458 Stereo | FerrariChat

458 Stereo

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by Victor R. Michalak, May 25, 2011.

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  1. Victor R. Michalak

    Jan 1, 2009
    1
    Seattle, Washington
    Full Name:
    Victor R. Michalak
    Does anyone have recommendations regarding the upgraded stereo system option in the Italia. Is it substanially better than the standard system and is it more audible at highway speed (long trip entertainment in lieu of Engine music). I'm placing order soon and would like to get some input.

    Thanks

    VRM
     
  2. racerdj

    racerdj F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jan 19, 2003
    6,952
    Indianapolis
    Full Name:
    DJS
  3. leead1

    leead1 F1 Rookie

    Nov 29, 2006
    2,828
    Florida
    Full Name:
    Lee
    To be honest I do not know what is in my 458. I suspect it is the lesser radio because while okay is not as good as other cars I own.

    I just bought a car with the upgraded radio and have sat in a car by the same manufacturer which is the lesser radio and the difference is quite noticeable. I would buy the better quality radio system.

    Good luck whatever you do.

    Regards,

    Lee
     
  4. Terrence

    Terrence Formula Junior

    Feb 15, 2004
    361
    Hawaii/LA
    Full Name:
    Terrence
    The stock one is not that good. My Porsche $1300 Bose system sounds like a concert hall compared to it. However, the upgraded one is nothing great either, especially considering the outrageous price. Even though I would not like anyone to touch and modify my 458, I think I would rather spend that $5500 on nice aftermarket upgrades by a high-end shop that will surely sound better than the JBL system. My advise would be to stick with stock and then live with it or go aftermarket with speakers and amps.
     
  5. OrionQuest

    OrionQuest Guest

    Jan 23, 2011
    29
    That is what I am planning to do. I ordered my car with the standard and plan on having the amp and speakers upgraded, including the sub. I sat in each car and listened to the same song and although the upgraded stereo had a wider frequency range and also less distortion, the stock system will be fine until I can get around to having the system upgraded. JBL systems are ok but their are many speaker brands that are much higher in quality.
     
  6. todo

    todo Formula Junior

    May 18, 2006
    305
    I upgraded my 458 boom box to a after market JL Audio system - the outcome is fantastic.
     
  7. igirl

    igirl Rookie

    Jan 23, 2010
    42
    France
    OrionQuest, todo, interesting!

    What did or will you change? Speakers only?
     
  8. Terrence

    Terrence Formula Junior

    Feb 15, 2004
    361
    Hawaii/LA
    Full Name:
    Terrence
    Sounds great. Can we see some pics of the job? I would love to know what is involved with the upgrade.

    Thanks.
     
  9. todo

    todo Formula Junior

    May 18, 2006
    305
    Fantastic install done by a Ferrari dealership approved custom car company (whom I have worked before with my Turbo)...
    The stock Ferrari audio is dismal at best - my right speaker was vibrating and I decided to upgrade. When I was done with the install they gave me the stock speakers - they looked cheaper than 15 dollar Chinese speakers... no Jokes.
    The install involved changing all speakers except the two small ones in the back.
    They added two subs behind the front seats (the car looks pimped out) and I can see them shake when you pay loud... kind of cool.
    I bass controller knob is under the dash I can reach it and crank it up and down but it cannot be seen.
    The best part was the way they did the two amps which sit in the front trunk floor - they built a platform so we use the depth of the front trunk equal to the height of the amps - the carpet used for the platform and where the two subs are is identical to factory platform so it all looks great.
    The condition I had with them was NO HOLES to be drilled period in the car and they did the entire install with NO HOLES - although if you had seen the car dismantled to install the system you would get a heart attack..
    I can post pictures one of these days cannot promise when..
    The best part is that with such a souped up sound system the 458 doors and cabin can stand all this sound without falling apart or rattling.
    It would be easier to get a factory installed stereo I did not install this because I wanted to save money (cost 3000 dollars installed - although sky is the limit on aftermarket stuff) - I cannot comment how it is compared to the stock upgraded radio from Ferrari.
    I thought the same when ordering the 458 - how bad can the radio be and since I do not drive it much and when I drive I want to hear the engine noise .... but I was wrong every car should have a great radio..
     
  10. OrionQuest

    OrionQuest Guest

    Jan 23, 2011
    29
    I plan on spending the same amount, around 5K but I know the end result will be pristine (well as pristine as one can get in a car, such a hard environment to get the right acoustics). I will most likely go with Hertz or Dynaudio, or JL Audio. Will change out speakers, amps, and add subs.

    -O
     
  11. Street&Track

    Street&Track Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    662
    Let us know where you get better electostats than the JBL Professionals. In fact, let us know if there even are any electrostats and where you can mount them, electrostats are not easy to mount, at least if you want really good sound.

    Also let us know what kind of universal disc player you get and how many formats with and without multi-channel sources it supports. Gotta have DVD Audio and SACD, HDCD, XRCD, and lots of other lossless formats. And don't forget to tell us what kind of multi-channel amp, 5, 6, 7, 9, or 11 channel setup, that certainly would be interesting and if you can get all that for less than $5K that would be of real interest:)
     
  12. OrionQuest

    OrionQuest Guest

    Jan 23, 2011
    29
    The benefit of electrostatic speakers is they offer great imaging, not sound quality. I had a Sony sponsored car when I was younger. The number of speakers and amps to achieve acceptable imaging was ridiculous. Cars are the worst environment for imaging.

    I have a set of MartinLogan's at home. It took 2 weeks to get the sound right and only if you sit within a couple of feet of the "sweet" spot.

    Since most of my music is ripped with HQ VBR and I will be playing it from an iPod or the HDD I won't be using the changer much. I learned a long time ago that stereophile sound quality in cars does not exist. If I want to chill out and listen to music, I'll do it at home in the room I spent close to a hundred thousand on for that purpose. Music in these cars are just accompaniment to the engine.

    To digress the worst stereo I have ever heard in any car was the stock system in my LP640. I don't think I turned it on more than once, and I am not joking.

    I am sure the stereo upgrade is worth it if you don't want the task of putting a custom aftermarket system in the car. I just chose to spend the dollars on carbon everything.

    More details on the JBL here. http://enewsferrari.com/enews/April2011/Options_Spotlight.htm

    -O
     
  13. Street&Track

    Street&Track Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    662
    Your Martin Logan brethren might take issue with this statement. I know the MLC would probably run a thread a mile long.:)

    I have a 5.1 ML system with 4 CLXs and a Stage, I also have 26 other MLs in HTs throughout the house and so I might even take issue with that statement:)

    But be that as it may, all joking aside, I took a chance on the upgraded stereo because of the electrostatic panel speakers and the carbon fiber woofers, and the multi-channel amp and universal disc player with support for my favorite formats which is what I have most of my music in, which is Hi-Res. I researched the system before I ordered it. The point I was not so cleverly trying to make is that the ungraded system in the 458 is not expensive for what you get and it is far superior to the Bose system which is included in the car at no cost. You get what you pay for with Bose:)

    I realize lots of people are not in to electrostatic sound, I obviously have an addiction to it and after having the upgraded system for 8 weeks and putting over 1000 miles on the car, I can say it is one of the nicest car audio systems I have heard, but it might have something to do with the speaker placement.....which is in a 458 for cripes sake:)

    Remember, the 458 is a versatile car. It can be made to be guieter than my Lexus which is great for music by the way or you can flip a switch and make it so loud that any amount of money spent on a car audio system is a total waste. For me that is just too cool:)
     
  14. bobbyd

    bobbyd Formula Junior

    Nov 17, 2003
    722
    Fussing about the stereo quality in the 458 seems silly. How many of you are planning to spend hour after hour cruising down the road, listening to music in your 458, year after year? Likely none!

    I have a $75K audiophile system in a dedicated listening room in my house. If I want high fidelity sound I listen to that, or the grand piano in my living room - not in the 458! Even the sound off the upgraded 458 system is limited in fidelity, and is of marginal value.

    My suggestion: if you want better sound try burying your right foot into the carpet! Best.
     
  15. Giovanni_P

    Giovanni_P Formula Junior

    Nov 11, 2003
    368
    MetroWest, MA
    Full Name:
    John Pelliccio
    Just a point of clarification. There is no Bose audio system option available in the Ferrari 458 Italia.

    Gio P
     
  16. jokr

    jokr Karting

    Nov 30, 2010
    126
    I found that I didn't hear much from the rear speakers until I put the fader to the rear (-3 or so) just to bring the soundstage back a bit. Did you guys find the same thing?
     
  17. Street&Track

    Street&Track Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    662
    #17 Street&Track, May 27, 2011
    Last edited: May 27, 2011
    Sorry, left out the word "type", as in Bose type system. In the audiophile world Bose is a running joke:)

    Again, I know alot of you are not audiophiles, but it's harder to joke about audio, when you are:)
     
  18. Street&Track

    Street&Track Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    662
    If you are talking about the upgraded system, try using a 5.1 source, hence the multi-channel amp.
     
  19. igirl

    igirl Rookie

    Jan 23, 2010
    42
    France
    For me, it is the opposite: I have the standard hifi system and I can hear too much from the rear...
    So, the fader is set to +2 or +3.
     
  20. Terrence

    Terrence Formula Junior

    Feb 15, 2004
    361
    Hawaii/LA
    Full Name:
    Terrence
    Same here. I have it set to +2 or +3 also. The rear gives too much midrange for me.
     
  21. jokr

    jokr Karting

    Nov 30, 2010
    126
    I have the upgraded hifi, and I haven't tried any 5.1 sources yet (just stereo mp3).
     
  22. garak

    garak Formula Junior

    Dec 28, 2010
    303
    Florida/Arizona
    No highs, no lows, it must be Bose. :)
     
  23. gzachary

    gzachary Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    Jan 10, 2011
    832
    California
    Just got my 458 and have the standard stereo. Sounds very good to me. Also, above 2500 rpm, I can't see how any better quality audio would be perceived. Too much engine noise in the cabin for me to hear high quality audio above 2500-3000 rpm.
     
  24. shawminator

    shawminator Karting

    May 16, 2008
    206
    Austin
    I went for the upgraded Hi-Fi factory option in both my 2010 California and my 2011 458. My advice...don't waste your money. If you are an audiophile, you will be dissappointed. Take the $5 (or less) and get your system upgraded by an aftermarket specialist. The 458 Hi-Fi system is better than the California's, but still not as good as what was in my Aston, Audi, or Porsche. Truly befuddled as to Ferrari offers such lackluster sound systems!
     

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