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Harman Kardon option is a complete waste of money

41K views 72 replies 39 participants last post by  Waldo 
#1 ·
Am totally dissapointed in it. I had the upgraded Alpine systems in my 2013 Ram and 2015 Wrangler and was very happy with them. Clean sound and plenty of impact at higher volume levels. Had no need to do any upgrades to either. Got the HK system in my Pacifica and IMO its a complete dog. Sounds clean at lower listening levels but completely falls apart at higher volumes, no subwoofer, no impact at all on higher volumes. I would of expected better quality sound on a base system to be honest.

Going to be ripping this garbage out and replacing it with some proper equipment in short order!
 
#2 · (Edited)
I guess I would have to say that I couldn't disagree more. Don't know if something is not right about yours, but I have had quite a number of quality sound systems and the HK system in my 2017 system sounds fantastic. The Bass is excellent without a Sub. I'm assuming you have gone through the settings and tried various adjustments and still don't care for it, or perhaps you just like the volume a great deal louder than we do. I guess sound quality is a little like art in that excellence is in the ear of the beholder.
 
#3 ·
I guess I would half to say that I couldn't disagree more. Don't know if something is not right about yours, but I have had quite a number of quality sound systems and the HK system in my 2017 system sounds fantastic. The Base is excellent without a Sub. I'm assuming you have gone through the settings and tried various adjustments and still don't care for it, or perhaps you just like the volume a great deal louder than we do. I guess sound quality is a little like art in that excellence is in the ear of the beholder.
I'm with you too. Really like the sound in our Pacifica but you're completely right. Sound is very subjective. I'm surprised by the lack of bass comment though. I think it's more than adequate but I also have a 3 year old in the van all the time so I'm not turning the music up too loud.
 
#5 ·
I'm pretty happy with the sound from the 20 speaker HK. I don't go very high as far as volume is concerned, not sure I've taken it past 30, but I think the source of the music is important too. Listening to XM radio to me sounds muddy to me no matter which car I'm in. I usually use my iPod, and although the files are compressed there too, it's much "brighter" than the XM is. FM HD Radio is probably closest to the quality of my iPod. CD's would be best, but I haven't tried one, because I believe it's only a single disc player.
 
#6 ·
Very happy with the HK system. Not apples to apples, but it is noticeably better then the upgraded Alpine system in my Ram Laramie which happens to have a dedicated sub under the rear seat. I am not sure the Pacifica's noise cancelling does all that much though...
 
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#7 ·
Bass reproduction for me is definitely one of the biggest things I dont like about the HK system.. lack of a sub means I need to keep the bass eq settings up a bit for normal listening and whenever I feel like cranking it up a bit it just falls on its face. Pretty much decided I am going to remove the built in vac and likely build a custom enclosure and install a JL 13' slimline sub. Dont want to sacrifice stow n go or the ability to fold the 3rd row so the vac is definitely on the chopping block.
 
#13 ·
Am streaming from my iphone, so I realize there are compression issues...ultimately I take no issues with the clarity of the system, at low to casual listening levels it is well staged and clean, but simply doesnt hold up at more aggressive volumes the way I would expect a 2k upgrade to. I believe they claim their "6x9's" act as subwoofers, but when pushed they become flappy and flatulent sounding... even the midbass does to a notable degree.
 
#15 ·
I find the HK system in my Pacifica to be awesome (for my needs) and think it's being a little harsh calling it "a complete waste of money"... No matter how good (or bad) of a factory audio system you have in a vehicle, you can always throw money at aftermarket equipment and improve on it, based on your individual perception of what "great sound" is... As was already already pointed out, the source of input also makes a big difference in total quality of sound, especially at higher volume levels. No question that you can buy more expensive components and increase the performance, but I think that for the masses, it's a very capable system.
 
#17 ·
Its all subjective, but that was pretty much the root of my point.. at paying a $1000 premium over the Alpine system, it hardly seems like you get much for your money. The increase in performance was to me marginal at best and one would be much better off spending their $1000 on aftermarket equipment as opposed to the optional HK. I simply wish in retrospect wished that I had listened to the systems side by side before purchasing as opposed to simply assuming "more money = better sound" which in this case to me was not true.
 
#20 · (Edited)
We have the 20 speaker HK system in our Pacifica and it sounds fantastic. I play all sort of music at VERY high volumes (when I am alone) and this system sounds terrific. I also have the HK system in my BMW and it is great in there as well.

The only two systems I felt were better from factory were the 17 speaker Lexicon in my Geni 5.0 and the Bermester in my S550. Otherwise, both of the HK systems I currently have (the Pac and the BMW) are great.

Perhaps there is something wrong with the system in your vehicle? Or do you have the 13 speaker and not the 20 speaker? I think in order to get the 20 speaker, you need the Theater System as well.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Hey CadillacBob,

You may want to see if the following setting will yield something that is more acceptable to you ( If you are using iPhone/itune)

A. On your Uconnect
Media--> Audio --> turn off surround sound. Then got to balance/fade, move the central point down 1 or 2 taps from the defaut "C" position
Equalizer--> treble 6 bar up from neutral ; Bass set at neutral or 1 bar above; Mid set at 3 or 4 bar above

B. On your iPhone
Go to music--> EQ---> Choose Bass booster
Volume limit--> off
Sound Check--> On ( Slide to Green)
Music--> Cellular Data--> Slide high Quality streaming on ( green)

Check you sound with these tunes and see if you are happy with the sound stage, clarity, and Bass

1. Despacito ( Luis Fons & Daddy Yankee feat Justin B). Check if the vocal and bass meet your needs. Sweet Spot should be around or above volume level 31. tune the bass up if you are looking for someting more ear pounding. You can play with the mid tune bar 3 and 4 above neutral. I found if the mid range go more than 4, the sound feels a little too forward to me.

2. To check the max bass level the car can carry without (or with less) annoying shakes from the interior plastic panels, you can use Pitbull Hontel room service. Crank the Basss all the way up and move the bars down one at a time to the point you you can stand.

3. To check if the sound stage, I use Belle ( track 2) on 1991 Beauty and the Beast original Sound Track. Use the setting in Step A and B above as starting point. Find a quiet place at night, start the tract and close your eyes. See if you like the, vocal, sound stage and 3D effects the setting brings. I know the track well from my home theater so I can tell if the HK system can successfully reproduce what I heard. I know my home theater will give a bit better quality for sure so I discount my expectation a little when I test hear it in my Pacifica. You dont have to crank up the volume for this one.

4. Further hear the sound stage, Vocal ( to see if it's dry), clarity of the treble (to see if it's edgy) and if the bass is smooth and overall dynamic and details are acceptable, I use Celine Dion Power of love. Pay attention to each of these things ( vocal, treble, bass, details and dynamic) one at a time. Adjust the Uconnect equalizer to your liking.

And I use a few more other tunes to check other stuff... Season of love from Rent, Full sail from Ryan Farish and etc.

There is no one setting for all solution. YUsing Step A and B as staring point, you will change the setting for difference types of music. You may find youself turning the bass and/or treble and/or mid below neutral to get the best outcome you like in some cases. Unfortunately, this system doesn't provie memories for sound settings.

As we don't have access to gain, you will need to adjust the volume on the HK system to reach a sweet spot range for different types of sounds. If you go too low or too high, you will hear something pretty bad. But the sweet spot volme range is usually reasonably (ok) wide and pretty forgiving as long as you stay within it.

This may not give you something you like but it helps me find the sound I can appreciate... I hope I didnt waste you time but if you dont find this helpful after going thru all these sound checks, please don't hate me.
 
#22 ·
After five hours in our Pacifica on the highway yesterday with two and one-half hours alone I'm not at all sure why a Sub is needed with the HK System. However if one disagrees and must have one, I'm wondering why one of the many quality pre-boxed auto Subs sitting most of the time in the Stow N Go well but when Stowing is needed sitting on the large level Cargo Floor wouldn't be wonderful?
 
#23 ·
I'm one who think it needs a sub. I'm not going to add one because the Pac's infotainment is so tied to the rest of the car's electronics that I don't want to possibly mess up the car. Gone are the days of the replaceable radios! Plus the stock system is tuned for the noise cancelation feature. So don't want to mess with that either. Chrysler should engineer a sub into the Pac somewhere.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Yup. CD should be the best. I didnt get a chance to play CD tho..

For streaming MP3 from iphone, it's importatnt to turn on High quality streaming ( see my post above).

For better deatials and more spacious feel, use USB connection.

But with USB, I keep everyting I mentioned in Step A and B in my previous post but I change the HK EQ to:

Bass 6 or above
mid 2 or 1
high 4

I use this as starting point and fine tune when I need.
 
#28 ·
I know that sound is highly subjective, but I have to agree that I'm quite underwhelmed with the HK system in my Pacifica Hybrid. I'm coming over from a VW Golf Sportwagen, with the Fender (Panasonic) audio system. That system included a sub packaged in the spare tire, which sounded fantastic (as well as being a brilliant design, IMHO). But the sound in my VW, especially the bottom end, was definitely more clear on the high end, and had significantly more presence, power, and punch at the bottom end. In the van (on the rare occasion I'm alone) and turn up the volume, typically through Android Auto / Google Music, set for high quality streaming, the bass falls apart even at moderate volumes, and it doesn't even bother with many of the lowest notes. I have a sub from a previous vehicle install that I've been seriously considering seeing if I could install in the rear stow-and-go well.
 
#29 ·
I couldn't agree more. As an audiophile and car audio freak, I wasn't expecting much. But HK and FCA made some crucial mistakes. The lack of deep bass is obviously due to the lack of a sub - but for a 6x9 it's not too bad. To me, that's not the most glaring flaw. Sound staging is horrible. They chose to use a 6x9 in the front doors crossed over at a very low frequency which then leaves a glaring whole in output. If you have noticed that all of the highs seem to only come from the dashboard, this is why. Either using a dual cone setup in the door OR crossing those speakers over at a higher frequency would have mostly solved that issue. Stuffing a mid range speaker in this location would have been perfect, which I think is what the setup is in the Cherokee. Using the systems surround sound time delay circuits to align the sound stage would have been very easy.

All of this may sound a little overly technical - but it is really very simple OEM car audio best practice in todays world. I wasn't looking for great, but I was looking something that sounded decent. I will say I was very impressed with the Grand Cherokee I listened to prior to ordering my PAC. I was shocked when I got my first listen.

Complete waste of money. I am still trying to count the 20 claimed speakers.
 
#31 ·
If you say there is a standard OEM practice that HK and Chrysler chose not to follow, can you explain why HK would put their reputation on the line if the changes you suggest were so obvious and simple? I'm just saying. If you, an average consumer, could have put together a better sound package for the money, then why did HK choose not to?

To be honest, I think the sound system sounds okay for a minivan. This is not a sound studio on wheels. Nor should it be. ANd if 99% of the public is clueless about audio fidelity, then does it matter that the sound system in a Chrysler minivan sounds average?

In addition, with today's many music sources, it's hard to really get consistent sound anyway. I know some stations on Surius XM come in clear and crisp while others sound like you're listening to them on dial-up internet. Gone are the days of 24-bt music CDs. Most people stream from their phones and only God knows what quality the 20 different music apps decide to sample the music at.

Given the fact that it is hard to control the quality of the music you listen to unless you made it yourself, people just don't care that much about the technical stuff you described. Even if they did spring for the upgrade. WHich is really just more speakers anyway.
 
#32 ·
I think people are disappointed in the HK system because the Pac is so quiet that it really does lend itself to a higher end sound system.
 
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#33 ·
I am no audio-phile/freak. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, Def Leppard, Boyz2Men, Debbie Gibson, Bee Gees, Chicago, blah blah blah. The 20 HK speaker system sounds great to me! It's loud and clear. :smile2:
 
#34 ·
Yep the 70s, 80s and 90s are my jam, I love the HK system.
 
#35 ·
I’m very happy with the sound quality in the Pacifica so far. I do enjoy playing it somewhat loud when I’m alone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#39 ·
Just chiming in that I would have been very unhappy if I specifically paid to upgrade to the HK system (when it comes as part of a loaded car its just one part of the package so not as big a deal). My main complaint is that everything sounds like it is coming from one speaker in front of me at the bottom of the windshield. Then, as I move the center point backwards one point at a time, nothing changes much until it suddenly sounds like most of the sound is muffled and coming from the rear door speakers. I can't get any balance between the two.

I know there are limits on what you can achieve with the speaker placement options available, but I find the sound much less enjoyable in my Pacifica w/ the "fancy" HK system than in any of my previous 3 SUVs that didn't have expensive speaker upgrades.

Oh well, it sounds alright, I just never would have imagined it was anything but a stock radio setup.
 
#40 ·
Aha! You are one of those that makes my house windows trembling when they drive in my street! That should be prohibited by law!
 
#41 ·
I'm not happy with it!

They could've done a much better job at engineering this setup. They should've integrated a sub-woofer as the current system simply can't handle the bass at higher volumes. I've had two Tahoes prior to my Pac both of which had the Bose system which performs so much better than the HK system. I'm just curious to know if anyone has been successful in finding a way to add a sub without affecting the whole system.
 
#42 ·
Turn off Surround Sound feature

For those who are experiencing a thin sound and poor imaging, try turning off the Surround Sound feature for the Audio. That made a large difference in my Alpine-based system.
 
#43 ·
I have to think some vehicles are putting out different sound from their HK Systems then other ones, as our HK System sounds terrific! I often drive five girls to dance, mostly on the Interstate and they are always routing their iPhones through the system producing excellent audio including rich bass. Yesterday I also checked out to what degree the sound was coming from various speakers front to back. I was trying to see why some posters have said the sound is either coming only from the dashboard or from the back of the vehicle. Mine sounds like it is distributed nicely from all areas. I keep the fader set just rear of center, and the equalizer is mostly on center except the base is plus one and the mid-range is plus two. I will say my SONOS Play 5s set up in stereo with the SONOS Sub in our house can crank the volume out higher without distortion. The girls keep the Pacifica Volume as loud as I could ever stand it, without a bass distortion.
 
#44 ·
I have to think some vehicles are putting out different sound from their HK Systems then other ones, as our HK System sounds terrific! .................. The girls keep the Pacifica Volume as loud as I could ever stand it, without a bass distortion.
I whole heartily agree. I can crank my system up louder than I'm comfortable with and have no distortion. Maybe my 52 year old ears have lost some of their sensitivity over that years :surprise:
 
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