Harmon Kardon Sound System

[MerlintheMad]

I guess physical media is passe. But for a synthesized DSP program/system, I think the Stinger's is more than capable considering the car's cost.

Admittedly, I was disappointed to not get a disc player. And it would be good to have one. Why not? A lot of people still prefer discs (not a majority, by any stretch; and the longer we move on the fewer disc aficionados we have).

The HK surround system is "gimmicky" perhaps? It goes for effect without literal sound distribution; the system does the dividing up among the channels. Or am I not thinking correctly about this? It doesn't matter: I like what I hear, a lot.

 

[RVance]

Admittedly, I was disappointed to not get a disc player. And it would be good to have one. Why not? A lot of people still prefer discs (not a majority, by any stretch; and the longer we move on the fewer disc aficionados we have).

The HK surround system is "gimmicky" perhaps? It goes for effect without literal sound distribution; the system does the dividing up among the channels. Or am I not thinking correctly about this? It doesn't matter: I like what I hear, a lot.

Yes, you are exactly right- Digital Signal Processing (DSP). It synthesizes multi-track playback from stereo sources and electronically boosts resolution artifacts (can't really boost resolution that isn't there, lol) to clean up low resolution files and make them sound better. It certainly takes crappy Bluetooth audio off my Samsung phone- that I would never listen to with 'phones- and makes it sound pretty damned good, IMO. I still have iPods, lol, which comes in handy for ripping CD's and playing back in Apple Lossless on my Classic, which fits nicely under the console cover.

What's weird is, deep in the owner's manual, they say higher resolution files on an mp3 device above a few hundred kbps won't play back on the HK system. I was totally bummed when I read this, since I have thousands of songs and albums ripped in Lossless, which average about 1100 kbps. But it plays back everything on my Classic without a glitch. Yay!

 

[Kazz]

Isn't that the whole idea? You are positioned in the midst of the performers. It's the surround sound "showing off" mode.

I had it that way for a good year or so now. I turned it off and am enjoying it "au naturel" now.

 

[dazzabozza]

Came across this thread as I too am finding to HK system lacking and difficult to tune. Mainly listen to metal core.

I come out of a 2008 RX8 and 2013 Mazda 6 both with Bose systems. Subs are in the front doors I believe, very good bass performance to the point where the rear view mirror would shake. I have got this out the Stinger as yet.

A few people going on about the audio source being the issue. I’m bringing the same music and source from the Mazda’s to the Stinger. Using Spotify with audio stored in the phone at the highest quality.

Only difference is it is being fed through Apple Carplay rather than Bluetooth. I’ll keep experimenting.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Came across this thread as I too am finding to HK system lacking and difficult to tune. Mainly listen to metal core.

I come out of a 2008 RX8 and 2013 Mazda 6 both with Bose systems. Subs are in the front doors I believe, very good bass performance to the point where the rear view mirror would shake. I have got this out the Stinger as yet.

A few people going on about the audio source being the issue. I’m bringing the same music and source from the Mazda’s to the Stinger. Using Spotify with audio stored in the phone at the highest quality.

Only difference is it is being fed through Apple Carplay rather than Bluetooth. I’ll keep experimenting.

Welcome. That is an interesting first post!

 

[SteveCo]

I'm very happy with the HK system in my 2018. I've ripped pretty much everything I have for CDs to lossless FLAC files, and put those on both a standalone USB flash and my Galaxy S8 phone (bought a 128 GB micro SD card for that). No problem playing those with either the built-in music player, or most often Android Auto (normally use Google Play with that, but also have a couple of other FLAC capable apps loaded like Pulsar and Rocket Player).

Sound quality I think is excellent, and for me the subs are just right - I don't want to blow my glass out with sound pressure, just wanted a good solid, deep musical bass that matches the rest of the system. Very pleased with the AQ.

 

[MerlintheMad]

... very good bass performance to the point where the rear view mirror would shake. I have [not] got this out [of] the Stinger as yet.

Sound quality I think is excellent, and for me the subs are just right - I don't want to blow my glass out with sound pressure, just wanted a good solid, deep musical bass that matches the rest of the system. Very pleased with the AQ.

And there we have opposing universes and never the twain shall meet.
I belong in @SteveCo's universe. The Stinger is my rolling sound stage, much more immersive than my livingroom with its six channel set up. The sub in my livingroom is great. The subs in the Stinger are more than great, and they only really kick on when the bass requires them, making those parts even more dramatically satisfying.

 

[andrew tay]

OK just finished installing the last bit of my sound mods which is the amp for the centre channel. Managed to fit the little amp next to the battery along with the other two. Sounds great now.

 

[RVance]

View attachment 19289 View attachment 19291 OK just finished installing the last bit of my sound mods which is the amp for the centre channel. Managed to fit the little amp next to the battery along with the other two. Sounds great now.

That is quite the undertaking and exceptionally well-sorted with quality components. Where did you mount the 12" sub?

 

[andrew tay]

Infact the subwoofer is not really needed in my setup as the 4 door woofers sounded like having a sub installed with the focal amp pumping 120 w into each 6 1/2 inch woofers. But here it is...

 

[andrew tay]

That is quite the undertaking and exceptionally well-sorted with quality components. Where did you mount the 12" sub?

All high quality except for the BOSS amp which is cheap and nasty but its the only mini amp which is class AB that I can fit into the the battery compartment. Using it with a good high low converter and dialing it down to 25% of its maximun gain its actually sounded very good. its rated 200 watts. in reality its more like 20 watts of usuable clean power.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

All high quality except for the BOSS amp which is cheap and nasty but its the only mini amp which is class AB that I can fit into the the battery compartment. Using it with a good high low converter and dialing it down to 25% of its maximun gain its actually sounded very good. its rated 200 watts. in reality its more like 20 watts of usuable clean power.

What’s next now your done with the sound system? oh BTW it’s Feb now we are done with the Christmas theme (check avatar) for another 10 months....lol

 

[AV8R]

What’s next now your done with the sound system? oh BTW it’s Feb now we are done with the Christmas theme (check avatar) for another 10 months....lol

He’s a sound guy maybe a pair of headphones for an avatar?

 

[AV8R]

Hey Andrew how about this as your avatar?

 

[andrew tay]

Hey Andrew how about this as your avatar?
View attachment 19378

LOL. Thanks AV8R. I kind of like the bee, as in bee sting. And kind of lookike me .

 

[AV8R]

LOL. Thanks AV8R. I kind of like the bee, as in bee sting. And kind of lookike me .

You’re officially now our audio expert!

 

[andrew tay]

You’re officially now our audio expert!

Thanks guys

 

[RVance]

What’s next now your done with the sound system? oh BTW it’s Feb now we are done with the Christmas theme (check avatar) for another 10 months....lol

All high quality except for the BOSS amp which is cheap and nasty but its the only mini amp which is class AB that I can fit into the the battery compartment. Using it with a good high low converter and dialing it down to 25% of its maximun gain its actually sounded very good. its rated 200 watts. in reality its more like 20 watts of usuable clean power.

I recognized Vifa, Morel, and Focal (those crazy French audio bugs!). How do the disparate brands blend in tonal character? The hatch area sub install is very sharp. I use ALL my cargo area on trips, Costco, and Home Depot/Ace excursions. But I could live with that if I wanted more bass.

 

[andrew tay]

I recognized Vifa, Morel, and Focal (those crazy French audio bugs!). How do the disparate brands blend in tonal character? The hatch area sub install is very sharp. I use ALL my cargo area on trips, Costco, and Home Depot/Ace excursions. But I could live with that if I wanted more bass.

Steg and Morals are Italian, Vifa is from Denmark. I like Focal amp but not so much of their speakers. They are all very neutral. There are little differences between them. I pick them because they fit into the factory location. The sound signature comes mosly from the HK processor which has a treble peak starting at around 4000Hz peak at 8000Hz +15db. Changing the amp and speaker does not fix that peak. I think it was done on purpose as I can see that on the reponse curve from the HK promotion video. I have tried installing resisters to tweeters but that make the music sound dull and liveless. The only thing you can do is to turn down treble on equaliser.
The original HK amp is also quite noisy. Using class AB amp does filter out most of noise. I have tried using class D JL amp which did not work as well. Thats why I use the class AB Moral and Boss amp for mids and tweeter.

PS you don't need a sub to enhance the bass. I think the best bang fot the buck mods would be to change the mids from the doors + centre channels and add crossovers. That was you have a much better quality mids and high. Because they are less sensitive you now have to turn the volume up a lot more and you will get a lot more bass from it as a result. there are plenty of bass coming from the door 6.2 inch woofers and underseat 8 inch subwoofers.
Change Harman Kardon midrange speakers Kia Stinger

 

[Stinger GT SS]

I love your enthusiasm for your sound system, this should be your Avatar