New Q5

[goofdunk]

Hi, i have just recently purchased a new 2016 Audi Q5 and i was just wondering if the stock 10 speaker sound system is good or semi decent. Also if there are any must knows for new Q5 buyers. Thanks

[14S4GWM]

Only you can be the judge of the sound system.

[SQive]

Does the basic sound system only have 10 speakers? The B&O system has 14.
I hear that the basic system is good, but I've had the B&O on both of mine.

[hc_TK]

this is very individual.
i had the B&O and thought it was rather shit.
I replaced the whole system with better speakers, new amps and a sound processor.

I know, i have special needs!

[SQ5.TO]

Had both. Honestly can't tell the difference.
For my daily driving needs they pretty well sound same to me.
If you're expecting concert hall sound neither delivers that. Both adequate to me.

[Nison_Li]

depends on your music collection. to me the mid and high on the stock 10 speakers are decent. almost no bass. b&o has even better mid-high, still lack of bass.
this is a highly subjective topic tho

[supra_tt]

I had the B&O in my 2011 A4 but I didn't get it in my SQ5. I mainly listen to streaming music apps & podcasts these days so the sound quality isn't as important as it was back when everything was on CDs. Everything is so compressed now.

[Stix]

FWIW..
This suggestion was from another member...
When I first bought the Q I immediately replaced the really cheap 6" driver in the spare tire well with a cheap 6" Bose series II driver (much larger magnet). Stock is 2 ohm, Bose driver was 4 ohm.. so no transfer issues. Dropped in same trapezoid hole with minor dremel tool beveling of the lip and a few longer screws. The change allowed some bottom-end improvement without adding an amp, etc. Another possibility is this: Dayton Audio RS150-4 6" Reference Woofer 4ohm.

I've since upgraded the system slightly but only after I decided to keep the vehicle.

[VroomVroom]

FWIW..
This suggestion was from another member...
When I first bought the Q I immediately replaced the really cheap 6" driver in the spare tire well with a cheap 6" Bose series II driver (much larger magnet). Stock is 2 ohm, Bose driver was 4 ohm.. so no transfer issues.

Except that power to the subwoofer is now significantly less. I remember reading that and wondering how it possibly sounded any better.

As everyone else has mentioned, this is really subjective. I find the B&O to be significantly better than the Bose. To my ears the lows are much tighter, the highs much sweeter, and everything in-between is more flat and even. Bose, regardless of application, always sounds very artificial to me. Their amplification algorithms and "tuning" are designed to reproduce sound in a way that is very unnatural to me.

But again, that's me. Let your ears be your guide. I don't think any OEM audio system can pass muster for everyone, but if you can manage expectations and dial the EQ more to take out what you don't like rather than to try to add what you do, I suspect you'll find happy ground.