DVD and DVD-Audio I'm guessing
ROLL CALL: Who has surround sound in their car(s)?
- Thread starter JonUrban
- Start date
Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:
It should play all FLAC files from USB, assuming the car player actually plays 5.1 separate channels. If it is a stereo player and even if you have properly ripped 5.1 or 4.0 files on the USB, it will not play true 5.1 or 4.0, just a weird 2.0.
I know nothing about the Mark Levinson system you mention.
General rules for putting 5.1 or 4.0 on a USB drive to play in a car system capable of surround output.
1. DTS 44.1Khz/16bit, no need to reformat.
2. SACD generally DSD64 surround 5.1 or 4.0, need to reformat to 24bit/44.1Khz FLAC
3. Depending on player, if no hire than 24bit/96Khz no need to reformat, if 192Khz, generally need to reformat lower.
4. DVD-A or DVD-V, need to reformat if higher to 24bit/48Khz.
These are just general guidelines. A good way to start to learn the process, quick and fast, is to take the different formats as I have outlined above and reformat just one song of each, using pen and paper for notes. If successful, you are on your way, if sounds weird go to a lower Khz, 24 bit should always work unless of course your using DTS 16 bit, no need to go higher.
I use the REFORMAT selection on my JRiver player, very simple.
ddahl44
Active Member
I’ve got my surround music already converted to multichannel FLAC 48/24 for my Acura. Just wondering if there were any Lexus owners out there so I know if I should bring discs or if 48/24 FLAC will play discretely with the Levinson system.
Does anyone have any suggestions on where or how I can get a third party surround sound system for my car?
dpr1
New member
I own or have previously owned the following Lexus cars:
2017 GS 450h Premier
2018 LS 500h Premier
2019 LC 500 coupe
2020 RX 450h F Sport
All had the Mark Levinson Surround Sound system. Unfortunately, with the exception of the LS 500h Premier, the only true discreet
Surround Sound codec supported is Dolby Digital @ 384 kbps or 640 kbps, and only then by inserting a suitable standard DVD in the optical drive in the dash.
DVD-Audio and SACD are of course NOT supported.
Lexus stopped licensing the DTS codec sometime in the mid-2010's so any DTS encoded DVDs play silently.
Despite many efforts at trying different types of compressed or uncompressed audio on a USB stick, none play. Most of the time the files are simply skipped or the player freezes up (progress bar on screen does not move). Stereo is of course fine.
Attempts to wrap 5.1 audio and video into M4V container files also failed miserably. Again, either the car's player skips the video, freezes up or actually downmixes the 5.1 to stereo!
The only reason for the LS500 to be an exception is that, in addition to the single slot DVD/CD player up front in the dash (which still only supports DD!) there is a factory fitted Blu Ray player in the rear centre console that actually supports Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD Master. Afaik the 2017-2023 LS500 / 500h is the only Lexus that got this blue-ray disc option. The same USB constraints of the above cars still apply to this one.
Overall, it's a bit of a disappointment.
I don't have much experience with the 2022/23 model year cars, but from what I understand, most if not all have completely deleted the optical drive completely, so USB or BT is now your only way to get external music in. Hopefully, there have been some software updates, but if there hasn't then really all the 5.1 is good for now is upmixing stereo to 5.1 (and there isn't much control over that other than a menu option to turn it on or off!)
The Lexus handbooks are pretty good for listing what is and isn't supported, file wise. They can be viewed here:
https://www.lexus.com/My-Lexus/resources#manuals_and_guides_promo
Dave.
ddahl44
Active Member
Wonder what this means?
It means bye bye ELS and Panasonic.
OregonSurround Fan
Member
My 2021 TLX w/ Advance Pkg.
Devoted to the cause.
Devoted to the cause.
KiloEchoNovember
New member
- Joined
- May 19, 2023
- Messages
- 5
Hello all,
I'm on Acura #5 equipped with an ELS system. I've definitely made my share of DVD-A's over nearly 20 years. And now I've switched it all to FLAC on my 21 TLX
I'm on Acura #5 equipped with an ELS system. I've definitely made my share of DVD-A's over nearly 20 years. And now I've switched it all to FLAC on my 21 TLX
Soundfield
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
Wow, "this immersive, rich audio experience will bring every sense to life". Really? It will it effect my sense of smell? Perhaps they assume everyone has synesthesia?!
Skimmed each page in this thread, being super old school (in some respects - I still use VHS, a CRT TV and Hafler/DynaQuad), I didn't notice anyone commenting on having a Hafler passive speaker matrix decoder in their vehicle.
One of the rear speakers [they duplicate the front L & R content] in my 2004 Civic has no sound [probably a faulty amplifier], car only has an AM/FM stereo radio and a CD player, I might rewire the 2 rear speakers to play the difference signal.
Anyone tried using the Hafler/DynaQuad technique to get surround sound in their vehicle?
Kirk Bayne
One of the rear speakers [they duplicate the front L & R content] in my 2004 Civic has no sound [probably a faulty amplifier], car only has an AM/FM stereo radio and a CD player, I might rewire the 2 rear speakers to play the difference signal.
Anyone tried using the Hafler/DynaQuad technique to get surround sound in their vehicle?
Kirk Bayne
Back in the seventies I tried that using a "Quadsonic Car Stereo Adapter" just like the one in this eBay listing. Quadraphonic Car Stereo Adapter I experimented with it for awhile before removing it.
With those old cars the rear deck was by far the best place to mount speakers. The large trunk space helped to greatly enhance the bass response. With the rear speakers connected Dyna style much of that bass disappears, as does much of the stereo image.
The alternative was to wire the front door speakers to the device. That just didn't sound right to me either. In the eighties I did install a car stereo for a friend "in one of those big old boats". I simply wired the existing front mounted AM radio speaker Dyna fashion. The fader control could then be used to balance the surround level. I didn't really get to listen to it after the install but he thought it was a cool effect, and it cost nothing to implement.
Most modern cars have the rear speakers mounted low in the back doors and can not be properly heard in the front, a real challenge to get any amount of surround sound.
As an update to my previous post https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...sound-in-their-car-s.7576/page-21#post-646451 I replaced the four channel class AB amplifier with the eight channel Trinity Audio Solutions TAS-1500.8. It is a digital (class-D) amplifier, as so it packs a lot of power into a small package.
The first four channels (Ch 1,2 & 3,4) run through an adjustable (50 Hz to 8kHz) high pass filter . The other four channels (Ch 5,6 & 7,8) run through either a low pass or high pass (20-600Hz) filter. The amplifiers (Ch 5,6 & 7,8) are higher powered than the first four. I'm running the door speakers via the low pass filters from amplifier (Ch 5,6 & 7,8) with the crossover all the way up (600Hz). Coincidentally that is the same crossover frequency that both my bi-amped home systems crossover at. The satalite speakers are driven from (Ch 1,2 & 3,4). I tweaked the crossover by ear, with a single pot adjusting all the way from 50 hz to 8khz it is unlikely that you could easily hit the desired 600Hz so it is likely that my bi-amp filtering is rather asymmetrical. Not a huge problem as long as no audible "holes" are present a bit of overlap might be a benefit. I had to boost the level of the door speakers while cutting the level of the satalite speakers to get a good tonal balance.
Previously I was running the satalite speakers via a capacitive filter, while leaving the door speakers to run full range. I had to use the equaliser function of the deck to boost the bass but still it never sounded quite right. I was going to install an eight channel amplifier right from the start but try to find one with suitable crossover functions, and I don't want anything with DSP or Bluetooth!
The manual supplied with this amp is very poor providing minimal useful information, compounded by including all their models in the same small pamphlet. I had originally ordered a different amplifier via Amazon. Amazon said that they had detected unusual behaviour (whatever that means) from the seller and cancelled my order. The manual for that other unit was actually very good. Based on information in that manual I upgraded my power feed wire from 8 gauge to 4 gauge. I then used the original 8 gauge wire to directly power my Rocktron decoder box.
For the new power cable I chose InstallGear Oxygen-Free Copper, available from Amazon. Now what would be the point of running such a heavy cable made of copper coated aluminum when that will have about 40% higher resistance than pure copper, that would kind of defeat the purpose! The electrical noise that I was previously getting seems to be gone now.
The first four channels (Ch 1,2 & 3,4) run through an adjustable (50 Hz to 8kHz) high pass filter . The other four channels (Ch 5,6 & 7,8) run through either a low pass or high pass (20-600Hz) filter. The amplifiers (Ch 5,6 & 7,8) are higher powered than the first four. I'm running the door speakers via the low pass filters from amplifier (Ch 5,6 & 7,8) with the crossover all the way up (600Hz). Coincidentally that is the same crossover frequency that both my bi-amped home systems crossover at. The satalite speakers are driven from (Ch 1,2 & 3,4). I tweaked the crossover by ear, with a single pot adjusting all the way from 50 hz to 8khz it is unlikely that you could easily hit the desired 600Hz so it is likely that my bi-amp filtering is rather asymmetrical. Not a huge problem as long as no audible "holes" are present a bit of overlap might be a benefit. I had to boost the level of the door speakers while cutting the level of the satalite speakers to get a good tonal balance.
Previously I was running the satalite speakers via a capacitive filter, while leaving the door speakers to run full range. I had to use the equaliser function of the deck to boost the bass but still it never sounded quite right. I was going to install an eight channel amplifier right from the start but try to find one with suitable crossover functions, and I don't want anything with DSP or Bluetooth!
The manual supplied with this amp is very poor providing minimal useful information, compounded by including all their models in the same small pamphlet. I had originally ordered a different amplifier via Amazon. Amazon said that they had detected unusual behaviour (whatever that means) from the seller and cancelled my order. The manual for that other unit was actually very good. Based on information in that manual I upgraded my power feed wire from 8 gauge to 4 gauge. I then used the original 8 gauge wire to directly power my Rocktron decoder box.
For the new power cable I chose InstallGear Oxygen-Free Copper, available from Amazon. Now what would be the point of running such a heavy cable made of copper coated aluminum when that will have about 40% higher resistance than pure copper, that would kind of defeat the purpose! The electrical noise that I was previously getting seems to be gone now.
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I have been lazy with formatting files to play 5.1 surround in my car the last year.
Today I'm taking the Challenger out and thought what in the last year, too many choices, would a new thumb drive be for 5.1.
Of course I loaded up a stick with all the 5.1 Thin Lizzy's.
I should try an Atmos as they are 24/48 but mine are all MKV files and likely have to reformat to FLAC, too lazy.
These 5.1 Thin Lizzy's will be great.
Today I'm taking the Challenger out and thought what in the last year, too many choices, would a new thumb drive be for 5.1.
Of course I loaded up a stick with all the 5.1 Thin Lizzy's.
I should try an Atmos as they are 24/48 but mine are all MKV files and likely have to reformat to FLAC, too lazy.
These 5.1 Thin Lizzy's will be great.
On a recent trip to China, I was walking past a car showroom near my hotel and I saw the Atmos logo on the window of a car, so I went inside. I don't speak Chinese, so I couldn't ask questions but they let me sit in the car and have a play. The company was called Zeekr. (Zeekr is brand of Geely who also own Volvo, Polestar, SMART, Lotus and a bunch of others...). The car with the logo was a Zeekr 007. A very nice looking car!
One of the salesmen did speak a very very small amount of English but not enough for him to understand me, but I was able to find out the car has an 1800W 21 speaker 7.1.4 Atmos sound system. They didn't have any files for me to test it (there was no slot for Bluray/CD either that I could find). I fortunately had a USB I carry around that had some 5.1 FLAC test files and it sounded amazing (lots better than expected!).
Zeekr have just opened dealerships here in Australia but not the 007 (yet?!). No mention of Atmos or 5.1 in the other Zeekr car models that have specs online, but I hope to get to the showroom and give some if the other models a try and hope.....
EDIT: Just for what its worth the base model cost from about RMB 230,000 in China which is about USD$32,000 but you'd probably need to add at least another $10K on that in the western economies.
One of the salesmen did speak a very very small amount of English but not enough for him to understand me, but I was able to find out the car has an 1800W 21 speaker 7.1.4 Atmos sound system. They didn't have any files for me to test it (there was no slot for Bluray/CD either that I could find). I fortunately had a USB I carry around that had some 5.1 FLAC test files and it sounded amazing (lots better than expected!).
Zeekr have just opened dealerships here in Australia but not the 007 (yet?!). No mention of Atmos or 5.1 in the other Zeekr car models that have specs online, but I hope to get to the showroom and give some if the other models a try and hope.....
EDIT: Just for what its worth the base model cost from about RMB 230,000 in China which is about USD$32,000 but you'd probably need to add at least another $10K on that in the western economies.
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Canada has recently instituted a 100% duty on Chinese made electric vehicles! This from a tired government that still totes it's carbon tax a the best way to fight climate change! Chinese-made EVs are now subject to a 100% tariff.
Yeah, I'm sure China has western car manufacturers in their crosshairs just like every other product these days. I'm not sure tarrifs are the answer.
I'm no rabid Greenie, but you can easily see the air quality in China has improved massively since I was last there in 2018. Petrol/Diesel fumes are giving us all cancer. At least where I was, maybe 1/4 of cars there are electric or hybrid. Gone are all those Chinese VW taxis. Every DiDi or taxi I took was a full on EV...
I'm no rabid Greenie, but you can easily see the air quality in China has improved massively since I was last there in 2018. Petrol/Diesel fumes are giving us all cancer. At least where I was, maybe 1/4 of cars there are electric or hybrid. Gone are all those Chinese VW taxis. Every DiDi or taxi I took was a full on EV...
2024 Acura RDX. 5.1’s, including the 72 I made all sound great!
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