listening to music in the car

i have listened to thousands of stereo systems, having gone to CES since 1992. i have also attended every major show in NYC. i also have been a member of sveral audio clubs for many years.

i had a subaru and now i have a toyota camry. there is something about near field listening and the restricted frequency response from fm. it reminds me of the vintage tube sound.

an instrument sounds more real in the car than when listening to most stereo systems, with todays modern components.

there is one speaker which i prefer to my car stereo system and that is stacked original quad esl, with tyhe original quad amps.

My car audio system consists of a McIntosh head unit, Focal Utopia speakers (the car audio equivalent to JM Labs Utopia line), and an ARC Audio amp (which I chose for its relatively warm and full bodied sound). While I enjoy it, it does not sound as nice as any of my home systems. For one, you have to crank up the volume in the car to come reasonably close to the audio quality of a good home system. In addition, timbre/pitch definition is superior with a good home audio system. Car audio sounds like reproduced music, whereas home audio sounds more organic and natural, like you are there with the musicians.

After installing a tubi muffler in my Maserati Spyder, all call I can hear is the sweet sound of my engine. i have been told it is aka the 8 cylinder italian opera.

With The factory stereo in my Lexus (made by Pioneer) I am able to hear instruments and voices and often understand lyrics I have never been able to hear on my home stereo (which is not bad, tubes in the preamp and amp). I have suspected that the lack of full-range sound allows sounds in the midrange to emerge more clearly.

I hear a depth of soundstage in my car that extends from the windshield forward to the stoplight up ahead. I have never experienced anythng like this at home. I have 20K in the home system and 30K in the car system. Plus, on something like 'An American in Paris' the surround, even on two channel recordings, is sometimes awesome.