2019 Ram 19-Speaker Harman Kardon® Premium Sound system

[BNeal]

This is my first Ram, and I don't know if they changed anything for the 21's, but as a musician and sound engineer, I couldn't be happier with the HK set up in my 21 Limited. I mean could you make it better? Sure. But for a high-end stock system, I think it rocks!

 

[BowDown]

The HK system in my Limited is outstanding, I have no complaints. I had the infinity system in my previous truck and it was great, nothing compared to the HK but the infinity was also good. I dont get the complaints about a lot of things on this truck that others have

 

[SGBARRACUDA]

I had a 2018 2500 Crew 4x4 CTD Laramie Longhorn with the Alpine 9 speaker system that I really liked. Well after a little more than a year, on 7/30/20, I was driving down the road with my 7 year old grandson and I had a massive heart attack and drove thru a block wall. Well GS was fine. But they totaled my truck. I bought a new 2020 Limited 4x4 2500 CTD with the HK 17 speaker system and was expecting a great sound system. I am very disappointed, The mids and high are improved, but the bass response leaves a lot to be desired. My 2018 Alpine put this one to shame as far as bass response. What can I do?

 

[jastevenson]

If your bass is so strong it stopped your heart, maybe it’s time to turn it down a notch!

 

[Ellisstrong]

I had a 2018 2500 Crew 4x4 CTD Laramie Longhorn with the Alpine 9 speaker system that I really liked. Well after a little more than a year, on 7/30/20, I was driving down the road with my 7 year old grandson and I had a massive heart attack and drove thru a block wall. Well GS was fine. But they totaled my truck. I bought a new 2020 Limited 4x4 2500 CTD with the HK 17 speaker system and was expecting a great sound system. I am very disappointed, The mids and high are improved, but the bass response leaves a lot to be desired. My 2018 Alpine put this one to shame as far as bass response. What can I do?

Add a sub or three...

 

[SGBARRACUDA]

Yeah these are really helpful replies. Thanks

 

[Buz]

Initially I thought the HK was pretty good, especially if used a USB cable from my phone. I convinced myself that the Bass -6, Mid -2, and Treble +3 brought out good clean sound with some punch. Turns out it kind of does, but what this HK 19 speaker system seems to be lacking (at least to me) is a the delicate balance of all the instruments. They system just doesn't 'shimmer' like my friends Meridian system in their Jaguar. The Meridian setup singles out each instrument individually and you can distinctly hear each instrument on its own. It's just CLEAN, which I like. Not saying the Meridian is killer on bass, but it's just really clean.
Don't get me wrong, there are some recordings that sound fantastic on the HK, but generally, after hearing the Meridian system, the HK seems to be missing some key frequency responses which tend to 'muddle' or not 'bring to the front' certain frequencies. Hard to describe, but it just seems to be missing on true clarity; like someone threw a blanket over a few speakers.
I think this issue could be 75% fixed if there were a 7 band EQ, but pigs will fly before that kind of update is released.

 

[SpeedyV]

I think this issue could be 75% fixed if there were a 7 band EQ, but pigs will fly before that kind of update is released.

YESSS (and, sadly, yesss).

 

[STR]

Initially I thought the HK was pretty good, especially if used a USB cable from my phone. I convinced myself that the Bass -6, Mid -2, and Treble +3 brought out good clean sound with some punch. Turns out it kind of does, but what this HK 19 speaker system seems to be lacking (at least to me) is a the delicate balance of all the instruments. They system just doesn't 'shimmer' like my friends Meridian system in their Jaguar. The Meridian setup singles out each instrument individually and you can distinctly hear each instrument on its own. It's just CLEAN, which I like. Not saying the Meridian is killer on bass, but it's just really clean.
Don't get me wrong, there are some recordings that sound fantastic on the HK, but generally, after hearing the Meridian system, the HK seems to be missing some key frequency responses which tend to 'muddle' or not 'bring to the front' certain frequencies. Hard to describe, but it just seems to be missing on true clarity; like someone threw a blanket over a few speakers.
I think this issue could be 75% fixed if there were a 7 band EQ, but pigs will fly before that kind of update is released.

If you’re comparing the HK to Meridian, then that says a lot about the HK. You have to also consider that the acoustical environment, speaker placement, sound dampening, etc., in a Jaguar is much better than a truck. While I think a 7... or even 5 band EQ would be a plus, the HK still sounds great to me. I still think that the majority of the complaints on here are pre-software update... or a truck specific hardware issue.

 

[2020Larrie]

The meridian is an audiophile system, but sorry it does not single out instruments, nothing does honestly, it just sets a great soundstage for the listener.

 

[Buz]

The meridian is an audiophile system, but sorry it does not single out instruments, nothing does honestly, it just sets a great soundstage for the listener.

As the person who said that, I beg to differ. It was in my wife's late model Jag with a Meridian system that I noticed, for the first time in my life, that the Bad Company song 'feel like makin love' has a gorgeous acoustic guitar that dances along in the background during the main parts of the song (not the chorus).
It's always been there, but i never noticed it distinctly until I heard it so clearly one night in her car. Since then I always listen for that guitar during that song on other systems and can hear it, but it doesn't 'stand out' like it did on that Meridian system.

 

[2020Larrie]

Correct, it stands out because it is probably a $5,000 stereo. I googled, if unbundled it would cost $7,000. The ram is $2k to us, but probably cost 500-800 to make.

You want to compare a $7,000 audiophile system to a $2,000 system. That says a lot for the $2,000 system my friend.

I have been installing car audio for decades, and it's real hard to beat a well designed manufacturers system. Someone else said it better, you are comparing a high end luxury audiophile system to a workmans 4x4 truck system. I'll take the trucks radio over a Jags, simple because a jag can't do anything on a dirt road with a trailer full of 12,000lbs of gravel.

 

[Buz]

Correct, it stands out because it is probably a $5,000 stereo. I googled, if unbundled it would cost $7,000. The ram is $2k to us, but probably cost 500-800 to make.

You want to compare a $7,000 audiophile system to a $2,000 system. That says a lot for the $2,000 system my friend.

I have been installing car audio for decades, and it's real hard to beat a well designed manufacturers system. Someone else said it better, you are comparing a high end luxury audiophile system to a workmans 4x4 truck system. I'll take the trucks radio over a Jags, simple because a jag can't do anything on a dirt road with a trailer full of 12,000lbs of gravel.

Touché.
It's just that the "Harman Kardon 19 speaker" thing really gets one's hopes up.
It's a decent system for a truck once the Sub is unplugged.

 

[2020Larrie]

Touché.
It's just that the "Harman Kardon 19 speaker" thing really gets one's hopes up.
It's a decent system for a truck once the Sub is unplugged.

19 speakers, sure, but how many in the back? never counted really. It does a great job for what it does, make a truck cab into a symphony, really. Maybe I'm to easy, even with my background with audio, because I grew up with AM radios and one speaker.

 

[treeight9]

Same here on volume level (after the amp TSB) on my 2019. 5-7 if I only want background music, 8-15 for something I really like, or 20+ if I'm totally jamming (but not for extended duration). I've seen 38 maybe twice, and it's not a sustainable volume (VERY loud).

For dinner reason my volume level lowered from when I first got my truck. I have the 2019 ram limited with the 19 speakers hk system. Bass isn't as loud, volume isn't as loud at 25 as it was before.. what happened?

 

[SpeedyV]

For dinner reason my volume level lowered from when I first got my truck. I have the 2019 ram limited with the 19 speakers hk system. Bass isn't as loud, volume isn't as loud at 25 as it was before.. what happened?

I’ve noticed that, too - presumably from a software update - but I rarely see 25. I’m usually cruising at 8-10 and maybe 13-15 for a favorite song.