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mergedown

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I agree that it is a great sounding system. I do not believe volume will be an issue with the top down. That said, I primarily use CarPlay, so the audio is direct vs. Bluetooth. Additionally, SiriusXM quality is far superior from the iPhone app vs the Uconnect system.
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jayz235

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Additionally, SiriusXM quality is far superior from the iPhone app vs the Uconnect system.
Very good to know! Will the XM app appear when using CarPlay or does that have to be over bluetooth?
 

Merlin28

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Watch homeboy have an iPhone 5 with old firmware ....
 

ballajb

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Is it just me or does the alpine system sound better in the JK than the JL?
 

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Flyguy81

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Is it just me or does the alpine system sound better in the JK than the JL?
I had a 2014 JK...had 5 speakers I think. The 9 speakers in the JL sound so much better than my JK.
 

i64X

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OldGuyNewJeep please don't get me going on horrible streaming iAudio and Bluetooth compressed garbage audio! It's bad enough when the HD channels compress the music to garbage so they can fit in sub channels...

I hear you can buy premium music these days that is basically *gasp* CD quality!
You can buy uncompressed lossless music digitally that's higher than CD quality sound. It typically comes in FLAC or ALAC. Redbook CD audio is 44Khz 16-bit stereo audio. Lossless containers typically are distributed in 44Khz 24-bit stereo, but I've seen some that are 96Khz 24-bit stereo. (Of course you have to have a DAC that supports that, phones won't.)

Even high bit-rate MP3s (320kbps, 48Khz, 16-bit) are indistinguishable from CD quality sound, especially in a car, where your typical noise floor is around 60dB. In a Wrangler it's even higher.

I've done double-blind tests at home with 320kbps MP3 vs redbook CD audio and haven't been able to tell the difference on a $1500 pair of studio monitors with an $800 matched subwoofer and a 20dB noise floor from an audio interface with balanced XLR outputs. If there's little / no difference there, you aren't going to be able to tell the difference in a car. Especially a moving one.
 
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Matthew/E36

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Yeah, I understand...I get there is better than CD quality, but limited to that source I use EAC to rip my music. That's just where most of my audio collection started. I agree with you that using high bitrate lossy compression can get good sound which is what you are saying. My argument is unrelated to lossy vs. lossless formats.

It doesnt change the streaming or OTA services out there with poor quality (low bitrate or otherwise), so those claiming streaming is king often have worse than CD audio. Apple started it and went back to offer "HD" audio years after.

I can easily hear a difference in the cheap iTunes, satellite, or "HD" OTA sources.
 

i64X

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I can easily hear a difference in the cheap iTunes, satellite, or "HD" OTA sources.
Gotcha. I'm in that boat with you. I had XM back when it first came out, and it wasn't nearly as compressed then. I had a car kitted to the max with Infinity Kappa amps and Kappa components and subs. XM sounded nearly as good as CDs back then (this was like 2001/2002). I ended up getting rid of the car with all of the audio in it and never touched satellite radio again until 2009, and by that time the Sirius/XM merger happened, there were a TON more channels, commercials everywhere, and it all sounded like garbage. Most of it is so compressed it sounds like you're listening to it under water. Since then I've never subscribed to satellite radio outside of the initial trial period, and when it's free I never listen to it.

FM and FM HD are ok for talk radio. That's about it.

I subscribe to Deezer and just use Deezloader-Reborn to download the high quality versions of stuff and listen to it via USB flash drives in my cars. Works pretty good.
 

ballajb

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I had a 2014 JK...had 5 speakers I think. The 9 speakers in the JL sound so much better than my JK.
My 2015 jk had the alpine system with 9 speakers also. I think it is a difference with them moving the sub to the side instead of in the floor.
 

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Flyguy81

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My 2015 jk had the alpine system with 9 speakers also. I think it is a difference with them moving the sub to the side instead of in the floor.
FCA added speakers between 14 and 15 models. Think you’re right on the sub.
 

ballajb

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I think the JLU has the sub in the wall but the 2-door has it in the floor.
Yea my JLU has the sub on the side now. I heard the 2dr has it in the floor. So far I like it better in the floor like in my 2015 JKU. I have to try the sound with an aux cord to see if it sounds better, but who wants to always use an aux cord in 2018 if it does sound better that way
 

$uicide$hift

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Yea my JLU has the sub on the side now. I heard the 2dr has it in the floor. So far I like it better in the floor like in my 2015 JKU. I have to try the sound with an aux cord to see if it sounds better, but who wants to always use an aux cord in 2018 if it does sound better that way
Or just put your music on a thumb drive and plug it in. Use one of these SanDisk Cruzer Fits:
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