Whats wrong with Shaker?

[Starman]

I have a Vert Mustang and I have to say that the Shaker isn't the most high *quality* stock system I ever had (that went to the Mark Levenson in my old Lexus), it is the loudest. I've owned a lot of convertibles in my life and this is the first one that I can actually hear perfectly fine at 90 MPH (and its not even turned up). I really like this system. I do understand that there are probably some old school "bumpers" here as we used to call them back in 1990... the guys who used to put 2 15" subs in their trunk just to be heard 2 blocks away but the stock shaker is the first stock system I have owned that I actually have to turn down when pulling into places because its loud enough to have good distance (honestly, my opinion is that I absolutely don't want distance, that kinda thing went out in the 90's and the vast majority of people will really quietly dog on you when they see you on the street doing that).

I also noticed that the shaker needed a little tune modification to really come alive, especially base. Turn the bass up just a few notches and its rattling everything in the car when I'm playing old school techno or newer stuff like Eminem.

Maybe the young'uns don't realize how good they got it today. My first deck in my 87 CRX Si was the first car CD player made (Sony). It didn't even have a built in amp. It would skip every time your car hit a bump, but that pair of Pioneer 6x9's in box's in the back could pump out the NWA

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[dwaleke]

Muddy mids and weak highs.

 

[grumblin]

Muddy mids and weak highs.

And near ZERO subwoofer output. Yes the OP's probably works well but mine doesnt. My rear channels also have about 1/4 the output of the front channel as well and that's no exaggeration. The only word that I have for the back is "anemic"

 

[plc268]

Yep. Mostly lacking bass.

My last car didn't have any special audio system. I had replaced all the speakers in it with low end Kicker speakers when one of the oem speakers blew, and it was vastly better sounding.

Now, "better" is completely subjective, but the one thing those kicker speakers did, was produce a lot more bass, so I got used to it.

The shaker system (w/o subwoofer) produces very little bass, even with the setting jacked up.

 

[Butter77]

The shaker system (w/o subwoofer) produces very little bass, even with the setting jacked up.

Even adding the GTO638's to the rear doesn't help add any of the low end back. Amazing how much the stock front stage can bump, but the roll off is terrble. For most it's fine, but for those who enjoy the crisp clear sound, it's just awful.

 

[Desmondo]

The 2016 12-speaker system sounds notably better than the 2015 one - I can confirm this now that I got my car yesterday. If anything, the amp seems to have been vastly beefed up. In the 2015, I had to listen at 70-80% volume (using the 3.5mm jack) to get it nice and loud. Yesterday, in the 2016, I think it was around 30% (using both Bluetooth and direct USB). EQ wise, I only moved the highs up a little bit in the 2016. The bass was almost too much on the middle notch.

 

[MDRN]

I didn't think there were supposed to be any changes except for adding in Sync 3 and removing the auxiliary jack.

 

[Desmondo]

What's the MAX volume setting on SYNC3?

I had mine at 10 and it was pretty loud. Given the volume "chart" (circular image that shows the volume level visually) - I would imagine it had a LONG way to go.

 

[Asonitez]

I noticed the 2016 Shaker sounded better than the 2015 Shaker. I dont know if SYNC 3 has a better audio processor... or if they have the same speakers but I know listening to the shaker in a 2015 Black GT and then hearing it in the 2016 Oxford White GT it sounded better in the 2016. Could be me though... im 5% deafer (sp) in 1 ear due to a fall from a window when i was child.

 

[Elvis has a Mustang]

Do you guys notice a difference if you use an iPod? When I listen to Sirius it's bland and no bass. But If it's my iPod it frickin jams with enough bass to rattle all the mirrors. A lot depends on the way the music you are listening to was mixed also. There are some old Elvis and Sam Cooke songs that are softer in presence but well rounded for their age, and then an 80's rock tune comes on and I damn near blow an ear drum. The one thing I noticed that was impressive was it never distorts, even when I play Stabbing Westward's Save Yourself at a ridiculous volume. I personally think the source matters a lot with this stereo.

 

[ARS1]

I have to use the EQ built into the streaming services I use on my phone to make mine sound decent. With the factory settings it seems really weak with no real Bass to speak of.

 

[madweazl]

The 2016 12-speaker system sounds notably better than the 2015 one - I can confirm this now that I got my car yesterday. If anything, the amp seems to have been vastly beefed up. In the 2015, I had to listen at 70-80% volume (using the 3.5mm jack) to get it nice and loud. Yesterday, in the 2016, I think it was around 30% (using both Bluetooth and direct USB). EQ wise, I only moved the highs up a little bit in the 2016. The bass was almost too much on the middle notch.

70-80% is extremely loud in my '15; too loud for me to listen to. My volume is typically around 30-35% unless a great song comes on and I'll go to maybe 50-60%.

 

[dwaleke]

When I listen to Sirius it's bland and no bass.

Sirius is very low quality. On par with regular fm broadcasts. Sometimes it seems worse than that.

CD/usb with high quality files/hd radio are significantly better.

 

[Desmondo]

Sirius is very low quality. On par with regular fm broadcasts. Sometimes it seems worse than that.

CD/usb with high quality files/hd radio are significantly better.

^ This.

If you are testing the sound system, bring an original CD (yes, one of those) or a good quality MP3 file (or something similar).

I could be wrong, but I feel that's the sound is loudest from CDs, followed by direct USB, and then perhaps a bit quieter via Bluetooth. Once I get some more hands up experience in the car, I'll report back.

 

[grumblin]

Do you guys notice a difference if you use an iPod? When I listen to Sirius it's bland and no bass. But If it's my iPod it frickin jams with enough bass to rattle all the mirrors. A lot depends on the way the music you are listening to was mixed also. There are some old Elvis and Sam Cooke songs that are softer in presence but well rounded for their age, and then an 80's rock tune comes on and I damn near blow an ear drum. The one thing I noticed that was impressive was it never distorts, even when I play Stabbing Westward's Save Yourself at a ridiculous volume. I personally think the source matters a lot with this stereo.

Yes. There is "zero" bass with Sirius and radio etc. That's the nature of the beast.

With original CD's and high-quality ripped music plugged directly in, it's still anemic and I have to jack the bass control up to 3 or 4 just to get any - and at that point you've muddied it all up.

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