So I called FCA about Harman Kardon system.

[Jordan2929]

So the 8.4 is not done over air like the 12 inch?

No, so the screens can be updated over the air doesn't matter if its the small or big screen. The amp has to be updated at the dealership.

 

[Jordan2929]

It doesn’t sound great at al without update, if so why an update after 3 month you release a vehicle?

Exactly what I tried telling them, they had absolutely no interest in helping me out. Unfortunate considering I spent 57,000 on a truck from them.

 

[Phiefer]

Dealer should be able to attach their WiTech and it will check for pending controller flashes that are available. I looked at mine about a week ago and had none available.
I've attached a few screen shots of the controllets found on my truck and radio and amp info related to the 12" display.
As i have said on a earlier thread, my HK audio is the best stock audio system i have ever heard in a vehicle.

 

[Agustinacosta]

I will say it is improved after the amp update but definitely not superb. Again sound is subjective to everyone’s personal preference but it seems like the bass is being reproduced at higher frequencies then it should be. Not sure if it is the way the system is tuned or the frequency range of the speakers. It is missing a full balanced sound especially at the lower frequencies.

Agree

 

[Ramit392]

Exactly what I tried telling them, they had absolutely no interest in helping me out. Unfortunate considering I spent 57,000 on a truck from them.

That is shame for sure! They need to assist you ans solve some issues.

 

[ExcursionDiesel]

So, after a few weeks of ownership and listening to the HK system, I have some observations.

1. The system is bass heavy from 80hz down. It extends to 30hz but is NOT well balanced.

2. . The system has NO CONTROL, other than overall volume, of frequencies above the ~80hz crossover up to ~600hz.

3. The EQ LOW band is a low pass sub only.... 80hz and lower. The MID band is narrow and centered around 1khz. The HIGH band is 4k and up.

4. The 80hz to 600hz region, which is unaffected by EQ, is -10db down and the result is unintelligible bass since the fundamental notes are suppressed. It yields a scooped bass with a fat sub bass but doesn't have articulation or clarity. The sub bass around 40-60hz is +6db and combined with the -10db mid-bass, sounds boomy to my ears. Listeners accustomed to artificial bass ("Bass heads") might like this but it is not a realistic reproduction of the original recording.

5. The highs have a narrow +4 db boost around 10k that can't be addressed with EQ since the HIGH band adjustment is a high pass at 4khz.

6.. Optimal settings to my ears are Bass -6 Mids -2 Highs 0

7. Overall volume is loud and fairly clean at 38 (max) with the EQ settings I used. Measured max volume is 102db. It's not like sitting 10 rows back at a rock concert but plenty loud. Bass response (compression) is lost when any window or the sunroof is open. That is expected.

The system has good coverage throughout the cab. The best listening position I found is the center of the back seat.

The system could be tuned much better than it is...if a 5 band or more EQ was available. The DSP in the amp probably has the capability but I have not found any method to access it.

Overall, it sounds pretty decent. No audio system is perfect. Ever.

Note: I used an app called AudioTool for Android that I calibrated to my studio monitors that have a known response. I let my ears guide me but I like to confirm my findings with an analyzer.

 

[Agustinacosta]

So, after a few weeks of ownership and listening to the HK system, I have some observations.

1. The system is bass heavy from 80hz down. It extends to 30hz but is NOT well balanced.

2. . The system has NO CONTROL, other than overall volume, of frequencies above the ~80hz crossover up to ~600hz.

3. The EQ LOW band is a low pass sub only.... 80hz and lower. The MID band is narrow and centered around 1khz. The HIGH band is 4k and up.

4. The 80hz to 600hz region, which is unaffected by EQ, is -10db down and the result is unintelligible bass since the fundamental notes are suppressed. It yields a scooped bass with a fat sub bass but doesn't have articulation or clarity. The sub bass around 40-60hz is +6db and combined with the -10db mid-bass, sounds boomy to my ears. Listeners accustomed to artificial bass ("Bass heads") might like this but it is not a realistic reproduction of the original recording.

5. The highs have a narrow +4 db boost around 10k that can't be addressed with EQ since the HIGH band adjustment is a high pass at 4khz.

6.. Optimal settings to my ears are Bass -6 Mids -2 Highs 0

7. Overall volume is loud and fairly clean at 38 (max) with the EQ settings I used. Measured max volume is 102db. It's not like sitting 10 rows back at a rock concert but plenty loud. Bass response (compression) is lost when any window or the sunroof is open. That is expected.

The system has good coverage throughout the cab. The best listening position I found is the center of the back seat.

The system could be tuned much better than it is...if a 5 band or more EQ was available. The DSP in the amp probably has the capability but I have not found any method to access it.

Overall, it sounds pretty decent. No audio system is perfect. Ever.

Note: I used an app called AudioTool for Android that I calibrated to my studio monitors that have a known response. I let my ears guide me but I like to confirm my findings with an analyzer.

Thanks, I realize the same.

 

[Smoot178]

TSB 08-123-18 made me very happy with the volume.

 

[sswails1]

So, after a few weeks of ownership and listening to the HK system, I have some observations.

1. The system is bass heavy from 80hz down. It extends to 30hz but is NOT well balanced.

2. . The system has NO CONTROL, other than overall volume, of frequencies above the ~80hz crossover up to ~600hz.

3. The EQ LOW band is a low pass sub only.... 80hz and lower. The MID band is narrow and centered around 1khz. The HIGH band is 4k and up.

4. The 80hz to 600hz region, which is unaffected by EQ, is -10db down and the result is unintelligible bass since the fundamental notes are suppressed. It yields a scooped bass with a fat sub bass but doesn't have articulation or clarity. The sub bass around 40-60hz is +6db and combined with the -10db mid-bass, sounds boomy to my ears. Listeners accustomed to artificial bass ("Bass heads") might like this but it is not a realistic reproduction of the original recording.

5. The highs have a narrow +4 db boost around 10k that can't be addressed with EQ since the HIGH band adjustment is a high pass at 4khz.

6.. Optimal settings to my ears are Bass -6 Mids -2 Highs 0

7. Overall volume is loud and fairly clean at 38 (max) with the EQ settings I used. Measured max volume is 102db. It's not like sitting 10 rows back at a rock concert but plenty loud. Bass response (compression) is lost when any window or the sunroof is open. That is expected.

The system has good coverage throughout the cab. The best listening position I found is the center of the back seat.

The system could be tuned much better than it is...if a 5 band or more EQ was available. The DSP in the amp probably has the capability but I have not found any method to access it.

Overall, it sounds pretty decent. No audio system is perfect. Ever.

Note: I used an app called AudioTool for Android that I calibrated to my studio monitors that have a known response. I let my ears guide me but I like to confirm my findings with an analyzer.

My settings as well. Found the same result using and RTA on my phone

 

[Ramit392]

So, after a few weeks of ownership and listening to the HK system, I have some observations.

1. The system is bass heavy from 80hz down. It extends to 30hz but is NOT well balanced.

2. . The system has NO CONTROL, other than overall volume, of frequencies above the ~80hz crossover up to ~600hz.

3. The EQ LOW band is a low pass sub only.... 80hz and lower. The MID band is narrow and centered around 1khz. The HIGH band is 4k and up.

4. The 80hz to 600hz region, which is unaffected by EQ, is -10db down and the result is unintelligible bass since the fundamental notes are suppressed. It yields a scooped bass with a fat sub bass but doesn't have articulation or clarity. The sub bass around 40-60hz is +6db and combined with the -10db mid-bass, sounds boomy to my ears. Listeners accustomed to artificial bass ("Bass heads") might like this but it is not a realistic reproduction of the original recording.

5. The highs have a narrow +4 db boost around 10k that can't be addressed with EQ since the HIGH band adjustment is a high pass at 4khz.

6.. Optimal settings to my ears are Bass -6 Mids -2 Highs 0

7. Overall volume is loud and fairly clean at 38 (max) with the EQ settings I used. Measured max volume is 102db. It's not like sitting 10 rows back at a rock concert but plenty loud. Bass response (compression) is lost when any window or the sunroof is open. That is expected.

The system has good coverage throughout the cab. The best listening position I found is the center of the back seat.

The system could be tuned much better than it is...if a 5 band or more EQ was available. The DSP in the amp probably has the capability but I have not found any method to access it.

Overall, it sounds pretty decent. No audio system is perfect. Ever.

Note: I used an app called AudioTool for Android that I calibrated to my studio monitors that have a known response. I let my ears guide me but I like to confirm my findings with an analyzer.

Thank you for checking this out and sharing with us Sir!

 

[immersivenc]

Just to echo what everyone else has said, I had the TSB done on my amplifier and the volume is now what you’d expect to get out of a system like this. Now if they would just add a multi-band EQ like the HK system in my 5-Series, I could ring the thing out and get it dialed in...

 

[djwdjw]

@ExcursionDiesel, my unregulated ears concur with your findings. Thanks for doing the real work. Badly in need of multi-band eq control.

 

[RBRK]

Hopefully the next UConnect update will have it.

 

[Mr.Gigglez]

TSB 08-123-18 made me very happy with the volume.

Went in for tsb and recalls yesterday ..sound system sounds like its now appropriate for a 60k truck

 

[dalailama23]

I asked for all updates and recalls associated with my truck while i was in for service . I got the ABS one done. after coming home and reading this fine forum i found out about the Amp TSB radio flash. i called the dealer and was told you didn't complain about the radio so they didn't upgrade it. Will be upgrading it at next service. than you to the member that brought this to our attention.

 

[immersivenc]

I asked for all updates and recalls associated with my truck while i was in for service . I got the ABS one done. after coming home and reading this fine forum i found out about the Amp TSB radio flash. i called the dealer and was told you didn't complain about the radio so they didn't upgrade it. Will be upgrading it at next service. than you to the member that brought this to our attention.

I tried a different dealership on my last service visit. The desk turd at the service dept. wanted to argue with me about doing a TSB without "actually" having the problem. If I ask for it, just do it. Don't quiz me about symptoms of what it's doing.

 

[Mopar711]

So I called FCA about the H/K sound system, y told them I was really disappointed with the quality of this “premium sound system”. I ask the guy if I could bring the truck to a dealer to see if they can do something about that, I bought a 65000$ truck and my 50$ sound bar sounds better. So he said that the engineers are working to solve this issue because I’m not the only one. He said that before this year end an update will be available for the system, so I replied to him that I’m not an fca engineer (in fact I’m a computer engineer) I feel really that it’s really hard to download a physical mosfet and attach them to the amp outputs, so he said that they can do it , at that moment I realize this will be a long road. Anyways i explained to him that i meant that there’s a lack of power in the sound system, there’s nothing a software can do there. So far I think I have to wait.

There is an update for the HK 19 speaker system. Make an appointment at service. Got mine done today and it sounds way louder and bass hits.

 

[RamMeToo]

There is an update for the HK 19 speaker system. Make an appointment at service. Got mine done today and it sounds way louder and bass hits.

Glad your sound system is improved. Mine actually sounds great, I just think it is causing the center rear sliding window to vibrate so it sounds like a vibrating speaker. Would you mind adding a signature and including your build date? It helps people see what updates they may need as well based on their own build date.

 

[John]

In the process of buying a Limited off the lot and mentioned the TSB to the salesperson, he said the sound is fine and no such TSB exists! He called me later and said he asked in the service department and they said "no such bulletin exists"!! I did some research (on this site) found the bulletin and emailed the TSB # along with a screenshot of the TSB cover letter, haven't heard back yet! But I guarantee you I won't take delivery and pay them a buttload of money until it is done!!

I told the salesperson, I may be 70 years old, but I listen to my music like I'm still 16.

John

 

[dalailama23]

Let us know how it goes.