The McIntosh setup in the new High End Jeeps, sound pretty d@mn good.

 

I will second this. Absolutely blown away at the sound quality in the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

 

My wife just got a new Subaru Ascent with the HK system. I still can’t believe how good of a job they did with the two seat tune. They did an excellent job with the processing. Output isn’t half bad either, for a stock system. She’s enjoying it. The little sub they put in there (8” I believe) does okay. The vehicle is built well too, so not a lot of resonance. 14 speakers with about 800 watts.

Harman Kardon Automotive Subaru

www.harmankardon.com

 

What's funny, I have this same car as our family hauler with same stereo. Honestly? I took the factory radio out (balanced stereo, no volume control) into A/D converter, run into DDRC-24, then run back into the stock amp via differential out from DDRC-24 (using all 4 outputs to create stereo differential out). After tuning, it's far better with a full DIRAC tune that without. Best part of what I did, I got a male / female adapter for the stock amp, meaning I didn't cut a single wire in the car to create what I did.

 

BMW I7 Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround and I say this without a doubt and go as far as saying no one from any OEM is competing with this baby, play something with as much audio information and stereo seperation as possible and you would really start asking yourself if this aint driver seat tuned how did I just listen to that sound stage which I havent been able to answer yet either this is our company car driven by our GM and often times I get to drive it to host visitors oh man what a pleasure the moment I drop off the customers I turn on the music and just get shocked each time,everytime..

I dont know how it is in other territories but in the EU the I7 comes with a Bowers and Wilkins system and also offers an optional Bowers and Wilkins Diamond surround system so it is the later I'am talking about, amazing clarity,detail,sound stage,response hands down the best of the best in OEM Car Audio.

BMW i7 audio review: The new benchmark for audiophiles - TotallyEV

TotallyEV puts the BMW i7's audio system through its paces. Find out how the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond system performs by reading the review.

totallyev.net

 

I've never really liked any Bowers and Wilkins speakers in the home audio world, and I have auditioned several BMW's with B&W sound now, and not particularly liked any of them. I have not heard the i7 though...

 

The legit b&o systems in the larger Audi's is similarly legit. Not the q5 b&o but the a8 one.

Burmeister is also excellent, imo. At least in Porsche.

If I had either I would leave it as is.

Similarly excellent for their day was the dynaudio light system in the mk6 golf platform and the CC, and their full system in the Touaregs from 04-17 were pretty epic.

 

The BMW I7 Diamond Surround setup uses all its goodies from the Home Hifi Diamond 800 series:

Bowers and Wilkins 800 Series D3 Diamond Loudspeakers Overview

The Bowers and Wilkins D3 Diamond Series feature new midrange and bass drivers with proprietary composites, revamped tweeter assembly, and a new enclosure to reduce resonance and improve performance.

www.audioholics.com

were talking Synthetic Diamond tweeters, Continuum cone midranges, Aerofoil cone sub and placements of drivers that yields a remarkable soundstage

 

First version of Peters Steinbachers Mercedes S class with Burmester system with additional Peters tuning touch (swapped original amp with DSP amp + different sub)...
Back in the day, Dynaudio systems in Volvo were pretty nice

 

The Burmeister 3D in my 2018 S560 Mercedes is pretty astonishing. I haven’t touched it. The B&O system in my 2014 Audi A8 4.0t was great, I really miss that car!

 

My friend also got that Burmeister 3D ins S650! That thing is solid

 

So....I have a weird choice compared to all of the beautiful systems from beautiful cars that you all have stated....but back in 2002 I had the pleasure of driving a 2001 Toyota Avalon XLS (fully loaded) with the JBL system....and I don't know what exactly it was about that system but someone who tuned it and handled speaker placement was pretty damn genius. At first glance everything was pretty standard; speakers in doors and a sub in the rear deck....nothing special...but the tweeters (or potentially widebands, i've never confirmed) were placed on the dash but firing towards your face...so not on the dash reflecting but on the dash to the left of the steering wheel...basically firing at your eye and ear line and the other side was at the same height and placement. It was the first car I had ever heard that was just......spatially amazing...just a big full sound that wasn't harsh...and you couldn't overdrive the speakers, no matter where you turned the volume knob. Just fantastic in my useless opinion.

The only thing it was lacking like most factory setups was a nice heavy bassline to compliment that big, bold front stage sound. If they had a sealed subwoofer in the rear deck or in the trunk in some way...I think it would have been perfect.

Just my 0.02.

 

I have 2003 XLS was surprised by the stock system, clean and spacious as you described. 6.5" in the doors angled slightly downward and there are tweeters. They're tiny, only a 1/2" but the dash and doors act as waveguides.

The tweeters are actually in the middle of the rectangular part of the grill, basically firing at the opposing seat. I replaced them with Dayton ND13FA but my amp was out a channel (unknown til trouble shooting after initial tune) at the time so I never got to listen to it properly functioning and tuned by the MS-8. Still curious how it would have sounded.

 

Bose in an 05 Chevy Trailblazer.
Bass was smooth and top end wasn't sharp or breaking up at high volumes.

 

My XC90 had a decent sounding system. Added a lil bass and I was happy for years.

 

Burmester system in my 2022 mercedes C300 rental car over Christmas sounded carefully tuned and had punchy bass. If it were my car I wouldn't do anything but add a sub. You'd have to be serious audiophile to consider spending $$$ to improve the imaging.

 

Back in the mid 1980s I had the opportunity to listen to and was blown away by the reportedly top-of-the-line factory system in a brand new Mercedes E-Class. However, at that time I had yet to hear any decent home or car sound systems, so although it sounded absolutely amazing to me, I don't know that it was actually anything to write home about.

"SQ is great, but sometimes nostalgia is greater" - @ErinH

 

@rickwilsons wifes subaru crosstrek !

 

Dodge Ram 1500 Limited Alpine Sound system or Toyota JBL

 

I would say the best I’ve heard was Revel system in the Navigator. The one that really took me by surprise was the ELS in MDX. Was not expecting that one to sound so good.

 

I remember some of the fender systems in the older VWs sounding pretty nice.

 

90 something Lexus GS with upgraded Nakamichi system

 

2023 Chevy Tahoe 9 speaker Bose

 

Audi B&O out of the A8/S8 (multi $k upgrade) and Burmeister via Porsche. Mac in the new jeep is legit.