How can I normalize aftermarket sound systems to differences in audio production?
 

I am a part-time musician who has been around audio production and has recorded some music in the past. I'm far from an engineer, but can really hear the difference between different recording techniques used over the years, by different engineers, in different genres, with various equipment, etc. And with today's digital files, who knows what you're going to get unless it's spelled out? I mean, now we're downloading and converting songs from Youtube for crissakes! I listen to a lot of obscure music and Youtube is the best source for that these days.

Anyway, when I listen to music on stock modern systems these days the differences in production and digitization are muted or "normalized" much more than when I listen to it on aftermarket systems. I actually don't run into volume difference problems, (despite alternating from songs made with today's "brickwalled" compression to more dynamic stuff from the '70s) but instead having the production, ripping, uploading and bitrate differences shoved in my face. Are there basic EQ settings (low, mid, high, sub volume, fade, "Loudness" and balance are all I have to work with) I can change?

Re: How can I normalize aftermarket sound systems to differences in audio production?
 

I think you might want to setup a few presets... cuz if you're trying to make each song "ideal", you'll be busy a lot...

I remember a while back, listening to a Red Hot Chilli Peppers CD on my high end stereo and thinking... I must have a blown speaker, cuz I could hear distortion, even at low volumes, on every song... I put in another CD ( other artist ) and it was gone... Hard to believe that a CD (and it wasn't their first, probably early 2000's) had gone on to production & sold in that state.... sad...

Re: How can I normalize aftermarket sound systems to differences in audio production?
 

you have the differences in ripping software and quality as well, you never going to get something that you dont have to adjust, at least in my opinion. there are some brands and type of gear that sound better with mp3s and that type of stuff. i have a couple clarion units with amps and polk speakers, this setup is pretty good at making it sound natural as it can be. more tinny setups are worse to me. but everyone seems to like and hear different so who knows.

Re: How can I normalize aftermarket sound systems to differences in audio production?
 

Most factory systems have amps and speakers that cut off the high end quite and bit, and also veil the midrange for the most part. I noticed this on my 2002 Acura TL - which had a Bose system that sounded balanced within reason, but sounded piss poor when I changed everything out for Alpine/DLS aftermarket parts. But this is an older system.

Every head unit on factory cars now contains DSP engines that maximize the sound to fit both the environment and capabilities of the speakers (not so much an amp issue), so things start sounding weird.

JL Audio and several other aftermarket companies have made DSP boxes to add to factory head units to eliminate these problems - assuming you go non OEM for the amps and speakers.

In your case, you would need to use the built-in EQ to get the sound back to "normal" - something that may work part of the way, but not likely get you where you want.

Compression with youtube and mp3s can play havoc with sound - definitely. If a great sounding CD sounds similar in a vehicle, then you know its a system issue.

Re: How can I normalize aftermarket sound systems to differences in audio production?
 

Ha yeah, one of the first things I do when I get back in my aftermarket-equipped car after driving my stock stereo truck is want to reach for the mids and highs to lower them. It's not a matter of "moar bass", it's "less shrill" less "staticy" and interpolated.