Sound quality

[mnaines 10+ year member]

What determines sound quality on car audio systems? What frequency range, THD, and signal-to-noise ratio is top-end quality?

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[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

The only one3 of those measurements I find at all useful is Signal to noise ratio. Even then most people aren't going to be able to tell a difference once it's over 90dB or so. The highest you'll most likely see is around 115-120dB.

 

[mnaines 10+ year member]

The stats of my Sony head unit are 10Hz to 20kHz frequency response, 120dB signal-to-noise ratio,

 

[wesl56 10+ year member]

high end for $120?

those stats published by car audio companies can be misleading as they may all be figured under special conditions, with so many different facotrs (indirect cheating) and there are really no mandatory standards to which car audio equip specs be figured so its kinda pointless to compare products or determine quality simply by published specs

 

[mnaines 10+ year member]

I have the Turtle Beach Montego DDL soundcard on my computer, which provides home theater quality sound, and the only difference between the Montego on my computer and the Sony setup in my car is that the Sony setup in my car has less distortion and more bass, even though I have the Montego set to run at 24-bit/96kHz output through a fiber optic SPDIF cable. Quality-wize, I can't tell the difference between the two.

 

[GrnEydDvl 10+ year member]

I have the Turtle Beach Montego DDL soundcard on my computer, which provides home theater quality sound, and the only difference between the Montego on my computer and the Sony setup in my car is that the Sony setup in my car has less distortion and more bass, even though I have the Montego set to run at 24-bit/96kHz output through a fiber optic SPDIF cable. Quality-wize, I can't tell the difference between the two.

"Home Theater Quality Sound" is vague at best. It, in effect, means nothing.

I would imagine there is a significant difference in the sound of the two setups beyond one having more bass and less distortion.

Just because you cannot determine a difference with your ears in between the two setups does not mean there isn't one.

Also, your $120 sony head-unit is not high end. Im not bagging on it, in fact if you like the way it sounds it seems it is working well for you.

 

[kngadrok 10+ year member]

So, it seems to me that SQ is subjective at best? I'm talking as it relates to the human ear only, not some hi-tech device.

I mean I've heard some **** good sounding systems, and I would say that they do sound better than mine which in no way is to say that mine sounds bad, just that they sound better.

 

[wesl56 10+ year member]

So, it seems to me that SQ is subjective at best? I'm talking as it relates to the human ear only, not some hi-tech device.I mean I've heard some **** good sounding systems, and I would say that they do sound better than mine which in no way is to say that mine sounds bad, just that they sound better.

yeah somehting like that... my mom has the stock system in her car that sounds like utter *** to me but she thinks its great and is just fine for her so... if ya dig it, then ya dig it

 

[budahbuddy803 10+ year member]

^^ tru dat homie

 

[kngadrok 10+ year member]

We could all agree on what sounds like ***, but what about the gray area between a system that sounds really good and one that is exceptional?

BTW:

***

is not subjective. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

Although a lot of amplifiers are rated with maximum rated input voltage (minimum gain) ... Every time you halve the input sensitivity, you drop the signal to noise ratio by 6 dB ...
For example, an amplifier may have a 100 dB SNR at the 8 volt maximum setting.

However, at the 0.2 volt minimum setting, the SNR would only be 68 dB ...

I totally agree, thats why you gotta run at full volume at all times //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

 

[MBrock4u 10+ year member]

Sound quality is certainly subjective. My thinking is, clear at all voulume levels or untill clipping. If you turn the volume up there seems to be a balance to one system. The highs don't overwhelm the bass and the bass do not overwhelm the highs. A system that blends well togeather sounds great. Once again, eveybody may not be looking for that in thier system. At least for me, balance, clairity, and blends well togeather work for me.

 

[kngadrok 10+ year member]

At least for me, balance, clairity, and blends well togeather work for me.

Balance! That's an excellent description.

IMO a "balanced" system produces the best SQ, hence it sounds best to me.

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

Just listen.

If it SOUNDS good, that's good sound quality.

If you looked at the 'specifications' for expensive ADCOM or macIntosh amps, you'd be fairly unimpressed.

a quick listen, however, will show you what all the fuss is about

different manufacturers list specs differently, hands on is the only way to decide what sounds good

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

well, if you want to rule out personal taste, then "SQ" is 20-20 flat

that's more a function of your drivers and install, tho