More details for KEF Audio

[Green]

If it is then unfortunately this must be a very common fault! I had an Emira test drive last week and with the car parked (so no road noise) the sound system seemed to have weak mid-range and virtually no base - even with base and mid-range turned up to almost full. I’m not a sound system expert but seemed to me either the input signal to the amplifier was too weak or the amp used is simply not up to the job of driving the Kef speakers.

The Boston car sounded good with plenty of bass. Disclaimer being I tested it when we were not driving. I still think it might be partly music choice. I lean towards reggae/rap with lots of bass.

 

[Speedluvver]

The Boston car sounded good with plenty of bass. Disclaimer being I tested it when we were not driving. I still think it might be partly music choice. I lean towards reggae/rap with lots of bass.

The Sussex car also had good bass... I think @1stczechemira you should get it checked

 

[lynchy73]

If it’s suspected speakers are out of phase you could try setting the balance all the way over to the left, then right, then in the middle. Bass should be loudest when balance is in the middle with all speakers playing. If it’s not, then there could be a speaker wired out of phase.

If you were to also install a frequency generator (Sonic on the Apple App Store for example) and then play low frequency tones through the system, whilst also changing the balance, that might help to pinpoint problems in the frequency response or if there is an out of phase speaker. Bass should be noticeably louder when you add more speakers. If it gets quieter when you add a speaker, you might have something wired out of phase.

 

[New to Lotus]

Or lotus could provide a good well built and set up system that they promised at the launch?

 

[Tonyshepp]

Easiest way to check is to use a streaming app which has an equaliser and modify bass to all the way up. This is what I did to the car at central after I had paired my phone to it. I found some bass present from the speakers doing this then using the bass,midi and treble setting on the Emira.

 

[Jonhklee]

I’m not really into bassy music, so I prefer clarity and range

 

[Tonyshepp]

I’m not really into bassy music, so I prefer clarity and range

That's you sorted then with the default KEF settings.

 

[Davebeats]

Had my test drive today and listened to the stereo it sounded fine, source was wireless CarPlay. Non issue in the test car

 

[Evotion]

Yes, absolutely sounds fine. It is just not quite what we all expected from such a brand. I guess we all built up this huge expectation. I care not. It is fine..

 

[1stczechemira]

Yes, absolutely sounds fine. It is just not quite what we all expected from such a brand. I guess we all built up this huge expectation. I care not. It is fine..

It is fine when listening to some digital source music such as Apple CarPlay but definitely bad when listening to the radio.

 

[TomE]

That seems to be a common problem with previous Lotus cars too. I think it's mainly related to the difficulty in getting a decent ground plane and radio aerial in an aluminium-chassis'd and plastic-bodied car.

 

[TomAce]

It is fine when listening to some digital source music such as Apple CarPlay but definitely bad when listening to the radio.

So, have you made peace with your Kef-system then?

 

[1stczechemira]

So, have you made peace with your Kef-system then?

No, unfortunately not. It is the worst issue for me. But overall my Emira makes me happy!

 

[1stczechemira]

So, have you made peace with your Kef-system then?

As @Evotion wrote: It is just not quite what we all expected from such a brand. I guess we all built up this huge expectation. ... Maybe this can be the reason for my dissatisfaction.

 

[TomAce]

As @Evotion wrote: It is just not quite what we all expected from such a brand. I guess we all built up this huge expectation. ... Maybe this can be the reason for my dissatisfaction.

Yes, it’s always about expectation-management. That’s why I wrote, when I first listened to it, it sounded amazing, for a Lotus.

 

[VL3X]

To be fair, does anyone really need to listen to AM/FM radio anymore? Most of it is available through alternative streaming services anyway or published later via podcast or on YouTube. I have a morning radio show I've been listening to for ~20 years, but I no longer get it via FM radio. I'd be interested to see if the sound quality in the Emira comes through better while streaming it live through cellular or wi-fi versus traditional FM waves.

 

[ADC]

To be fair, does anyone really need to listen to AM/FM radio anymore? Most of it is available through alternative streaming services anyway or published later via podcast or on YouTube. I have a morning radio show I've been listening to for ~20 years, but I no longer get it via FM radio. I'd be interested to see if the sound quality in the Emira comes through better while streaming it live through cellular or wi-fi versus traditional FM waves.

I suspect it would sound better due to increased bitrate if nothing else.
The trusty old coathanger aerial may be an option (bonus points if you bend it into the shape of your home country)

 

[Leonard]

As @Evotion wrote: It is just not quite what we all expected from such a brand. I guess we all built up this huge expectation. ... Maybe this can be the reason for my dissatisfaction.

The annoyance is that 'we' have been forced to pay for it and it could be a 2.5k option, who knows...
The grilles look lovely though

 

[Davebeats]

I'm comparing to the premium audio upgrades in my RS3 (BANG&OLUFSEN)and the JBL upgrade in my RAV4 hybrid and it sounded better than the RS3, on par with the JBL in the RAV4 as far as sound quality and bass extension.

I was expecting out of phase or horrible and only lower volume, we had it about half way to max volume and it was fine for 30-40mph driving

 

[nelly111s]

That seems to be a common problem with previous Lotus cars too. I think it's mainly related to the difficulty in getting a decent ground plane and radio aerial in an aluminium-chassis'd and plastic-bodied car.

I fitted some HID lights into my Elise 111R and the DAB radio went off altogether when you put the lights on in some reception areas!