Do you care about car audio?

77jovian - Audio matters to me wherever I am

I’ve spent the money on aftermarket car audio, and it can be a lot of fun.

tcutter - Even the finest car stereo does not compete with a good home system.

Yeah, I’ve spent less on car audio (entire system, from wiring, drivers, soundproofing, time alignment, amplifiers) than the cost of my pair of home audio speakers . It’s pretty much impossible to get a car with it’s glass and hard surfaces and closed in cabin to compete - physics and all.

However, using a JBL MS-8 to do active crossover duties, with individual DSP for each driver in my car to hit my ears with millisecond time alignment, full active and programmable crossover points which are configurable.

The MS-8 is an integration device that digitizes the analog signals from the stock head unit into digital, and then it can be programmed with up to 8 individual channels, specific frequency cut off points for low, high and band pass. For example you could easily have a three way front end, using the manufacturers specifications to use drivers within the frequencies they are most linear, and program a couple of subs to match, or two ways in the front, some rear fill and subs.
Seating positions can be programmed into the DSP system as well.
Using a pair of headset microphones, each channel is then recorded by twin microphones to establish frequency response and time alignment using the supplied white noise CD.

It is a different experience to hear a fully DSP car setup, with acoustic treatment and drivers set in fiberglass pods to positions more on axis.
Real sound stage presentation is possible, and yet, it’s not even close to my non DSP home system. It can be fun, and enjoyable.

@rklune34 - JBL MS-8, Vifa silk dome tweeters, Dynaudio mids, Tymphany LAT for sub, JL class D for sub, Audison LRX 4.1k power amp for front stage. No rear fill, sound deadening treatment, custom on axis pods for mids.
Complete rewire to all drivers, circuit breakers front and fused at rear. After the house is paid off, I’ll bother to buy a car again (probably) as I just use the work truck for personal use at the moment. All of that gear sits in a box for another vehicle.

i have $24k in my truck stereo. my speakers are Focal K2s. my amps are Mosconi Zeros. my subs are Illusion Audio 12" shallows. Mosconi DSP. subscription to Qoboz hi-res streaming.
 i win trophies with this system. it gets moved each time i get a new vehicle.
i have all the seats, carpet, console & door panels removed to completely sound deaden.
this keeps the road noise out & the music in.
where are you? wanna hear it?

No. 

My new BMW comes with Acoustic glass option to reduce road noise. Thicker glass all around,  It actually works quite well. I always get a higher end car stereo in all my cars. I think its a bargain compared to what you'd pay for a stand alone system. 

Porsche for instance, you get an entire Burmester system for around 6k. That would be an impossible feat if you bought the components separately. Granted, car audio will never sound as good because of small spaces and glass all around. But, of course, it makes a huge difference.
So far I've tried : 

Bose in Maserati GT - complete trash 
Bose in BMW - garbage 
HK in BMW - acceptable  sound 
Bang Olufsen in BMW - better than HK but quite mediocre 
Mark Levinson in Lexus - quite good 
Bowers and Wilkins in BMW - so far best sound I've heard 

Jeep currently features Mcintosh system in their SUV's. Im curious about that. Has anyone heard it yet? 

It is truly sad that most of the folks on this thread has settled for less in their vehicles. What is also disturbing is that they make excuses to why they do. Are we becoming more like our kids, lol. I can’t stand any Factory car systems. Such junk. No matter how nice my car is with its performance and driving experience (Porsche, Viper, etc), not having a good sounding system makes me want to stop driving after 30 minutes. If you don’t like settling fir an okay stereo system in your home, why even do It in your vehicle unless you truly don’t give a darn and your just all hype with your system in your home. It’s so funny how folks get caught up in the high end names of these manufacturers putting car audio crap in these late model cars and calling it sound quality. Oh, and don’t forget, charging you a premium for it. If you only knew what’s behind the badge, you would shed a tear or two. You can definitely create excellent sound in your car as you do in your home. I am sure of it. I use to compete in IASCA competition for sound quality. Is it a lot of work?? Yes it is, just like it is a lot of work to create the best sound in our home. Don’t settle for less and miss out. Treat yourself to having the best system in your automobile. You won’t regret it.