[bassman]

First up, fantastic thread.

I recently (dec 2021) picked up a Tata Harrier xza+. The JBL system was a big reason in my purchase decision. The bass is nice and tight (in the front seat), with clean vocals from the speakers and tweeters. I am a JBL fan in general with all my previous cars having JBLs, and I like the color that the JBL provides.

However, the infotainment system is terrible. It is, by far, the worst part of what is otherwise a beautiful machine.

I also took test drives of all the other similar SUVs in the price range - Seltos, Creta - the BOSE system was disappointing. I own a few Bose products, and the sound system in the Koreans lacked the richness you associate with a Bose system

The Jeep Compass S also had a great sound system, right up there with the JBL in the Harrier.

The MG Hector had a nice infotainment tablet, but the excessive body roll i felt in the TD vehicle completely distracted me from actually enjoying the music, so cant comment on it.

[AGupta]

Observed best sound system in :
Hatxhback : Altroz
CSUV: Nexon
Mid Size SUV: Hector
SUV: Endeavour
Hexa setup was also good after tuning it a little bit.

[adityaprasoon]

Originally Posted by Siddarth_Ramani

I find the 8 speaker Harman Kardon music system on my Tiago to be pretty good. I'm neither an audiophile nor have heard the music system of flagship cars. But the one on Tiago is very good compared to it's peers from Honda, Hyundai and Suzuki.

Agreed, the same 8 speaker setup in my Tigor XZ+ punches way above it's weight for a car that comes below 9 lakhs on road. Definitely way better than the cars on same price point from Hyundai and Maruti.

[carfreak]

I have not experienced it personally, but from what I heard from many audiophiles, the Mark and Lewinson in the Lexus is the best by a significant margin. Surprised not many here have commented on it.

[reppy]

Originally Posted by Joyb

I find the sound system of my Ford Endeavour 3.2 amongst the best when in comes to OEM equipment. Found it better than many Audis/ BMW's and Mercedes. Even though its unbranded, the setup is much better than the Bose branded system in Seltos.

A quick google reveals the Endeavour's audio as a Harman 10 speaker setup.

[rkv_2401]

My Vento Highline's stock system is pretty good for an OEM music system in a C2-segment sedan. My friend hates his 5th gen Honda City ZX's music system - he won't stop complaining about it!

This is a matter of personal preference, but I like the Vento's bass-heavy stock system better than my 3rd Gen Elantra's system (which had 6 speakers and a custom, if lower-end, head unit with a custom equalizer I specifically tuned around the weaknesses of the system), and even my (admittedly mediocre) home theater system!

[lemedico]

For anyone with the B&W in their XC90, you must play Domani Domani - Al Bano once.
Thank me later.

[mkaysaw]

Seriously, No one mentioned the Bang and Olufsen on the A8L?
One has to hear it to believe it.
The clarity, the staging and the absolute balance of Treble with crisp bass. Not to mention the theatrics as the tweeters "rise" up off the dash.

The Burmester High (or 4D) in the launch W222-S500 is also very good.

I personally feel Bose and HK audio systems to me more gimmicy then anything else. An aftermarket speaker replacement with decent amps helps keep the stock look with much better sound quality for a fraction of the costs.

[Drlmtukkar]

Without a doubt in the budget end the best sound systems you can get is in any top end Tata.
From lower to higher & good to best.
Tiago
Nexon
Hexa

[nathanjdias]

Originally Posted by MohalV

In comparison, I would definitely rate Tata Hexa XTA on very high pedestal. The stock Harman unit is paired with 8 speaker (JBL) setup.

The Hexa XT and XTA came with a 10 speaker setup (JBL) including one subwoofer in the tailgate and one center speaker mounted on the dashboard. The lower variants came with these two mentioned speakers missing.

[Kannan]

While everyone talks about soundstage and sound quality, I have one important question, how about "time alignment" and "room correction". Does any of the mentioned sound systems across all the mentioned car brands have one? I believe the vehicle acoustics might have been considered during the design stage, but what about time alignment? I have never heard of seat position settings in any of the car brands like Pioneer's "Front-R" or "Front-L" in any reviews.

The first time I realized how important it is, was when I did the research for my home theatre. Even during auditioning, I didn't realise the importance of it. But when I set it up in my home the "Audyssey XT 32" made a huge difference, it was day and night.
The second time I realized is when I upgraded my existing Pioneer + JBL combo in my car. The new one had "Auto EQ & TA". It again made a difference, although I need to keep switching to "Front R" to get the full experience. The difference was dawn and dusk (colour me spoiled by my home theatre)
PS: I used my Marantz's room correction mic for Pioneer, end result, is not good, so don't waste your time on this (even Pioneer's mic is not good, is what I read in other forums). Better play audio like pink noise and white noise and then adjust the time alignment.

The ultimate experience might be in an EV with relatively less tire noise and a good branded sound system!

Digressing....

PS: The combo of the "Pulse – Server Room" movie scene and dual "SVS PB 2000"s with "Marantz 7010"'s "Audyssey XT 32" can push a person back from their seat, literally! and that is not because of the fear but the physics of it. I was sitting approx 30 feet away from the dual subwoofers while auditioning.
PS: If you want to have a good stereo separation from your home audio, use "power conditioner" instead of "UPS" or "Constant Voltage Transformer". Again the stereo separation experience is dawn and dusk.

[vjbox]

A very proud audiophile here! After having tested the audio systems on very many cars, Volvo is probably the only company in my opinion who gets their Audio setup spot on and it never feels like an afterthought like in some manufactures. For instance, the premium audio setup in my V40 CC is still the very best in its class and easily beats the HK and the Canton systems.It puts down some serious power and with the right EQ setting, its a delight. Crank all the way up and you notice zero distortions and I only keep the volume at about 40-50 mark where it sounds amply detailed and punchy. Its a lovely companion on long drives and In fact it was one of the core reasons I even went with the car 4 years back.

The only other system that I felt was a class apart is the B&W in the modern Volvos and I haven't yet listened to a system that beats it. Its tailor made for the car by B&W and integrates well without sounding alienated. The Vocals, mids and lows are as good as what you experience in a high end stereo. The authority in the sound, staging and imaging is excellent with top class amplification. Its one of those systems which lets you feel the music than listening. If only someone can retro setup a big enough portable screen while the car is parked, it would easily be a Theater on Wheels

This system alone can convince some audiophiles to go for the car!

[KK2001]

Hello members,
I own a 2010 fortuner and it has a Blaupunkt head unit. I'm a big audiophile and want to change the speakers for better output. Which speakers and tweakers would you suggest?

Regards
KK

[MohalV]

Originally Posted by nathanjdias

The Hexa XT and XTA came with a 10 speaker setup (JBL) including one subwoofer in the tailgate and one center speaker mounted on the dashboard. The lower variants came with these two mentioned speakers missing.

Thank You Natahjdias for the correction. I had a perception that there are 8 speakers in my Hexa. its good to know that it is a 10 speaker setup.

[sanstorm]

It may be past its prime with the new models and technologies getting better. However, the OEM sound system in Cruze was treat to ears, specially comparing with my other cars OEM setups (Punto, Palio and Mondeo). The Harmon in Tatas is premium OEMs in VFM cars.