Honda Accord Audio Questions

tallman1 · November 2007

Interesting... I had a clip break on my driver's side door speaker which produced a rattle. They fixed that and I think I remember them having to replace the whole speaker.

bvdj84 · November 2007

Hey Sorry I didn't reply back to you, Yes, I think you will love the Memphis Audio speakers, and remember, that they do take some time to break in real well. When I first bought them, they were very harsh, and mid range was overly, easily distorted. But, now it is no longer the issue, they sound very clean. I have thought about putting an amp in, but there really is no need, plus I lease my car, so I will turn around lease again soon. I will definitely get Memphis Audio again, and then I will get an Amp along with the installation. Did they do a good job? Did they do a clean install, how was the install of the Auxilary device? Well Good Luck, keep us informed.

The factory speakers are horrible, you saw them right, they are certainly not premium, and did you look at the magnets on them? small.

dolfan1 · November 2007

Hey, thanks for the response bvd. I agree with the previous posts about not using the chain installers (BestBuy, etc). I called around to find a professional sound shop that carried the Memphis brand. Unfortunately, they didn't carry the USA Spec, which would have allowed me to use the steering wheel audio controls. But they did a great job on the install, best as I can tell. They put the mp3 cord inside the large compartment under the dash which is great because with the door closed no one can tell there's an Ipod in there. For those thinking about doing something like this, I really would suggest you consider finding a good audio shop as opposed to the chains. You're likely to pay more but you'll probably be better off in the end. Total install (Ipod interface / 2 Memphis MC92 rear 6x9 and 2 MC60 front 6 1/2 (both coaxial) & all labor was $560. If I add an amp it will push it into the $800 range. Yea, that's a lot of dough but I like my tunes!

The magnets on the factory speakers were laughable. The sound guy told me if I'd installed an amp w/o upgrading the speakers it would have blown them apart.
I wonder if the '08 model has better equipment? I know it has the mp3 hookup and the EXL has a 270 watt unit, but I wonder what the speakers are like? Anyone with an '08 care to chime in?!

I am curious about the "break in" period on the MC's. As for your experience, how long did that take?

bvdj84 · November 2007

Sounds like you did good! As for the break in period, it did take awhile, I am not sure on exactly how long, but it was maybe a good month before they sounded normal, and workable. The mid range was a weak point in that period, it would sound all distorted in the mid range, I actually brought it to the attention of the place I bought them from and they said it was normal. You might notice that right now since you just got them installed. They sound a little harsh, even the tweeters sounded a bit rough. Then, at that time, I was fully convinced, but now that they are all broken in, they are truly amazing!! I can only imagine what they would sound like with a quality amplifier. I did however, listen to a car with the same speakers that had an amp, and it had very loud and clean sound, Speakers you can turn up and never show signs of weakness!
Despite the break in period, it is worth it!! I will stick them for all my car audio.

dolfan1 · November 2007

Yea, I can understand not wanting to spend on an amp since you're leasing. The last new car (well, minivan) I bought was a 99 Town & Country. It had a nice sounding Infinity system from the factory so I didn't mess with it. The van's still in my driveway, where I hope it stays for several more years as second car. Barring an accident, I hope to drive this Accord for many years as well. That's why I chose Honda, for the reliability. Since that's the case I see myself getting the amp within the next 6 months or so. I figure it's worth it to have really good sound. Of course, if $ were no object I'd have a nice subwoofer with a really powerful amp! But I'm a bit too practical to spend thousands on a sound system. A relatively inexpensive amp to drive the four MC's will suffice.

Did you save your old 6x9's? At least you could transfer those to the next car.

bvdj84 · November 2007

I did keep the old speakers, they are in the memphis boxes. Your right though, I did laugh when I actually saw them, they are a sad excuse for a speaker. Now I had all 6 speakers taken out, tweeters in all. I got to keep them all. They had a harder time installing the rear then the front. They had to mess with the rear seats, its crazy that honda made it that way, just to get to the speakers. Now you got Coaxals for the front, did you keep the original tweeters? I got the Memphis 6.5 component speakers for the front, and the 6x9's in the back. That way I got new tweeters in all. Which model accord do you have?

Ya, my next lease, which will be the 08 Accord EX-L 4cyl, Navi, I will go all out on the system. I am thinking I might own this next model

dolfan1 · November 2007

That's interesting about the problem with the rear speakers. According to the shop where I had mine done, they said there was no problem with the install on the rear speakers. But I didn't ask if they have to remove the back seat. When I looked inside the trunk before I went there, it appeared like it would be an easy installation process.
Do you have an 07? Mine is an 07 SE V6. I'm also perplexed how you were able to keep the front speakers, unless you have a different year model.

BTW, I called my local Honda dealer (parts dept) & asked about the front speaker situation. I wanted to know if it were possible to buy the ring housing w/o the speaker so that the originals wouldn't have to be destroyed. I was told no, there is no such part. This is going to sound like sacrilege to the Honda-heads but IF this is really the case (if my sound shop was correct) I think Honda made a poor design with the front speakers. It's ridiculous to have to destroy a speaker in order to replace it.

But to answer your question = No, I kept the factory dash mounted tweeters. I would have liked to have replaced them but it was hard enough to convince the wife to spend what I did spend! (That's why I'll wait a few months to get the amp!).
All four of the new Memphis speakers are coaxial.

You mentioned you were going for the 08 EXL. You are aware that model has the new premium sound system? Again, I asked 08 owners to chime in and tell us what kind of equipment is in the new model. Especially curious about the EXL. It is possible that despite a 270 watt radio the speakers may not be much improved over the ones found in our generation Accord. Hopefully some 08 owners will pop in this forum pretty soon.

bvdj84 · November 2007

hey, Yes, I have the 06 SE 4cyl Accord, The installers did not say anything about the fronts, rather they were messing with the rear seats, which was kind of nerve racking, actually they ended up bending a part in the seat bottom, the honda dealership replaced it thinking it was a flaw, lol, luckily for me. That is crazy that honda would make it so difficult to replace speakers. Really Now on the 08, its almost impossible to replace the main head unit, you really would have to keep it, there is no point to replacing it, rather than just getting an amp for more power.

Now as far as the Premium sound system in the 08, if you happen to look in the trunk and look up, you will see that there are 3 speakers, 2 main speakers, and 1 subwoofer, and notice that they have the same small, cheap like magnet on them. I was like wow! I told the salesmen, Great, I am going to have to replace all of them again! He probably thought I was totally nip picking, some snob. Now, the actual power might boosted, and even the 06 has decent power. Though they need to be like the Jetta, and have a separate amp powering the speakers, now thats a real premium system. Really, they need to team up with bose! So upgrading the 08 will be fine, I'll get an amp. I would though like to listen to the 08 sound system, but actually you will find that it will sound fine for awhile with the factory speakers, but after awhile, the factory speakers degrade, and fall apart, and eventually sound bad, and cannot handle too much. So you really can't judge it at first, though the factory speakers had no character at all.

Tell the wife that it is totally worth all the upgrade!! I got have the music in the car! :shades:

bug4 · November 2007

You asked for it

I'll chime in on my impressions of the audio in my 08 EX-L. These are my past two posts from other threads . . .
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(Stereo: It is interesting that you mention the stereo as a positive item. I am not particularly impressed with the stereo systems offered in the 08 Accords. The base-level stereo in my 98 was much better than the stereo I listened to in the 08 LX-P. And, the "upgraded" stereo I got in my new EX-L is acceptable, but it seriously lacks mid range at higher volumes. Despite adding a separate subwoofer, it doesn't sound like Honda used cross-over filters to help the performance of the door and deck speakers by limiting their low-frequency output. It is as if they simply added a subwoofer with a 100watt amp to an otherwise average stereo (not a very high-tech way of doing things). The sound imaging is sub-par and the stereo simply does not produce a well balanced acoustic range at volume. Unlike the 440 watt system in the Camry, the 270watt system in my Accord just doesn't have the reserve to produce convincingly great sound and bass. If the in-dash unit weren't so damn odd shaped, I think you could buy an after-market system that would seriously out perform the factory system for $400.
-----------------------------------------
Accord stereo: Here is what I find is "wrong" with the 270 watt stereo in the 08 Accords:

1) At anything more than low to mid volumes, the mid frequencies seem to disappear. The stereo has ok treble and good low-bass, but the mid frequencies just don't appear. The problem is exacerbated by the lack of adequate frequency control / equalization on the audio system. A stereo with 7 speakers and 270 watts deserves a true equalizer -- not simply a base and treble control (with an added subwoofer control).

2) The subwoofer seems to be nothing more than an "add on" with a separate 100 watt amp. Many systems with a separate sub use cross-over frequency limiters so that the regular speakers are not trying to produce the low-end frequencies that can be handled by the sub. I don't know if these cross-overs are used on the Accord or not -- but if they are, they aren't doing their job! The regular speakers are trying to pump out lots of bass. This might not be a problem if they could handle it -- but they can't! The regular speakers are either 1) inadequate to handle bass at volumes, or 2) are underpowered and do not have the wattage reserve necessary to produce crisp/clean bass (bad speakers sound bad as do good speakers which are under-powered). You might say, "well then just turn down the bass on the stereo" -- great idea, but the "bass" control affects about 1/2 the audio range. So, if you turn down the bass, you are loosing way more than just the low-end bass that is also being produced by the sub.

3) The sound simply is not well-rounded. There is ample high frequency and great very low frequency. But, everything in-between suffers at mid-high or higher volumes. The subwoofer clearly is frequency limited and does not even attempt to produce anything other than low-bass sound. The regular speakers are then left to take up that slack and, as mentioned above, they just can't get it done at mid-high volumes. The mid-range and low-high range are very weak. I assume this is a problem with the speakers, themselves. But, it could also relate to a number of other things including speaker position (since the higher the frequency, the more direct path it needs to have to the ear.)

4) The stereo simply does not do a great job of sound imaging. I listened carefully to the upgraded 400+ watt system in the Toyota Camry. It does a great job of sound imaging (and sounds WAY better all-around). The sound imaging /balance issue is particularly hideous if you sit in the back seat of an Accord. The entire Accord sound experience is limited to the front seats. I'm not necessarily knocking Honda for this since it is very common in all budget-minded sedans. But, the new Accord's system should be more balanced given the fact that it is now a big passenger car, clearly intended to seat 4, not 2, passengers.

With regard to the LX audio systems, I am very confident when I say that the stereo in my 98 LX Accord was considerably better sounding than that offered in the new LX models. My 98 Stereo was underpowered and would not perform at volumes, but at least it sounded very balanced, with great bass, at lower volumes.

Having said all this, I think the upgraded stereo in the 08 Accords will be acceptable to most drivers. It does produce impressive bass! I am confident that the 400+ watt system in the Camry is much better, but I didn't purchase an Accord for its stereo system.
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jamese777 · November 2007

Where's Mark Levinson when we need him?

Do you plan to "upgrade" or leave it as it is?

bug4 · November 2007

I'll leave it for now. It really isn't bad -- it just isn't that good! I would describe it as a HUGE upgrade from the base-level audio system and one that will both impress the in-laws and allow you to truly enjoy your tunes. But, in the world of true audio excellence, I don't think it competes. Frankly, I'm just disappointed that it isn't even up to par with the Camry. But, Honda clearly made that choice when they installed a 270 watt system -- that ain't very much for a system with a dedicated woofer. I'm no expert, but if I had to give my opinion on the most glaring problem with the system, my answer would be lack of reserve wattage. Reserve is the whole ball of wax when it comes to great sound! But, of course, you add more wattage and those little magnets on the rear speakers aren't going to get it --- its the old chicken and egg problem.

I'm also simply scared to replace the system. I have had several bad experiences with digging in into the dash, rear door panels and rear decking. I'm embarrassed to say that I lack the expertise or time to install a new system myself, and half the time someone else installs something for me, they just don't do it right. Nothing on my new Honda sqeaks or is loose -- I'm quite confident that even the most careful installer won't care as much about my car as I do. Every time they are done, some panel has a new scratch, some clip is broken, thread stripped or a new rattle created. Maybe I'll replace it once that new car smell goes away

blane · November 2007

It's a CAR stereo, not a high end home theater.

bug4 · November 2007

Ahh - but imagine how easy it would be to get great sound out of your home theater if you only had 105 cubic feet to fill up!! Sure, its a bit harder to get great speaker position in an automobile, but Honda clearly decided to scrimp!

blane · November 2007

I am reminded of the many unpleasant times that I've driven within a car length or two of some idiot or other with his overamplified car audio system causing all around him to close their windows to keep out the racket and vibration. I can only wish those guys an early onset of deafness, since they are filling up their 105 cubic feet with way too many decibels.

dolfan1 · November 2007

I think I can safely say that bvd, bug & myself aren't the type of annoying car owners you are talking about. It isn't about ear splitting volume like those characters that come down the road sounding like an earthquake. It's just that we want good, quality sound & if we choose to rock out a bit we like to able to turn it up without distortion.

BTW, thanks bug for that report on the 08. I started out over a year ago looking hard at the Camry. Among the things I was impressed with was the 6 speed AT, 268 hp engine, & of course the new JBL 440 watt sound system. I probably would have bought one, but I was determined to get a V6 and when some models started showing severe tranny problems I decided to let it go and came over to the Accord. (Consumer Reports has since dropped the 6 cyl Camrys from their "Recommended" list.)

Obviously, Honda makes a wonderful car. But they are lagging behind the competition in the sound dept. That's just the way it is. I agree they need to team up with someone like Bose and offer a true premium sound system, and make it available in more models than just the very top of the line.

bvdj84 · November 2007

Just by replacing the speakers in the 08 accord will make a WORLD of difference, it will be like night and day. Plus they won't have to mess with your cd player at all. Now as far as the subwoofer, leave it alone, unless you can get a small special sub that will fit. See this is my plan on the 08. Replace them, with the Memphis audio, and you'll totally hear a difference. Remember choose speakers that are efficient, meaning they will work with less power, but has the same output.

Thanks for the review on the 08! This will give me a heads up, and at the same time, it is frustrating, I'll have to do it.

Teaming up with a good audio company would not cost them too much, compared to the cost of the car, adding it only to the EX-L trim.

dolfan1 · November 2007

"Teaming up with a good audio company would not cost them too much, compared to the cost of the car, adding it only to the EX-L trim."

Gotta disagree with you on that last part. and it's due to the competition. For example, you don't have to buy an XLE Camry to get the premium sound system. It's offered as an option on the lower line models. I see no reason why a EX or an LX owner shouldn't be able to shop around and find a model with that option. Or at the very least, be able to order it.

jaxs1 · November 2007

Depends on where you live. You can't get the JBL on an LE in many parts of the country (such as California) even though the options list lists it as an available option for LEs.
Go to the Toyota web site and try to build a Camry LE with a California zip code and see what the choices are.
A Camry LE 4 cylinder with VSC and JBL would be perfectly equipped for me and those options are listed for the LE, but you just can't buy one like that because they don't manufacture and ship certain options to some regions and they won't build one like that for one person.

lilengineerboy · November 2007

A Camry LE 4 cylinder with VSC and JBL would be perfectly equipped for me and those options are listed for the LE, but you just can't buy one like that because they don't manufacture and ship certain options to some regions and they won't build one like that for one person.

Yeah this is part of the Toyota/Honda business model, as opposed to something like a Ford or Chevy where you have to order it but you can pick from a dizzying array of options.

dolfan1 · November 2007

Like I said, shopping around is the key. Back when I was considering the Camry, I often checked Fitz Auto Mall in the D.C. area (lots of folks come from all over the country to buy Toyota's there). I've seen several examples of SE's and LE's with the JBL system.

But you are certainly correct there's a chance you won't find one at a local dealership.

kkframe · November 2007

I have a 2006 Accord EX with an in-dash CD changer. Every time I try to listen to a CD, I get a "disc error" message. I'm only using music CD's I've purchased, not ones I've ripped myself. Any ideas what the problem might be?

accord07coupe · November 2007

yeah the in-dash cd player sucks, get a ipod-adapter or a new deck :P

accord07coupe · November 2007

actually the rear speaker for the 7th generation accord is quite simple, I'd say 30 minutes. All you do is pop the grill, take out the screws and insert the new speaker aligning the screw. If the speaker is a little bit to big you just splice off a little bit of the rubber on the inside of the factory grill. and you're done.

kiawah · November 2007

Take it back to the dealer to replace under warranty

jeffa2 · November 2007

I just replaced the rear 6x9 speakers in my 2004 Accord EX-L, 4 cyl, sedan with Sony GT6935A 6x9 speakers and it took about 30 minutes. They have a much better high response than the factory ones and I now hear more highs from the rear now. One hint to remove the Honda plastic speaker grills from the rear deck, you need to pinch together the 4 plastic retaining clips from trunk side, otherwise you may break the clips trying to pry off the Honda plastic speaker grills.

bvdj84 · November 2007

Yes, well thats great! I bet it sounds much better! Just by changing the stock speakers, you can hear a world of difference.

Also, I am actually thinking of getting an FM Modulator for my PSP and be able to play 4gig of music through that, but I have not tried it yet. I know FM modulator will not sound as good, but sounded pretty good with my moms ipod though. Although when I get the 08 Accord, I'll be able to directly plug into the stereo. I still have the 06 Accord.

jaxs1 · November 2007

If you get the FM modulators that are wired to the antenna port of the stereo, they will usually sound good enough to satisfy most people. The wired adapters will completely block the radio stations and not get the interference you get with the wireless ones. They are a good solution for cars that have no way to plug in an adapter for AUX or iPod.
The wireless FM transmitters are the ones that will disappoint most people because of radio interference.
However, if you are going to remove the radio anyway to install a wired FM modulator, you might as well get the USA Spec device instead.

bvdj84 · November 2007

Ya, but I only have about 10 months left on my lease, and really this spring, I am going to trade. Plus I love the 6 disc changer!! I really love the feature!! It is not a big deal. I just have a PSP laying around and would like to use it. Plus I don't want people messing with my car.

Now, I think if Honda offered a Hard Drive with the Navigation, it would convince more people to upgrade to that, considering its a 2k option, that would make it seem more appealing to spend that much on the navi, if it had the option to upload your mp3's to it. Oh well, right? Its all good.

dairyshick · November 2007

Do you have an amp hooked up, or are the speakers the only change you've made?...and is there a noticeable improvement? I replaced my rear speakers in my '01 accord a few years ago and it definitely sounded better, but they seemed to completely overpower the front speakers to the point where it definitely sounded off-balance. Do you plan on doing anything with the front speakers?

lilengineerboy · November 2007

I just have a PSP laying around and would like to use it. Plus I don't want people messing with my car.

Now, I think if Honda offered a Hard Drive with the Navigation, it would convince more people to upgrade to that, considering its a 2k option, that would make it seem more appealing to spend that much on the navi, if it had the option to upload your mp3's to it. Oh well, right?

I have a question about that actually...if all of the music is already on your PSP presumably you have that with you most of the time, why would you want a hard drive in the car? It seems to me like that would just be a duplicate place you would have to store stuff you already have with you, and have to upload and download on and off it, etc.
Is it because of the interface (or lack there of) between your personal device and the car's stereo system?

jeffa2 · November 2007

I only replaced the factory 6x9 rear deck speakers and there was a noticeable improvement especially in the highs. I had to adjust the fade by one setting because the new rear speakers appear to have a higher sensitivity, and therefore put out a bit more dBs per watt, but after making that small fader adjustment via the factory radio settings, it's not overpowering the factory front door speakers. They don't sound off-balance to me after making the fader (front-to-back) adjustment.

Replacing the front door speakers is more involved, in that you need to remove the door panels and I'm not that comfortable with doing that. I'm satisfied with the front door speakers frequency response mostly since there are factory dash mounted tweeters that make up for the lack of high frequency resonse from the front door speakers. If it was easy to remove the speakers from the front doors and I had confidence in doing it, I would also replace the front door speakers. Maybe someday....

bvdj84 · November 2007

Well that is what I was planning on using my PSP for.

I was only stating, that if they offered that it would make it more appealing considering the navigation's price tag. I would totally use the hard drive for the navi, if it was offered. But, it is not offered with the navi, so that is why I mentioned my PSP being able to take the place of that.

lilengineerboy · November 2007

Well that is what I was planning on using my PSP for.

I was only stating, that if they offered that it would make it more appealing considering the navigation's price tag. I would totally use the hard drive for the navi, if it was offered. But, it is not offered with the navi, so that is why I mentioned my PSP being able to take the place of that

Dude, totally cool. I didn't mean to make it sound like I was bashing the idea on the hard drive, but I am with you on I would rather just use my iPod and have a decent way to control the thing then some on-board system.

bvdj84 · November 2007

Ya, I am not even sure that I want to get the Navi on my next 08 Accord, is it really worth it?? It looks really cool!! It would help out alot though. But if I am able to get a lease price of $26,699 for the EX-L 4cyl, Navi, then I'll do it!! Might as well if I am going to go all out and trade in.

The bummer part of trading for the 08, is that I will have to replace all the stock speakers, that is going to be annoying, but worth it!! I am going to get Memphis Audio, with a Memphis Audio Amplifier. I'll probably leave the subwoofer alone. I am thinking its going to cost about $700 or so to get all of that done. I am thinking of trading my car this next spring, by then I'll have about 32k miles on it, and be close to the 36k allowed miles. But, I have been looking at the Jetta, because I can get more car for less!! but, I love my honda's though!!

lilengineerboy · November 2007

Don't mind me too much. I am just torqued about the lack of features on my '07 Accord EX audio system, like no station ID, no CD text, no decent iPod interface, etc.

bvdj84 · November 2007

Yeah, true, well, but be proud your driving one of the best cars out. Atleast, you got a sunroof, I should have got the EX, but I have the SE, oh well. I am totally happy though.

lilengineerboy · November 2007

Yeah, true, well, but be proud your driving one of the best cars out. Atleast, you got a sunroof, I should have got the EX, but I have the SE, oh well. I am totally happy though.

I was actually going to get a DX or what was the VP now or what not, but the deals for the EX/5spd manuals were too good. Its been fine, it feels powerful enough and gets great mileage, but is not the most exciting thing to drive. Its safe and it holds the infant seat well enough though, so thats a good start.

bvdj84 · November 2007

lol, ya well thats good though. With gas prices the way they are, I think its totally not necessary to have a V6, but its all what your used to, and what you want to pay.
I have actually thought when my lease was up, I might go ahead and own it, but I'll go ahead get the next car I want, with all the options, like the navi, and probably go ahead and own it.

The SE Accord is the best value, because it does give you a bit of everything in the line up, and looks great!! Silver with tinted windows.

lilengineerboy · November 2007

The SE Accord is the best value, because it does give you a bit of everything in the line up, and looks great!! Silver with tinted windows.

Yeah I think if the SE-V6 came in a manual it would've been hard to resist, but I can't drive an automatic.

stylezzz · November 2007

I was wondering if anyone can walk me through on how to goin about installing an amp and subwoofer to this car.
thanks

bvdj84 · November 2007

Well it should be quite simple, have a good company do it, they will run the wire for power to the trunk, take a audio source from the audio, either from the head unit or from the rear speakers. The install the amp, and subs, it really is nothing more than that, but really just getting the best installer, that knows what they are doing, and will be nice to your car in the process. I really would not do it yourself, but it really is simple. Have tell you where they will run the wire.

Good Luck,

dolfan1 · November 2007

Just recently I had an Ipod interface installed in my '07 Accord. They placed the power cord inside the compartment just below the climate control / audio volume knobs. This was ideal because with the flip door shut, no one could tell there was an Ipod in there. Worked great for a couple weeks. Then all of the sudden the flip door became jammed because of the power cord. Took it to the Honda dealer and the Service guy had to actually break the door to get it to open (he had to order me a new one). Suggested I return to the audio shop and have them take it out & place it elsewhere, which I did immediately. They put the cord in the glove compartment instead, which is just as good for security (technically even better because it can be locked) but not as good for actually operating the Ipod for obvious reasons - being located on the other side of the car.

Anyway, if someone out there is thinking of having an interface installed, be aware!

lyda1 · December 2007

Does anyone know of a head unit that works with the 2001 Accord? I am giving this car to my college-aged kids to use, and they want to be able to hear the music on their iPod. The FM tuner option does not work well on long trips, and I don't want them to fool around with tuning while they are driving to college. Any recommendations?

lilengineerboy · December 2007

Just about any DIN unit will work, they sell an adapter that makes it fit in the location of the stock stereo. It usually adds a small pocket or something underneath (which may serve as the docking point for an iPod).
I think you are wise for looking for an easier to use interface for the iPod while driving. An aftermarket head unit that supports controlling the iPod and playlist selection shouldn't be too expensive. If your car has steering wheel controls for audio, there are adapters that should allow those to work with the aftermarket system as well.
I have had good luck with the Alpine units, but I am sure there are many other good options.

ayeager · December 2007

I know this is a much later reply- but has anyone resolved this issue. I can turn my volume all the way up (35) for the XM, but that volume would be ear splitting for the FM. Is there some sort of amp the XM by-passes? Or is there an FM transmission thats occuring in the radio? Is it worth taking to the dealer, will they be able to do anything about it? (I have a 2006 Accord with "premium" radio)

ayeager · December 2007

">I've been bothered by this ever since getting my car, but haven't found this site until now. There is a serious sound discrepancy between my XM and FM. FM is much louder, with more pronounced bass and treble, almost as if it has it's own amplifier.
I can turn my volume all the way up (35) for the XM, but that volume would be ear splitting for the FM. Is there some sort of amp the XM by-passes? Or is there an FM transmission thats occurring in the radio? Is it worth taking to the dealer, will they be able to do anything about it? (I have a 2006 Accord with "premium" radio)

If I ever wanted to replace the radio or add an amplifier, is this an option since the whole climate control is built into the radio?

jaxs1 · December 2007

You can always add amps and new speakers to the factory stereo.
If you add an aftermarket stereo, you are making the car much more lilely to be broken into.
I don't know who is buying used aftermarket car stereos, but apparently there is a big demand because they are stolen every day.
They are also ugly.

If you want to take your chances with theft, eventually an aftermarket dash kit for the 2008 Accords will be made with a cutout to fit a standard radio.
It would be a similar design as the one pictured below for 2003-2007 Accords, but would be designed and sized to fit the 2008s.

bvdj84 · December 2007

Well, really it is probably not even your stereo unit, It is more than likely just the volume that the XM, (which is digital) and the volume the FM is placed. The XM seems to be at a lower volume. Which is bound to happen when using multiple sources, like for instance my CD is louder than the FM signal. Even my home stereo has this similar problem, but my denon has an adjustment for inputs.

If you are able to adjust the input level for your XM, which might not be possible, that would help.BUT, it should not be such a difference to be really noticeable. Take it to the dealer, perhaps it is your unit or XM unit within the system. I have used the XM in other models, and they are similar in volume between different sources. If your car is under warranty, take it in. Good Luck.

Your XM is just broadcasting at lower volume, but shouldn't be too quiet though.

lilengineerboy · December 2007

If you add an aftermarket stereo, you are making the car much more lklely to be broken into. I don't know who is buying used aftermarket car stereos, but apparently there is a big demand because they are stolen every day.

People who want features that are appallingly absent from a "premium" stereo system in a vehicle made after 2003. Things like station identification, cd-text, mp3 capability, iPod interface, etc. Such features are nice if you want to do more than listen to NPR on your way to work.

They are also ugly.

Thanks for your very subjective opinion, I will file that with the other opinions.

I think a bigger issue is how some aftermarket systems incorporate additional features with complicated menus and tiny buttons. Volume should be a knob, not some tiny little button I have to hit 27 times. A knob that I can turn up or turn down. There is enough literature to support that to make it objective, not subjective. On and Off, IMHO should also be clear. Tuning should as well (ideally it too should be a knob).

blane · December 2007

I have never experienced your XM vs. FM volume problem with either my 2004 Accord (since December 2003) or my several week old 2008 Accord.

It sounds like you have a unique situation that you should have your Honda dealer's shop troubleshoot under warranty.

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