As I mentioned before, I have been messing with different sources with some success, the best option is pretty clearly USB. It is critical that you have the quality on your source set as high as it goes, XM to Maximum, Spotify to Very High with data saver off, and ideally have an unlimited data plan... That said, I just cant let this go. Something seems fundamentally wrong with this system.
I played First XM through the head unit, then XM over usb on the app with the quality set at Maximum. The over all quality difference was noticeable but I noticed some of the same issues under both conditions while putting my ear up to each speaker and giving a listen:
Equalizer Settings:
Bass +2
Mid -6
Treb -8
Dash: (2)
Sounds, like maybe a coaxial mid driver and high tweeter, but I would think you could bring the low pass down on it. Doesn't have any body
Front Doors: (8)
Tweeter by the window sill is very bright, I would prefer to dial that back if possible. The lower portion of the door houses a separate coaxial mid driver and tweeter, and the low woofer. These particular woofers actually sound very good and reproduce a good rage of low frequencies. The mid driver sounds tinny, but that's sort of what makes a mid driver I would push the low pass down a little...
Rear Doors: (4)
The lower grill houses low frequency woofers. TO ME, THESE SOUND TUNED LIKE A MID DRIVER. This woofer is similar in size to the front doors but plays none of the same low frequencies.
The separate higher mounted grill seems to be a high tweeter, and sounds like as much. Again a little bright for my preference, but maybe not to all.
Rear high Speakers: (4)
Seem like they could be coaxial mid drivers and high tweeters, but really do sound like a cheap alarm clock radio. They need a lower crossover frequency, or maybe just more wattage?
Sub: (1)
Sounds very good actually but doesn't seem to be ported well, not a lot of passages for the base to come out of. I believe it to be a sealed plastic box with the woofer facing down. the base has to come through the back seats for your to hear it. May be slightly improved with back seats down. I did notice if you raise the flaps covering the rear seat hinges you can see the front of the sub box and the base is stronger.
(Total of 19 speakers, this is my best guess by listening and trying to look through the grilles with a flashlight)
In any high end sound system you want to have the high's, mid's and low's then sub frequencies all played on their own speakers, to have the least distortion and best dynamic accuracy. In this car the speakers just don't seem to have the correct low pass and high pass frequency settings to achieve ideal sound from the system as a whole. I wish this was user adjustable, but I do not think it is. If it is please share here... Side note, I did all of this with the "Surround Sound" turned off, all speakers still run with it off.
I tried turning the surround on, and it may have widened the frequency response of some of the mid drivers, but only slighly, but I actually preferred the sound with it off.
