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

[DuoRivians]

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.

VIN Numbers didn’t reset for long, they quickly reverted back to cumulative count. But I don’t know when or how many numbers overlapped

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[Dark-Fx]

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.

They reset the numbers at the start of production but it didn't stay that way. What I heard was they realized their servicing system was only configured for the last 6 digits of the VIN so they ended up with duplicate records. Now they are asking for the 6 digits plus a phone number when emailing about issues. The 23 R1S VIN we are picking up tomorrow is a 34XX number. I wasn't told the build date but I can see what the door sticker says tomorrow. There was a 31XX '22 for sale on Cars and Bids not too long ago, and a 23 with 03XX. But I haven't heard of anyone with a 23 with a 1XXX or 2XXX

 

[COdogman]

They reset the numbers at the start of production but it didn't stay that way. What I heard was they realized their servicing system was only configured for the last 6 digits of the VIN so they ended up with duplicate records. Now they are asking for the 6 digits plus a phone number when emailing about issues. The 23 R1S VIN we are picking up tomorrow is a 34XX number. I wasn't told the build date but I can see what the door sticker says tomorrow. There was a 31XX '22 for sale on Cars and Bids not too long ago, and a 23 with 03XX. But I haven't heard of anyone with a 23 with a 1XXX or 2XXX

Tomorrow!?

 

[Dark-Fx]

Tomorrow!?

Things move quick when it's the end of the quarter. I'm sure that means it'll be a week before our first service request ticket goes in but it is what it is.

 

[DuoRivians]

Picking up R1T 20xxx vin next week!

 

[Step Brady]

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

B&W and Harmon Kardon are not made by Harmon Kardon (Samsung).
They pulled out the mid-range speakers from the Meridian system, two fewer holes in the doors, two fewer speakers, and two fewer amplifier channels. It shows that it is not an improvement in the vehicle, just a cost-cutting method. It shows that it is not an improvement in the vehicle, just a cost-cutting method. It shows that it is not an improvement in the vehicle, just a cost-cutting method. A truck on order just got a ChiFi system rather than a leader in audio tuned to model system.

https://www.meridian-audio.com/medi...-meridian-audio-for-electric-suvs-and-trucks/

They are losing $20K on every truck, so they are cutting costs to get that down. Look at the balance sheet; you can see they can not continue to lose $2.5 billion a quarter when you only have $12 billion left and build a $5 billion dollar factory in Georgia. More cuts will come. No insiders are purchasing stock, nor is anywone else, it's about 10 times lower daily shares traded. Yet Rivian has tried to compensate their executives with stock which has caused an exodus. Interest rates up another 1/4 point today, near 8-9% if not subsidized by an auto-maker, which big auto manufactureres can do (they own their own credit arms). Their value is less than their cash on hand, best hope is a buyout and union manufactureres will most likely not be interested. Rough economy and rough times for RIvian.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...udio-system-owners-are-up-in-arms-212233.html

 

[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.

Read up, cartoon boy!


https://www.autonews.com/executives/ceo-pay-rises-auto-industry

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...udio-system-owners-are-up-in-arms-212233.html

 

[KWeimer711]

B&W and Harmon Kardon are not made by Harmon Kardon (Samsung).

incorrect…in automotive they are both made by Harman (not spelled Harmon)

 

[COdogman]

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...udio-system-owners-are-up-in-arms-212233.html

Thank you but that added nothing that we didn’t already know? A blog reporting that people are “up in arms” on a forum is not exactly newsworthy. Show me a forum where people aren’t up in arms about something.

Until we have enough of the new systems out there that people can share their feedback and hopefully do a full head to head comparison, we just don’t know there will be much of a difference in the way it sounds to human ears. And as the blog post you linked to said, we still don’t know if the new system might still be made by Meridian just without the branding.

 

[PappaBolt]

B&W and Harmon Kardon are not made by Harmon Kardon (Samsung).
They pulled out the mid-range speakers from the Meridian system, two fewer holes in the doors, two fewer speakers, and two fewer amplifier channels. It shows that it is not an improvement in the vehicle, just a cost-cutting method. It shows that it is not an improvement in the vehicle, just a cost-cutting method. It shows that it is not an improvement in the vehicle, just a cost-cutting method. A truck on order just got a ChiFi system rather than a leader in audio tuned to model system.

https://www.meridian-audio.com/medi...-meridian-audio-for-electric-suvs-and-trucks/

They are losing $20K on every truck, so they are cutting costs to get that down. Look at the balance sheet; you can see they can not continue to lose $2.5 billion a quarter when you only have $12 billion left and build a $5 billion dollar factory in Georgia. More cuts will come. No insiders are purchasing stock, nor is anywone else, it's about 10 times lower daily shares traded. Yet Rivian has tried to compensate their executives with stock which has caused an exodus. Interest rates up another 1/4 point today, near 8-9% if not subsidized by an auto-maker, which big auto manufactureres can do (they own their own credit arms). Their value is less than their cash on hand, best hope is a buyout and union manufactureres will most likely not be interested. Rough economy and rough times for RIvian.

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...udio-system-owners-are-up-in-arms-212233.html

I think you should cancel your order

 

[rivmok]

There is a big difference between luxury audio manufacturers' parts then base auto brands. They are pulling out the midrange drivers and using lighter-weight speakers like that. Will it make a big difference in range? Price yes, range, please? You may be a fanboy who likes cartoons too much for your age, but software by auto manufacturers has to reach a certain level of sophistication before Apple Car play will work. If the manufacturer does not want to incur the cost of upgrading their software to Apple's standards, there is no car play; it's that simple.
I put money down over two and a half years ago and have had multiple changes besides the company at a current net value of only cash on hand. Executives in senior positions do not last an average of 14 months as they do with Rivian. It's a joke in the auto industry how a company that is 14 years old can't keep anyone—either bad hires or not a great company to work for. Maybe pricing $20K below where your item is profitable shows you wrote one poor business plan.
Six senior executives left this year alone and have not been replaced; the COO is an ex-banker with grocery store experience and a previous pastry chef (plus two mass lay offs to reduce cost). Changing the stereo will surely solve that. CEO still pulls his 1.4 million a year salary though,
I will give up my order when I feel like it, and maybe I will flip, but even the market for their trucks is about down to MSRP lately, about as bad as the stock. If I want to complain, and your read it, too bad. Hope you make it through five years of promised warranty service, but it looks not that good.

This is total BS, Apple Car play and Android Auto have nothing to do with sophistication or license fees. Both of these applications want full control of the display; there is no screen sharing or commingling with other applications and dont integrate well with the native systems. Its an all or nothing approach. I've had my truck for 9 months and dont miss either (and it was one of my reservations early on).

 

[Step Brady]

Thank you but that added nothing that we didn’t already know? A blog reporting that people are “up in arms” on a forum is not exactly newsworthy. Show me a forum where people aren’t up in arms about something.

Until we have enough of the new systems out there that people can share their feedback and hopefully do a full head to head comparison, we just don’t know there will be much of a difference in the way it sounds to human ears. And as the blog post you linked to said, we still don’t know if Meridian might still make the new system just without the branding.

If you knew about audio, you don't do human head-to-head testing anymore, gone for about ten years now, a computer can measure frequencies (though they cost about $30-$40K) which high-end companies use to tune the system to the materials used in the vehicle. You're not going to remove speakers (mid-range), go with lesser weight magnets, and have somebody in the house say, "ya, that sounds better" and have any conclusion.
A Meridian system would cost you about $2000 if added to the vehicle over a base system. Range Rover and Jaguar don't choose to reduce the cost of their vehicles. Cost cutting move, too bad., more will come as theu stated in their February 28th conference call.
Meridian isn't making the system, they already blanked out their press release when the two joined two years ago. Rivian just crapped on Meridian by saying their in house system sounded better, yet is cheaper with less speakers.
Whew, your one big fanboy, going to get a wake up call on a company cutting cost as quick as they can.

 

[Step Brady]

This is total BS; Apple Car Play and Android Auto have nothing to do with sophistication or license fees. Both of these applications want full control of the display; there is no screen sharing or commingling with other applications and dont integrate well with the native systems. Its an all or nothing approach. I've had my truck for 9 months and dont miss either (and it was one of my reservations early on).

And you're the majority? The software by Rivian must be written and installed to run Apple Car Play, which is a cost Rivian avoids, and every post and thread states that it's poor not to have on an $80-$100K vehicle. It does not take. all of the OEM display, just a window, go look at some cars and trucks. Ford, GM, Stellaris all have it. Porsche,Aud, aand BMW all have it. Hyundai, Kia have it. Lexus , Toyota have it.
Rivian is not in an additional feature mode with their vehicles or business; they are laying off employees, cutting features, cutting senior executives, issuing bonds, and trying to move dirt in Georgia with little money left to just the next six quarters. The new plant cost $5 Billion; they only have $12 Billion left, yet are burning through $2 billion a quarter, do the math young fellow, no profit is not going to last in this economy, Wall Street is and no shares are selling! No insiders are buying.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Thank you but that added nothing that we didn’t already know? A blog reporting that people are “up in arms” on a forum is not exactly newsworthy. Show me a forum where people aren’t up in arms about something.

Until we have enough of the new systems out there that people can share their feedback and hopefully do a full head to head comparison, we just don’t know there will be much of a difference in the way it sounds to human ears. And as the blog post you linked to said, we still don’t know if the new system might still be made by Meridian just without the branding.

It literally links to this thread. I'm convinced most of the people "up in arms" about these changes are shorting the stock.

 

[SoCal Rob]

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/...udio-system-owners-are-up-in-arms-212233.html

Given the article above references this very thread as proof that owners are up in arms… it doesn’t really add anything to the conversation in this thread… which it references. “Based on the reactions shared in the forum, ...”

We all have our own priorities. For everyone out there who values a Meridian-branded sound system in their Rivian above all else, then this is clearly a sign that this vehicle is no longer a good match unless they buy one manufactured before the change. For those folks, losing a couple speakers from the second row is a really big deal. That’s totally fair!

If you think you‘re going to cause a mass defection of customers leading Rivian to see the error of their ways, I predict that isn’t going to happen. For many of us, only family, friends, coworkers, and other passengers will ever hear whatever difference there is because we owners sit in the front seats. For me, people behind the first row would never know because when I have passengers in the car I play music at a low/background level so we can, you know, talk.

edit: missed a few words

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