Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:15 pm
OK, guys, just try to explain to me why would one want to have high end audio system in the car? It's not teasing or kidding, I'm honestly trying to understand.
Last edited by Misha on Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
I've had some really decked out systems in the past. I don't mean all bass and no quality. I mean sound insulation, top of the line speakers, high end amps, custom crossovers, and tweeters angled properly.
The difference in quality of the sound in my van vs any stock system was like the difference between listening to a CD and to the radio.
The stage was so well defined that I could just about close my eyes and point at the 'music' out in front of the car where it sounded like it was coming from.
Close your eyes in your car. The BEST I've ever gotten with adjusting a stock system was a stage right in front of my chest.
Honestly though, I could talk for 10 minutes about hearing more from the music, but just find someone that did it right and you'll be impressed with the quality of music you can hear in your car.
You'll have to ask someone else why they like to spend $$$$ making a LOT of bass boom. I don't feel the need to do that.
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:24 pm
Thanks Stimpy,
I probably should have added to the question that I understand the difference between mediocre and high end sound systems in general
My question was about using it in the car, and I have a few points that make this use questionable for me:
- Noise level in the car is much higher than at home on in the theatre, even if you take special measures to insulate it.
- You cannot really listen and drive at the high-end level simultaneously. If you concentrate on on one, you compromise the other.
- Your bass alienates your neighbors and make other people aggressive towards you
Considering all this I frankly don't see a point in spending serious money on high end car audio system
Older civics are TERRIBLE for noise. I wouldn't waste money trying to sound insulate one. Other cars are much better, especially if you research where to insulate. With music at a reasonable volume the road noise is almost nonexistant.
I disagree with your blanket statement regarding safety and music listening. Its true both that paying too much attention to music and not hearing an event outside the car can be dangerous, but with common sense both are negated. (I turn the music off when I'm in traffic or in the city) The level of distraction I get from the music on the highway doesn't impact my driving because there is so much less going on. If something out of the ordinary happens, its easy to see on strait open road. I'm sure some people are too distracted by music even on the highway, but I'm also sure that some people shouldn't even drive UNdistracted
Its a sad fact that bass is heard better outside the car than inside. (I believe it takes something like 8 feet for an 80hz wave to even form completely) There needs to be more education about that fact. More pertinant to most drivers though, If you thump your own neighborhood your stereo is gonna get stolen
Really though, to sum up past all that... I LOVE listening to music while driving, and unfortunately my dad taught me the difference between good sound and bad sound, so I'll always hear it
I must say, I have an 88 civic and I sound deadened the entire thing excluding the roof. Course my gaskets are dying so I get wind noise etc etc, but it's not too bad on road noise.
I must say that high-quality music just puts me somewhere else. I can sit in my car and play the music and just close my eyes and get so lost in it. I guess some appreciate it more than others, but high-quality music just gets me off. I hear other people driving around with their systems playing and thinking they are hella-cool because they've got a walmart sub in their trunk, and I just look at them and shake my head.
They have no idea... I can close my eyes and get a sense of vertigo as I fall backwards into the realm of auditory nirvana. However, though my system makes me very happy - it doesn't satisfy me. There is always room for improvement. I've prolly spent a total of 2000+usd and I need to drop another 1500usd ATLEAST to get to a place I would consider near-completion. But as soon as you get there, you get a new view on it, and you need to spend another 3000usd to get to the next place. There are too many things to spend money on in this lifetime. I hope I should land myself a job that supplies me amply.
Money does not bring happiness, but it's sure a place to start. Feel free to disagree.
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:54 am
And then you have to spend again and agian... Sounds pretty familiar . But this is not neverending story, at some point you get bored with whatever you do . But you guys are still too young to think about these things, anyways
Back to topic - you both are telling me that you listen to music in your car instead of listening to it at home. Right? So you park somewhere, and then you sit and enjoy - I can't really imagine how one can drive with closed eyes and being lost in music - and still being alive
I have been know to be working on the system, get something hooked up, and sit in the car in the driveway for the duration of a CD. Sort of like an altered dream state with disconnection from reality. Apart from that I enjoy listening to the system at middle volume while driving around. I keep my attention on the road though -- but if you're going to listen to music you might as well listen to it. To be honest it doesn't make much sense to me either - I don't even drive much.
However this morning on the way to work I went from "ho-hum, I have to work" to "I'm going to get this job finished up today, this is a good day, I can feel it. I can't wait to get back in this car on lunch break." I would attribute it largely to my sound system. I find it rewarding to hear each new component installed, like individual steps toward the goal.
Answer me this, old person Why does the elder generation enjoy golf? Atleast with a pimpin' system you can awe women into naked-ness with your wonderous sounds. Whoops, that sorta slipped out
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:41 am
Corksil wrote:
Answer me this, old person Why does the elder generation enjoy golf?
Frankly - no idea. I don't play golf, I came from a different background . I guess it's just a way to socialize.
Corksil wrote:
Atleast with a pimpin' system you can awe women into naked-ness with your wonderous sounds.
This is illusion IMO Girls don't like music in general. Of course, there are some exceptions, but they are rare and between. You are better off just telling her what you want - she wants this, too, and your shockingly unconventional offer immediately distinguishes you from the crowd I tried this, it works
Hah hah, lmao. Yeh, I'm on the same page. People say golf is alluring because you can never have a perfect game, there is always a better score out there, you can always do better. I see the same sorta thing in my sound system... Unattainable perfection.
I love music but I don't just sit and listen to it. I'm still a bit too ADD to focus like that
I like adding music to things I'm doing to enhance the experience. Driving is a great place for this. It actually allows me to listen to the music more than I would in other situations because my brain is occupied with a constant task that doesn't require much high end decision making. In helping keep my brain busy, it helps me stay focused on the road instead of on random thoughts.
btw.. my 2007 model year work vehicle just passed 7500 miles... so I get a LOT of listening in
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Thu Jan 25, 2007 8:48 pm
Hmmm, well. Then it looks to me you don't really need high end audio system, stock or just slightly better one will work just fine as a background music...
I wouldn't call it background music. Though in my service van quality wouldn't matter since the big V8, lack of anything resembling sound insulation, and parts rattling around in back keep me from even telling the difference between CD and radio.
Music while driving is like wine at dinner. A nice system is like drinking good shiraz instead of Boone's Farm.
*at this point I started to type a long paragraph complicating the above mentioned metaphor. Instead, I will describe Boone's Farm for Misha, who I'm guessing has never had the pleasure*
Boone's Farm is not wine. It's actually hard apple cider that's been processed to taste almost, but not quite, entirely unlike wine. It also happens to be dirt cheap and really easy to drink a lot of, so it's the source of many underage drinking follies
btw.. I searched for the right wording of the Douglas Adams quote above and found this completely boring webpage.
Joined: Aug 02, 2006
Posts: 705
Location: McLean, VA, USA
Posted:
Fri Jan 26, 2007 12:20 am
Very nice metaphor. And thanks for explanation.
But, I guess I get so concentrated on driving, I can't really tell the difference. Sometimes I even turn everything off, cause it does not let me to concentrate enough. Probably it's just me...
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. But you guys are still too young to think about these things, anyways 
