[Spin]

How do you feel about the stock system? Will you upgrade?

 

[Monroud]

Yes, only way I'm not upgrading the system myself is if I get the option from VW to get the upcoming speaker system.

 

[bobdavisnpf]

Upgrading my stereos has always been a really fun hobby but I've passed my point of diminishing returns. I can still hear the difference in the showrooms, but once it's competing with even the 55dB of a parking lot's background noise it just takes more volume than I want to deal with.

I've always been blessed with a vivid auditory recall, and have had a "soundtrack" of favorite music in my head all my life. In my prime a really good stereo could match its fidelity and add needed depth. Now I'm content to just do 320k mp3's into the stock audio and call it a good placeholder for what real music used to sound like.

 

[Froggy]

With my ears a better system would just be wasted money.

 

[ChristophW]

A car in motion is just about the worst acoustic environment imaginable. Background noise and an extremely suboptimal space didn’t ever look to me like a good foundation to invest money into a “better” stereo. The stock equipment is certainly not great, I’m not going to contest that, but I am nevertheless staying put.

 

[Erhard]

A car in motion is just about the worst acoustic environment imaginable. Background noise and an extremely suboptimal space didn’t ever look to me like a good foundation to invest money into a “better” stereo. The stock equipment is certainly not great, I’m not going to contest that, but I am nevertheless staying put.

I disagree, a modern higher end car is a fantastic sound environment and the ID4 is super quiet and has all the potential to be a great concert hall on wheels.😀

 

[Mountaingamer]

I’d like to just add a sub - why the heck did this car not come with a sub? If there was a easy, cheap, non-bulky way to add one for <$250 I’d do it in a heartbeat.

 

[daikon]

Have any of you seen this thread ID.4 parts ③
If I am understanding correctly, this guy will sell a factory Harmon Karden ID.4 set (amp, speakers, sub) but to get it to sound right you must reprogram the infotainment system using a program called ODIS. Does anyone have any experience with this?

 

[Polyphonic]

A car in motion is just about the worst acoustic environment imaginable. Background noise and an extremely suboptimal space didn’t ever look to me like a good foundation to invest money into a “better” stereo. The stock equipment is certainly not great, I’m not going to contest that, but I am nevertheless staying put.

I agree wholeheartedly, the car is simply a bad place for music. Noise floor, distractions, off-center seating position, small reflective space. That said, VW Group puts out some mediocre stereos (ID.4 curious, not an owner).

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

How do you feel about the stock system? Will you upgrade?

Personally EU vs North America VW under delivered here.....

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

Have any of you seen this thread ID.4 parts ③
If I am understanding correctly, this guy will sell a factory Harmon Karden ID.4 set (amp, speakers, sub) but to get it to sound right you must reprogram the infotainment system using a program called ODIS. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Yes it will need to be coded and changed adaptations.......if you going with everything.

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

I’d like to just add a sub - why the heck did this car not come with a sub? If there was a easy, cheap, non-bulky way to add one for <$250 I’d do it in a heartbeat.

VW is competing against ICE market in North America and Audi is pushed to be more premium brand......So if you are after luxury Audi...Porsche....are substitute....
ID.4 is focused to global market and have good MSRP to attract more customers......but in doing it it will be stripped down at beginning on the market.
For people who are budget oriented and want to have EV that will not cost you arms and legs to maintain once warranty is over. ID.4 is great choice.
And once Chinese EV enters North America it will be very hot competition....and some Chinese EV makers are already getting very good at what they do like BYD....that are in commercial market for quite some time...once they come with 400+ miles range i will import one if it doesn't come before I can get hands on one....i had opportunity to drive one when i was in China not long ago.....and they really have applied good recipes from EV leader Tesla to BYD brand.....this is going to be like ICE Toyota quality in EV world.....they are phenomenal peace of engineering and affordability that will be easy for many people to consider EV

 

[daikon]

Yes it will need to be coded and changed adaptations.......if you going with everything.

So ...how does one do that?

Plug in a laptop via a usbc port?

Or does this necessitate a dealer trip, and an insane amount of money? Or is this something that just can not be done by the average consumer.

And thank you! There is no point in upgrading this way if ID4 will not take advantage of the upgrade and is still tuned for the original setup.

Thanks!

 

[VW TECHNICIAN]

So ...how does one do that?

Plug in a laptop via a usbc port?

Or does this necessitate a dealer trip, and an insane amount of money? Or is this something that just can not be done by the average consumer.

And thank you! There is no point in upgrading this way if ID4 will not take advantage of the upgrade and is still tuned for the original setup.

Thanks!

It depends on technicians skills and if he wants to do it for you.....parts will be more than 30 minutes coding and adaptation.
But with over the air updates I would not invest in factory setup until over the air updates are done some day in the future....there will be aftermarket solutions that will be coming that are better in every way than factory premium setup. I'm audiophile myself and factory North America setup is hurting my 👂 every time I try to 🎶

 

[Huey52]

~86% No in aggregate at present.
Just goes to show that those who cite "the audio system is garbage" are an audiophile minority.

10% displeased broadcast 90% of the volume. Just the way automotive forums work. Caveat emptor.

Nothing against said audiophiles, as you have an equal right to your opinions. Just my usual attempt to bring balance to the Force. And at some point I just may swap out the speakers, just because.

btw: in my home theatre setup I still include a 40 year old large pair of klipsch speakers along with my 20 year old smaller MK. Quality speakers do make a difference.

 

[Tinman]

40 year old large pair of klipsch speakers

Pair of 48 year-old Cornwalls and some L-100s. For better or worse, I think they've trained my ears.

 

[hilld]

There is an option missing, I am replacing the speakers with the Focal Flax's and adding an amp, but NO sub. No selection for that.

 

[Spin]

There is an option missing, I am replacing the speakers with the Focal Flax's and adding an amp, but NO sub. No selection for that.

Option added

 

[Huey52]

Just curious but why would you go to all that trouble and not install a subwoofer?

Conversely on my Audi TT the most added item was a discrete subwoofer, as the B&O speakers and amp themselves were quite good.

There is an option missing, I am replacing the speakers with the Focal Flax's and adding an amp, but NO sub. No selection for that.

 

[hilld]

Just curious but why would you go to all that trouble and not install a subwoofer?

Conversely on my Audi TT the most added item was a discrete subwoofer, as the B&O speakers and amp themselves were quite good.

I guess that all depends on how it sounds. I have all the parts on order right now and I am following @TPG's writeup. If I find the need for a sub down the road, I will cross that bridge.