Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community - FT86CLUB - OEM Audio + Reference System 400CF review!

I posted a short while ago that I had ordered and installed the OEM Audio+ system 400CF. I thought that my review of this system and install was worth a separate thread so that others may benefit from my experience without digging through my other thread. I did not post any install pics since the install instructions cover that aspect pretty well.

Now that I've had several days to do some critical listening, I wanted to pass on my thoughts about the system and installation.

I'm fairly experienced when it comes to designing, installing and setting up audio systems, so this Plug & Play system is a new thing for me. However, I didn't want to tear into my new FR-S like I have with my other vehicles, and go through the long process of sound deadening everything and spending countless hours tuning and fidgeting. I don't really have the patience or the time anymore.

I did find that OEM's instructions were pretty complete and logically laid out. It did help me to view their various youtube videos of their installs and mentally go over the steps in my head several times before I began the install.
The only suggestion I have, with regard to the install instructions, is to add a piece into their youtube videos that explains specifically, how the System 400CF install differs from the System 400+ install, in terms of the connections on the wiring harness near the factory amp location. This was the only part that I didn't fully understand until I received the install instructions with my shipment. I had watched the System 400+ install video and the Reference Upgrade video to try and piece together the process before I received my gear,and it was unclear if their was some sort of wiring harness included to bypass the mid-range drivers in the dash.

My install went very well. Everything was exactly as the instructions described. I will say that the best investment you can make is to buy some panel tools like they show in the video, and wear a pair of thin, protective gloves. I learned years ago after suffering through too many post-install healing sessions that the proper tools, protective gear and preparation are worth the time and money spent.
I found two things that were most frustrating during the install. One was working the power wires through the firewall grommet. I didn't want to cut too big of a hole in the grommet nipple, and I ended up using a length of stiff wire as a fish tape to feed the wires through. It's just a really awkward spot to work on. Number two was at the end when it came time to secure the sub/amp enclosure to the vehicle. I first secured the front screw/knob, while leaving it loose so that I could move the enclosure around. It took me several tries, and a lot of patience to finally get the rear allen head bolt started on the rear mount of the enclosure. The problem is that the speed nut kept shifting on me when trying to align the sub and the trunk panel with the bolt and hole. I ended up bending the little keeper on the speed nut to help center it about the mounting tab hole and hold it in place while I started the bolt. Once tightened down, the enclosure is held very securely, giving me confidence it would not come loose and take my head off in a bad front-end collision. That may sound a bit morbid, but trust me, you don't want things with that type of mass flying around your cabin in a bad situation!

The tweeter installation was quick and simple, just like the instructions show. The mid-bass driver installation in the doors was fairly routine. I was able to remove the stock drivers and mount the new drivers without removing the door handle cables from the door card and completely removing the door card. There is enough room if you have a short #2 or #3 phillips screwdriver.

On to the important part. Listening, and my impressions.
I have several go-to discs when it comes to evaluating and fine-tuning a system. One is an IASCA (International Auto Sound Challenge Assocation) disc that has some invaluable phase, imaging, and sine sweep tracks. Another one is a Chesky Records test disc that is more of a comparison of poor recordings vs. amazing recordings using their techniques. I also use some tried and true recordings that showcase proper imaging, balance and overall tonal quality, like the Eagles-Hell Freezes Over live recording, Fleetwood Macs Tango in the Night or Rumours, or some Regina Spector -Begin to Hope album. I find that well defined female vocals are best to get a sense of proper mid-range reproduction, imaging and fine-tuning the driver crossover points to achieve a response that is pleasing to my ear. A response curve plotted by a crossover program on a graph can only really get you close to perfect.

I am used to swapping out drivers, crossover components, adjusting amplifier settings and fine tuning EQ settings to get things just right, so this out-of-the box solution is something new to me, but one I wanted to try and properly review for the benefit of others who have, or are willing to invest in this system.

My impressions are that this system is pretty good as an out-of-the-box solution goes. It is far better than the stock system and I think it is a good value considering all the options one has at their disposal to upgrade their systems. I had my sub box color matched to my Silver Ignition paint, and I must say that the finish on the box is flawless. I have done enough glassing, sanding and painting to know how much time and effort it takes to achieve that level of finish. Props to them on this!
Some may argue that more power is needed for this system, but I tend to disagree. If you are looking for something that can be heard coming down the street with your windows down, then this is not for you. If you are looking for a vastly improved listening experience inside the vehicle, then you will be impressed by this setup.

Keep in mind that accurate sound reproduction is only as good as the recordings you are listening to. For critical listening, or tuning, I use only CD's that are recorded at zero dB or less, and stick with recording labels whose focus is on the recordings as much as the artists themselves. Labels such as DMP or Chesky fit the bill here.
I do listen to my music collection on an ipod, but only use 320 kbps rips of FLAC files or the original CD's. I prefer the 5.5 Gen ipods because of the Wolfson audio chips, and I was frustrated that the 5.5 gen ipods suffer from a skipping problem when used with the latest Pioneer Bespoke units like mine. I have resorted to using a newer generation Nano and loading only my favorite playlists due to a lack of storage space. As well, I listen to a lot of HD FM stations simply because of their superior signals.
I find that the overall tonal quality of this system is good and will please most listeners. The tweeters are not harsh, or tinny like some metal dome tweeters can be, but very warm and clear. The output from the 8 inch sub is impressive. The sealed box configuration is a good choice for more accurate bass reproduction and saving space as well vs. a ported solution. The power is adequate and the output is well balanced. I chose the Robust solution when I ordered simply because I am used to having tons of overhead in my systems, and turning the gains way down for daily driving, while having the option to take things up a level or three when wanted! Not being able to demo this system before I ordered was a bit of a gamble. I'd like to hear the other options as well. While I'm fine with the option I chose, I'm always curious about what else.
I was curious to see how balanced the response was with this system. It is typically tricky to nail down the crossover points for proper balance with the tweeter and mid-bass drivers mounted so far apart. I've found that more frequency overlap is needed to avoid localization of the drivers and to avoid harsh, or a tinny unbalanced sound. It is clear to me that some time was devoted to this effort by the OEM team! Great balance, with a reproduction location that is not easy to pinpoint, blind.

The only real complaint I have with this system is the focal point of imaging. The imaging, to me is too far left of center from the driver's seat. Now, this may be by design on OEM's part. They may have kept the imaging neutral to accommodate both the driver and passenger. This is fine for most, but since I am the only driver of my vehicle, I prefer a dead-center drivers seat focus for the imaging. This preference could be solved by tweaking the time alignment on the DSP, but this is not a user adjustable setting, and would be something that OEM would have to re-map, if possible. I think as well, there are some minor limitations to the tweeters. Not so much the location, but the mounting options since they (OEM) are somewhat bound to the stock housing/mounting system in order to provide a plug & play solution.
If there were fewer restrictions to the tweeter mounting option, I would opt for a ring radiator style of tweeter that has better off-axis response than the silk domes that are used in this application. That would make for better imaging. However, I think they have chosen a very appropriate tweeter for this application.

In the end, I think this system is well worth the price. Especially when you consider the time, effort and money you'd have to spend to duplicate what OEM has put forth. I'm really glad to see a company that provides a custom tailored audio upgrade solution for this vehicle, or any vehicle for that matter. It is clear to me that they have done their homework, both in designing the system as well as making it easy to install and requiring virtually zero modification to the vehicle.

My hat is off to you, OEM Audio +!