What does the latter half of your message mean in plain English? I don't understand the swayback frequency response.

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

My two cents...

My last car (2005 Honda Civic Si) had the tweeters in the A pillar/side mirror area aimed toward the driver. This created a "sound stage" that hovered convincingly "in the middle" of the car. In the Camry, the tweeters are in the dash top aimed at the windshield, and consequently the sound seems to be centered on top of the dash, which sounds more "constrained" than the more "open" sound of the Civic. (This is true regardless of the balance settings, unless you throw everything full to the back which sounds wretched. I know because that's how the car was delivered -- balance set to all the way in the back on the passenger side!)

That aside, though, it sounds just fine for an OEM system, and the auto volume adjustment is a nice feature for those who end up in stop-and-go traffic much of the time (and seems to operate much more transparently than the similar system in my '03 Infiniti). I've never been in a car that's quiet enough to get super-picky about the sound quality, which is why I've never spent big bucks on an aftermarket stereo that sounds mind-boggling with the engine off, but has vast chunks of the frequency response drowned out at 60 miles per hour.

Ryan

I just love polls that give you the finger...

Tideland Prius — Sorry about the delay in responding, but I've been away overseas on business for a week.

High-frequency sound bouncing off the windshield can interfere with the direct sound from the tweeter to your ears, because its path-length to your ears is longer than that of the direct sound. This causes "comb-filter" notches in the frequency response. The best solution to this problem is to place the tweeters as close to the reflecting surface (the windshield) as possible, so that the delay of the reflected sound is as short as possible. Toyota have done this.

The three tone controls each affects the frequency response only over a limited part of the frequency band. The bass tone control's adjustments center around 50 Hz (which is a pretty low frequency — so it only affect the low bass); the midrange tone control's adjustments center around 800 Hz (this is a mid-band pitch — the voice range will be affected by this control); and the treble tone control's adjustments center around 14 kHz (this is such a high frequency that only the high treble is affected). Since these three frequencies are so far apart, if you raise all three controls you get a frequency response that is: boosted at low bass frequencies, and then returns to flat again; boosted again at midrange frequencies and returns to flat again at low treble frequencies; and is boosted again at high treble frequencies. These three "mountain peaks" are what I was referring to as a "swayback" frequency response. It will sound decidedly "colored" and not "neutral," but that's what tone controls are there for I suppose. At least, with the tone controls set to "flat" ('0') the system's sound is pretty uncolored and accurate. Many car audio systems aren't acoustically "flat" at any setting. Of the three controls, the midrange control will "color" the sound most — check this out on voices or on acoustic musical instruments whose sound you know well, and you'll quickly see what I mean.

Stan

ahhh I see okok. That might explain why some Prius owners like the positioning of the tweeters by the A-pillar because it's slightly angled towards the driver/passenger.

So really with a CD playing, this is probably one of the few systems you'd leave at 0,0,0?

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

Tideland Prius — Yes, in fact I do leave my CD settings at 0,0,0.

Stan

ahh I see. I'll remember that when we pick one up. For the Prius, some adjust IS definitely needed.

Mods: EV mod, VVT-i emblem, sport pedals, OEM cargo mat, JDM Prius interior footwell lighting, Sylvania Silverstars 9003ST, DICE iPod kit, OEM all-weather mats, TomTom ONE v2, LED licence plate lights.

I put mine at 1,2,2 with the bass going to 3 sometimes. I find there is not nearly enough bass for my liking. (I am used to a 12 in 800w sub right behind my seat from my truck....it was a bit of change)