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

[Donald Stanfield]

I’m sure the new system sounds fine. They might save a few bucks and the system is going to be comparable to the Meridian. It’s not like we went from the Meridian and now there’s going to be an FM plastic boom box taped to the dash.

They want to save a few dollars, not piss off their customers.

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[Dark-Fx]

Yes, it's a March 2023 build. Most of the speakers have no branding at all. But the woofers and the doors do have a rivian logo. See attached.

If it really is lighter, your vehicle should have a slightly higher payload number than ones with the Meridian system. Any chance you could tell us what your door sticker says?

 

[COdogman]

I’m sure the new system sounds fine. They might save a few bucks and the system is going to be comparable to the Meridian. It’s not like we went from the Meridian and now there’s going to be an FM plastic boom box taped to the dash.

They want to save a few dollars, not piss off their customers.

How did you know the exact setup I had in my first car?

 

[rraj2k81]

Tesla in-house audio is great! Better than Bose or Bang Olufsen I’ve had in other cars

You must have won the Tesla lottery here. The Bang and Olufsen I had in my Audi S4 and most of the Audi's with Bang and Olufsen (especially the upgraded 3D system in more expensive trims) was a far better audio system than what I have in my Model S right now.

The Bang and Olufsen was louder, cleaner, vibrant and warmer than what ever Tesla is doing. Not saying the Tesla system is bad, it is clean and very clear and can get loud. But it does not have the warmth or the presence the Bang and Olufsen had.

I need to crank the volume slider up to maybe level 7 or 8 of 10 before I can even begin to enjoy audio in my Tesla. But the Audi had what I call the infinite volume knob which I can keep cranking up and as the volume goes up the system comes alive. Listening to music in the Audi always felt like I was in a live performance and with a Tesla I know music is coming from speakers.

Part of this is probably due to the fact the Tesla still does not know how to do interiors and sound deadening and what ever they are doing as ANR barely does anything. So part of Tesla's problem is that their audio system is competing with road noise and lack of any real sound isolation. And I would imagine Rivian would have the same challenges.

 

[rraj2k81]

If Rivian is going away from Meridian and doing inhouse audio system, with their history of anything inhouse, this is just going to be mediocre at best because Rivian is not going to prioritize the audio system.

I mean these were the same guys who thought they would give a Meridian System and then cripple it with just Spotify streaming.

So chances are this is more about cost cutting and has nothing to do with any kind of vertical integration or inhouse development for better audio experience.

 

[COdogman]

Terms like “vertical integration” and “in-house development” are all code for cost cutting, regardless of which company does it. And it’s not always a bad thing. Is it smart business to overpay for a branded audio system when most of the parts all come from the same places anyway? I don’t think so.

Rivian understands that poeple want a better than average system in a premium vehicle. If they put the work into DSP there is no reason this can’t sound even better than the “Meridian” system.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Terms like “vertical integration” and “in-house development” are all code for cost cutting, regardless of which company does it. And it’s not always a bad thing. Is it smart business to overpay for a branded audio system when most of the parts all come from the same places anyway? I don’t think so.

Rivian understands that poeple want a better than average system in a premium vehicle. If they put the work into DSP there is no reason this can’t sound even better than the “Meridian” system.

I'll wait for the Munro video where he tears one of these post Feb 23 vehicles down and praises Rivian for their cost-cutting measures.

 

[COdogman]

I'll wait for the Munro video where he tears one of these post Feb 23 vehicles down and praises Rivian for their cost-cutting measures.

That’s fair! But I’ll be damned if I will take audio system advice (god or bad) from a geriatric man who probably needs hearing aids and didn’t even seem to know his truck had a wireless charger in his last video

 

[Grajjie]

Mids and highs are very crisp. The sub could be a little punchier, but that's mostly personal taste. You can notch up the low frequencies in the EQ to compensate.

Pretty similar to the Meridian in that case. Mids and highs are fine but the lows needed a boost for my taste as well.

 

[moosehead]

Maybe we’ll get an 8-track tape player with the Munro Hearing Aide Audio System.

 

[Redline]

I was excited for the Meridian system, I won't lie, but I found it interesting how polarizing it seemed to be. Some said it was the best ever, and some hated it.

 

[jbssfelix]

You must have won the Tesla lottery here. The Bang and Olufsen I had in my Audi S4 and most of the Audi's with Bang and Olufsen (especially the upgraded 3D system in more expensive trims) was a far better audio system than what I have in my Model S right now.

The Bang and Olufsen was louder, cleaner, vibrant and warmer than what ever Tesla is doing. Not saying the Tesla system is bad, it is clean and very clear and can get loud. But it does not have the warmth or the presence the Bang and Olufsen had.

I need to crank the volume slider up to maybe level 7 or 8 of 10 before I can even begin to enjoy audio in my Tesla. But the Audi had what I call the infinite volume knob which I can keep cranking up and as the volume goes up the system comes alive. Listening to music in the Audi always felt like I was in a live performance and with a Tesla I know music is coming from speakers.

Part of this is probably due to the fact the Tesla still does not know how to do interiors and sound deadening and what ever they are doing as ANR barely does anything. So part of Tesla's problem is that their audio system is competing with road noise and lack of any real sound isolation. And I would imagine Rivian would have the same challenges.

I'd mostly agree. Our Volvo B&W sound system was absolutely sublime. I would literally spend evenings in the garage just listening to song after song in various genres with my eyes closed.

Tesla's ain't bad, don't get me wrong, but I also think most of the problem is with the rest of the car vs with the speakers themselves. Trying to overcome the echo chamber that is a Model 3 takes a big chunk away from what would otherwise likely be a high-tier sound system.

 

[electruck]

Personally, I find the Meridian system to be a bit lacking and that is due, at least in part, on the drivers being used. However, some dynamic EQ that accounts for equal loudness contours (eg, Fletcher Munson, Robertson Dodson) would be a much welcomed addition and might help address some of the complaints about lack of warmth and low end that seem to be an issue for myself and others. That won't fix the hardware limitations but might make the best of a poor system.

 

[electruck]

I was excited for the Meridian system, I won't lie, but I found it interesting how polarizing it seemed to be. Some said it was the best ever, and some hated it.

It really all depends on personal preferences, type of music, and the systems people are coming from.

 

[NY_Rob]

OK. At least have the decency to put in AM!!!!

AM is pretty spotty in EV's due them running on mainly electricity.

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