Audio Setup

11695 Views 29 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Wrascal, Jan 24, 2020

dtom

Discussion Starter · Feb 1, 2019

Have been getting things set to my preferences. Getting presets on various stations, arranging icons in the order I want, and exploring the playback functions. I am liking the functionality and am amazed at how many things this system will perform. Now that I have basics it's time to move to CarPlay.

1 - 20 of 30 Posts

stevenD

· #2 · Feb 1, 2019

Nice, after reading about all the disgruntled Pilot Premium Stereo owners, I'm relived that the 3 or 4 reviews I've read on the Passport Premium Stereo have ALL been positive...

Siri, play Changes by David Bowie....!

dtom

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 1, 2019

The sound quality is very good. I am more than pleased.

Reactions: 1

stevenD

· #4 · Feb 2, 2019

Yep, I heard one today, plenty of bass and clear & loud, well balanced and lots of sound swirling about...!

Mark

· #5 · Feb 3, 2019

The 550 watt system is probably the best stock audio I have heard in anything I have tested. I am somewhat of an audiophile. For me , this would be the only reason to step up to the touring trim. Sport and xle systems are ok but there is a difference.

If you test it, take your time to play with the audio settings to get it to your liking.

I listened to some Earth Wind and Fire while testing. Sounded excellent!

I also did not find it very difficult to learn the infotainment system.

stevenD

· #6 · Feb 3, 2019

We did not spend a lot of time looking, but the first Saleswoman and I could NOT locate the subwoofer. The second salesman said it was on the passenger side behind the sort-of inner rear wheel section (in the back)...

This will sound wacky, but when we turned the sub ALL the way up, it sound like it was coming from the dashboard (top and below)...

Anyone know for sure?

HondasOnly

· #7 · Feb 3, 2019

The Sub is in the back, next to the spare tire?

stevenD

· #8 · Feb 3, 2019

Have you seen it?

HondasOnly

· #9 · Feb 3, 2019

stevenD said:
Have you seen it?

Just videos and pictures. You can see a black box next to the spare.

HondasOnly

· #10 · Feb 3, 2019

Mark said:
The 550 watt system is probably the best stock audio I have heard in anything I have tested. I am somewhat of an audiophile. For me , this would be the only reason to step up to the touring trim. Sport and xle systems are ok but there is a difference.

If you test it, take your time to play with the audio settings to get it to your liking.

I listened to some Earth Wind and Fire while testing. Sounded excellent!

I also did not find it very difficult to learn the infotainment system.

Have you heard a Harmon Kardon system in a Subaru or Acura ELS?

Mark

· #11 · Feb 3, 2019

HondasOnly said:
Have you heard a Harmon Kardon system in a Subaru or Acura ELS?

Mark

· #12 · Feb 3, 2019

Heard 2019 Acura MDX. It was good. Have not tested Subaru yet. I will probably this Thursday test Subaru.

I know Harmon Kardon is a great brand. Interestingly the Honda dealer could not tell me the brand in the Passport.... but my ears were very happy.

HondasOnly

· #13 · Feb 3, 2019

Mark said:
Heard 2019 Acura MDX. It was good. Have not tested Subaru yet. I will probably this Thursday test Subaru.

I know Harmon Kardon is a great brand. Interestingly the Honda dealer could not tell me the brand in the Passport.... but my ears were very happy.

The new Forester has a 576w HK and it pounds! Crystal clear! The Ascent is even better. My Impreza Sport is 432w.

GaryDahl

· #14 · Feb 6, 2019

stevenD said:
We did not spend a lot of time looking, but the first Saleswoman and I could NOT locate the subwoofer. The second salesman said it was on the passenger side behind the sort-of inner rear wheel section (in the back)...

This will sound wacky, but when we turned the sub ALL the way up, it sound like it was coming from the dashboard (top and below)...

Anyone know for sure?

I believe that the sub sound is non-directional.

GaryDahl

· #15 · Feb 6, 2019

I believe that the premium sound system is the same system that you would find in the upper models of the Pilot. I owned a 2016 Pilot Elite, and that system delivered a lot of sound at a low volume, the base wasn’t over bearing. The sound stage that is created with the front, side, back and center speakers.. The subwoofer fills in the gaps with its low frequency sounds. I am sure that there is better out there but, I truly think that my ears couldn’t tell the difference.

Madtiger

· #16 · Feb 6, 2019 (Edited)

The problem with Honda/Acura sound systems (top end and ELS) is that the setup is very traditional. Tweeter up top. Door woofer are mid-range. And center channel is mid-range as well, but smaller.

The problem is that the sound is very DIRECTIONAL and side-bias. Whatever side you sit on is where you will hear more sound from that door. Sound stage is not very good because most sound comes from the tweeter/midrange that is closest to you.

And then the bass. Like traditional systems, bass is pushed all the way to the back cargo area. The front door speakers do not handle much bass at all.

Yes, bass is non-directional...but you have to crank the bass up quite a bit to even feel/hear it. And then the rear passenger will hear mostly bass because the rear door speakers are muted by design.

I have 2015 Acura MDX with ELS. Nice system but not all that good at staging and bass is hit or miss. The same goes for Acura KRELL...great sounding but bad staging.

This is why most high end systems now have tweeter/midrange in the dash pointing up at the windshield...this allows better dispersion of midrange and high frequencies thru out cabin...and also for far better staging. The front door woofers in these systems are for BASS only...small free-air subwoofers...to give more even bass to the front passengers...thus, front passengers get nice bass without relying on cranking up the sub in cargo area. Then the cargo area subwoofer is mainly for back passenger...and since the front doors handle bass as well, the rear cargo sub does not have to be cranked up. The rear doors in these systems are just muted full range speakers for staging for rear passengers.

Acura/Honda needs to adopt the newer setups.

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stevenD

· #17 · Feb 7, 2019

The new Passport has some settings where you can tell the system if the driver is the only person in the car or if there is a passenger and it will adjust the sound stage accordingly, not sure what the Bass crossover is set too, I may try to bring some DDD recordings on a flash drive next time...

StephensonARL

· #18 · Apr 16, 2019

GaryDahl said:
I believe that the sub sound is non-directional.

Correct.

StephensonARL

· #19 · Apr 16, 2019

Sound quality is an upgrade from my 2017 Ridgeline RTL-E.

darksky

· #20 · Apr 17, 2019

Mark said:
The 550 watt system is probably the best stock audio I have heard in anything I have tested. I am somewhat of an audiophile. For me , this would be the only reason to step up to the touring trim. Sport and xle systems are ok but there is a difference.
If you test it, take your time to play with the audio settings to get it to your liking.
I listened to some Earth Wind and Fire while testing. Sounded excellent!
I also did not find it very difficult to learn the infotainment system.

I agree, also being somewhat of an audiophile a good sound system is important to me, and I don't want to go aftermarket to get one. The Passport Touring system sounds great. Plenty of bass with the subwoofer.
I also had a 2017 Ridgeline RTL-E and the Passport audio system is definitely better.

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