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Sound system

9.3K views 35 replies 21 participants last post by  chotis729  
#1 ·
Hi Everyone!

i finally have a build date (Nov) for my v6 that I ordered at the start of 2022. I have a week to decide on final build.

Im a little torn over one specific option, the base meridian versus 3D stereo. It’s almost $3000 more Canadian on a $180k car (tx incl). I am not an audiophile but love hard rock music and listen to news 50% of the time. What I am most attracted to about the upgrade is the sound cancelling even though it’s then”mild” version.

What is everyone’s thoughts?
 
#2 ·
I have a 2023 with the standard Meridian and I consider myself to be an audiophile... and I'm 95% happy with this system! It has amazing clarity, and the base and sub are even MORE than I need... I keep adjusting it down! I think I'm not 100% on it only because there could be just a tiny bit more umph on the high end... but not enough to even make me add a $300 amp. It's a great system, and a cut above what other "luxury" manufacturers put in as their standard systems, only to make you feel like you're being punished because you didn't upgrade. I'm really enjoying it.
 
#4 ·
Hi Everyone!

i finally have a build date (Nov) for my v6 that I ordered at the start of 2022. I have a week to decide on final build.

Im a little torn over one specific option, the base meridian versus 3D stereo. It’s almost $3000 more Canadian on a $180k car (tx incl). I am not an audiophile but love hard rock music and listen to news 50% of the time. What I am most attracted to about the upgrade is the sound cancelling even though it’s then”mild” version.

What is everyone’s thoughts?
Very similar here: metal and business news. Get the upgrade. Metal needs the highs and the lows and the base and the more speakers and the volume and the noise and the metal
:)
Get the upgrade. It's worth it.
 
#5 ·
I'm audiophile and I'm completely disappointed with L460 sound system. I had a Signature in my ATB order but got downgraded to 3D from factory. Both of them, Signature (in demo car) and 3D in my car are awful. I have to keep treble on max with both bass and sub under zero to get at least some clarity. This sound system was a total shock for me after perfect audio of L405 ATB.

I'm listening to very different music from Tears For Fears to Carcass and nothing sounds even close to how it should sound. No bass, no sub. Adding bas or sub in settings just creates some terrible sound effects, spoiling the sound. Dealer told me I'm not the only one complaining and YES, all L460s are like this. They hope it to be fixed with software some day. I also think it's a software issue, hardware just can not be that bad. Clarity is more or less there, but lower range of frequency is non-existing, it's just a noise factory. You have to depress bass and sub settings deeply to get some sound clarity. Again, sound in my old L405 ATB was amazing, so it's not just me being overly demanding.
 
#14 ·
Okay, this is weird. I'm a former DJ, specializing in House and Garage (US, not UK - to be clear), so lots of bass-heavy tracks, obviously, and I have zero issues with the bass on my Meridian 3D.

Obviously, it's not quite up to par with the massive QSC system I use in my home studio, but for a car, it's great.

Are you sure yours is working correctly?
 
#7 ·
Nope not…. Locked down the config today.. ordered end of June, production date nov 7th. Upgraded from atb to SV in the end….which includes the high end audio. The only thing I noticed is that the sound seemed to be coming from below… like there were no speakers placed higher in the car. The burmester in my Porsches sounds more ”spread” f if that makes sense.
 
#11 ·
That's interesting - if you're building next week, it probably locked six weeks prior? There were no audio constraints for the MY24 back in early July at least. Not sure if that changed in August.
 
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#13 ·
Yeah, I'd be very interested in seeing the Vista timeline on this one. When it did become an MY24 the dealer should have fixed the order. Someone screwed up there.
 
#15 ·
Well. all I know is sound in demo car with Signature Meridian was as bad as it is in mine with 3D Meridian. I can try and ask if they have another demo car to compare, but dealer also told me many customers are complaining sound is now way worse than it was in their L405s, it's one of typical complains.

What sound settings are you using? I have to keep it on max treble and -4 bass -4 sub to make it sound tolerable, which is a nonsense.

Well, I'm quite sure 99% of people I know would say this sound is brilliant. Of course it's better than what they have in their X5s or GLSs, but again, sound I had in my L405 ATB was perfect. I could feel the sound there, not just hear it. In L460 it's nothing more but just OK'ish for 200K car.
 
#16 ·
I haven't tried the Signature option, so I can't compare, but to answer your question, here's how my system is set up.

Nothing fancy, as you can see. I played around with the options for a while, and this is what I settled on after listening to various styles of music, including a lot of bass-heavy tracks:

Image
 
#18 ·
What I noticed during the test drive is that the sound kind of came from a “low” listening standpoint. In my panamera and 911 with burnester, the sound fills the whole car. In this one it sounded like the sound only came from speaker below chest level. Is that something you can set? Or is it really only treble bass and subwoofer?
 
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#20 ·
Does anyone who has the Meridian 3D system factory installed also have a GAP-IID tool? I'm in the process of upgrading my entire system from the base Meridian > Meridian 3D and I need a cross-check on the right configuration for a factory installed Meridian 3D system. I've got the Meridian 3D amplifier & speakers wired up but no sound at all. It must be a CCF configuration issue.

If you have the Meridian 3D and a GAP-IID tool please DM me. I need to verify the factory CCF settings for the Meridian 3D system. I've alraedy made changes using my own GAP-IID tool and I now have the Meridian options on the PIVI screen, but still no sound. I must be missing a CCF config setting somewhere.
 
#23 ·
Bryan - do you know if I buy a GAP-IID tool can a read multiple CCF config settings or does it have to be set to the one VIN number associated with the unit? I have a loaner from the dealer, RRS with the 3D Meridian Sound System, but my normal car at the dealer is RR LWB with the Base system. I haven’t bought the tool yet. Or is someone in the Springfield, MA to Hartford, CT area has the ability scan I can supply the car to get scanned?
 
#21 ·
Hi Everyone!

i finally have a build date (Nov) for my v6 that I ordered at the start of 2022. I have a week to decide on final build.

Im a little torn over one specific option, the base meridian versus 3D stereo. It’s almost $3000 more Canadian on a $180k car (tx incl). I am not an audiophile but love hard rock music and listen to news 50% of the time. What I am most attracted to about the upgrade is the sound cancelling even though it’s then”mild” version.

What is everyone’s thoughts?
Get the highest sound system you can get. It's not much in the grand scheme of the car cost and if you ever want to add it retroactively it's a pain in the ass
 
#22 ·
Agreed. We also went for the high end one. Still interested to learn the set up possibilities. During our test drive the system didn’t “fill” the car. The sound came from bellowing felt, versus in your face.
 
#24 ·
Reviving this thread as I’m close to ordering the sport and was considering the 3D over the standard 800 watt unit that is currently in my 21 and I think is awesome. Anything I read on the 3D usually gets a thumb down from those that have it. I feel those that suggest you should get it don’t actually have one.

For those in the thread that have gotten the new ride how is the 3D stereo?
 
#26 ·
The 3D system in my 2024 P530 is underwhelming for me after having had a Signature system in my previous 2019 RRS. To be honest it doesn’t sound much better than a base system I’ve heard in much cheaper vehicles (like the rental Chevy Tahoe I had not too long ago). If you can spring for the Signature, get it. I opted for the 3D because they weren’t offering Signature on P530s when I put my build in. I for one will never make the same mistake again.
 
#28 ·
The Meridian system is pure **** for $180,000 truck invest at least 5 k in a decent system. Landrover should be embarrassed. They should put a better stereo system in a $180,000 truck, but they’re cutting corners because they’re owned by Tata. They also made the Jaguars like ****. Also what a shame.
I phoned the XF and Land Rovers. Both car companies could be so much better.
 
#29 ·
I have a SE on order and upgraded to the Meridian 3D without getting a chance to hear it. What I did get to hear was the base Meridian in the demo vehicle and the sound quality was underwhelming. The Burmester in our Cayenne sets up a very good sound stage in the car with Auro 3D turned on (does require some fiddling around with settings). My previous Audis with the B&O 3D also had excellent imaging. IMO the tweeter placements make a big difference in imaging and I’m hoping that the M3D will have extra tweeters around the ear level for setting up a good sound stage. If there was an option to upgrade to the Signature system I would have done so. For a vehicle at this price point the starting system should blow me away, which didn’t happen.
 
#31 ·
I have the 3D Meridian in MY24 Defender and have to put sub and bass settings below zero as well, or it's just a complete mess. My last few Porsche and Audi stereos were only slightly better though.

I do remember test driving RRS before pandemic and that had one of the best systems I've ever heard in a car. Was hoping the current upgraded Meridian would be similar. Definitely did not happen. There's also a thread on Land Rover Forum with a bunch of similar complaints about the Meridian 3D.