Car stereos - why are they so poor sounding?

Phil_aka_Pip

The stereo in my 2010 Fusion is a Sony and it's excellent for R4 & R3; it is also excellent for CD until I drive over a bump. Then I wish it were a cassette player.

FX_Munkee

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Buy a Volvo. I'm fairly sure mine has been specifically designed for Radio 4.

In all seriousness Volvo audio systems are rather good, shame about the turbo hoses, and the swirl flaps, and the windscreen wipers..

I have a new Volvo and the stereo does an exquisite rendition of Radio 4 Extra. 

It's almost as if they target their cars at a particular demographic, uncanny.

Bridgehouse

FX_Munkee said:

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Buy a Volvo. I'm fairly sure mine has been specifically designed for Radio 4.

In all seriousness Volvo audio systems are rather good, shame about the turbo hoses, and the swirl flaps, and the windscreen wipers..

I have a new Volvo and the stereo does an exquisite rendition of Radio 4 Extra. 

It's almost as if they target their cars at a particular demographic, uncanny.

Yep. It’s rock solid, nary a creek or groan - it’s plush inside and the seats are like a John Lewis sofa. 

I do love R4extra

munckee

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Buy a Volvo. I'm fairly sure mine has been specifically designed for Radio 4.

In all seriousness Volvo audio systems are rather good, shame about the turbo hoses, and the swirl flaps, and the windscreen wipers..

I have a new Volvo and the stereo does an exquisite rendition of Radio 4 Extra. 

It's almost as if they target their cars at a particular demographic, uncanny.

Yep. It’s rock solid, nary a creek or groan - it’s plush inside and the seats are like a John Lewis sofa. 

I do love R4extra

I like a bit of radio 4, what 'extra' could they need -  Archers uncut? 3 hour long plays?

Bridgehouse

munckee said:

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Buy a Volvo. I'm fairly sure mine has been specifically designed for Radio 4.

In all seriousness Volvo audio systems are rather good, shame about the turbo hoses, and the swirl flaps, and the windscreen wipers..

I have a new Volvo and the stereo does an exquisite rendition of Radio 4 Extra. 

It's almost as if they target their cars at a particular demographic, uncanny.

Yep. It’s rock solid, nary a creek or groan - it’s plush inside and the seats are like a John Lewis sofa. 

I do love R4extra

I like a bit of radio 4, what 'extra' could they need -  Archers uncut? 3 hour long plays?

Navy Lark, Men from the Ministry, Round the Horne, News Quiz Extra, Just a Minute etc etc 

So much more than R4...

Bucket

I have a thirteen year-old Honda with a stock stereo and I have never had any complaints about the quality of the sound.

Although I know you can hear a difference from your reassuringly expensive placebo-effect high-end cables, so I assume your ears are far more highly developed than mine.

boogieman

Bridgehouse said:

munckee said:

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Bridgehouse said:

FX_Munkee said:

Buy a Volvo. I'm fairly sure mine has been specifically designed for Radio 4.

In all seriousness Volvo audio systems are rather good, shame about the turbo hoses, and the swirl flaps, and the windscreen wipers..

I have a new Volvo and the stereo does an exquisite rendition of Radio 4 Extra. 

It's almost as if they target their cars at a particular demographic, uncanny.

Yep. It’s rock solid, nary a creek or groan - it’s plush inside and the seats are like a John Lewis sofa. 

I do love R4extra

I like a bit of radio 4, what 'extra' could they need -  Archers uncut? 3 hour long plays?

Navy Lark, Men from the Ministry, Round the Horne, News Quiz Extra, Just a Minute etc etc 

So much more than R4...

I like R4extra for Hancock and Round the Horne. Why the hell they do reruns of painfully dated and unfunny shows like Ray’s a Laugh and Ken Dodd in his crappy 70s period is beyond me. Especially when they must have umpteen episodes of the utterly brilliant I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue that they could broadcast instead? 

randella

The stereo in my 11 year old Focus sounds fine, the one in my new Peugeot better still.

Ultimately, a moving car must be one of the most horrible environments in which to design an audio system.

oaf

With most cars you CAN pay an additional premium for a better stereo (and often TV, DVD, media players, surround sound, additional subwoofers, speakers, etc).

The base stereo on most models often isn't great. I have a B&O system in my car (the highest upgrade that was factory fitted) and people tend to comment that it sounds good when they get in. It isn't as good as a system in a proper room, but it's a car - not a great environment for audio anyway.

If in any doubt it's generally cheaper/easier to pay for the upgrade when you order your car rather than to faff about after the fact.

TheBigDipper

DAB radio is pretty poor quality. No noise, sure, but audio at 192K max, often lower - so music does sound flat compared to better sample rates. FM is quite good in comparison. As are CDs...  

I've no idea what stereo is fitted in my Golf Mk 7, it can't be that expensive, but music on my iPhone (320K MP3 or lossless) fed in via a cable (using the DAC in the car stereo) sounds pretty good for a car. 

Octafish

If only Russ Andrews did car audio

Sporky

Bucket said:

Although I know you can hear a difference from your reassuringly expensive placebo-effect high-end cables, so I assume your ears are far more highly developed than mine.

I think Rocker has said in the past that he has fairly serious hearing loss. It's often the speech band that goes first, so reduced intelligibility is a normal consequence (depends a bit on what sort of hearing loss it is and how it occurred).

Some EQ adjustment might work if the drivers are good enough but the standard tone controls are probably rubbish. Ideally you'd want something parametric.

My apologies if I've misremembered.

Bucket

Octafish said:

If only Russ Andrews did car audio

Imagine that.

BMW 3 series saloon - starting price £27,760

BMW 3 series saloon with Russ Andrews in-car audio - starting price £86,995.

Bucket

Sporky said:

Bucket said:

Although I know you can hear a difference from your reassuringly expensive placebo-effect high-end cables, so I assume your ears are far more highly developed than mine.

I think Rocker has said in the past that he has fairly serious hearing loss. It's often the speech band that goes first, so reduced intelligibility is a normal consequence (depends a bit on what sort of hearing loss it is and how it occurred).

Some EQ adjustment might work if the drivers are good enough but the standard tone controls are probably rubbish. Ideally you'd want something parametric.

My apologies if I've misremembered.

Fair enough.

exocet

I'm surprised that a car sold at that price has a poor radio in it. I've owned 3 cars that have had DAB. A 2010 S-Max (Sony unit), a 2016 S-Max (standard Ford unit) and a 2014 Seat (standard unit). All have been very usable no matter whether using DAB, FM, CD or Bluetooth. There's no doubt that quite a few DAB stations use high levels of audio compression coupled with very low bit rates (digital compression) - Planet Rock is a prime example. I'll admit that if I ever listen to that whilst driving.. turning the volume up doesn't improve the audiability. If you have the same issues when using FM (assuming it has that option), my guess is that the speakers are most likely to be at fault and would benefit from upgrade.

Bridgehouse

Radio is of course only for spoken word. Drama, factual, comedy etc.

If I want to listen to music, then I will choose the songs myself - I don’t want to listen to the choices of an ageing soap star or has been rocker.

oaf

My only other thought was whether you need to adjust your tonearm..?

Nitefly

The other factor here is of course that @Rocker is in ROI, so he may not be listening to UK stations, and even if he is, the signal may not be great at that distance.

Rocker

Not DAB, standard FM. It is true that I have hearing loss but I can hear speech. No problem with internet radio either. It is simply a case of a rubbish player factory fitted in a fairly costly car. Music is fine or good enough (CD). It is the radio. There are specialist music system installers the UK, none that I know of in Ireland. Hopefully one is suggested and if so, thanks

Bridgehouse

Rocker said:

Not DAB, standard FM. It is true that I have hearing loss but I can hear speech. No problem with internet radio either. It is simply a case of a rubbish player factory fitted in a fairly costly car. Music is fine or good enough (CD). It is the radio. There are specialist music system installers the UK, none that I know of in Ireland. Hopefully one is suggested and if so, thanks

I wonder if it’s the aerial. Some of the standard fit ones are shocking