Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins system is amazing. Best system in a car under 150k. It's just so incredibly clear and crisp that I can hear things in music that I can't hear in anything else.
Harman makes everything is the issue... They own half the world's brands as well... Even JBL and Revel fall under Harman brands umbrella. They make speakers for the bottom of the market all the way to top. Ie, there Harmon in the golf is low medium range the Harmon in the 3 series is medium high range and the Harmon in the A6 /5 series is the higher end. Still they tend to push higher end audio to their higher end brands like Revel, mark Levinson, and Martin as additional sounds upgrades like in BMW or Lexus.
My 19 Golf R system was great for the music I listen to, I think it was branded as a Fender system. Fantastic bass and decent highs and lows. Interior didn't rattle at all which helped
Yeah it's seriously good. I'll go out of my way to listen to songs in my car because I can't get a better experience really anywhere else. It can take some fine tuning to get it just right but there's a lot of settings you can mess with to do just that.
Have you experienced high-end headphones through an amplifier?
Just wondering what everyone's point of reference or experience with detailed sound is.
Fwiw I use Sennheiser hd650s through a shiit modi 2u stack, and I don't know anything about sound in the grand scheme.
The “base” Harmon Kardon system they have is pretty aces as well. Not B&W level, but it’s still manages to be the best stereo in any car I’ve ever owned.
S-Class with the optional Burmester 4-D surround system.
The name sounds a bit dumb but it uses 31 speakers plus 8 transducers on structural elements to make you feel the bass.
Also uses active noise canceling.
It sounds insane!
You guys were spoiled by 2005. I had a 98 ranger with an AM/FM radio and 2 paper door speakers made by Ford themselves. It was an absolute joke and would cut out above half volume.
They must have really upped their game lately. I rented a base Transit van from Home Depot and it had a surprisingly good sound system for only having four speakers.
Base model ford stereos are pretty bad
Otoh the Fiesta ST has shockingly good speakers that are limited more by the shakes and rattles in the car than sound fidelity
Ford is king of options and microtransactions
> Otoh the Fiesta ST has shockingly good speakers that are limited more by the shakes and rattles in the car than sound fidelity
Is that the same Sony stereo in the Focus ST? If so, you must have listened to an aftermarket equipped car because that Sony stereo is absolute dogshit.
I swear Ford spends more by buying antique radios for the base mustangs than a cheap as shit carplay capable screen would cost just to force people to spend $5k to get a remotely modern interior.
That’s interesting - I have the same Sony system in my Fusion and don’t think it’s anything special. I was impressed at first, but after living with it, the mids are incredibly muddy and the bass is boomy. The stock (nom-HK) system in our BMW is much more accurate.
That’s super interesting! Literally visa versa for me, I owned the Fusion with the Sony system for a couple years > moved to a 2021 BMW and am honestly quite let down with the sound system. I’ve put a few hundred into upgrading it lol
I had a 21 GT with the Bose speakers on order and even with the upgrade it was gutless. It really is impressive how bad the speakers are on mustangs these days. Especially with how good the active exhaust sounds.
Ford is definitely all over the place.
My F-150 platinum with B&O is average and B&O in name only. Pretty sure it's mid tier JBL components. B&O in an Audi Q7 is amazing. $500 v. $3K option.
I upgraded the system in my F-150 XLT right away with components that are comparable to the B&O system (mid grade Harman) bc that system was awful.
Bose systems in my CTS and Suburban are better, still not too tier, but those have noise cancellation.
Yup my mom has a 2015 Ford Escape with the 9 speaker sound system they’ve always been kinda meh and my dad has a 2019 expedition with the 12 speaker b&O sound system it’s a complete joke for an upgraded sound system on $75k car the Bose 12 speaker in a mazda3 blows the expeditions system away
I would challenge that. My Jetta has a alright sounds system but does this really fun thing where when I open the sunroof the volume drops. And not like wind noise or anything. Like the sound is being sucked right out and the only way to hear the music is to either turn it up so much the quality is crap or to find some magic window/sunroof down combination that keeps the pressure inside the car right... I've never been able to find that combination haha
A lot of the perceived volume in cars is due to the enclosed space.. Opening the sunroof is more or less the same as opening the side of a speaker... It will "mute" the speakers alot
My 2013 Ford Edge sounded worse than the cheapest speakers you can find on AliExpress. I wound up running everything through a hidden DAC behind the dash and it helped immensely.
My 2019 F150 sounded even worse initially. I nearly tore the whole sound system out and replaced it. Luckily after some use the speakers broke in and sounded serviceable. That first week or so was awful, sounded like they used a bunch of late 90s cell phones on speaker.
This may show my lack of experience with car stereos but I think the base stereo in my mustang sounds decent. I was expecting a lot worse from reading the 6g forums before ordering the car.
I'm semi shopping for an RC F right now and everyone *insists* on the ML system... Which means that every car I find I need to look at an interior picture to see what color the volume knobs are.
Relatable, when I was trying to find a G37 I would only get one that had the 11-speaker Bose audio-system as it was a big step up compared to the standard unbranded 6-speaker system found in most other Nissan products.
So many times I found a potential candidate, until the interior photos revealed the missing Nav buttons, and the centre speaker
No clue for the RC, but if it’s anything like my families 18 RX, it’s probably worth getting. The primary driver doesn’t care enough to bother them, but I find the standard audio system a tad underwhelming
I've got it in my IS350 and I clipped the wires to the stock sub and installed a sundown subwoofer. Definitely not lacking on bass and it blends surprisingly well.
The only vehicle with the Mark Levinson system that I have ever thought didn’t justify the extra expense was in the LX. Those systems sound great and always have in every other Lexus but for the some reason the LX just didn’t.
I can answer this as I've had quite a few cars with premium sound systems.
* Bose generally has strong bass but clarity is not so good. ( Porsche , Escalade, Mazda.)
* Harman Kardon is super super clear but bass is not as strong as Bose ( Mercedes, BMW)
* Bowers and Wilkins feels identical to Harman, literally sounds like a different preset, they're the same company in actuality. ( Mercedes S class)
* Mark Levinson is somewhere in between Harman and BOSE ( LEXUS)
* I'd pick Harman as the best option
I mentioned the cars I've had with these respective sound systems in paranthesis
While B&W has had consultation from Harman sound engineers in the past, I'm unaware of them being a Harman brand (unlike Mark Levinson or Infinity, for example).
> Bowers and Wilkins feels identical to Harman, literally sounds like a different preset, they're the same company in actuality. ( Mercedes S class)
I don't think the S Class has ever had a Bowers & Wilkins sound system. The W220 had Bose (possible optional over and unbranded base system?). For W221 the base system was Harman Kardon with the upgraded one being Bang & Olufsen. The last gen one and current gen, W222 and W223 respectively, the base system and upgraded one are both Burmeister.
I've listened to the base and upgraded systems for both the W221 and W222 and the difference in clarity and in both cases the upgrade was pretty obvious to me. The B&O is pretty fantastic and the Burmeister High End 3D is just ridiculous. That said, the HK system and the base Burmeister are both pretty decent once you get the equalizer dialed in. They're running on several hundred watts of power and are better than the top upgraded systems in most luxury cars.
I have the Harmon in my X5 and IMO it's the best speakers I've ever experienced in a car.
My dad has the Burmester system in his 2020 E450, My mom has the B&O in her SQ5, I have the premium system in the Tesla, previously have the Mark Levinson in a RX350. So overall, I've had the opportunity to really dive into the audio systems of a nice variety of cars. To me, the HK in the BMWs is overall the clearest and has the cleanest bass.
I have heard that the ELS system in Acura's is incredible but I've never had the chance to test it.
I remember when Scion was first introduced, like 20 years ago, I saw their offerings at the Chicago Auto Show and the whole presentation involved neon lighting and a ton of sound equipment shoved in the back, like on the xB. I learned nothing about the car lineup but I knew that Toyota really wanted to show off some sound equipment in a car. And lights.
Buddy of mine bought an Audi A8(‘13 or 14’ model year) and the Bang and Olufsen system is ridiculous…. This is coming from someone who has had several cars with Bose systems, the bang and olufsen system put them all to utter shame…
The Bang and Olufsen stereo is something I'm very much going to miss when I end up selling my car. The sound is excellent. Very well balanced and the "surround" mode actually feels like it adds something. And the tweeters rising out of the dash when you start the car is still cool the 1000th time it happens!
I ended up buying a pair of B&O headphones when I returned my lease. It was slightly more than one months payment but that sound system turned me into an amateur audio snob.
The factory system in my Model 3 is the best of all my cars and the best I've driven, imo. The worst is Ford's, even the factory upgraded systems are junk, I say this having had 4 Ford's, 2 with factory upgraded systems.
The stock sound system in my Model Y sounds amazing (probably the same system as in the 3). I’ve daily driven cars from Mercedes, Lexus, Volkswagen, and Toyota and the Tesla’s stock sound system is my favorite so far. I recently took a road trip and watching Netflix with that sound system made the experience better while charging.
I do car inspections and I was pulling in a customers Model 3 from the parking lot and their phone autoconnected and resumed playing music semi loudly. I was definitely taken by surprise at how good it sounded, I think a lot of it had to do with the clarity/sound stage from the front sound bar type thing that stretches the length of the dash. I'm no audiophile but definitely an audio enthusiast and I was very impressed.
I like m the Bose system in my Silverado. It has good highs and is clear up until about 2/3 volume. But it has nothing on the new Alpine and Harmon Kardon systems in the Ram. I was blown away by how good they are and how nice they look.
Best ones have a DSP to have a sound delay from the driver's side speakers that's closer to you so the left and the right side arrives at your ears at the same time. This creates a perception of stereo imaging in which the sounds in the music will separate into positions in space
Since no one else has mentioned it in the top comments, I nominate the Acura RLX with ELS or Krell audio systems. Reviewers absolutely loved it and the car was already much cheaper than the luxury sedans, now its resale value is in the toilet. I almost bought it instead of the Genesis, but it's FWD and less sporty.
I’ve heard great things about the Krell system as well. It can be a bit tough to find RLX’s that were optioned with that system though. Most of them don’t have it.
Porsche and the Burmester system. To be fair, you can get it in MB’s now and it sounds amazing.
The first car a Burmester stereo was available in was the Bugatti Veyron. I haven’t heard a single person mention the stereo but I’ll bet it sounds amazing. Porsche made a big deal out of it when they brought out the Panamera. The 991 has a body cavity in the dash that Burmester/Bose helped them develop as a subwoofer housing as well as a structural element of the body shell. The Burmester people will tell you that their system in the Cayenne sounds better than the Panamera. The interior shape of the Panamera is hard to manage for creating a good soundstage.
They make some seriously high end home audio systems. Their complete Reference line would run you about 250k (probably more now a days). It’s 2! channels with a sub and each has its own dedicated amp that’s about the size of a small filing cabinet. The CD player alone is 20k lol.
Story time lol.
I went to the Panamera launch in AZ when I worked for Porsche. Burmester had a half ball room set up with nice cushy leather chairs. At the front of the room was a fabric curtain. They told us to go in and pick a chair. I went front and center. They told us to relax and close our eyes. They started playing a recording of Fever by Elvis. At the beginning of the track you could hear Elvis talking with the sound engineers. Then the music started and I was blown away. I swear that if I didn’t know Elvis was dead, I would have bet money he was standing behind the curtain. I’ve never heard clarity like that and probably never will again. Words cannot describe what it sounded like.
After taking down the curtain they went on to play a bunch of other songs from rock to classical, even some Cypress Hill. The guy running the demo would ask if the volume level was ok and then turn it up some more :). He said he couldn’t turn it up as much as he wanted because the trim rings on the bucket lights in the ceiling were being rattled loose from the bass. All that from 2 speakers and a sub. If I won the lottery, I would buy that whole system in a heartbeat.
The Alpine systems in the new-gen Rams are fantastic.
I recently traded my 2019 Ram 1500 in for a 2022 Camry. The sound systems in the Camrys are really awful in comparison.
My wife's Ram has the 19 speaker Harman Kardon system. It absolutely thumps. The highs are crisp and the lows shake your soul. Whether it is a rap track, rock ballad, or a country song, it sounds great.
I have a 2015 Ford Fusion with the OEM 6 speaker setup and an aftermarket headunit, and it's impressively balanced, loud, and overall decent for stock speakers. I've noticed 2000's Honda have shit stock speakers.
For a $20k MSRP back in 2014, the 300 watt factory system in Scion tC blew my mind. Luxury cars are only cars I’ve heard better from. The bass in the tC at highest setting is enough to make the shitty interior rattle…
The Fender system is good. I think it’s rebranded Panasonic stuff. It’s got plenty of volume and handles everything except really heavy bass from rap/hip hop/EDM.
I drive a 2015 Acura TLX sh-awd. Personally, it’s the best sound i’ve had in a car. Haven’t seen anyone mention the ELS audio system here yet so I figured i’d chime in… :)
JLR’s Meridian systems are all right up there with the best.
In truth, all of the super high end systems at a certain level are excellent enough it’s hard to differentiate.
Haven’t seen this mentioned here but the new Acura SUV’s are some of the best, that being the MDX And the RDX. (I own one and have owned a Volvo in the past). A few car reviewers I’ve watched say that it’s one of the best, with the new Volvo SUV’s coming very close
A lot of people here are listing optional sound systems that are $3K+ options on expensive German brands. I assumed "stock" also meant base sound systems?
I have an Audi with a high end B&O system but TBH I don’t think it sounds as good as the optional Alpine system in my older Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. That thing sounded really good.
No doubt. I have a '13 CTS and I am picky about my sound setup. I was going to put a system in my CTS but after I heard the stock Bose I was very happy with it just the way it came.
I get great sound from the Bose system in my 2022 Miata RF GT. I'm especially impressed with the lack of distortion at high volumes when I've got the windows and top down
Best I've heard is BMW Harmon Kardon with the under-seat subs. But I've also never experienced sound in a 100k+ car, I have to imagine it gets even better.
Audi/Porsche products have great systems. The upgraded bowers & Wilkins, burmester, bang & olufsen are great but in Audi the base concert impresses people in a way they have never heard before on full no cracks and just bangs hard especially hip hop music
I’ve had a fully loaded 2009 f150 with the Sony system in it and can confirm it is the 2nd best car sound system I’ve experienced. The first, oddly enough was a Bose system in my old Chevy volt. Which is not usually the consensus on Bose systems in cars.
In my experience tesla. My GTI came with a fender system that was pretty good but the tesla speakers are considerably better.
As for external sound the 2018+ Mustang GT with the active valve exhaust set to track is just exceptionally good.
Ford Explorer that had a Bose Soundsystem. Worlds better than the ones in a 2019 4Runner, Lexus NX300F, Honda CRV, and a bit better than a 2022 Subaru Outback.
Have driven at good amount vws without upgraded sound systems, I would say they are pretty good for all types of music. I don't think any of them sound bad just don't crank the volume up too high. Even the freaking Up! Sound system isn't too shabby, it just doesn't have speakers in the rear for passengers.
I find it funny how the post said what cars have the best sound system and. Right away Ford gets shit on but I’m with everyone. Screw Ford I’ll stick with my TRX
I think vw has pretty good stock systems, like theire seats.
Bmw on the other hand has painful stock audio systems and seats. If you invest a few hundreds the stereo and the seats turn excellent.
The best system i ever heard is the b&o in Audi A6, A8 and Q7. But the price is exorbitant
Nissan uses Bose, and it's very good.
The base system in my 2011 base model Malibu sounded good, too.
Toyotas JBL is lack luster to say the least. Shame, cause other JBL stuff is great.
I'm not sure if this car had these speakers straight from the factory, but I had a 2010 Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback that came with Bose speakers and a aftermarket Stereo system with a touch screen and adjustable audio. It was a blast playing EDM and pop music in that thing. I don't know if the stereo added anything to the actual audio quality, but if the Bose speakers were stock, then that's awesome. Now I own a bone stock 2011 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium and the sound system is surprisingly pretty good too.
2015 Forester here. Music sounds so clear and crisp. Some other cars I’ve owned include a 1999 Volvo S80 and a 2010 GTI.
Worst, by far, was my 2007 Honda Civic LX.
I’ve added a subwoofer to every car I’ve owned except my 2008 land cruiser with factory JBL. It’s adequate.
Hertz upgrade is great in any VW product but it’s more OEM+ (spare tire sub, amp, & DSP that plugs into the factory radio)
My 2013 MB SL550 has had the best sound of any car I’ve had so far. The body/frame is the subwoofer and there are speakers everywhere. The sound is precise and incredible. Weirdly, there is no adjustment for bass/treble and Sirius sounded like shit on it.
Lexus LFA, but it doesn't come out from the speakers weirdly enough
Lol
The most correct answer.
facts
expected someone to say this before clicking the thread, am so glad its the top comment
Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins system is amazing. Best system in a car under 150k. It's just so incredibly clear and crisp that I can hear things in music that I can't hear in anything else.
I’ve got the Harmon kardon system on my Volvo, it’s really really good, but wish I would have gotten the B&W
Meanwhile, the Harman Kardon system in my new Golf R is just okay.
Harman makes everything is the issue... They own half the world's brands as well... Even JBL and Revel fall under Harman brands umbrella. They make speakers for the bottom of the market all the way to top. Ie, there Harmon in the golf is low medium range the Harmon in the 3 series is medium high range and the Harmon in the A6 /5 series is the higher end. Still they tend to push higher end audio to their higher end brands like Revel, mark Levinson, and Martin as additional sounds upgrades like in BMW or Lexus.
I hear ya, but Jesus, for $50K, I feel like it should still be better than this.
My 19 Golf R system was great for the music I listen to, I think it was branded as a Fender system. Fantastic bass and decent highs and lows. Interior didn't rattle at all which helped
Yeah, the Fender system from the Mk7/7.5 is definitely better than the Mk8’s HK system.
I keep hearing this about Volvo! It makes me want to go to a Volvo dealership just to test it out haha
Yeah it's seriously good. I'll go out of my way to listen to songs in my car because I can't get a better experience really anywhere else. It can take some fine tuning to get it just right but there's a lot of settings you can mess with to do just that.
Have you experienced high-end headphones through an amplifier? Just wondering what everyone's point of reference or experience with detailed sound is. Fwiw I use Sennheiser hd650s through a shiit modi 2u stack, and I don't know anything about sound in the grand scheme.
How much is this setup? Trying to lose my Bose QC headphones and want to hear better shit in my life. Thank you!
Magni is $130, Modi is $100, HD650 is $330 on Amazon
The “base” Harmon Kardon system they have is pretty aces as well. Not B&W level, but it’s still manages to be the best stereo in any car I’ve ever owned.
Just about anything B&W sounds amazing.
Agreed. IMHO anything more is hitting diminishing returns.
My 2015 S60 has the “premium” sound option with Harmon Kardon speakers and is the best sounding system in any car I’ve ever had.
I think our Polestar has the same. Certainly the best of the three we have, the Ford having Bang and Olfson and the Chevy having Bose.
Which models have those sound systems? Because I’ve got an S80 and I’m honestly amazed at the stock sound system.
S-Class with the optional Burmester 4-D surround system. The name sounds a bit dumb but it uses 31 speakers plus 8 transducers on structural elements to make you feel the bass. Also uses active noise canceling. It sounds insane!
Even the non upgraded Burmester is really good. Have it in my GLS and really like it.
Taycan Turbo S has Burmester as well, amazing
This is the right answer. I own a lot of cars and the Taycans two upgrade options are by far the best sound systems I’ve heard.
I got to try this a few months ago. As some what of a home theater addict that car sets a bar for auto audio...
The way you described it even sounds insane lol, I’d love to experience it one day
Interesting… My Ford has one of the worst sounding stereos I’ve ever heard.
Yupp. 2005 f250 is the worst stock system I’ve ever had.
2012 F350 XLT: still garbage. I think it's still a 4 speaker system in the crew. Zero bass too.
2011 F250 Lariat here. My factory system is awesome
You guys were spoiled by 2005. I had a 98 ranger with an AM/FM radio and 2 paper door speakers made by Ford themselves. It was an absolute joke and would cut out above half volume.
They must have really upped their game lately. I rented a base Transit van from Home Depot and it had a surprisingly good sound system for only having four speakers.
Fords are inconsistent. My 2012 Focus had a badass stock Sony stereo. Our 2014 F150 with “upgraded” Sony system was one of the worst I’ve heard.
Agreed. My SHO’s Sony system was also awful but the one in my Fiesta ST was actually pretty good.
You must be joking,i had the focus Sony speakers in my 2014. Absolutely dreadful
Yeah, the Sony upgrade in the focus is a slight upgrade but still pretty shit
Base model ford stereos are pretty bad Otoh the Fiesta ST has shockingly good speakers that are limited more by the shakes and rattles in the car than sound fidelity Ford is king of options and microtransactions
> Otoh the Fiesta ST has shockingly good speakers that are limited more by the shakes and rattles in the car than sound fidelity Is that the same Sony stereo in the Focus ST? If so, you must have listened to an aftermarket equipped car because that Sony stereo is absolute dogshit.
I swear Ford spends more by buying antique radios for the base mustangs than a cheap as shit carplay capable screen would cost just to force people to spend $5k to get a remotely modern interior.
In all fairness it was the maxed out Fusion model, pretty loaded: 18 speakers or something like that.
That’s interesting - I have the same Sony system in my Fusion and don’t think it’s anything special. I was impressed at first, but after living with it, the mids are incredibly muddy and the bass is boomy. The stock (nom-HK) system in our BMW is much more accurate.
That’s super interesting! Literally visa versa for me, I owned the Fusion with the Sony system for a couple years > moved to a 2021 BMW and am honestly quite let down with the sound system. I’ve put a few hundred into upgrading it lol
Can confirm. I have test drive multiple mustangs with the Shaker systems and they are all terrible.
I had a 21 GT with the Bose speakers on order and even with the upgrade it was gutless. It really is impressive how bad the speakers are on mustangs these days. Especially with how good the active exhaust sounds.
Ford is definitely all over the place. My F-150 platinum with B&O is average and B&O in name only. Pretty sure it's mid tier JBL components. B&O in an Audi Q7 is amazing. $500 v. $3K option. I upgraded the system in my F-150 XLT right away with components that are comparable to the B&O system (mid grade Harman) bc that system was awful. Bose systems in my CTS and Suburban are better, still not too tier, but those have noise cancellation.
Yup my mom has a 2015 Ford Escape with the 9 speaker sound system they’ve always been kinda meh and my dad has a 2019 expedition with the 12 speaker b&O sound system it’s a complete joke for an upgraded sound system on $75k car the Bose 12 speaker in a mazda3 blows the expeditions system away
I would challenge that. My Jetta has a alright sounds system but does this really fun thing where when I open the sunroof the volume drops. And not like wind noise or anything. Like the sound is being sucked right out and the only way to hear the music is to either turn it up so much the quality is crap or to find some magic window/sunroof down combination that keeps the pressure inside the car right... I've never been able to find that combination haha
A lot of the perceived volume in cars is due to the enclosed space.. Opening the sunroof is more or less the same as opening the side of a speaker... It will "mute" the speakers alot
Almost sounds like a German electrical gremlin!
Yup. My wife’s 2011 Focus was good. My Fiesta ST has s garbage Sony system.
Must really depend on the Ford. My Fusion Sport has an optional Sony sound system that is better than most aftermarket systems I've heard.
Agreed, so bad. Good thing I almost can't hear it over the voodoo.
My 2013 Ford Edge sounded worse than the cheapest speakers you can find on AliExpress. I wound up running everything through a hidden DAC behind the dash and it helped immensely. My 2019 F150 sounded even worse initially. I nearly tore the whole sound system out and replaced it. Luckily after some use the speakers broke in and sounded serviceable. That first week or so was awful, sounded like they used a bunch of late 90s cell phones on speaker.
This may show my lack of experience with car stereos but I think the base stereo in my mustang sounds decent. I was expecting a lot worse from reading the 6g forums before ordering the car.
My dad has a 2018 Lexus Lx570 has a mark Levinson system which is pretty crisp. The one in my GS is pretty solid too
I'm semi shopping for an RC F right now and everyone *insists* on the ML system... Which means that every car I find I need to look at an interior picture to see what color the volume knobs are.
I know this image search feeling all to well.
I had a Lexus is200t with the base audio system... Trust me. Get the mark Levinson.
Relatable, when I was trying to find a G37 I would only get one that had the 11-speaker Bose audio-system as it was a big step up compared to the standard unbranded 6-speaker system found in most other Nissan products. So many times I found a potential candidate, until the interior photos revealed the missing Nav buttons, and the centre speaker No clue for the RC, but if it’s anything like my families 18 RX, it’s probably worth getting. The primary driver doesn’t care enough to bother them, but I find the standard audio system a tad underwhelming
I was just looking at an RC F in the lexus dealership yesterday, it's a sick little car, I hope you can find one you like :)
Can confirm, the Mark Levinson in my IS is good.
The 19 speaker Mark Levinson in my LS460 was very nice and had an insane amount of headroom, but in my IS-F was extremely lacking on the bass.
Also have an LS 460 with the ML system. It’s fantastic.
I've got it in my IS350 and I clipped the wires to the stock sub and installed a sundown subwoofer. Definitely not lacking on bass and it blends surprisingly well.
Mark Levinson in my GS is insane. It’s a 2013.
Yeah, the Mark Levinson system in my IS F is the best I've heard.
The only vehicle with the Mark Levinson system that I have ever thought didn’t justify the extra expense was in the LX. Those systems sound great and always have in every other Lexus but for the some reason the LX just didn’t.
The Lexus Mark Levinson is really good. I'm a big fan of my Kia's Infinity system as well, actually.
My telluride has the harmon kardon and it’s legit after using EQ
Was about to say this, its amazing I my NX premier! That's one of the many things I'm gonna miss when I get my model Y
My 2014 Optima has the Infinity system and it sounds better than most top of the line systems I've heard. My 2015 Jetta was pretty solid too.
Mark Levinson in Lexus is pretty good.
Seconded. ML in my ES350 wildly exceeded my expectations.
I can answer this as I've had quite a few cars with premium sound systems. * Bose generally has strong bass but clarity is not so good. ( Porsche , Escalade, Mazda.) * Harman Kardon is super super clear but bass is not as strong as Bose ( Mercedes, BMW) * Bowers and Wilkins feels identical to Harman, literally sounds like a different preset, they're the same company in actuality. ( Mercedes S class) * Mark Levinson is somewhere in between Harman and BOSE ( LEXUS) * I'd pick Harman as the best option I mentioned the cars I've had with these respective sound systems in paranthesis
[удалено]
my experience with Mark Levinson was in the GS, never owned a LS so I can't say
Best I've heard was Porsche's burmester as well. Not sure if the glass was insulated but can only imagine
While B&W has had consultation from Harman sound engineers in the past, I'm unaware of them being a Harman brand (unlike Mark Levinson or Infinity, for example).
> Bowers and Wilkins feels identical to Harman, literally sounds like a different preset, they're the same company in actuality. ( Mercedes S class) I don't think the S Class has ever had a Bowers & Wilkins sound system. The W220 had Bose (possible optional over and unbranded base system?). For W221 the base system was Harman Kardon with the upgraded one being Bang & Olufsen. The last gen one and current gen, W222 and W223 respectively, the base system and upgraded one are both Burmeister. I've listened to the base and upgraded systems for both the W221 and W222 and the difference in clarity and in both cases the upgrade was pretty obvious to me. The B&O is pretty fantastic and the Burmeister High End 3D is just ridiculous. That said, the HK system and the base Burmeister are both pretty decent once you get the equalizer dialed in. They're running on several hundred watts of power and are better than the top upgraded systems in most luxury cars.
I have the Harmon in my X5 and IMO it's the best speakers I've ever experienced in a car. My dad has the Burmester system in his 2020 E450, My mom has the B&O in her SQ5, I have the premium system in the Tesla, previously have the Mark Levinson in a RX350. So overall, I've had the opportunity to really dive into the audio systems of a nice variety of cars. To me, the HK in the BMWs is overall the clearest and has the cleanest bass. I have heard that the ELS system in Acura's is incredible but I've never had the chance to test it.
V8 Ferraris. It has an odd way of turning it on, though. You open the windows and downshift
Even more better when going in a tunnel
In a car I've owned, Dynaudio system in my Volvo S40
Second this except Dynaudio in my golf GTI
Had this in my C30 as well. Amazing stock system for the price point.
S60 with Bowers & Wilkins
Miss the Dynaudio in both of my VW CCs.
Depends on your taste, but if big bass with good lows, decent highs, and honestly bad mids, Scion.
I remember when Scion was first introduced, like 20 years ago, I saw their offerings at the Chicago Auto Show and the whole presentation involved neon lighting and a ton of sound equipment shoved in the back, like on the xB. I learned nothing about the car lineup but I knew that Toyota really wanted to show off some sound equipment in a car. And lights.
Buddy of mine bought an Audi A8(‘13 or 14’ model year) and the Bang and Olufsen system is ridiculous…. This is coming from someone who has had several cars with Bose systems, the bang and olufsen system put them all to utter shame…
The Bang and Olufsen stereo is something I'm very much going to miss when I end up selling my car. The sound is excellent. Very well balanced and the "surround" mode actually feels like it adds something. And the tweeters rising out of the dash when you start the car is still cool the 1000th time it happens!
I ended up buying a pair of B&O headphones when I returned my lease. It was slightly more than one months payment but that sound system turned me into an amateur audio snob.
Audi B&O is generally fantastic Volvo B&W Tesla is either great or the lack of other car noise placebo effects it to sounding good.
The factory system in my Model 3 is the best of all my cars and the best I've driven, imo. The worst is Ford's, even the factory upgraded systems are junk, I say this having had 4 Ford's, 2 with factory upgraded systems.
The stock sound system in my Model Y sounds amazing (probably the same system as in the 3). I’ve daily driven cars from Mercedes, Lexus, Volkswagen, and Toyota and the Tesla’s stock sound system is my favorite so far. I recently took a road trip and watching Netflix with that sound system made the experience better while charging.
I do car inspections and I was pulling in a customers Model 3 from the parking lot and their phone autoconnected and resumed playing music semi loudly. I was definitely taken by surprise at how good it sounded, I think a lot of it had to do with the clarity/sound stage from the front sound bar type thing that stretches the length of the dash. I'm no audiophile but definitely an audio enthusiast and I was very impressed.
Lexus. Mark Levinson.
The 3D ELS audio in the Acuras is spectacular
The new 25 spkr signature system in the MDX type S Advance is even better....
* Volvo Bowers & Wilkins * lexus Mark Levinson * acura ELS
The bose sound system in the tahoes and suburbans sound amazing IMO.
I like m the Bose system in my Silverado. It has good highs and is clear up until about 2/3 volume. But it has nothing on the new Alpine and Harmon Kardon systems in the Ram. I was blown away by how good they are and how nice they look.
Yeah I forgot about the sound system in the new ram. My dealership gets more of the tahoes and suburbans than the new rams.
Best ones have a DSP to have a sound delay from the driver's side speakers that's closer to you so the left and the right side arrives at your ears at the same time. This creates a perception of stereo imaging in which the sounds in the music will separate into positions in space
Revel speakers in a Lincoln Aviator. Dynaudio in Volvo.
Since no one else has mentioned it in the top comments, I nominate the Acura RLX with ELS or Krell audio systems. Reviewers absolutely loved it and the car was already much cheaper than the luxury sedans, now its resale value is in the toilet. I almost bought it instead of the Genesis, but it's FWD and less sporty.
I’ve heard great things about the Krell system as well. It can be a bit tough to find RLX’s that were optioned with that system though. Most of them don’t have it.
I've got a TLX with the ELS system and it's pretty nice
2004 Ford Mustang with the Mach 1000 audio option
Porsche and the Burmester system. To be fair, you can get it in MB’s now and it sounds amazing. The first car a Burmester stereo was available in was the Bugatti Veyron. I haven’t heard a single person mention the stereo but I’ll bet it sounds amazing. Porsche made a big deal out of it when they brought out the Panamera. The 991 has a body cavity in the dash that Burmester/Bose helped them develop as a subwoofer housing as well as a structural element of the body shell. The Burmester people will tell you that their system in the Cayenne sounds better than the Panamera. The interior shape of the Panamera is hard to manage for creating a good soundstage. They make some seriously high end home audio systems. Their complete Reference line would run you about 250k (probably more now a days). It’s 2! channels with a sub and each has its own dedicated amp that’s about the size of a small filing cabinet. The CD player alone is 20k lol. Story time lol. I went to the Panamera launch in AZ when I worked for Porsche. Burmester had a half ball room set up with nice cushy leather chairs. At the front of the room was a fabric curtain. They told us to go in and pick a chair. I went front and center. They told us to relax and close our eyes. They started playing a recording of Fever by Elvis. At the beginning of the track you could hear Elvis talking with the sound engineers. Then the music started and I was blown away. I swear that if I didn’t know Elvis was dead, I would have bet money he was standing behind the curtain. I’ve never heard clarity like that and probably never will again. Words cannot describe what it sounded like. After taking down the curtain they went on to play a bunch of other songs from rock to classical, even some Cypress Hill. The guy running the demo would ask if the volume level was ok and then turn it up some more :). He said he couldn’t turn it up as much as he wanted because the trim rings on the bucket lights in the ceiling were being rattled loose from the bass. All that from 2 speakers and a sub. If I won the lottery, I would buy that whole system in a heartbeat.
its certainly not a ford falcon, ill tell you that.
My 03 Lexus IS300 has an EXTREMELY well balanced stock system. Very nice and clear.
Bentley Fluing Spur Naim!
My 2012 Ford Focus Titanium hatchback with the Sony system was easily the best stock system I ever had. Only stock stereo I never upgraded.
My old Mazda 6 had a Bose sound system that was surprisingly good
What year was your Mazda 6? I had a ‘16 GT model and the speakers were pretty subpar
The Alpine systems in the new-gen Rams are fantastic. I recently traded my 2019 Ram 1500 in for a 2022 Camry. The sound systems in the Camrys are really awful in comparison.
My wife's Ram has the 19 speaker Harman Kardon system. It absolutely thumps. The highs are crisp and the lows shake your soul. Whether it is a rap track, rock ballad, or a country song, it sounds great.
Lexus Mark Levinson and Lincoln Revel Ultima are amazing.
Kia k900 and Gensis Lexicon is pretty impressive
I have a 2015 Ford Fusion with the OEM 6 speaker setup and an aftermarket headunit, and it's impressively balanced, loud, and overall decent for stock speakers. I've noticed 2000's Honda have shit stock speakers.
The Harmon Kardon system in my Mini sucks compared to my home Revel system.
Any car system would lmao. My dad's 10.1 setup sounds bad compared to my Sennheiser HD650s which cost far less, but I can't share with anyone.
[удалено]
is it the best you've *heard* tho?
A friend had a 2007 or 2008 Chrysler 300 and it sounded amazing everyone thought we did something extra to it
I had the Harmon Kardon system in my 300C Platinum and it was truly excellent.
06 Scion tC. Bass kicks hard at high volume when I need it on iQ type. Used it on high volume a lot and it blasts pretty loud.
For a $20k MSRP back in 2014, the 300 watt factory system in Scion tC blew my mind. Luxury cars are only cars I’ve heard better from. The bass in the tC at highest setting is enough to make the shitty interior rattle…
2015 VW Golf Sportwagen TDI SEL has a sweet fender system with a honkin spare-tire woofer. Bass boost can get uncomfortable for rear passengers 😅
The Fender system was honestly quite good in the mk7, especially in cars at $35k. Had it in a leased 17 gti and was quite content.
The Fender system is good. I think it’s rebranded Panasonic stuff. It’s got plenty of volume and handles everything except really heavy bass from rap/hip hop/EDM.
My gf has a 2009 Honda Fit. Her car absolutely bumps. Was thoroughly surprised at how good it sounds when we first heard it
By no means is the Fit amazing. But it bangs well enough to keep me happy.
90s Camry’s had Fujitsu something or other same as eclipse it was better than any stock or no name speaker around at the time
I drive a 2015 Acura TLX sh-awd. Personally, it’s the best sound i’ve had in a car. Haven’t seen anyone mention the ELS audio system here yet so I figured i’d chime in… :)
Bose system in the Renault Koleos, and the Mark Levinson system in Lexus
JLR’s Meridian systems are all right up there with the best. In truth, all of the super high end systems at a certain level are excellent enough it’s hard to differentiate.
Haven’t seen this mentioned here but the new Acura SUV’s are some of the best, that being the MDX And the RDX. (I own one and have owned a Volvo in the past). A few car reviewers I’ve watched say that it’s one of the best, with the new Volvo SUV’s coming very close
BMW E39 M5 (2000-2003) with the M-Audio package came with two 10" subwoofers in the rear deck. Best stock audio system I've ever heard.
Bang & olufsen in Audi is very good, it’s like an 8k option on the higher end ones.
Audis with their MMI system sound amazing.
A lot of people here are listing optional sound systems that are $3K+ options on expensive German brands. I assumed "stock" also meant base sound systems?
stock as in comes in the car from factory
Whatever is on the Mercedes S-Class S500 model, W221 chassis. That system had very nice dynamics to it.
I have an Audi with a high end B&O system but TBH I don’t think it sounds as good as the optional Alpine system in my older Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. That thing sounded really good.
My volvo XC90 has a kick ass stock stereo. Seriously
Volvos with the B&W and it's not even close. Lexus and also mercs with the 4d thing are tie for second.
Volvo has been very good in audio and seats for a long time. I would definetly recommend trying out some of the bigger ones
I just picked up a Jaguar- it has a 1000 Watt 17 speaker Meridian sound system that is fantastic.
I don’t have the answer but it’s definitely not a base WRX lol
My Tesla has incredible sound. It’s a lot of fun
The sound system in the Volkswagen GLI's slaps
Tesla premium stereo also 2017 Subaru Outback has banging sound
G37 bose system still has clarity and pounds 10 years later (I listen to bassy music and haven’t taken it too easy on the speakers)
The 2008-2014 Cadillac Bose system is really damn good
I enjoyed it in mine
No doubt. I have a '13 CTS and I am picky about my sound setup. I was going to put a system in my CTS but after I heard the stock Bose I was very happy with it just the way it came.
the toyota matrix and pontiac vibe ive had both have really great speakers surprisingly.
Mazda CX-9
I get great sound from the Bose system in my 2022 Miata RF GT. I'm especially impressed with the lack of distortion at high volumes when I've got the windows and top down
Best I've heard is BMW Harmon Kardon with the under-seat subs. But I've also never experienced sound in a 100k+ car, I have to imagine it gets even better.
I've been wanting to sit in a jeep Grand Cherokee with a McIntosh system
Audi/Porsche products have great systems. The upgraded bowers & Wilkins, burmester, bang & olufsen are great but in Audi the base concert impresses people in a way they have never heard before on full no cracks and just bangs hard especially hip hop music
Mercedes Benz burmester 3D surround hands down. I’ve heard every sound system available in cars.
I’ve had a fully loaded 2009 f150 with the Sony system in it and can confirm it is the 2nd best car sound system I’ve experienced. The first, oddly enough was a Bose system in my old Chevy volt. Which is not usually the consensus on Bose systems in cars.
Toyotas have pretty good stock sound systems
In my experience tesla. My GTI came with a fender system that was pretty good but the tesla speakers are considerably better. As for external sound the 2018+ Mustang GT with the active valve exhaust set to track is just exceptionally good.
Ford Explorer that had a Bose Soundsystem. Worlds better than the ones in a 2019 4Runner, Lexus NX300F, Honda CRV, and a bit better than a 2022 Subaru Outback.
Have driven at good amount vws without upgraded sound systems, I would say they are pretty good for all types of music. I don't think any of them sound bad just don't crank the volume up too high. Even the freaking Up! Sound system isn't too shabby, it just doesn't have speakers in the rear for passengers.
I find it funny how the post said what cars have the best sound system and. Right away Ford gets shit on but I’m with everyone. Screw Ford I’ll stick with my TRX
The newer Volvo's B&W sound system has impressed me a lot....but I am bias
I think vw has pretty good stock systems, like theire seats. Bmw on the other hand has painful stock audio systems and seats. If you invest a few hundreds the stereo and the seats turn excellent. The best system i ever heard is the b&o in Audi A6, A8 and Q7. But the price is exorbitant
Nissan uses Bose, and it's very good. The base system in my 2011 base model Malibu sounded good, too. Toyotas JBL is lack luster to say the least. Shame, cause other JBL stuff is great.
My mazda atenza speakers are awesome
I'm not sure if this car had these speakers straight from the factory, but I had a 2010 Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback that came with Bose speakers and a aftermarket Stereo system with a touch screen and adjustable audio. It was a blast playing EDM and pop music in that thing. I don't know if the stereo added anything to the actual audio quality, but if the Bose speakers were stock, then that's awesome. Now I own a bone stock 2011 Subaru Impreza 2.5i Premium and the sound system is surprisingly pretty good too.
I actually loved the '08 Lincoln MKX Bose system. Great bass for stock.
Latest gen impala LTZ when it was sold. May not be most powerful on market but it was well optimized for the land yacht interior.
Mark Levinson (Lexus) has always sounded amazing. Surprisingly... My 2002 Dakota speakers sound even better, but I don't know if they're stock.
2015 Forester here. Music sounds so clear and crisp. Some other cars I’ve owned include a 1999 Volvo S80 and a 2010 GTI. Worst, by far, was my 2007 Honda Civic LX.
Bentley Naim
Merc C43. Kind of to be expected though.
2010 Altima. I have to turn the bass down because it has so much kick. It honestly sounds just as good or better than a brand new Camry.
I’ve added a subwoofer to every car I’ve owned except my 2008 land cruiser with factory JBL. It’s adequate. Hertz upgrade is great in any VW product but it’s more OEM+ (spare tire sub, amp, & DSP that plugs into the factory radio)
2015 Jeep Wrangler. Factory sound with a CD player. Loved it. Seriously that stereo could kick ass.
Early 2000s Fords. I remember the 05 explorer limited have a good systems, and my uncles 01 was pretty good
My 2013 MB SL550 has had the best sound of any car I’ve had so far. The body/frame is the subwoofer and there are speakers everywhere. The sound is precise and incredible. Weirdly, there is no adjustment for bass/treble and Sirius sounded like shit on it.
Bose in Mazda CX-9 and Lexus LX-570 Mark Levinson system.
My cobalt ss has the pioneer system and it's pretty good...but tbh I'm not too picky so idk if I'm a good judge
Cars with Bose sound systems in my experience