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

[electruck]

So you assume the in-house system is better?

I stated no such thing. I merely stated that you aren't missing out on anything special because you're not getting the Meridian branded system.

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[electruck]

I am an audiophile and I really enjoy the Meridian sound system. Is it the last word in bass response - no, but the sins are of omission rather than commission. Far better than having more bass volume or extension at the price of bloat and lack of articulation. Doing that well with low frequencies is difficult and expensive. Meridian could no doubt do better, but maybe not within the space and cost constraints provided. It’s unlikely that anyone would be able to do a better job with DSP - Meridian have been at the forefront of DSP for audio for many decades, having created apodising filters, MLP, MQA and so on.

My complaints aren't limited to the bass response.

 

[Joel]

My complaints aren't limited to the bass response.

I am a 2018 max pack reservation holder and just keep watching them remove features that to me help justify the 90k prices.
at this point I am curious what truck I will actually get.

 

[Step Brady]

Just because Meridian’s name (or any other popular audio gear manufacturer) is on the stereo system does not mean the parts were made in a different place than the “Rivian Elevation” system. Same goes for any of the other branded audio systems.

Apple does not charge any auto manufacturers to use CP.

Making your own motors is one of the top ways Tesla became profitable.

“Top executives” come and go from all companies for all kinds of reasons. Some quit. Some are let go. Crazy, right?

I have not seen anyone here say they were not offered either a rental car, loaner, or Uber credits while their Rivian is being serviced under warranty.

If you don’t feel like your Rivian is worth it anymore, there are plenty of people in line behind you who will happily take your spot.

Or you can just continue yelling at the sky about things you are wrong about or don’t like.

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.

 

[Step Brady]

My complaints aren't limited to the bass response.

Meridian is far ahead of Rivian in automobile design, agree. It's a cost savings move, as they state, many people may not notice, but it is not what they ordered. Rivian electronic motors are not Bosch; it's a cost-saving move. Will it make up a $20K difference in each unit? Never, but it will piss off some early adopters More irritated about the truck you ordered getting changed and then reading about it two months after they did the change. About 60/40 on the higher side of canceling, 12-20 weeks out, if stock or outlook does not improve, or complaints about poor service and bad fit and finish, sorry, not getting my $90K investment, competition will be too large in 12-18 months. CEO may be a great engineer, but picking top business talent leaves something to be desired, may be time to step aside.

 

[dleewla]

I ordered the fantastic Meridian audio system; now I am getting Rivian Elevated System with fewer speakers (cheap China drivers and amp that get renamed). You don't cut out speaker weight (magnet weight) and mid-range drivers and obtain a better sounding system.
Meridian has a very high reputation. Rivian is saving some dollars as they are doing away with Bosch Motors, doing away with loaners for service, doing away with top executives, won't pay Apple for the CarPlay App, and so on. Meridian takes all the material used within the interior, the dimensions, height of the ears and matches the best frequency response; that is why luxury manufacturers go with them (like Range Rover). Not getting what I ordered and not being communicated to, don't like it—putting something in the press two months after you made the change, even worse.

Totally agree. I do think they should cost cut and continue to move towards profitability, whether that’s vertical integration, better sourcing, optimization in design and materials or what not but I don’t agree with them changing things for those who ordered a vehicle with specific specs already. Not only did we put down a deposit but in some cases we have already paid for a vehicle with a specific configuration and not we’re being told it’s changed. That’s bait and switch.

 

[DuoRivians]

Totally agree. I do think they should cost cut and continue to move towards profitability, whether that’s vertical integration, better sourcing, optimization in design and materials or what not but I don’t agree with them changing things for those who ordered a vehicle with specific specs already. Not only did we put down a deposit but in some cases we have already paid for a vehicle with a specific configuration and not we’re being told it’s changed. That’s bait and switch.

Cmon. It’s not bait and switch. Rivian always reserves the right to alter their products. And often for better improvements. Like improving the air suspension pump and cylinders.

If what they’ve done irks you, you as the consumer always have the right to cancel your order and get back your money.

But, let’s not get all high-and-mighty here

 

[Dark-Fx]

Totally agree. I do think they should cost cut and continue to move towards profitability, whether that’s vertical integration, better sourcing, optimization in design and materials or what not but I don’t agree with them changing things for those who ordered a vehicle with specific specs already. Not only did we put down a deposit but in some cases we have already paid for a vehicle with a specific configuration and not we’re being told it’s changed. That’s bait and switch.

Every auto manufacturer does this when they can't fulfill your order by the time they start producing the next model year that already has these changes planned.

 

[CommodoreAmiga]

Cmon. It’s not bait and switch. Rivian always reserves the right to alter their products. And often for better improvements. Like improving the air suspension pump and cylinders.

If what they’ve done irks you, you as the consumer always have the right to cancel your order and get back your money.

But, let’s not get all high-and-mighty here

there HAS been bait-and-switch, though. Some of us have already taken delivery and been driving our vehicles we still get screwed.

I’m lucky that my powered tonneau still works. Think about that for a second…. I’m the luck one? For using something I PAID for? Lots of people paid and can’t use the bed of their pickup truck. crazy!

I was promised Rivian would “come to me“ and service almost anything in my driveway. In 10 months of ownership I’ve filed dozens of tickets and not one has been fixed mobile.

I was promised Rivian would cover transport to/from the service center for warranty repairs that they couldn’t address mobile. They did twice. Then policy changed. Now I have to either take two days off work and drive or pay out of pocket (couple thousand dollars, each way) for a tow. This REALLY grinds my gears when some of the issues still outstanding we’re on previous SC work orders and they didn’t fix them. Super frustrating to be told I must pay because Rivian continues to drop the ball.

I was promised a loaner vehicle any time the vehicle needed to stay overnight for service. I’ve needed several service center appointments and they never give me the vehicle back in less than two weeks. I’m told now that policy has changed — no more loaners.

For those who haven’t taken delivery yet, you are warned…. Think twice. For those of us who already wrote the check, however, Rivian has and continues to “alter the deal” and it seems to always be worse for the customer.

 

[R1Tom]

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

And built in CB unit.

 

[Dark-Fx]

there HAS been bait-and-switch, though. Some of us have already taken delivery and been driving our vehicles we still get screwed.

I’m lucky that my powered tonneau still works. Think about that for a second…. I’m the luck one? For using something I PAID for? Lots of people paid and can’t use the bed of their pickup truck. crazy!

I was promised Rivian would “come to me“ and service almost anything in my driveway. In 10 months of ownership I’ve filed dozens of tickets and not one has been fixed mobile.

I was promised Rivian would cover transport to/from the service center for warranty repairs that they couldn’t address mobile. They did twice. Then policy changed. Now I have to either take two days off work and drive or pay out of pocket (couple thousand dollars, each way) for a tow. This REALLY grinds my gears when some of the issues still outstanding we’re on previous SC work orders and they didn’t fix them. Super frustrating to be told I must pay because Rivian continues to drop the ball.

I was promised a loaner vehicle any time the vehicle needed to stay overnight for service. I’ve needed several service center appointments and they never give me the vehicle back in less than two weeks. I’m told now that policy has changed — no more loaners.

For those who haven’t taken delivery yet, you are warned…. Think twice. For those of us who already wrote the check, however, Rivian has and continues to “alter the deal” and it seems to always be worse for the customer.

Sell your truck already then, damn. This Reddit poll yesterday says that most of the covers are still working.

 

[COdogman]

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.

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

 

[Redline]

I am a 2018 max pack reservation holder and just keep watching them remove features that to me help justify the 90k prices.
at this point I am curious what truck I will actually get.

A truck that's probably over $100k now.

 

[Rad_ry]

Meridian has been designing audio systems for a bit longer than Rivian.

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

 

[Dark-Fx]

6. 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

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)

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