Rivian Elevation audio system - in house design change began February 2023?

[CommodoreAmiga]

Well Kia has been making cars a lot longer than Rivian, yet the brand new Kia EV9's performance (power and range) underwhelm compared with Rivian

I’ve been surprised how many Rivian owners seem to want (and are satisfied with) the lackluster conserve mode. Clearly “power” isn’t a priority for many people. Brands like Kia know this.

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[COdogman]

Frankly I'm surprised Rivian actually made it to production at all through the COVID shortages and shutdowns. If people really want to look at an example of how to bumblefuck your way through it and end up failing, Lordstown is a good example. (Sorry to the couple Lordstown employees I've met in the last couple years)

That is how I feel about it too. The pandemic was/is the kind of thing that would wipe out most new manufacturing companies and auto manufacturing is tougher even in the best of times. I respect their ability to survive so far. I never expected them to be perfect or to never change parts or policies. Every company has to do that to stay in business.

 

[Rad_ry]

I encourage you to give up your order today. This whole process from pre-order to delivery appears to be far too much for you to handle. You are basically babbling incoherently about things that every auto manufacturer does….

Legend

 

[COdogman]

Legend

I just don’t understand why someone with such a LONG list of complaints about a company would even consider buying anything from them?

This person is whining about everything from the executives’ hobbies to the brand of toilet paper the factory uses and they are still planning on taking delivery of one of their vehicles?

They should go deal with one of the many auto companies that communicate perfectly, never change their vehicles and pricing and policies after an order is placed, and has no turnover…. Oh wait

 

[rraj2k81]

Now that I think about it, BMW did this same bait and switch with the iX.

When I placed a reservation for the iX M50, I optioned it with the Bowers and Wilkins Audio, which was part of the launch edition and early orders.

But then BMW changed that to have the B&W option for the M60 and the M50 can only be ordered with H&K system starting with all 2023 orders. So, while I waited for my reservation, my pre-order got converted to 2023 and I lost the B&W Audio option.

And if I wanted the B&W I would have to order the M60.

Nothing wrong with H&K, it's a pretty decent system, but the BMW B&W Audio is on a different level of audio experience. This alone has made me consider cancelling my pre-order and picking up an M50 which has the B&W Audio.

 

[Picard]

Any reviews from the recently delivered vehicles that shed light on the difference in actual audio between the old and new systems?

 

[Dirtman16]

Any reviews from the recently delivered vehicles that shed light on the difference in actual audio between the old and new systems?

I can't compare the two, as I've never heard the Meridian system. However, as I posted earlier in this thread, the new system sounds very good. The mid and high range frequencies are very crisp. The low frequencies could be a bit punchier and tight, but I expect a lot of that has to do with the internal shape of the vehicle (we have an R1S).

I drive a Model 3, and my wife previously had a Model Y. If you're familiar with either of those vehicles, the new Rivian system easily has superior mids and highs to the Tesla system, as well as overall power output. After some limited testing, I slightly prefer the bass reproduction in the Model 3, but again, this could just be the more constrained cabin shape.

The R1S system is clearly better than the Tesla system in the Model Y. Just one man's opinion.

 

[KWeimer711]

Now that I think about it, BMW did this same bait and switch with the iX.

When I placed a reservation for the iX M50, I optioned it with the Bowers and Wilkins Audio, which was part of the launch edition and early orders.

But then BMW changed that to have the B&W option for the M60 and the M50 can only be ordered with H&K system starting with all 2023 orders. So, while I waited for my reservation, my pre-order got converted to 2023 and I lost the B&W Audio option.

And if I wanted the B&W I would have to order the M60.

Nothing wrong with H&K, it's a pretty decent system, but the BMW B&W Audio is on a different level of audio experience. This alone has made me consider cancelling my pre-order and picking up an M50 which has the B&W Audio.

Both made by Harman.

 

[Jomoflymo]

For what its worth I just took delivery and the truck was built in February and it still has the Meridian system

 

[computertom]

So much internet bench racing (ie: complaining). This should be a relatively easy thing for two owners to test. One Meridian gets together with another Rivian and they both listen to the same source. Tidal? Same tunes. Sitting together. I’m game if anyone in the Boston area has a Rivian sound system R1T. PM me.

 

[Step Brady]

Harman made both.

B&W went out of business years ago and is owned by California private equity firm. Samsung has owned Harmon Kardon for the last six years, which has brands for mobile audio such as AKG, AMX, Arcam, Bang & Olufsen Automotive, Becker, BSS Audio, Crown, dbx, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Martin, Revel, Soundcraft, Studer. Sorry, this has been my workplace for nearly 40 years; all these brands went out of business because home audio died, but Harmon (Samsung) still has excellent standards and fantastic research. The computer analyzer (not somebodies ears) costs about $40K to tune one of these systems to an interior. Sorry, it is just better and more accurate than the human ear. Bently uses a Mark Levinson system, but so does Genesis, the same exact system. They are saving a few grand on each unit, and sure, that's their objective, but as they raised the price on all initial adopters, they're making the same mistake again. Most won't notice, but some will. Their objective is to move units and cut costs now, which is never too good for the quality. Barrons has a good article today by them; the company has issues.

 

[Step Brady]

I encourage you to give up your order today. This whole process from pre-order to delivery appears to be far too much for you to handle. You are basically babbling incoherently about things that every auto manufacturer does.

1. You have absolutely no idea who is making the speakers for the “new” audio system. Audio component make parts for all levels “luxury” and non-luxury vehicles. Is it possible the Rivian system is still manufactured and tuned by Meridian but Rivian decided it’s not worth the cost to have the name “Meridian” on the speaker grills? You haven’t even heard both systems and you are here whining about it. Chances are if they didn’t tell you, you wouldn’t even know the difference, but don’t let that stop you….

2. You have no idea what level of “sophistication” is required to run CP, and whether Rivian’s has reached your imaginary bar. All you know is there is no CP and you want to loudly whine about something. You said Rivian “didn’t want to pay Apple for the CarPlay App”. You made that up.

3. You haven’t shown that Rivian loses executives at a higher rate, or for different reasons than any other auto company. It is purely your uninformed opinion. Most tech and auto companies laid people off this year, didn’t they?

4. Did your preorder agreement make you some kind of guarantee that no changes would be made to the truck or the price or the company before delivery? No, it certainly didn’t. Would you rather Rivian stop delivering any trucks while they wait months or years for supply chain issues for certain parts to improve, or is it smarter to keep making and delivering vehicles to their customers who have been waiting? The can’t really win either way because you’ve been waiting 2 years and you are crying about them trying to do what they can to get you a truck.

5. You are both whining about Rivian trying to save money and for not charging enough For their first vehicle? RJ is 49th on this list of auto Industry pay. Once again you have zero idea what you are talking about.
https://www.autonews.com/executives/ceo-pay-rises-auto-industry

They're doing what Musk stated they better do to survive and cut costs, but probably too late!

 

[KWeimer711]

B&W went out of business years ago and is owned by California private equity firm. Samsung has owned Harmon Kardon for the last six years, which has brands for mobile audio such as AKG, AMX, Arcam, Bang & Olufsen Automotive, Becker, BSS Audio, Crown, dbx, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon, Mark Levinson, Martin, Revel, Soundcraft, Studer. Sorry, this has been my workplace for nearly 40 years; all these brands went out of business because home audio died, but Harmon (Samsung) still has excellent standards and fantastic research. The computer analyzer (not somebodies ears) costs about $40K to tune one of these systems to an interior. Sorry, it is just better and more accurate than the human ear. Bently uses a Mark Levinson system, but so does Genesis, the same exact system. They are saving a few grand on each unit, and sure, that's their objective, but as they raised the price on all initial adopters, they're making the same mistake again. Most won't notice, but some will. Their objective is to move units and cut costs now, which is never too good for the quality. Barrons has a good article today by them; the company has issues.

What does any of that have to do with the fact that B&W and HK systems are both made by Harman?

 

[JPC]

I got my R1S this morning. 2023 with a VIN just shy of 5000 (which the guy said resets every year BTW). Has the Meridian system and also a 12V in the frunk. Was told I got lucky.

 

[SANZC02]

I got my R1S this morning. 2023 with a VIN just shy of 5000 (which the guy said resets every year BTW). Has the Meridian system and also a 12V in the frunk. Was told I got lucky.

Congrats on the delivery.

I think the Guy is incorrect. We have seen 2022 R1Ts in the 15k range and 2023 in the 18k range, if the numbers reset then they would be over 33k number for R1Ts and close to 10k for R1S, and who knows about EDVs but let’s say around 7500. That would be 55k total vehicles or about 20k in first QTR of 2023. There is no way they are on pace for 80k vehicles in 2023.

They may have meant to reset the numbers but the numbers do not add up, if they did reset them they did not start at 1.

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