose amplifier in our C7s.
With 6 channels you can run a fully-active 3-way component speaker set. Then you can route a preamp output to a subwoofer amp.


Mosconi D2 80.6 DSP

80 Watts x 6 @ 4 ohms
DSP is the same as the Mosconi 6to8. Fully active crossovers. 30 band paragraphic EQ per channel. Time alignment for each channel.
It has high level inputs which can accept the powered outputs from the Bose or B&O amplifiers directly.
Or, there is an Optical Digital input if you want to use the mObridge DA1 preamp like I have.
It also has preamp outputs to add a subwoofer amp. Or you can bridge 2 of the channels and make it a 5 channel amp (4 channels + subwoofer).
It's very versatile.

For speakers, my attention right now is on the new Illusion Audio C4Cx point-source coaxials.
These are brand new, just hitting the market currently. I had a chance to see them at Daytona Spring Break Nationals in March. They are less than 4" diameter, can be bi-amplified, and the voice coils are aligned so the tweeter and mid are phase-correct through the crossover range.
That means you don't need to time align the tweeters to the midrange to get them in-phase.

I'm thinking for my wife's car we will use a pair of those C4Cx coaxials up on the dash in the corners. Then we will have a pair of Illusion Carbon 8 woofers in the stock door location. A pair of Carbon 10 or Carbon 12 subwoofers in the tire well. The carbon 10 subs can fit without losing the spare tire. The Mosconi D2 80.6 DSP will run the C4Cx & Carbon 8 speakers. Coaxials would be bi-amplified. Then we just add a mono amp for the subs.