How good is the new 18 speaker Harmon Kardon system ?

[Viper ACR]

Just curious on some feedback. If the upgraded system is worth the $3000 price tag on an SRT. How good is the system compared to other high end systems you all have had . I know huge majority don't care about the stereo in the car . But I will probably get the upgrade when I am ready for the purchase of the car . Thanks for any info you can share .

 

[Jay M]

I'd also like to know how the system works in a Viper, but I do have the 18 speaker system in my SRT8 Jeep. I think it sounds outstanding.

My opinion on car audio is unpopular, but here goes...

As a professional audio engineer I have the privilege of sitting in front of high-end studio monitors 8 hours a day. I'm in a very good room, with very accurate monitors.

In a car, things are very different- the "room" is terrible with bad refections, a small space, and the speakers are almost never placed properly, they are at your knees, or reflecting off the windshield. Then once the car is in motion, the engine noise, road noise, and vibrations ruin what was already a poor environment.

I believe that factory systems have an advantage over after market systems because they have hundreds of man hours of R&D from real engineers who understand the compromise that needs to be made in the system to compensate for the noise and bad acoustics. In the driveway with the engine off, an aftermarket system can sound great, but on the road, it's very difficult to make it sound good at a safe volume.

On the negative side, factory systems have to be made as cheaply as possible, while still lasting through the warranty period.

Another area where my opinion will differ with most, is that I prefer my stereo system to be accurate like my studio monitors. Most car audio enthusiasts like a system to have so much bass that it rattles every body panel. I prefer not to add additional bass to the mix. I want to hear what the engineer and producer determined is the ideal sound for the album.

All that to say, if the Viper is anywhere near as good as my Jeep, then it's well worth $3000.

 

[Policy Limits]

Could've sworn the 18 speaker upgrade only cost a thousand bucks? Could be wrong.

 

[MoparMap]

In the driveway with the engine off, an aftermarket system can sound great, but on the road, it's very difficult to make it sound good at a safe volume

Amen on that! I've fought with trying to dial in the audio work I've done on both my Viper and my old Dart this keeps coming up. It'll sound great sitting in the car with the engine off, but once you're going down the road and have a gasoline powered subwoofer 3 feet from your ear (in the Viper at least), the low end in the system seems to just fall out. The Dart isn't as bad, but it's still annoying because my songs are from all sorts of different sources throughout the years and the quality is really mixed. I'll think I have it sounding good and the next song will come on and it goes back to sounding off.

A lot of it is personal preference as well. I like a fuller sounding system, but I also want the clarity to be able to actually hear the words in songs. I sat in a few Challengers back when I was looking for my Viper and had a listen to the various systems offered (Bose, Harmon Kardon, etc.), and frankly I think I almost liked the plain jane system the most. I didn't fiddle with the settings to try to tune it to my ear, but the "premium" system in the SRT8 I drove just sounded tinny to me, no real presence. The 6 ****** on the lot with the basic system was more pleasing to my ears, but then again I didn't have time to see where the settings on it were. If possible I'd see if you can find an example of both and try before you buy.

 

[ViperSmith]

Could've sworn the 18 speaker upgrade only cost a thousand bucks? Could be wrong.

For the GTS

 

[ViperSmith]

I considered it as well. But I figured the sound of the engine would make it a fruitless "investment."

Stuck with the standard one. The Viper really isn't the best environment for an audiophile to listen to music to

 

[Viper ACR]

I wonder if the system sounds better at speed, in the gts vs the srt . As seen as the gts has some sound dampening material to help lessen outside noise, that the srt doesn't have.

 

[SilveRT8]

I almost never listen to radio in the Viper, but I still ordered the 18 speaker upgrade just for those long rides with the wife !
I read it did not add too much weight, so it's all good for me.

 

[PilotaX]

FWIW, I think the system sounds on par with the Burmeister in the '13 Cayenne Turbo at idle. Once you rev the engine though, all comparisons are off. It still sounds good, but some of the bass tends to get lost due to the exhaust sound level in the cabin.

 

[Policy Limits]

I'm not gonna play the sound system in the Viper for the same reason I didnt play the one in the Lamborghini: it ruins the beautiful music of the car itself. I still got the upgrade because it was so cheap.

 

[viperbilliam]

I was wondering how much better it is over the standard 12 speaker system in the GTS which is probably better than the 9? speaker system of the SRT.

 

[Mister Viper]

Gents

Another great Gen 5 debate here...

You could summarize the Gen 5 audio offerings as: Good, Better, and Best. First off, the base system is noticeably better than the system in my Gen 4 Viper. But the 12-speaker, surround sound system (optional in SRT, standard in GTS) is again, noticably better than the base system, and adds significant audio depth and clarity. And for a pretty small premium, you can AGAIN double the subwoofer capacity and gain significant system clarity by upgrading to the top of the line 18 speaker system.

Now, I am NO audiophile. Most of the time, I'm driving (like many of you) with the radio off, enjoying the V10 music. But, for those times when I want the radio on (usually driving home from a track day, for some reason?) I just love to crank up the tunes. And if it were my car, I have to admit I would go with the top system. It's just amazingly impressive clarity and volume. When you crank it up on the highway, you can't even hear the engine! But this is just my opinion, so go sit in a Gen 5 and check it out for yourself, and decide what is best for you. If you want to keep a few pounds off the car, you could go with the lower line system. Or, you could hit the YMCA and drop 5 lbs yourself, and then opt for the top system guilt-free!

 

[Nine Ball]

After reading this thread, I went out into the garage and discovered my Viper has a radio. Who knew!