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Stock Stereo in 2016 Sport with 401A package

Im hoping one of you parts gurus will see if the new platinum "amplifier/processor" is a direct swap for the sony premium. I have a 2016 sport and would love to just swap the amp to get the "platinum" sound.

FYI: I know they are the same but I found a noticeable sound improvement from my 15 sport to the 16

In most cases up-grading factory amps, processers and maybe even the head-unit would be cost prohibitive. For the same money or even less you can up-grade to an aftermarket amp and processer and have a much better system that will blow-away factory systems.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=444695
 



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OK so let's put some specifics together.

in the sport and limited there is an option for the upgraded sony system - note that sony makes all the systems in the explorer range - as they have some quite some years.

Well I have the base system in my car and honestly I think it's just fine for a CAR. Could it be better yes -but again it's a noisy CAR.

so what's better.

the 401a package has the upgraded sony kit - which adds more speakers to the compliment and a good bit more amplification. how much is debateable. but the key kicker - is the separation and the true component style setup in the front sound stage IE actual separate tweeters that have more than just a capacitor clamp on the frequencies. Makes significant different at high volume levels.

Also I believe it has separate amplification for the sub woofers in the back. would need a schematic to prove that but I believe that is the case.

there is better procesing and etc - as far as the features of the myfordtouch and the like - I didn't life the faceplate or the buttons. So I passed on it with out 2016.

but it does clearly sound better.

now for the platinum system - IIRC it has the same speakers and amps as the Limited/sport upgraded system. But the processor is improved and it has a better XM/Sirius tuner set with some better post processing for other inputs. Part of their better processing is that the XM tuner will combine sat feed stream with terrestrial fed stream for the highest bit rate XM stream possible. This passes the usually 112Kb/S feed of the normal sat delivered content. Hence the extra expense, and there are tuners on the market that do the same job - usually for home use.

but the guts of the system is still mostly the same. Now - upgraded aftermarket. There is such significant integration of the current systems into the car - that you would basically need to use a line level input processor - and then a separate amp and new speakers all around to get better sound. It would cost quite a bit more. How much better do you want?

Personally I wouldn't get the platinum and I didn't like the extras for what it brings - course I also didn't get a limited either. but listen to , and adjust all the systems during your test drive. You'll be amazed how they get setup - it's as bad as looking at TV's in best buy. Treble turned all the way down on the base system, or off center setup on the high end system to be forward present. etc etc.
 






Im quite familiar with upgrading car stereos...from the alpine/xtant/mb quart days to my current JBL MS8, JL amps, 13.6w6, focal component setup, I've been around the block. But hey if I can swap the factory sony amp in the sport (401a) with the platinum and pickup some sound for a few hundred bucks, I may* be interested.
 






OK so let's put some specifics together.

in the sport and limited there is an option for the upgraded sony system - note that sony makes all the systems in the explorer range - as they have some quite some years.

Well I have the base system in my car and honestly I think it's just fine for a CAR. Could it be better yes -but again it's a noisy CAR.

so what's better.

the 401a package has the upgraded sony kit - which adds more speakers to the compliment and a good bit more amplification. how much is debateable. but the key kicker - is the separation and the true component style setup in the front sound stage IE actual separate tweeters that have more than just a capacitor clamp on the frequencies. Makes significant different at high volume levels.

Also I believe it has separate amplification for the sub woofers in the back. would need a schematic to prove that but I believe that is the case.

there is better procesing and etc - as far as the features of the myfordtouch and the like - I didn't life the faceplate or the buttons. So I passed on it with out 2016.

but it does clearly sound better.

now for the platinum system - IIRC it has the same speakers and amps as the Limited/sport upgraded system. But the processor is improved and it has a better XM/Sirius tuner set with some better post processing for other inputs. Part of their better processing is that the XM tuner will combine sat feed stream with terrestrial fed stream for the highest bit rate XM stream possible. This passes the usually 112Kb/S feed of the normal sat delivered content. Hence the extra expense, and there are tuners on the market that do the same job - usually for home use.

but the guts of the system is still mostly the same. Now - upgraded aftermarket. There is such significant integration of the current systems into the car - that you would basically need to use a line level input processor - and then a separate amp and new speakers all around to get better sound. It would cost quite a bit more. How much better do you want?

Personally I wouldn't get the platinum and I didn't like the extras for what it brings - course I also didn't get a limited either. but listen to , and adjust all the systems during your test drive. You'll be amazed how they get setup - it's as bad as looking at TV's in best buy. Treble turned all the way down on the base system, or off center setup on the high end system to be forward present. etc etc.

I think you make some well thought out and valid points.... BUT (there's always a but isn't there). You do not need to up-grade all of the speakers to have an exceptional system, replace the fronts (4 speakers Highs and Mids) and add some good subs. By adding a good processer it will take the factory processing out of the picture so you can fine tune the system. Add a good A-B amp with some power and you now have better head-room and more dynamic system.

As for cost it can get expensive, at retail cost (if you pay retail your not shopping around very good) my system would be about $4500.00 to $5,000.00 not including labor and subs. I have seen people spend all most this much on new rims & tires and you don't get to enjoy them while you are driving.
 






I love these arguments.

so focal speakers, JBL, ? I guess Mb quarts are in the past don't hear people using those much.

Thing is car's are noisy - unless you do significant sound deadening - it's still noisy. Any extra ripple or offset wave patterns the sound equipment might bring to the table is eaten away when that semi-goes by you tomorrow on the interstate. or the road you're on has strips in it.

now if your goal is static sound competitions with the car parked and the meters in the seats etc - well that's fine. But I've got places to go.

I agree with you on the retarded costs and mods people do for rims - but that's a whole other rant.

My home system - different animal.

but in the car - meh - if it wasn't for all the integration in today's cars I'd be more behind audio mods. but even those speakers in the upgraded sony kit - are decent quality today. They have to be. are they Cast AL basket, dual mag, high excursion units that you can get for a few hundred a pop, no. But they do make decent sound - for a CAR.

One thing I wish car makers would go to - separate out amplifiers put in a reasonable location for refitment. used to be fairly easy.

one of my other cars is a pontiac G8 GXp - that system is just about irreplaceable.

but the placement is just as important and that's gotten worlds better over the years. I do however wish they'd do away with the forward center speakers - just pump the damn phone call through the rest of the system and deal.

but alas - yes like all mods people spend tonnes of money on whatever.

during your refitment while you put matting the doors and panels - did you pick up the carpet and do the entire floor - cover the cabin side of the firewall - replace all the glass with thicker acrylics - and then pull the ceiling cover down and reline the roof.

you missed some spots then.
 






My wife's 16 sport stereo is ok, but it really needs a sub
 






I agree completely a car is noisy from road noise or what ever, but my simple up-grade is 100% better than the stock system... my ex-wife could even hear the difference even with her yelling at me. I spend so much time in my cars that I don't mind spending a little money to make it more enjoyable for ME. Since my first car I have always added a stereo ( 12 volt record player then up-graded to a 4Track) and other things to personalize it, blame it on the Southern California culture I grew up in the 60's

Could I have done more to keep out road noise.... without a doubt. On my Honda Pilot I gutted the complete interior: headliner, seats and carpet, just so I could make it as quite as possible.

In the end we agree to disagree, I will close by saying: you are entitled to your opinion...... even if it's wrong (ONLY KIDDING) :D

my signature says it all, the older I get (65 and hoping for more) the more it makes CENTS ;)

PEACE BROTHER, I enjoy the banter.
 






The premium system in my 2013 Limited is only "OK." Since the OP mentioned coming from an Infiniti, I'll mention that I also came from a G35 with the Bose premium system. My G35's audio was pretty damn good. By comparison, my EX's audio is a definite step down.
 






17 Sport has the Platinum Clear-Phase upgraded sound system
 






The Sony system in the '16 Sport sounds really good to me, but the source has a huge impact on the quality. When I listed an HD FM station, it sounds great. When I listen to my old iPhone plugged into the USB jack, it's excellent.

When I listen to Sirius...well...I don't listen to Sirius. The sound is so thin and tinny I can barely get through a song before going back to FM or USB.

This is new to me - the Sirius quality in my last car sounded more or less as good as FM (not as good as USB), but the over-compressed metallic sound of Sirius on this system is essentially unlistenable. Whenever the free trial runs out, I will definitely not be renewing it on this vehicle.
 






I agree completely a car is noisy from road noise or what ever, but my simple up-grade is 100% better than the stock system... my ex-wife could even hear the difference even with her yelling at me. I spend so much time in my cars that I don't mind spending a little money to make it more enjoyable for ME. Since my first car I have always added a stereo ( 12 volt record player then up-graded to a 4Track) and other things to personalize it, blame it on the Southern California culture I grew up in the 60's

Could I have done more to keep out road noise.... without a doubt. On my Honda Pilot I gutted the complete interior: headliner, seats and carpet, just so I could make it as quite as possible.

In the end we agree to disagree, I will close by saying: you are entitled to your opinion...... even if it's wrong (ONLY KIDDING) :D

my signature says it all, the older I get (65 and hoping for more) the more it makes CENTS ;)

PEACE BROTHER, I enjoy the banter.

Absolutely - why I said I love these arguments. Now I need to get a new 4K blu ray player for my HT room

I'm glad others do it. now let's talk about suspension or power upgrades and that's a whole other hobby of money pit for limited use too. but I do it anyway. Well OK I don't consider money I spend on brake up grades wasted, but some of the other stuff is sort of a waste on public streets.
 






The Sony system in the '16 Sport sounds really good to me, but the source has a huge impact on the quality. When I listed an HD FM station, it sounds great. When I listen to my old iPhone plugged into the USB jack, it's excellent.

When I listen to Sirius...well...I don't listen to Sirius. The sound is so thin and tinny I can barely get through a song before going back to FM or USB.

This is new to me - the Sirius quality in my last car sounded more or less as good as FM (not as good as USB), but the over-compressed metallic sound of Sirius on this system is essentially unlistenable. Whenever the free trial runs out, I will definitely not be renewing it on this vehicle.

What I've found is some stations are way worse the others - and it's because they are compressed more. but I don't like Sirius in general either - regardless of the player.

for relatively less money I can roll Spotify on my mobile though BT or USB and get better product with no commercials (Sirius loves to have comercials for themselves)
 






(Sirius loves to have comercials for themselves)

I'd love to see a breakdown of what percentage of their listeners are on free trial subscriptions that came with their cars - must be pretty high to warrant the constant self-promotion...
 






I'd love to see a breakdown of what percentage of their listeners are on free trial subscriptions that came with their cars - must be pretty high to warrant the constant self-promotion...

I get the whole - we're telling you what's going on in the "community" of listeners and letting you know what's on all the channels. . . . . .

like the damn e-mails they also used to send me and etc.


smurf that - I don't tune to that channel - why I don't like that music so I don't give a rats azz what stupid indie band is going to be running the station from 8 to whatever next week.

just shut up and play the damn tunes. and their talk radio crap - you can get on other streaming services too - other than howard and I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire and I just finished a tankard of beer.
 






Kept the Sirius subscription after the trial period ran out, but I’ve never paid the full subscription price, as I'm sure some here are aware of how to get around.

Every six months I call and tell them to cancel my account and not automatically renew and bill me. They then offer a reduced price from the $15.99 per month for Sirius Select, to $9.99 per month. When I tell them that is still too expensive they then offer me a plan for 6 months at $25, (Just under $30 after service fees and tax). I do have to call every six months and play the game with them, but at just under $5.00 per month I can live with it.
 






Kept the Sirius subscription after the trial period ran out, but I’ve never paid the full subscription price, as I'm sure some here are aware of how to get around.

Every six months I call and tell them to cancel my account and not automatically renew and bill me. They then offer a reduced price from the $15.99 per month for Sirius Select, to $9.99 per month. When I tell them that is still too expensive they then offer me a plan for 6 months at $25, (Just under $30 after service fees and tax). I do have to call every six months and play the game with them, but at just under $5.00 per month I can live with it.

I've heard of people getting full year for 100 dollars. But I like the 6 month for 30ish. I got that last time around - it's about time to call them again, or just cancel it if the wifey will let go.

she wants it - I keep trying to tell her to use her phone and connection.
 












I've heard of people getting full year for 100 dollars. But I like the 6 month for 30ish. I got that last time around - it's about time to call them again, or just cancel it if the wifey will let go.

she wants it - I keep trying to tell her to use her phone and connection.

I received a mailer for a 6 month subscription at $30 (before taxes and fees).
 






I have the 9 speaker non-Sony system in my 2015 XLT, and I am not really impressed with it at all. The only time I can get great sound out of it is if I use my IPhone through USB an play from my files or stream over internet radio.it actually sounds better than FM.

Sirius XM is a whole other story, don't get me started on that. The sound is absolutely horrible, but that is not the radio.

I have that same system and agree that the sound was unimpressive at best. I ended buying a high end component package and replaced the 6x9's in the front door, in addition to the 1" tweeters and with trepidation added 2" mid range tweeters in the pillars and lastly put crossovers in both doors. Surprisingly the 2" mid range tweeters look like they were put in by the factory and look fantastic. I also put in an attenuater for the center front speaker on the dash because it was not balanced and took a slight bit of tweaking on the volume, very easily done and inexpensive. The overall sound quality is MUCH, MUCH better with full sound at low volumes, great tight bass without a subwoofer or amp installed. The speakers that were installed are very efficient and now make driving very pleasurable on both short and especially long trips.
 



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I've heard of people getting full year for 100 dollars. But I like the 6 month for 30ish. I got that last time around - it's about time to call them again, or just cancel it if the wifey will let go. she wants it - I keep trying to tell her to use her phone and connection.

I do exactly the same!

BM
 






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