Audio Equalizer - or lack of one !!

[SCOPESYS]

I believe that one significant factor that contributes to the poor audio in the Honda Civics, is the uselessly PRIMITIVE Audio Graphic Equalizer, that Honda have supplied in the Head Unit Software.

Its basically a 3 channel Equalizer, + 1 for the woofer.

Its about as dated as useless as most of the other 10 year old software in the Head unit.

If they had included a decent 12-16 channel Equalize, maybe the sound could have been adjusted to better suite the car owners audio expectations.

ie

At least this may be able improve the sounds, for any Head Unit originating muisc. ?

Anything coming over Bluetooth .. well that another story -- From what I have read about Bluetooth Audio, it's only very recently that HD audio standards have been developed, and I cannot believe that they are Hardware Standards implemented on the OLD Honda Head Unit (or even on the Majority of current Smartphones)

Maybe someone who has Honda Hacked their HU, has installed a decent software Equalizer, and can comment if that is able to significantly improve the Civics Audio Sound.

 

[shoegazer]

I'm currently obsessing over this at the moment.

My latest idea is to just install a separate aftermarket HU directly underneath and tap into the speaker wires. Kenwood makes a 'mechless' receiver/player that's only 4" deep. It fits in the compartment far enough back as to not interfere with the shifter.

I just can't get past the smeared, hyped, and distorted midrange with the Honda system. I'm not even sure that EQ would solve the problem. It certainly wouldn't hurt, though.

The factory system would be fine if I just listened to Enya at relative low volumes. But Led Zeppelin has to be loud. Industrial has to be loud.

Even a boombox strapped to the backseats would be better.

/rant off.

 

[SCOPESYS]

I'm currently obsessing over this at the moment.

My latest idea is to just install a separate aftermarket HU directly underneath and tap into the speaker wires. Kenwood makes a 'mechless' receiver/player that's only 4" deep. It fits in the compartment far enough back as to not interfere with the shifter.

I just can't get past the smeared, hyped, and distorted midrange with the Honda system. I'm not even sure that EQ would solve the problem. It certainly wouldn't hurt, though.

The factory system would be fine if I just listened to Enya at relative low volumes. But Led Zeppelin has to be loud. Industrial has to be loud.

Even a boombox strapped to the backseats would be better.

/rant off.

Many are saying the Honda Civic audio is "Crap", even the Premium Sound system.

Well, I am not going argue that it is or isn't .. personally, I really don't know .. YET.

Getting near "studio" sound quality in a car is a massive challenge.

So far, I have not seen anyone actually take any Quantitative measurement to show what is really going on within the car's audio space.

Like use a Calibrated Microphone, and measure the Frequency response at the driver's head position, at different speeds.

Personally, I find the Civic SI's sound system "Acceptable".

The audio quality (to my ears) varies enormously according the music, and the Music source. Playing a Flac file sound so different and so much better that say Bluetooth Audio. The fact that one can hear the difference would tend to support that assumption that the Audio system is reasonably good as the difference are readily noticeable.

I personally have not even looked at the speakers in the doors, but a google search shows pictures of what is claimed to be the 2018 Premium speakers, and they look to me like Cheap Crap from the 80's !! ( I guess they match the Crap 10 year old + Android 4.? Head unit !!)

I put a decent Android 8 head unit in my older car (Maxima) and new , medium-high quality speakers, and that was a vast improvement over the rotted out 1987 speakers, an the primitive FM/AM tuner. I can run almost any player. like PoweAmp etc.

When I compare this system with the SI, they are pretty similar - if anything the Si is a little better.

So at the moment, I have no plans to touch the SI's audio system, at least until I can get some Quantitative measurement of how the system is really behaving, and not just how I might perceive it is operating,

At the end of the day, I suspect the Car's Audio system is very similar to HD TV.

You can get it calibrated, and it is then set up to what is meant to be "Standard" .. but then, you want to go back in and adjust so that it looks/sounds good to your eyes/ears.

It all boils down to a matter of perceived choice. What sound good to one person, may sound not so good to another, who will want to change it to meets their expectations.

A final though ... (stepping on dangerous ground now) .. a lot of modern music is just bluntly "RECORDED badly".. so as far as any audio system is concerned -- if the source quality is bad, then there is a limited amount that can be done to correct it at playback.

 

[JohnnyL]

I believe that one significant factor that contributes to the poor audio in the Honda Civics, is the uselessly PRIMITIVE Audio Graphic Equalizer, that Honda have supplied in the Head Unit Software.

Its basically a 3 channel Equalizer, + 1 for the woofer.

Its about as dated as useless as most of the other 10 year old software in the Head unit.

If they had included a decent 12-16 channel Equalize, maybe the sound could have been adjusted to better suite the car owners audio expectations.

ie

At least this may be able improve the sounds, for any Head Unit originating muisc. ?

Anything coming over Bluetooth .. well that another story -- From what I have read about Bluetooth Audio, it's only very recently that HD audio standards have been developed, and I cannot believe that they are Hardware Standards implemented on the OLD Honda Head Unit (or even on the Majority of current Smartphones)

Maybe someone who has Honda Hacked their HU, has installed a decent software Equalizer, and can comment if that is able to significantly improve the Civics Audio Sound.

I think you could EQ the system all you want and it will never be better than fair. This is a sad system and I have the "premium" system. My standard system in my 16 Lexus eats this 2019 ex upgraded system for breakfast. At a point where I think I'm going to at least replace the door speakers. The stock speakers are very distorted at certain frequencies. Mainly the upper bass from what I'm hearing.

 

[woofs]

I believe that one significant factor that contributes to the poor audio in the Honda Civics, is the uselessly PRIMITIVE Audio Graphic Equalizer, that Honda have supplied in the Head Unit Software.

Its basically a 3 channel Equalizer, + 1 for the woofer.

Its about as dated as useless as most of the other 10 year old software in the Head unit.

If they had included a decent 12-16 channel Equalize, maybe the sound could have been adjusted to better suite the car owners audio expectations.

at least you can get to that page, on the 2017 / 2017 HU when using Android auto, AA is forced on top, so you can never get to those menus (if someone knows hoe please tell me.) and setting EQ for another input stays with that input
I can get to fader / balance / subW levels as they are global .. but it all still sounds like crap

 

[bikejog]

at least you can get to that page, on the 2017 / 2017 HU when using Android auto, AA is forced on top, so you can never get to those menus (if someone knows hoe please tell me.) and setting EQ for another input stays with that input
I can get to fader / balance / subW levels as they are global .. but it all still sounds like crap

Hmmm.... I haven't tried it, but you should be able to press HOME->Menu->Sound Settings.

 

[woofs]

Hmmm.... I haven't tried it, but you should be able to press HOME->Menu->Sound Settings.

na.. its a bug.... its fixed in the newer models that have the volume knob again too,
I just installed the autohack and V4A, and thats the bust money ive spent on the car to date

 

[bikejog]

na.. its a bug.... its fixed in the newer models that have the volume knob again too,
I just installed the autohack and V4A, and thats the bust money ive spent on the car to date

I can get to the tone menu on my 2020 by pressing Audio->Menu->Sound Settings when using AA. When using AA, Home->Menu is locked out so you can't get to it that way. Just press Audio first, then Menu, then Sound Settings. You could also use the steering wheel Up/Down Button to select AA, then press Menu->Sound Settings.

And also, on my unit, the EQ applies globally across all inputs. There's only one EQ setting.

Don't know if the 2017 or your Down Under unit is different.

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