Anyone upgraded their Sony 10-speaker stereo?

[mikeyti]

Maybe it's my aging ears, but I just feel that the stereo could be much better. In my younger days, I would always replace the ENTIRE stereo system, wiring and all... and could get a great sounding stereo. To me, the Sony setup only sounds above average... Any else out there upgraded their Sony 10-speaker stereo? Anyone gutted everything but the head unit (MFT)? Is that even possible?

[Sponsor]

[Ti2012]

I didn't get mine yet, but I'm hoping that I'll be content with the Sony speakers. I quit doing amps and wiring replacement 10 years ago, but usually replaced the factory head and speakers. The only reason I got the 10 speaker was to avoid having to replace factory parts at all. It might be my age, but I find myself enjoying the drive in silence 90% of the time anyway.

[tehreflex]

I love the Sony sound system. After playing with the settings and adjusting the equalizer on my iPhone I'm bumpin pretty good and it doesn't sound shitty. Sound real clear.

My last car had all new speakers and 2 12" subs n such and was far louder but I didn't want to put the subs in my new car. Plus they took up a lot of trunk space. Not that I use the trunk for much anyway other than to carry a case of beer or bottle o' rum.

[Ti2012]

I've had the car close to a week now, and drove it a couple of times. I wouldn't mind if the volume could go up another 20% or so, but as it is, full volume sounds good, with no distortion.

[TiPilot]

I love mine - no complaints here.

Maybe some super audiophiles won't love it, but I certainly am happy with it. Beats the heck out of anything in any car I've owned before.

Only complaint is that I wish there was more granularity with the volume control - but that's a MFT/programming issue, not an audio hardware issue.

[malinowski]

I did not expect much from a system on a $22k car, but I do feel like they could have done better with the sound quality. It sounds to me like they don't have the speakers aimed at the right positions. The sub can be quite a surprise, though, when given the right song with some deep bass.

Coming from a 2001 Audi S4 with Bose system, so there was a lot more mids there.. "no highs, no lows.. must be Bose" ;) I feel like the Focus could use a bit more oomph in the mid-range, even when I adjust it, feels kind of lacking.

Am I going to replace it or modify? Nah. =/ I am more concerned with the subpar antenna that came equipped. THAT I will likely replace.

[WizardSkills]

After years of replacing decks, speakers and adding subs to previous cars with dubious, albeit loud, results I have finally laid that nonsense to rest.

The Sony 10-speaker setup that came with my SEL sounds amazing to me; much better than anything that I could piece together. In fact, it sounds better than my girls' stereo in her R32 and easily outclasses my co-worker's A-4.

It's crisp, clear and loud enough for me. Plus the proprietary design of the stereo/dash in most new cars these days does not make modification easy, nor necessary IMO.

[Rememo]

Originally Posted by Ti2012

I've had the car close to a week now, and drove it a couple of times. I wouldn't mind if the volume could go up another 20% or so, but as it is, full volume sounds good, with no distortion.

There HAS to be something wrong with your stereo. If I turn my volume up to where the little volume display is about a quarter of the way "full", my ears start bleeding.

I do think the volume needs more detents, since it kind of goes from too quiet, to a bit loud, to "WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!"

But anyway... for the OP: I'd play with the settings a bit. It took me a while to get the system sounding good (didn't like it at all at first), but after almost five months of ownership, I'm still impressed with how good the stock system sounds.

[hand-filer]

Originally Posted by mikeyti

Maybe it's my aging ears, but I just feel that the stereo could be much better. In my younger days, I would always replace the ENTIRE stereo system, wiring and all... and could get a great sounding stereo. To me, the Sony setup only sounds above average... Any else out there upgraded their Sony 10-speaker stereo? Anyone gutted everything but the head unit (MFT)? Is that even possible?

I did by making it a 9 speaker system. I jettisoned the harsh sounding, image ruining center channel speaker.
It wont transform it but it will improve it if you have an appreciation for a 2D stereo image.
After 30 years of gutting every factory system and replacing it with a custom system in every new car I have purchased, I have given up trying to create an enjoyable listening environment in a car. It aint worth the money.

[Ti2012]

Originally Posted by hand-filer

After 30 years of gutting every factory system and replacing it with a custom system in every new car I have purchased, I have given up trying to create an enjoyable listening environment in a car. It aint worth the money.

Not 30 years here, but ditto on the rest. It's pretty much burning money, unless you can justify the cost with your enjoyment of it over the life of ownership.

With exception of an equalizer and ironically, a Sony amp from the early 90's, none of my equipment ever jumped cars either. The eq and amp lived in 4 cars.