Hello all,
I am new to this forum, and first time Subaru owner. I work and live in Toronto area, in Canada.
I purchased in June Outback 2020 (basic trim) and so far I love everything about this car exept one thing which is importnat to me - the audio system. It is horrible. May be as horrible as Dodge Caravan , if not even worst.
I am electrical engineer, and long time audiophile, but when it comes to car audio, I am not experienced.
I will be happy if we can keep this post within purely technical discussion as much as possible.
There are plenty of you tube videos and posts in internet such as “I updated to such and such brand of audio components, I installed amp or speakers” That is fine , but we need to understand first what exactly are the problems of the cheap audio system Subaru installed, before we consider this or that brand and compinent for upgrade.
So far, with my previous cars - Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata (also entry, basic models) I had if not great, but at least some decent sound.
With my new Outback , however - the sound system is a big disappointment.
I love everything else in this car, but I hate the audio system.
It is so bad, that the first thing I have to do when it turns on is to turn it off.
Someone may say - if you care so much about audio, why you didn't purchased upgraded Outback with HK audio system.
Because I am not ready to spend extra 10K ( Canadian) just for one extra I need - the audio system.
Also, the upgraded audio offered by the dealership (with Rockford Fosgate kit) didt sound to me convincing at all.
From what I see in the upgrade manual, they just install extra amp and front speakers.This will not resolve the issues of the back speakers, and the issue of the relatively high harmonic distortions of the whole audio system.
Funny enough - l when I asked if I can hear a car with installed Rockford Fosgate kit -they said, I have to purchase the kit and the installation first.
The dealerships don't have vehicles with installed Rockford Fosgate upgrade kits. How the hell I will purchase something, if I can not evaluate the quality of the upgrade, does it worth the money spent?
This is the reality of the today’s world - people are buying brands ( such as Harman Kardon, Bose or Rockford Fosgate), there is no too much option to actually evaluate what you are buying.
I know that HK (for extra 10K car trim upgrade) will deliver good sound, but no- thanks. (When you do a test drive, they give you the top model, and yes - HK sounds really nice).
I am understanding that in a such basic model, and with so may good extra automotive futures included, the designers and management were trying to do saving wherever else than can.
But with saving with audio components, unfortunately, they droped the ball really low. (Which is a shame, because the displays ( 2 separate for my basic model) are beautiful as resolution. colour and brightness)
So far, I did one minor audio improvement - I installed 2 tweeters (Kicker brand) in the empty speaker spaces near the windshield. I choose these non-Subaru, non-OEM tweeters, becuase there is no information ( or at least side view picture) on the whole internet - to show me if the Subaru parts are cheep piezzo speakers ( piezzos always have with higher distortions, than the classical electrodynamic type os speaker - the one with magnet and coil). I assumed they are piezzo, they a light and thin.
But let us focus first on one aspect only of the bad audio system - the strongly resonating bass in the door speakers at some particular frequency.
(We are talking here not for buzzing sound of doors in result of high bass volume, or bacuase of loose assembly)
My point is, that unless you listening techno music, for any other music style, booming of the bass is extremely unpleased sensation .
If the bass guitar plays for example E A B F C- it sounds lound only on one note -let say A.
Horrible :-(
Technically speaking, there are a few reasons why a enclosed speaker can resonate and boom on certain low frequency:
1. Speakers have own strong resonance on certain frequency (this is what in Hi-Fi world you are trying to eliminate by design)
2. Acoustic resonance in result of the standing waves and the volume of the enclosed space behind the speaker.
3. High impedance of the amp in the infotainment system (or cables) cause increased resonance of the speakers.
My initial thoughts:
I will measure and find out what are the actual resonance frequencies of the front 6x9in and back 6,5in speakers
Possible resolution of 1:
If the unpleasant resonance is a result of a poor quality speakers, I may consider replacement.
Starting with the backdoor speakers. I am considering for possible replacement these
Possible resolution of 2:
If contributing factor of resonance is the enclosed acoustic chamber behind the speakers - I can consider adding any of the many audio absorbing materials available . I think I would and also some internal micro-sound barriers and enforcers - to break a standing wave within this space.
Possible resolution of 3
If the factory installed infotainment system has already a weak amplifier with high impedance Z (possibly class D amplifier) -than there not too much can be done with repplacing speaker.
Then the only solution would be to find pins on connectors, where pure non-amplified audio signal might be available - and to add of proper (decent quality) audio amplifier .
I said enough about the topic
Now, I would like to hear what other fellow Outbackers have to say about this.
Any opinion matters, but I will enjoy even more the pure technical, (non commercial) suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Lubo
I am new to this forum, and first time Subaru owner. I work and live in Toronto area, in Canada.
I purchased in June Outback 2020 (basic trim) and so far I love everything about this car exept one thing which is importnat to me - the audio system. It is horrible. May be as horrible as Dodge Caravan , if not even worst.
I am electrical engineer, and long time audiophile, but when it comes to car audio, I am not experienced.
I will be happy if we can keep this post within purely technical discussion as much as possible.
There are plenty of you tube videos and posts in internet such as “I updated to such and such brand of audio components, I installed amp or speakers” That is fine , but we need to understand first what exactly are the problems of the cheap audio system Subaru installed, before we consider this or that brand and compinent for upgrade.
So far, with my previous cars - Honda Civic, Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata (also entry, basic models) I had if not great, but at least some decent sound.
With my new Outback , however - the sound system is a big disappointment.
I love everything else in this car, but I hate the audio system.
It is so bad, that the first thing I have to do when it turns on is to turn it off.
Someone may say - if you care so much about audio, why you didn't purchased upgraded Outback with HK audio system.
Because I am not ready to spend extra 10K ( Canadian) just for one extra I need - the audio system.
Also, the upgraded audio offered by the dealership (with Rockford Fosgate kit) didt sound to me convincing at all.
From what I see in the upgrade manual, they just install extra amp and front speakers.This will not resolve the issues of the back speakers, and the issue of the relatively high harmonic distortions of the whole audio system.
Funny enough - l when I asked if I can hear a car with installed Rockford Fosgate kit -they said, I have to purchase the kit and the installation first.
The dealerships don't have vehicles with installed Rockford Fosgate upgrade kits. How the hell I will purchase something, if I can not evaluate the quality of the upgrade, does it worth the money spent?
This is the reality of the today’s world - people are buying brands ( such as Harman Kardon, Bose or Rockford Fosgate), there is no too much option to actually evaluate what you are buying.
I know that HK (for extra 10K car trim upgrade) will deliver good sound, but no- thanks. (When you do a test drive, they give you the top model, and yes - HK sounds really nice).
I am understanding that in a such basic model, and with so may good extra automotive futures included, the designers and management were trying to do saving wherever else than can.
But with saving with audio components, unfortunately, they droped the ball really low. (Which is a shame, because the displays ( 2 separate for my basic model) are beautiful as resolution. colour and brightness)
So far, I did one minor audio improvement - I installed 2 tweeters (Kicker brand) in the empty speaker spaces near the windshield. I choose these non-Subaru, non-OEM tweeters, becuase there is no information ( or at least side view picture) on the whole internet - to show me if the Subaru parts are cheep piezzo speakers ( piezzos always have with higher distortions, than the classical electrodynamic type os speaker - the one with magnet and coil). I assumed they are piezzo, they a light and thin.
But let us focus first on one aspect only of the bad audio system - the strongly resonating bass in the door speakers at some particular frequency.
(We are talking here not for buzzing sound of doors in result of high bass volume, or bacuase of loose assembly)
My point is, that unless you listening techno music, for any other music style, booming of the bass is extremely unpleased sensation .
If the bass guitar plays for example E A B F C- it sounds lound only on one note -let say A.
Horrible :-(
Technically speaking, there are a few reasons why a enclosed speaker can resonate and boom on certain low frequency:
1. Speakers have own strong resonance on certain frequency (this is what in Hi-Fi world you are trying to eliminate by design)
2. Acoustic resonance in result of the standing waves and the volume of the enclosed space behind the speaker.
3. High impedance of the amp in the infotainment system (or cables) cause increased resonance of the speakers.
My initial thoughts:
I will measure and find out what are the actual resonance frequencies of the front 6x9in and back 6,5in speakers
Possible resolution of 1:
If the unpleasant resonance is a result of a poor quality speakers, I may consider replacement.
Starting with the backdoor speakers. I am considering for possible replacement these
Hertz car audio systems | The Sound Experience
Hertz produces high-performance car audio systems driven by research: V-cone®, Boundary Free Surround Tetolon Fibre, Rotary High Frequency Contour
www.hertzaudiovideo.com
Possible resolution of 2:
If contributing factor of resonance is the enclosed acoustic chamber behind the speakers - I can consider adding any of the many audio absorbing materials available . I think I would and also some internal micro-sound barriers and enforcers - to break a standing wave within this space.
Possible resolution of 3
If the factory installed infotainment system has already a weak amplifier with high impedance Z (possibly class D amplifier) -than there not too much can be done with repplacing speaker.
Then the only solution would be to find pins on connectors, where pure non-amplified audio signal might be available - and to add of proper (decent quality) audio amplifier .
I said enough about the topic
Now, I would like to hear what other fellow Outbackers have to say about this.
Any opinion matters, but I will enjoy even more the pure technical, (non commercial) suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Lubo
