Off Topic: Cars

[Panzer_Applehusky]

Forgive me if this thread has already been started. If so, I cannot find it.

I was wondering what y’all drive! In a community of people who are hypersensitive to small details and overcritical of minor oversights, I figured it’d be interesting to see the wheels you use to transport headphones, amps, speakers, friends, yourself, etc…

As far as the car community goes, I’m kind of on the brink of falling in as I have been for the past few years.

This is my vroom vroom, and vroom it goes very much!

2014 BMW 335i GT M Sport in Estoril Blue
Mods include:

• OWO Sticker
• coding that makes the mirrors fold in when he’s locked.
• and that’s about it!

[pennstac]

No, I’ve not seen this thread started.

I have a headphone that I bought in about 1972. It gets worse. My wife won’t throw anything away. Here are a couple of shots of my grand-nephew, who expects to inherit this when we’re done with it. My wife says she remembers sitting in the back seat and seeing her Grandpa’s hands on the steering wheel.

I have been thinking about updating the sound - when we redid the interior, I did add a back speaker, but the system does show it’s age. Something like https://www.ricksradioconversions.com shows is a better alternative. But it’s a question of how much time we spend in her, and other places the $$ could go. Right now there’s a scratched rear side window to replace, and we are always looking for new wheel well trim and the bottom trim panel that goes below the doors. Just got some new custom mats that I haven’t put in yet because well, winter.

[Panzer_Applehusky]

Oh wow, that looks like it’s in excellent condition!

I love that color too. Always a sucker for blue.

How many miles on the odometer?

[pennstac]

96K original miles. It was stored for about 25 years of it’s life in a barn at Barbara’s OTHER grandparent’s house in the same small town of Liberty PA.

We did a repaint a dozen years ago - but should do it again sometime. We’re having some interior paint next on the agenda, probably. The interior was redone in new old stock fabric and modern replica door panels. We added 3rd party modern “Vintage Air” air conditioning. Rebuilt the alternator to a higher spec, put on front disc brakes. Changed to a 2 barrel throttle-body injection, and went with electronic ignition. Upgraded the anti-sway bars to slightly better than 4-4-2 level, replaced springs all around, shocks, etc. Re-chromed most of the chrome. There is always something that can be done.

The engine is the 330 V8, and it still has the GM 300 automatic transmission with 2 speeds, low and go. That’s another piece under consideration as it’s not hard to swap in a 3 speed with overdrive.

[Earmuffs]

I can’t afford more than one hobby but if I bought a car I’d buy the one out of Death Proof!!

[cpp]

2013 Lexus GS350, 2010 Lexus ES350, 2016 F-150 Lariat.
And a for fun restored 66 Vette convertible. And a work in progress 67 Vette barn find.

[Twinguin]

Lived in Detroit, MI for 2.5 years and that got me hooked on the Pony car: so a Tropical Orange (Orange Fury in the US) GT convertible it is. And a small Fiesta Hybrid because of German fuel prices as a daily.

Sound-wise there have been two outstanding experiences:

2018 Lincoln Continental - apart from being elegant and quick, the sound insulation was exceptional and the factory sound system just brilliant. Loved to crank up the volume and cruise along (probably not too often you hear Eminem blasting from a Continental, but suited Detroit just fine).

2016 Merc S-Class - I had it only for a weekend, but what a cruiser and brilliant sound system. Windows down and blasting FloRida or Timbaland in downtown Frankfurt (Germany that is). Everybody looked - at the Beemer in front of me. What a fun!

[pennstac]

Reviving this dead topic. Read on!

Not just cars, but carsound. OK, I generally do something to upgrade the sound in my cars. The bug hasn’t exactly hit again, but it’s biting just a little.

I have a 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ Luxury 3 with the AKG 19 speaker sound system
See this thread for some specific problems
The above link shows current discussion about the subwoofer that does not care for Chameleon - Trentemøller

I took the car to a local car audio guy. Thoughtful. Did a search for something like the FOCAL subs that are direct replacement for OEM. Everything in this car is integrated electronic. I am able to improve the sound buy using ROON ARC via CarPlay. I’ve set a 6 db bass shelf at 50 hz, dropped mid-bass by 2 db or so at 200 hz with a Q of 0.5 and put in a +3 DB at 400 hz with a Q of 2.5

That seems to give a tad more deep bass, thin an over-warm mid bass and address a slightly odd drop out. I’ve reduced the surround effect and moved location to front. With all the speakers, though, the only “sub” is that 6x9 hidden behind the rear passenger seat. Photos in the link above at the Cadillac forums.

The ROON ARC is not the most satisfactory solution - it only works with my ROON server, personal library and QOBUZ. It’s not system wide. The GM/Cadillac infotainment system is based on ANDROID AUTOMOTIVE (not Android Auto) and there is no system wide EQ, There are Bass, Treble, Mid tone controls and fade/surround crap. No APP, and one doesn’t root something that controls much of the vehicle’s software.

I would prefer a hidden solution, not really wanting to have some box sitting forever in the cargo area. I’ve thought about grabbing the SVS Micro 3000 from my office and plugging it in. I have a fairly robust 120 V outlet in the car - I doubt that the class D amp in the Micro 3000 would blow it under normal use. But then how do I get signal to it? I’ve been running it wirelss, but there is no option to add a sub to the system in normal software.

I guess I could tap the signal going to the sub in the floor under the seat. But that is a lot of work just to try something for yuks.

Might go back to the audio guy, and see if maybe they could 3D print a surround that could put something slightly larger in the space. I think an 8 inch might just fit with a custom surround…

Thoughts? I can’t find a 6x9 SUB only. Don’t want or need coax or 3 way. Don’t need a mid-bass speaker at all.