To the fine folks at Axiom:

Have you seriously thought about introducing line of car audio products for your customers? How difficult would it be to design car speakers that are similarly good to your current line of home speakers?

Bose does a pretty good job in the mobile market (certainly better than on the home front). I have no doubt that Axiom can do better.

How about it? Your products have spoiled many of us at home. Why not continue to spoil us on the road?

-alan

Alan, sounds good to me.. I'm sure they have thought this one thru once or twice ? At least a line of Subs ?
Hey, Joe Vassallo has a couple TENS in his Porsche.. Not designed for that, but what the heck, eh.. If he see this thread, maybe he can give us a little feedback.. ?

Mikey,

I'd be happy with a pair of 5 and 1/4 inch Axiom drivers in my Subaru. On second thought, make that two pairs -- don't want to leave out my rear passengers! Top it off with an EIGHT under the passenger seat. That would be awesome! Just like....like being at home!

Vroom Vroom!

-alan

I would hate to think that Ian and crew was diverted from their main focus of home audio. As we call all atest to by listening to the "boom cars", the bass extension is way over the top...and very unrealistic. I find most of these systems actually can't reproduce quality music, as they are designed to overcome car, and road noise.

...maybe I am just getting old, but I would put my 1970 SS Chevelle against any of these boom box Honda's that sound like they need an exhaust repair.

Cool!!!! 1970 Chevelle SS:) Very nice car. Would like to see a photo of it sometime.

BBIBH

that's so true!

most people nowadays leave the manufacturer speakers, and just add something crazy like an 800watt double 12 inch subwoofer in the back. Sometimes they even need an extra battery to power it. I wonder is the air displacement these produce are enough to propel the car! or give it frame damage from the vibrations!

It was explained to me by some young guns, that they can't afford the insurance and gas for fast cars. So they spend the money they have on sound and noisy mufflers......

Well that was in the mid 80's, alas it is long gone......and was not much to look at when it was around
But it would turn mid 12's at the drag strip! AND if you dumped the clutch at high rev's in 1st or 2nd gear, lift the front tires off the ground!!

My current old car is a 1955 Studebaker Champion. Runs great, needs to be painted. My hometown hero!

BBIBH/BIBBH

Oh, the memories of truly HOT cars (and inadequate sound systems in them - like those fab 2 way 6 x 9 speakers in the shelf behind the rear seat) and not those buzzy little Honda, Acuras, and Neons. Let us have REAL V-8 power....

But! To quote a smart guy in a different thread......

"Stop it!!!!! You guys are starting my midlife crisis discussing all this venerable gear from my early days!!!!!"

Regards,

Randyman

Yes, but I suspect like these youg'uns, we thought we were the baddest around!!!

...oh, and flattery will get you everywhere!!!

I'd respond to this but unfortunately i don't have a car or a drivers license... i know i should get it!

however, my experience hearing car audio is that it is nowhere close in quality compared to home audio. That is rather evident considering the vibrations and sounds the car makes.

I would hope that if Axiom got into the car game that it would replicate what it does for home audio, qualty at an exceptional price.

I think there is a market for high end quality speaker replacement in cars but it is probably a small one as most baby boomers seem to prefer the factory high end stuff and the "kids" seem to just want overwhelming bass at the expense of everything else. Not saying it couldn't be done but I think the business plan would have to be very well thought out.

BBIBH ..do I know you? I had a '69 Z28 Camaro in my youth, also drag raced it. A friend at work has a restored '72 SS Chevelle, and hangs around with 3 other Chevy nuts, all SS cars, a coupe, convertible and an El Camino, all with 454 power. It's quite a sight when they all get together.

I doubt it...as I have owned nothing close to that beast since. Are you from the local viewing area, or elsewhere? I spend more time lusting after vintage 1920-1950ish vehicles, originally restored (no rodders)....and of course great audio!

The problem with car audio is in the vehicle. To overcome the road, engine, and environment noise, the sound system must generate sound that are enhanced and louder at lower levels. This is typically because road/engine noise is lower in frequency.

Hey Linn is putting systems in BMW's I believe...and they are producing some of the world's best pieces!

Hi,

Trying to design speakers for mobile use in a car is a total nightmare. Think about it: In home speaker design, the engineer has control of the enclosure and knows roughly where the speaker will be set up for stereo and home theater applications in average rooms. And yes, every room is different, but not to the degree of car interiors!

In a car, every variable is different with each car and model: Where you can mount the speakers in the door, the air volume behind the woofers in the door, the amount of reflective glass, the dashboard area and material, the seat material, the fact that most listeners will be well off-axis to any installed tweeters. The list goes on.

The only positive thing about getting good sound in a car is the trunk, and subwoofer design. You can specify the box size, driver and crossover parameters, and stick the box in the trunk (or in the back of a hatchback), add a powerful dedicated amp for the sub (you have to overcome all that road, tire, and wind noise) and, because you're dealing with a relatively tiny enclosed space (roll up the windows, guys), a 12-inch or 10-inch driver in a sealed box can pressurize the interior so you can get response down to 20 Hz or lower for a modest amount of money (except for the amp, of course). But compared to trying to get 20 Hz low frequencies in a big living room, it's still relatively economical getting them in a car.

The best car systems are highly customized to a particular car's interior. JBL designers, along with the engineers at Ford, designed some excellent-sounding Ford/JBL systems for upscale Lincolns and the like. Paradoxically, Bose has produced better sounding car systems for Mercedes (albeit with rather peculiar imaging) than their home speakers. The Linn in the BMW left me underwhelmed, which doesn't surprise me because loudspeaker design has never been a strength of Linn's.

Regards,

I must say the the Bose system in my 2002 Audi A4 sounds pretty damn nice. They did a real good job. It's party responsible for the recent upgrades in my home system. I hated the fact that my cd's sounded better in my car than in my home!

I can understand Axiom not getting into this market though. Bose has contracts directly with the automakers, and designs systems specific to each car model. The Bose system in my A4 was design exactly for my A4. Trying to make speakers that would sound good in ANY car has got to be next to impossible.

Has anyone heard a Mark Levinson system in a Lexus yet? I wonder if it lives up to its name.

Yeah, I only test-drove a Lexus with the M/L system, and I did immediately hear significant improvements compared to the non-M/L Lexus. But what really struck me was the HUGE beneficial effect of Lexus sedans’ tranquility on its sound quality. Ever since that test drive, I always say, if you are interested in car audio, get a quiet car first!

Then again, the Viper I drove had a stereo that sounded like crap. But it wasn't needed.... ;-)

And WHO made that Viper drive possible?

You did, oh you great and wonderful person.

It was my bachelor party.

Totally off topic, but my current label is "hobbiest." Shouldn't it say "hobbyist"?

Not if you're more hobbier.