Why is car audio so much more expensive vs PC speakers?

[LOLyourFace]

Call me ignorant but I've always wondered this.

You spend a small $150 on Logitech Z560s for PC which can turn your desktop into a humble(very) home theatre system. The owners of z560 would agree with this... the room-rocking bass, rich mid range and crisp clarity highs.

Now try to produce that level of sound on automobiles. I've yet to sit in a car with such quality, except for retarded bass blasters. And it seems you have to spend about $500+ to get a good sound (amp, speakers, etc..)

Why is this? I'm tempted to "install" my lovely logitechs into my car... now THAT would be very sweet.. windows down, driving down by the beach during sunset with Beautiful Mind soundtrack mesmerizing your mind..

 

[UberDave]

demand

 

[N8Magic]

1. People are willing to pay a premium for car audio.

2. Car audio components generally don't sound as good because of the environment they are installed in. In a car, you have to deal with reflection, road/engine noise and a small space to work with which is far less than ideal from a sound quality perspective.

 

[ElFenix]

you could get those same drivers and mount them in your car... they're only like $10 a piece

 

[LOLyourFace]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
you could get those same drivers and mount them in your car... they're only like $10 a piece

elaborate.

 

[N8Magic]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
you could get those same drivers and mount them in your car... they're only like $10 a piece

... and they'll sound like $10.00 drivers too.

 

[rival]

Originally posted by: N8Magic
1. People are willing to pay a premium for car audio.

2. Car audio components generally don't sound as good because of the environment they are installed in. In a car, you have to deal with reflection, road/engine noise and a small space to work with which is far less than ideal from a sound quality perspective.

 

[Kevin]

So I'm assuming you didn't get the Bose option in that Mazda 6, eh?

 

[LOLyourFace]

Originally posted by: kevin000
So I'm assuming you didn't get the Bose option in that Mazda 6, eh?

bose = marketing success, absolute piece of garbage.

[edit]
I'll be picking up the car on Monday.. Can't wait! I even bought A Beautiful Mind soundtrack CD just to listen to while driving...

 

[jwells777]

Originally posted by: LOLyourFace
Call me ignorant but I've always wondered this.

You spend a small $150 on Logitech Z560s for PC which can turn your desktop into a humble(very) home theatre system. The owners of z560 would agree with this... the room-rocking bass, rich mid range and crisp clarity highs.

Now try to produce that level of sound on automobiles. I've yet to sit in a car with such quality, except for retarded bass blasters. And it seems you have to spend about $500+ to get a good sound (amp, speakers, etc..)

Why is this? I'm tempted to "install" my lovely logitechs into my car... now THAT would be very sweet.. windows down, driving down by the beach during sunset with Beautiful Mind soundtrack mesmerizing your mind..

Primarily because there are so many people who don't realize how crappy computer speakers really are. Don't get me wrong, I own the Z-560's and think that they are a steal and really enjoy them at their price level (paid $106...Thanks Dell...). However, I most certainly would not use the words "room-rocking bass, rich mid range and crisp clarity highs" to describe the Z560 experience.

If you want that Z-560 experience in your car, buy an inverter and install the 560's in your automobile. I suspect that you would find the experience relatively disappointing though. The background noise levels in an automobile are rather high and the Z560's just can't rock the block like a 1000W amp with a pair of 15" drivers.

 

[Deeko]

Can your computer speakers handle being jostled around on a bumpy road?

Can your computer speakers handle blasting in sub-zero tempuratures?

Can your comptuer speakers handle sounding good while in a car?

Didn't think so.

 

[theNEOone]

and also realize that car speakers really aren't that expensive. you can get a pretty nice sub w/ a big thump for around $100. that $500 price tag includes alot more than just the speakers.

 

[kami]

LOL, put those Logitechs in your car and see how good they sound then.

 

[Kevin]

Originally posted by: LOLyourFace

Originally posted by: kevin000
So I'm assuming you didn't get the Bose option in that Mazda 6, eh?

bose = marketing success, absolute piece of garbage.

[edit]
I'll be picking up the car on Monday.. Can't wait! I even bought A Beautiful Mind soundtrack CD just to listen to while driving...

Seems like they give you alot for $500 though. Bose sound is very nice, its just not worth their super-inflated prices...

 

[Howard]

Logitechs aren't that good compared to a nice home theatre. $10 drivers in flimsy enclosures.

Oh, and the midrange on the Z560s isn't that good.

 

[SWirth86]

I put a pair of cheap jensen bookshelf speakers in my car...

They only cost 20 bucks, and my car only had front speakers. They sound pretty good I guess...

 

[0roo0roo]

price competition in car audio seems a little sh*tty really. its an enthusiest market


on the other hand u gottta overcome road noise and unforgiving speaker mounting locations, very inefficient.

 

[TomC25]

Car audio speakers have to be able to withstand:

drastic heat/cold changes
vibration from road
road noise - especially with windows down
crappy acoustics in a car
tons of power

Home speakers sit in a relativly steady climate, they don't move around, ambient noise level in a home is very low, and they don't need much power to sound loud in a room.

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: LOLyourFace
Call me ignorant but I've always wondered this.

You spend a small $150 on Logitech Z560s for PC which can turn your desktop into a humble(very) home theatre system. The owners of z560 would agree with this... the room-rocking bass, rich mid range and crisp clarity highs.

Now try to produce that level of sound on automobiles. I've yet to sit in a car with such quality, except for retarded bass blasters. And it seems you have to spend about $500+ to get a good sound (amp, speakers, etc..)

Why is this? I'm tempted to "install" my lovely logitechs into my car... now THAT would be very sweet.. windows down, driving down by the beach during sunset with Beautiful Mind soundtrack mesmerizing your mind..

You get what you pay for. Most PC sounds systems are meant to provide ok to good sound quality to someone who is sitting less than three feet away from the speakers in a relatively quiet room. This is pretty easy and cheap to do. But to deliver good sound in a car, requires higher quality and more robust speakers and electronics which costs more.

 

[0roo0roo]

yea to get a flat response in a moving car u gotta boost lotsa frequencies big time to overpower the damned engine/road/wind etc noise. i'm sure the car speakers in enclosures beside your pc would sound wonderful.

 

[PuppyLovinGuy]

First of all if you are willing to strip out the sound system of your car well it pretty much is important to you. Thus you will pay a big price for it, and second not all home electronics can withstand the temperatures that they would be exposed to in your car.

 

[nguyendot1]

Computer speakers = all in one. You get the amp and speaker in one nice little package, and we all know how good stuff is 'all in one package'. Don't get me wrong, for computer speakers, the z560s are nice and give you tons of sound for your buck, but in comparison to the amount of power you need for a car, as well as the undoubtedly clearer sound (if you get the right amps..etc).. computer speakers just cannot compare. Take one of the speakers in your pc speakers apart, and compare that to a real car speaker, you'll see the difference. If you want room shaking bass, sit in my car. If you want to play video games in surround, you can sit in my car (with dvd and dsp...whenever that's coming).. or you can sit in front of your computer. Those z560s will never reach over say.. 120db or so, compared to 150..160..+ in the car as well. Played at the level that car steres are played at, those logitechs would crap their pants.

 

[Angrymarshmello]

Originally posted by: nguyendot1
Computer speakers = all in one. You get the amp and speaker in one nice little package, and we all know how good stuff is 'all in one package'. Don't get me wrong, for computer speakers, the z560s are nice and give you tons of sound for your buck, but in comparison to the amount of power you need for a car, as well as the undoubtedly clearer sound (if you get the right amps..etc).. computer speakers just cannot compare. Take one of the speakers in your pc speakers apart, and compare that to a real car speaker, you'll see the difference. If you want room shaking bass, sit in my car. If you want to play video games in surround, you can sit in my car (with dvd and dsp...whenever that's coming).. or you can sit in front of your computer. Those z560s will never reach over say.. 120db or so, compared to 150..160..+ in the car as well. Played at the level that car steres are played at, those logitechs would crap their pants.

They crap their pants on their own way too much as it is...

 

[Shockwave]

I havent ever seen GOOD PC speakers. They dont make audiophile PC speakers.
And you think PC speakers sound good?
You think car audio is expensive?
Try pricing hi fidelity home audio. Then try listening to it in a room properly imaged with them. Now THAT sounds good.

 

[screw3d]

No one needs or could stand 150dBs pumping right beside his/her ears. If you could, you are already deaf !