Symptom number 1 for audiophile syndrome - the belief that electrically identical wires have a significant impact on sound quality. Again, I’d love to see that claim survive double blind testing.
1 Like
There are different grades of copper wire, notice that some vehicle manufactures have problems with brittle wires breaking and others don’t, the copper wire is an alloy. There is also aluminium and silver wire.
I don’t think it is too fruitful at this point to continue with these disputes. After all, it is straying too far from the main advice that the OP was seeking; the OP was simply looking for a recommendation on a good battery for her vehicle. I think we can all agree that the Interstate batteries (in the proper class group recommended by the car manufacturer) would be a good choice.
Let me add one thing: In audio, eyes can be deceiving…but the ears never lie. I can give you countless examples where quoted specs and figures on paper from manufacturers do not match up to similar quoted numbers from another manufacturer; bench tests prove this all the time…i.e.,’ stated amps may not measure up. This is why most serious audiophiles allow their ears to be the final judge. And most, if they are serious, do the blind A and B test all the time. Like said, I have done the blind A and B with the Interstate batteries for my stereos. You may want to try it yourself. Have a good day, my friend.
I’m pretty sure you can’t buy a car battery on-line unless it’s sold dry. And then you’ll have to get the Acid.
I’m a true Audiophile and as one I’ll tell you that no true audiophile would ever consider anything designed or installed in a car is considered audiophile. There are just way too many other noises that interfere with sound quality. I have a decent system in my truck…My home system - I’ll stack up to anyones.
It is complete nonsense. I’ve been an audiophile since 1964, and I have a very well trained ear. The listening environment in a car is not adequate to be able to detect such subtle differences in dynamic range, soundstage, or presence. As long as the receiver is able to draw the wattage it needs, it will produce the sound it was designed to. The OP is one of those people that thinks that “monster cable” is needed to carry the 50 or so watts between an amp and a speaker. Pure nonsense.
4 Likes
From my experience with the so-called Auto audiophile is - LOUD is KING. 1500 watts in a small CRV that has 12 speakers with 2 15" woofers - they drool over. They don’t understand how my home system putting out a mere 24 watts can sound good.
… with the exception of the incredible McIntosh (yes, McIntosh Labs, from Binghamton, NY) audio system that was part of the package on my 2002 top-of-the-line Outback.
In addition to the design of that superb sound system, McIntosh demanded–and got–the ability to design their own sound-proofing for that very rare model. The audiophiles with whom I am friendly were skeptical, but after hearing their favorite music CDs played on that system, they were unanimous that they had never before heard such high-quality audio in a car.
And, wonder of wonders… that model came with the same battery as the lesser models.
That’s my problem with all this. Ignoring any questions about how ‘good’ a car stereo can sound, claiming that a battery (meeting specs) has any effect on that sound is nonsense. Only a system exceeding the car’s electrical system capacity (meaning LOUD) might be affected. Otherwise, I file this with the ‘mpg improver’ that plugged into the cigarette lighter to ‘condition’ the car’s electrical system…
4 Likes
Loudness per say, is definitely not one of the things audiophiles look for. They are mainly looking for the optimal S/N ratio from each part of their systems components. Loudness is for the street young, who get off on that. I’ll take cleanness of sound over loudness any day. If loudness is all you want, then just use the most efficient speakers used with modest amp systems. I have used Monster cable in my car stereo system as well as my home system. It is not for the watts they carry, but more for the deep base in sound that they emit from your sound system. Many listeners of my car stereo sound system have attested to this.
I am curious. What is/were the total component make up of your car sound system and your truck sound system?
My ford Ranger with 4 bose speakers and an Alpine unit beat any home stereo I ever had! The acoustics were phenomenal.
I have a factory sound system in my wife’s Hyundai Elantra. I don’t listen to music in the car so I have no idea of the sound quality. And I’ve never used the CD player (blech- give me vinyl)
Of all the components of a car’s electrical system, a well-functioning battery would be least-likely to affect the sound system. What about the alternator/regulator? The ignition system? Lots of active components with the potential of putting out electrical noise. The battery smooths everything out, acts as a big damper on the system, and all standard 12V batteries operate on the exact same principles, chemistry-wise.
This could be one of those cases where somebody replaced their weak battery with a good, one, and the high-power stereo sounded better. A story is born!
3 Likes
I can believe that. Back in the day, the Alpine’s were some of the better sounding heads that simply belie their modest specs. My choice in speakers for my home system (many moons ago) were narrowed down to the inexpensive (but great sounding) high end Polk Audio, high end and expensive KEF 105’s, and the Bose 901’ s complete with the two speaker pedestals and equalizer. Even though I loved the exquisite sound of the British KEF speakers, I simply fell in love with the gimmicky Bose system. No speaker IMO, has yet to come close to the pleasing sound of the Bose 901’s when they are configured optimally in the right acoustical environment.
I remember when Bose first introduced their speaker sound system to the automobile market. I friend of mine was raving about how good his factory speakers sounded in his car. After listening to them, I said hey, these are Bose speakers. Nowadays you will find the Bose speaker system in many expensive luxury cars. Bose satellites for home theater systems are among the best I have heard.
You’ll appreciate this story . . .
Back in the early 1990s, a family friend was clearing out his home and throwing out stuff, because him and the wife were divorcing.
he wanted me to come over and help him take some stuff to the dump, so I did
Among the stuff he wanted to dump were some Bose 901s . . . early series, though
I instantly recognized them for what they were and prevented him from making a big mistake
he had them so long, he didn’t remember when he’d bought them and what they cost. He figured since they were old, they were probably junk . . .
Remember a bud sold on EPI speakers for home stereo, I went with JBL’s myself. Our newish car has Bose speakers, the sound quality is good, but not fabulous.
Are you sure that they didn’t belong to his ex-wife? A mistake??? Sounds more like vengeance. Some of the oldest speaker designs are the most natural sounding speakers. For example, the Kkipschorn are always at the top of ones list for the purist of natural sound.
I bought the latest of the 901s. Hard to believe that the family friend did not recognize them (even the earlier series)…and why he bought them.
I know McIntosh very well. I use to have a Mac Pre-Amp (C45) and a tuner MR-78. I’ve visited their factory back in the 80’s when McIntosh was still American owned.
They still make phenomenal equipment, but I still wouldn’t consider anything in an auto to be true audiophile. Doesn’t matter who the maker of the equipment is…they aren’t/can’t eliminating the 80+ decibels of road noise.
Are they listening to it while the car is moving? Sound proofing or not…it’s not even going to be close to the what you can get from inside a well designed listening room in your own home.
Alpines were famous for having GREAT tape decks. Their amps were good, but not great.
Klipsch is no longer family owned. But they still make excellent speakers. For a while they made car audio speakers. Not sure they do anymore. Years ago a I knew a guy who owned a roving Disco and would just store his equipment in his Econo-line van when not in use. One day he had a great idea…Why not run speaker wires to the LaScala’s and use them as the truck speakers. They are so efficient they only need a few watts to blow your ear drums out.
I’m not a fan of Bose home speakers at all. “No Highs or Lows they must be Bose.” I highly respect Dr Bose. My daughter attended a seminar of his at MIT. My 1998 Pathfinder came with the Factory Bose system. It was very very good. They did a great job designing and custom fitting each speaker to the proper locations for optimal sound at each listening position. Their 901’s are so so room dependent. You can put them in a room and they sound GREAT. Move them to another room and you’ll think they were replaced with the cheapest Radio Shack speaker ever made. No true audiophile ever considered anything Bose ever made as true audiophile.
Ummm… yeah…
Would you expect anything less from McIntosh Laboratories when they are designing an audio system for a specific model?
I agree it’s probably one of the best systems in a car you can get today. But it’s still not eliminating road noise. And what speakers are they using?
.