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Is the Premium Stereo upgrade worth it in a new p85D?
- Thread starter RaceDeck
- Start date
McMuggets
Member
Yes. Although I have no heard what it sounds like without. I just love the XM and free Slacker subscription. I must way we listen to Slacker almost exclusively now with all their options for music available. I think the audio quality is fantastic for a car, but then again I am definitely NOT an audiophile. Is it as good as a crazy sound system for $10,000? Definitely not.... but it's only $2500.
I don't have the premium stereo upgrade and wish I did. While the sound quality is not bad, it is mediocre. I had to set the bass on the equalizer to 5 or 6 just to get things to sound right. Given the chance to do it again, I would get the premium system for better quality sound.
Yes, Slacker is included with both systems. XM is only included with the Premium system.
Yes, Slacker is included with both systems. XM is only included with the Premium system.
3s-a-charm
Active Member
XM is "included" but not the subscription (it's just installed). I used to listen to XM all the time in my last vehicle as I can not stand commercials... the sound quality difference between satellite radio (XM) and streaming (Slacker) is incredible. Slacker sounds so much better. Plus we are having a lot of fun with the searchable song selection - yesterday my daughter said she is learning a song in school so I pressed the steering wheel button and said, "Play ________" and it did! That is pretty amazing - and right out of the box too.
travwill
Active Member
Been covered many times. Use the forum search option. But in short, it is worth it unless you are planning on an aftermarket add. It is worth it alone because the standard one is pretty basic/bad IMHO, like in the lower 25% of all car systems out there. The ultra high fidelity is more around top 25% at least.
I have an 85 loaner today because I am finally having the next generation seats installed. To date, I have been underwhelmed by the UHF sound in my P85D.
I was shocked at how much better the standard package sound was in the loaner!
I tried regular radio, HD radio, TuneIn & Slacker and all sounded better than what I have become accustomed to over the last 5 months. The bass is deeper and it is much more of a fuller sound experience. Now, I am thinking that either I screwed up the sound settings or something is wrong with my UHF! I intend on doing a side by side comparison when I drop off the loaner this afternoon.
Does anyone know of any particular settings that I may have screwed up to make the UHF sound worse?
If I can't find anything obvious, I am going to have start checking each individual speaker to make sure they are all working!
I was shocked at how much better the standard package sound was in the loaner!
I tried regular radio, HD radio, TuneIn & Slacker and all sounded better than what I have become accustomed to over the last 5 months. The bass is deeper and it is much more of a fuller sound experience. Now, I am thinking that either I screwed up the sound settings or something is wrong with my UHF! I intend on doing a side by side comparison when I drop off the loaner this afternoon.
Does anyone know of any particular settings that I may have screwed up to make the UHF sound worse?
If I can't find anything obvious, I am going to have start checking each individual speaker to make sure they are all working!
cgiGuy
Active Member
Sometimes software updates have been known to "zero" out the EQ settings, but even with that being the case I would assume your UHF system should sound better than standard, based on the subwoofer. I've also never had very much luck finding good settings with Dolby on, so I leave it off.
Cyclone
Cyclonic Member ((.oO))
Note that until one of the latest 6.2 release, Dolby On produced some bad results for people and most had Dolby Off. Now, this was greatly improved and Dolby On is a significant improvement from before. The same release changing this also greatly improved the standard audio. It is likely DPD either has the older firmware, or Dolby Off.
I'm on 2.4.188 since 4/29/15 but the sounds been bad since I got the car in December. I'll be sure to try it with Dolby off when I pick it up tomorrow. Thanks
McMuggets
Member
I don't know, I tried Dolby Off and On and I like it on. I have the bass at 8.0 and treble at 3.5. Found a nice slamming hip-hop or dubstep station on Slacker and turn the volume up to 7 or 8. After this, I am confident that the premium upgrade was well worth the relatively small extra cost.
If it isn't about XM, there are many who also feel the upgraded sound is only incrementally better. The rear speakers are gimped, as they appear to be the exact same drivers as the front, but they produce much less bass/mid-bass. My guess is a Tesla installed passive crossover (simple capacitor), most likely near the speaker. Beyond verifying they are replicas, I have not been inclined to remove a rear door panel to see if it is possible to bypass a cap. Another test would be to clip the speaker wire, run a driver and see if it produces full range frequency response. What seems likely to me, is that the non-upgraded cars keep the rear speaker frequency response of the upgraded cars, that don't need bass because of the rear-sub. This sounds complicated, but the hardest part is probably the door panel.
In my opinion, the MS is weird for how much it can swing from really anemic in the bass, to rather full, depending upon source material.
In my opinion, the MS is weird for how much it can swing from really anemic in the bass, to rather full, depending upon source material.
