Hi folks,
To start, I'm no "audiophile" but I do appreciate higher-quality audio. Both in terms of digital compression and the actual physical sound system. To simplify an otherwise lengthy explanation, I cannot stand listening to bad quality audio, especially at high volumes. For this reason I generally don't listen to music, and almost never in cars.
I've had poor car audio in the past. Old Mazda 626. Smart fortwo. Honda Fit. Honda Crosstour (with the "premium" audio and subwoofer). They all are variations on "meh" to "terrible", but the newer vehicles I was always able to hook up my phone via analog 3.5mm "headphone jack" to play my higher-quality digital music (compressed or not), or use USB audio which is a poor experience for music navigation.
Enter Tesla Model 3. While it doesn't blow me away, this is the first car I've been in with a "stock" system that I can actually enjoy a bit of loud listening once in a while. Yet, the connectivity options leave me flabbergasted: USB interface is still a bit difficult in reality, and I can't use my 3.5mm jack. I have to use Bluetooth, but then I'm sacrificing a significant amount of quality. I know the cool thing is to drop the headphone jack, but for a car?! I'm actually a bit upset by this.
So here's finally my point: "Immersive Sound" ruins audio, especially at low volumes. What in the world is it actually supposed to be doing? I have some celtic/folk music that it seems to perhaps add some reverb to, which is very out-of-place. But the most annoying thing is that on other music with bass drops/bass rhythms, it effectively cuts the higher frequencies (AKA: the rest of the song aside from the bass track) to give emphasis to the bass. At low listening volumes, this has the impression of the audio dropping just after beats in the music. However, with all windows open going down a highway, the Immersive Sound option seems to somehow make things better somehow (perhaps just because it's using the A-pillar speakers, which are closer to my ears?).
I've seen statements that the Immersive Sound option is some marvel of engineering that sends only certain frequency bands to the appropriately-sized speakers for the job. Or that it magically accounts for time-of-flight for the sound reaching your ears (so this would work for only one occupant?). Other statements that it's simply the only way to listen to music. Another that it's the only way to enable the pillar speakers.
I keep Immersive Sound on because it does seem somehow better rolling down the highway at high volumes, but the performance at regular and low volumes with the windows up drives me simply mad. I should probably turn it off.
Does anyone have more insight on exactly what the Immersive Sound option does? Any similar or counter stories?
To start, I'm no "audiophile" but I do appreciate higher-quality audio. Both in terms of digital compression and the actual physical sound system. To simplify an otherwise lengthy explanation, I cannot stand listening to bad quality audio, especially at high volumes. For this reason I generally don't listen to music, and almost never in cars.
I've had poor car audio in the past. Old Mazda 626. Smart fortwo. Honda Fit. Honda Crosstour (with the "premium" audio and subwoofer). They all are variations on "meh" to "terrible", but the newer vehicles I was always able to hook up my phone via analog 3.5mm "headphone jack" to play my higher-quality digital music (compressed or not), or use USB audio which is a poor experience for music navigation.
Enter Tesla Model 3. While it doesn't blow me away, this is the first car I've been in with a "stock" system that I can actually enjoy a bit of loud listening once in a while. Yet, the connectivity options leave me flabbergasted: USB interface is still a bit difficult in reality, and I can't use my 3.5mm jack. I have to use Bluetooth, but then I'm sacrificing a significant amount of quality. I know the cool thing is to drop the headphone jack, but for a car?! I'm actually a bit upset by this.
So here's finally my point: "Immersive Sound" ruins audio, especially at low volumes. What in the world is it actually supposed to be doing? I have some celtic/folk music that it seems to perhaps add some reverb to, which is very out-of-place. But the most annoying thing is that on other music with bass drops/bass rhythms, it effectively cuts the higher frequencies (AKA: the rest of the song aside from the bass track) to give emphasis to the bass. At low listening volumes, this has the impression of the audio dropping just after beats in the music. However, with all windows open going down a highway, the Immersive Sound option seems to somehow make things better somehow (perhaps just because it's using the A-pillar speakers, which are closer to my ears?).
I've seen statements that the Immersive Sound option is some marvel of engineering that sends only certain frequency bands to the appropriately-sized speakers for the job. Or that it magically accounts for time-of-flight for the sound reaching your ears (so this would work for only one occupant?). Other statements that it's simply the only way to listen to music. Another that it's the only way to enable the pillar speakers.
I keep Immersive Sound on because it does seem somehow better rolling down the highway at high volumes, but the performance at regular and low volumes with the windows up drives me simply mad. I should probably turn it off.
Does anyone have more insight on exactly what the Immersive Sound option does? Any similar or counter stories?