So I called FCA about Harman Kardon system.

[Adrianp89]

Has anyone else noticed how little sound is produced from the door speakers compared to the dash? Had mine at a decent volume and there was very little out the doors. Did this change with the update, too?

Door speaker are usually mid-range drivers only. With that being said, the stage is decent on this truck, you shouldn't really "hear" anything from the doors. Sound should essentially be coming from its natural locations (like if you were sitting at a concert).... so really everything should be percieved as coming from above the dash (in a perfect world, the front of the hood).

 

[Foster432]

I have the HK system and mine sounds awesome.

November build date.

I have not checked to see if I have any updates seeing as how mine seems to be fine. With that being said, if you listen to your audio through an iPhone, try changing your equalizer on your phone to suit your preferences.

I’m not an audio professional but my train of thought is as follows:

1: I have equalizer presets on my phone so I use those presets to get my sound as balanced and close to what I like. I use this as a starting point

2: use the basic highs, mids, and lows on the stereo to “fine tune” the audio frequencies

 

[Savagescott]

Door speaker are usually mid-range drivers only. With that being said, the stage is decent on this truck, you shouldn't really "hear" anything from the doors. Sound should essentially be coming from its natural locations (like if you were sitting at a concert).... so really everything should be percieved as coming from above the dash (in a perfect world, the front of the hood).

I understand and agree re the sound stage. I have a decent home theater setup and in my listening position, I don’t “hear” individual speakers. However, if I put my head up to each speaker, I certainly hear sound. I expected the same for the HK, but when I open the door and put my head to the door speakers, the sound is very feint - seemingly not proportionate to the dash.

 

[Ramit392]

This may help some determine how your system sounds to you and from where as you adjust eq. First turn your volume at a lower mid level of sound with the eq flat ( all levels in center position on eq is Flat). Turn off Surround sound,put in some clean music from cd or USB stick that your very familiar with that being good sound with bass and trebles.

At this point turn all the way down your bass eq adjust.... you should now hear trebles and mid range...mid range sound mostly coming from your doors with no bass and clean sound adjust volume a little until it clean and clear....next turn all the way down your mid range levels.....you should now hear where your highs or treble is coming from then adjust volume to where its clean and clear sound.... at this point adjust your treble or highs where its clean sounding but not harsh and clear.....next adjust your bass where is not booming but not harsh.....last adjust your mid range a little at at a time until it sounds evenly mixed with highs and bass but not over riding out your other ranges but blending in evenly....then adjust volume where you like it and turn on surround.

At that point most people have the eq set where it sounds best to THEM and YOUR hearing. Try it you may really like it. Also it is a great way to find if a speaker is bad or needs replaced as well. Every system I installed for people back when I always had them to adjust their eq in this manner before they took off. Acoustics in cars is horrible for any sound system,so we are at a disadvantage from the start,but eq can help so much. Most times the best mod to any sound system is the quality and number of bands on the EQ,s. Happy listening

 

[Savagescott]

This may help some determine how your system sounds to you and from where as you adjust eq. First turn your volume at a lower mid level of sound with the eq flat ( all levels in center position on eq is Flat). Turn off Surround sound,put in some clean music from cd or USB stick that your very familiar with that being good sound with bass and trebles.

At this point turn all the way down your bass eq adjust.... you should now hear trebles and mid range...mid range sound mostly coming from your doors with no bass and clean sound adjust volume a little until it clean and clear....next turn all the way down your mid range levels.....you should now hear where your highs or treble is coming from then adjust volume to where its clean and clear sound.... at this point adjust your treble or highs where its clean sounding but not harsh and clear.....next adjust your bass where is not booming but not harsh.....last adjust your mid range a little at at a time until it sounds evenly mixed with highs and bass but not over riding out your other ranges but blending in evenly....then adjust volume where you like it and turn on surround.

At that point most people have the eq set where it sounds best to THEM and YOUR hearing. Try it you may really like it. Also it is a great way to find if a speaker is bad or needs replaced as well. Every system I installed for people back when I always had them to adjust their eq in this manner before they took off. Acoustics in cars is horrible for any sound system,so we are at a disadvantage from the start,but eq can help so much. Most times the best mod to any sound system is the quality and number of bands on the EQ,s. Happy listening

Thanks - I’ll try that.

I’ve only had the truck a couple days so I did a little more critical listening this morning using a couple different sources. The only way I could get a “balanced” sound was if I moved the balance halfway to the passenger. When centered, the driver dash speaker is dominant - no sound stage effect at all.

 

[Ramit392]

Thanks - I’ll try that.

I’ve only had the truck a couple days so I did a little more critical listening this morning using a couple different sources. The only way I could get a “balanced” sound was if I moved the balance halfway to the passenger. When centered, the driver dash speaker is dominant - no sound stage effect at all.

Your welcome! Surround sound does delay sound to rear and side channels in order provide the "Center Stage Effects" to the listeners. In our cars that is very difficult to produce if not impossible. Three things defeat each other so to speak in a vehicle. 1.We are not not center in drivers seat 2. Delays in surround is more defined in a car environment with most sound tracks not recorded in Surround as well.3.Vehicle acoustics are horrible.

You may find music sounds much better in the vehicle with surround turned off on some types of music.

 

[maddog49]

I thought I would chime in. Purchased a new limited last week and was not impressed by the HK system (5/18 build) on our test sitting in the parking lot. Asked Service to upgrade it a day or two before we finalized the deal, we did and suddenly it sounded a lot louder, more bass and just better in general when listening to multiple different tracks. Surround on or off also seems to have a much smaller effect now than it did before the update. All music was played directly through android auto/usb.

Kind of crazy to see such an expensive option hampered by software but it definitely did the trick when it was updated. Would have never found that if not for this forum.

 

[DennisY]

Had the update done on mine a little over a week ago and was blown away at the improvement! Surround on and off no longer has any effect at all on mine (loudness-wise). And I can actually feel the bass now. What a great update! Thanks go out to this forum!

 

[RAMRhode]

This may help some determine how your system sounds to you and from where as you adjust eq. First turn your volume at a lower mid level of sound with the eq flat ( all levels in center position on eq is Flat). Turn off Surround sound,put in some clean music from cd or USB stick that your very familiar with that being good sound with bass and trebles.

At this point turn all the way down your bass eq adjust.... you should now hear trebles and mid range...mid range sound mostly coming from your doors with no bass and clean sound adjust volume a little until it clean and clear....next turn all the way down your mid range levels.....you should now hear where your highs or treble is coming from then adjust volume to where its clean and clear sound.... at this point adjust your treble or highs where its clean sounding but not harsh and clear.....next adjust your bass where is not booming but not harsh.....last adjust your mid range a little at at a time until it sounds evenly mixed with highs and bass but not over riding out your other ranges but blending in evenly....then adjust volume where you like it and turn on surround.

At that point most people have the eq set where it sounds best to THEM and YOUR hearing. Try it you may really like it. Also it is a great way to find if a speaker is bad or needs replaced as well. Every system I installed for people back when I always had them to adjust their eq in this manner before they took off. Acoustics in cars is horrible for any sound system,so we are at a disadvantage from the start,but eq can help so much. Most times the best mod to any sound system is the quality and number of bands on the EQ,s. Happy listening

Should be a sticky

 

[WolfHunter1043]

Just bought my Ram Limited 2 days ago. The one I test drove seemed like the audio was sub par, but it had the trailer tow mirrors so the dealer traded it for my truck. My radio seems better, and it's the same Harman Kardon. Is there a way to tell if the TSB update has already been done?

 

[Ramit392]

Just bought my Ram Limited 2 days ago. The one I test drove seemed like the audio was sub par, but it had the trailer tow mirrors so the dealer traded it for my truck. My radio seems better, and it's the same Harman Kardon. Is there a way to tell if the TSB update has already been done?

You can check your build date compare it to the ones that has been flashed. If the Dealer flashed it they usually report in service rerecords of the truck.

 

[DennisY]

You can check your build date compare it to the ones that has been flashed. If the Dealer flashed it they usually report in service rerecords of the truck.

Also, the service bulletin itself states the build dates where it applies. If yours was built after those dates, you should already have the update installed.

 

[Savagescott]

Also, the service bulletin itself states the build dates where it applies. If yours was built after those dates, you should already have the update installed.

Has anyone heard anything more about a possible additional future update? I have the bass turned all the way down and it’s still overbearing at times. This system is good but it has the potential to be so much better.

 

[jniemuth]

Same here, waiting for an update. My bass is as low as it can go and it is still sometime overpowering after the latest update.

 

[HKP7PSP]

I had the 19-speaker H/K system in my 2015 Grand Cherokee Summit as well, and it had way too much bass even with it turned down. My 12/18 build RAM with the H/K system has way better highs (crisp and clear), and has a perfect balance with the bass to the point where I almost miss how boomy the Jeep's was. I think the Jeep's version for the model year I had was a bit less on wattage, because you had to get up into the 20's for it to be any bit loud. I can't get past 16-17 in the RAM without it starting to get too loud.

 

[badzdad]

I was super apprehensive about going with the HK system based on mixed reviews. I have to say once I dialed it in I have been moderately impressed with it. Really no complaints about it after having the truck for almost two weeks.

 

[DennisY]

Has anyone heard anything more about a possible additional future update? I have the bass turned all the way down and it’s still overbearing at times. This system is good but it has the potential to be so much better.

Do you have the update in this particular TSB or an earlier one?

 

[Ramit392]

Funny as we all have just spoke about it,I got in my new truck yesterday and when I hit the ignition and started the truck, the volume was full tilt!! Scared the bejeebies out me! Now it seems the bass sound is turned up more and boomy, but I like it! It sounded great before as well. Apparently FCA hit it with an update on their own yesterday.

 

[Savagescott]

Funny as we all have just spoke about it,I got in my new truck yesterday and when I hit the ignition and started the truck, the volume was full tilt!! Scared the bejeebies out me! Now it seems the bass sound is turned up more and boomy, but I like it! It sounded great before as well. Apparently FCA hit it with an update on their own yesterday.

Do you have a copy of the work order showing an update? Can you post a pic of that?

 

[Ramit392]

I never had any bulletin or work order on this new truck but did on the one before...I never kept a copy of it but if you go to the thread in the forums about the HK system there is copies posted in that thread of the TSB.