[jimmydean]

I think most of the companies are getting wrapped up in speaker count instead of actual sound quality.

The new 2014 Z28 has 1 speaker. It's for the seatbelt buzzer.

Mine isn't about volume, it's more about balance. The 10" sub does a pretty good job (its a shallow sub and doesn't go as low as I'd like) of filling the cab with the right amount of bass at moderate volume. I can crank it and rock out, but it's not obnoxious.

I'm only about half gain front and not quite 3/4 gain rear.

 

[Toshi]

Have you listened to any that knock your socks off? I don't think I have ever got in a brand new car and been surprised in a good way.

I've test driven a Lexus LS, Hyundai Equus, and Jaguar XF in the past year or two but had the stereo off as I was trying to concentrate on the car rather than auditioning the sound system. So I might have been impressed had I hit the power button.

 

[Toshi]

The new 2014 Z28 has 1 speaker. It's for the seatbelt buzzer.

I essentially went stereo-less with my old WRX, involuntarily, because it was so freakin' loud. Never again, never again, for so many reasons. What I had in there sounded decent when the vehicle was parked: OG iPod wired directly to a JL amp in the trunk driving MB Quart coaxials (I think) in all four doors (even hazier on this one). I initially had a fancy head unit that did time alignment, million-band EQ and all that jazz, but resold it after realizing the futility of achieving any semblance of sound quality in that rattletrap*.

* For dan-o: Modern Subarus, especially those unmolested and of the more "family man" bent, are a lot quieter than ye olde WRX, 2.5RS, XT, or Loyale.

 

[dan-o]

* For dan-o: Modern Subarus, especially those unmolested and of the more "family man" bent, are a lot quieter than ye olde WRX, 2.5RS, XT, or Loyale.

Duly noted, Dr.
To be fair my first subaru was a '78 4x4 wagon. That thing was more industrial implement than passenger vehicle.

Re: the factory systems I think they are also tuned for the 'typical buyer's' musical tastes.
My trucks system excels with southern rock/metal etc whereas the benz lacks the punch for those styles of music.
It sounds best when playing more 'mature' music, for lack of a better word.

 

[Toshi]

Duly noted, Dr.
To be fair my first subaru was a '78 4x4 wagon. That thing was more industrial implement than passenger vehicle.

I remember riding from the Durango airport back around 1994 in a Subaru XT. That thing positively howled with wind noise at freeway speeds.

Re: the factory systems I think they are also tuned for the 'typical buyer's' musical tastes.
My trucks system excels with southern rock/metal etc whereas the benz lacks the punch for those styles of music.
It sounds best when playing more 'mature' music, for lack of a better word.

A fair point, this, that car companies build to their buyers' anticipated preferences and price points. The good news is that the music I listen to (largely classical with a bit of jazz thrown in) isn't tremendously demanding in terms of power and sheer output, at least given my non-degraded current status of hearing. It is demanding in terms of timbre and clarity, on the other hand.



Peanut gallery at large: Any thoughts on the MB Quart PVL 216 6.5" component/coaxial convertible speakers? Amazon has them for $115 shipped, a far cry from their $340 MSRP, they have good reviews both written up formally and on the forums, and I think they'd fit in the Prius.

(I'd use them as components with the tweeter in the OEM A-pillar location, and the car's already set up with separate, already crossed-over amp channels for the woofers and tweeters. There's a possible minor impedence issue that I discuss in my thread, but I think it wouldn't be an insurmountable problem. Note that this doesn't fall into my plan A/B/C post from above but rather would just be for replacing the front door speakers in my wife's car.)

Unless I read multiple posts here that say that they suck donkey yambags (now there's a word that's fallen out of favor on RM over the years) I'm going to pull the trigger tomorrow…

 

[IH8Rice]

I used to have a set of the PCE216's and their Q series and liked them at the time. I did see their qc go down several years ago as did their customer service (as a customer and retailer.) after hearing other high end speakers, I've found the Quartz to be too bright for my taste. You should still be able to attenuate the tweeters level on the x-over but even then, I find them too bright. Speaker choice is a huge personally choice and they all sound completely different.
Going back to your question about high end factory systems, of the ones you mentionedv I found the B&W to be the most "natural sounding" and the most pleasant to listen to.