I noticed that I can hardly hear my rear speakers in my 2015 Camry XSE. I have adjusted the fade control from the center position to the rear position but it greatly reduces the sound in the front speakers. I cant seem to get a well balanced surround sound out of my Entune with navi sound system> Is something wrong with mine or is this something that's common with this model. this is my first Toyota. Any info would be appreciated. Thank you.
We test drove a 15 XLE-V6 with the JBL and I was determined there was a problem. There wasn't; the back has (1) 180x250mm sub with (2) 80mm little midranges. That's all for the back! I'm from the old school of 'rear stage' where you can take advantage of the 'projection' of the sound from the rear of the cab throwing it forward; but many insist front staging is the reference. Usually I can find a 'balance' like you were looking for in centering of the sound. To do this though with the JBL you will have to fade your control way to the back, but all in compromising of overall audio level of the system. Here's the JBL info: http://www.jbl.com/content?ContentID=toyota-camry-us
If you have the JBL, it's very similar to the 14's... There's a surround setting in the general options, then audio... Turn that off... Much better sound.
If your car doesn't have JBL, I'm just guessing, but there may not be a surround option, and you're looking at how it is.
It's the speakers. First order of business when I bought mine was to replace them. I have the same head system and after replacing the rear deck and dash speakers, adding low pass sub, it's much better. Door speakers are next, then the Alpine 445u amp. I listen mostly to mp3's off the USB drive. I find it interesting that every source from the head unit has its own signature tonal response. My sub has a remote control adjustment to compensate..,to some degree.
Derone, is yours a 2015 XSE? That's what I have and it is, without question, the worst stereo I have ever had in a vehicle. Absolutely pathetic. 576 watts? I don't hear 76 watts. The base 6-speaker stereo in the '12 XLE I traded had MUCH more power and a much better stage.
My installer wants to install an AudioControl LC6I processor, plus an amp and another sub in the trunk. I'd like to hear more on what you did.
Any other help from you guys would be much appreciated. Thanks!
My 14 was the same way also. In mine the rear speakers were 6 1/2" and the door speakers are 6x9 thats not helping either. I was able to drop some 6x9 in the rear after very slight modifications. Made a huge difference. I also added an Alpine power pack so im sure that helped also.
No '15, I have a '12 SE with entune and nav. I'm on a budget. so I went with Sony 6x9's in the deck, Kicker 3.5's in the dash, Infinity 10 sub, and will use Sony 6.5's in the doors. All are considered higher efficiency speakers >90db @1W,1M. I've read about others here on this board using DSP's, but I haven't ventured in that realm. All totaled up, I'll have about 500 in it when complete.
My 14.5 is the same way. It sounds like the only speaker I'm hearing is the front dash speaker on the driver's side, regardless of how I adjust the sound. It's kind of annoying, but I love the car, so I just live with it. I'm not a stereo guy and I'm not putting money into changing it.
Try to put everything in the middle and to "zero" and don't touch the balance and fade control for a few days, before you set you equalizer. You can raise the highs and mids, but leave the bass at "0" or "-2-3" for a few days. Too much bass would kill staging and clarity of the sound, so if you wanna raise the bass do it very carefully, little by little and try to lower the highs and mids at the same time.
There is one main and very important rule you always should remember: in order to achieve decent staging and clear realistic sound you should keep the equalization to a minimum.
The Gen7 6-speaker stereo is a bit underpowered and no good if you wanna go deaf, but at normal levels it's very well balanced and sounds really good.
When everything is properly adjusted, the only speaker you should hear out of "unison" is your driver door speaker, cuz it's located too low and too close to your ears.
There's a reason you're only hearing it from the front...it's because they actually designed the system properly. For proper sound-staging you should ONLY hear the mids/highs from the front, and bass from the front/rear. It's only been recent years when they've had a factory stereo with enough power to accomplish this. In the past they would need extra fill from the rear to offset the low power up front.
You don't hear it from the rear because it was designed properly, not because it's a poor/weak design. Ideally, for the driver/front passenger at least, there wouldn't even be the 3" speakers in the rear, but they have to make some considerations for rear passengers.
Pretty much this, and the fact on the JBL systems you're moving far more air up front than in the rear due to the greater number of speakers, along with those giant door speakers. I have come the conclusion the sound processing on the newer Entune units isn't as good as the old ones, though I still think mine sounds good when dialed in. Too bad there is no adjusment on the amp itself AFAIK for high/low pass, which is where I think the difference in my 2014 comes from versus the 2012.
If you do change things out though, changing everything is your best bet. The factory amp/head unit is designed around the factory speakers. Changing one or the other isn't going to use the new parts to their full potential imo. But if I had to, I'd change the headunit and leave factory speakers over changing speakers and being limited by the relatively inflexible output of the factory HU, at least in the JBL system whereas an aftermarket headunit should allow you a lot more flexibility in terms of median frequency, amount of boost/cut, high/low pass, etc.
Edit: The other thing is I feel like the system is balanced contrary to popular tastes in music... most people I know cut out (scoop) their mids, which has also been the trend in auto production the last 20 or so years. I personally hate this sound and prefer a brighter system with more emphasis on the mids.
Have you seen the speakers used on the "Premium Audio" system on the 2015? :crap-emoticon:
I had a 2012 with the JBL system and was quite happy with it. I did not get the JBL option this time and I noticed a huge difference in sound quality.
"Premium Audio" is NOT the same as "Premium Sound".
When I adjusted the fade to the rear, like all the posters above, I lost all sound. I took a peek in the trunk and couldn't believe my eyes. The 6X9 speakers on the base system use a magnet smaller than anything I have ever seen. I mean, I have headphones with bigger magnets.
Next order of business for me is to put some real speakers in the back.
That would've been a justified concern awhile back. However, many speaker manufacturers have started using neodymium magnets instead of the classic and bulky ferrite magnets. Neo is insanely stronger than ferrite, so only a little is needed. Look up a picture of Alpine Type R speakers and you'll see a small magnet on them as well.
With that being said, just swapping the speakers might help you a little bit, but putting an amp on your rears, or the whole car, would be better to distribute the power as you want it.
That JBL unit is simply the worst thing I've ever heard in a car. I finally got sick of it and did something about it...I made the dealer buy the XSE back. In addition to the stereo sounding like junk, the NAV was locking up, the stereo settings kept changing randomly on their own, my phone would not stay connected to the unit and it would not support my cheap MP3 player; the USB port would charge the player but not play music from it, and the dealer tech told me this was normal. On the Bluetooth issue, the dealer had tried to fix it with programming and then by completely replacing the unit, but even the 2nd unit would not remain connected. I knew it wasn't the phone, because the same phone had worked perfectly with the 2012 XLE Hybrid I had traded, as well as both of my Corvettes.
Because the dealer was so generous and allowed me very nearly what I had paid for the car, I agreed to lease a 2015 SE, obviously without that piece of crap in the dash. The base system sounds FAR superior to the JBL. My phone remains perfectly connected to it at all times. And when I plug my MP3 player into the USB port, the unit recognizes it and seamlessly integrates it as if it was a part of the car.
I wish each of you luck in trying to work through this. It's hard to swallow buying an expensive, top-of-the-line Camry and ending up with something so poorly-engineered.
The base system really sounds better than the JBL? I didn't even consider the JBL because I don't need navigation in my car, but is this really true? When I connect my music via bluetooth, the sound quality of the base system is great in my '15 XSE. The XM doesn't sound that great through the speakers but I figure that's just how radio broadcasts are. But can someone else confirm that the base system sounds better than the JBL?
I configure mine in this way:
Bass: max (still low in my opinion)
Mid: 1 from max
Treble: 2 from max
The other problem is those cheapy (plastic) Kenwood speakers in there are evenly matched--or appear so. The rear speakers should have a higher sensitivity of AT LEAST -3db than the front. Many have gone somewhere around -85 to -88 in the front with -89 to -91 or so in the back.
ANY speaker upgrade will improve. It is not cheap, but not wallet-threatening either. A little work. Also, the rear deck speakers are vibrating in wide open air. The speaker mount is plastic on metal with no dampening. Look in the trunk. It's just a mess acoustically.
The other problem is those cheapy (plastic) Kenwood speakers in there are evenly matched--or appear so.
It is not cheap, but not wallet-threatening either. A little work. Also, the rear deck speakers are vibrating in wide open air. The speaker mount is plastic on metal with no dampening. Look in the trunk. It's just a mess acoustically.
Wow. Really? I never heard of stock ken woods. Meanwhile, yes--the paper speakers are crap. But, the dampening and sound isolating technology far exceeds a $200+ aftermarket speaker. To make the stock speakers from metal and something better in the cone would make the stock speakers cost $1,000 each. Or more.
The technology used in making the stock speakers (even though they suck at a volume over 10) is as top notch as you'll ever see. I can post pictures of them. The entire basket and assembly is a completely closed sound deadening system.
Think of the JBL system as a cheap "surround sound in a box" system from Walmart, installed in a car. If you doubt the analogy, then go out to your car and look at how it's configured. The sound comes primarily from the center channel and the rest is accent. One little sub in the back, along with 2 headphone speakers? Come on, Toyota! As we were driving away from the dealer when I picked up the XSE in March, my 10-year old son said to me, "Dad, it sounds like the people are singing in a bubble." I kid you not, I remember it like it was yesterday. He got out of my 2012 XLE and into my new JBL-equipped 2015 XSE and noticed the difference immediately.
The base system does produce a bit less bass response overall, but it produces at least 25% more overall volume than the JBL. The sound stage is also vastly superior and far more adjustable. Lastly, the base unit doesn't have the stupid electronic glitches and connectibility issues that the JBL had.
Trust me, I went from the base unit in my 2012, to the JBL in my 2015 XSE, back to the base unit in my new 2015 SE. There's no contest. The JBL should blow away the base unit but in reality, the base is the better overall experience.
Turn off the 'Surround' setting. You have to do it for each input/audio app. You won't find it in the sound settings (with the equalizer/fader) but rather under Apps -> Settings -> Audio. Uncheck the box and it will sound so much better. I don't know what their intention with that was, but it sounds absolutely horrible and dealers would do well to recommend that new owners shut it off. It seems to heavily load the front center channel and cut out most everything else.
I like good quality sound. I had a $2200 JL Audio system in my 2014 Corolla and aside from a lack of real bass response I can live with the JBL system in the Camry. Am I saying it's a great system? Not by any means, but I've never not been tempted to immediately rip out the stock stereo before this. It'll do the job decently well...just turn off that damn 'surround' BS.
If you want a more well rounded sound you can piggy back off the feed to the rear woofer with a line-out converter and put a real sub in the trunk. The JBL system has no sub, just 3 7x10" woofers (front doors and rear deck) for what Toyota has penned 'distributed subwoofing'. Just like the surround setting it's total BS, but this BS at least works somewhat.
2015 was a big fail for the camry stereo system. WTF? seems to be everyones reaction when they hear my car stereo. The hands free phone doodads suck too.
^ Am I listening to the same system as everyone else here?! I mean it's nowhere near the best on the market but I don't think it's THAT bad. I've been reading around online and I have seen a lot of complaints about the JBL surround sound. I'm glad I didn't go that route; the base system has been good to me. But then again I'm not the kind of person that likes to have deafening volume with my music. The lows are definitely a bit of a disappointment, but I can't really say the same for the mids and the highs.
My opinion on JBL and Bose is that they both are way overrated in terms of quality. They sure can deliver very powerefull (read loud) sound and have plenty of bass, but to me it sounds artificial, unrealistic and sonically unbalanced. JBL home and car acoustic is fine, but both JBL and Bose car amplifiers create very artificial sound and for that reason I prefer my underpowered base stereo that produce very detailed and realistic sound.
I used to have 2012 Camry, with completely upgraded sound system from head unit to all speakers. with worth of $3000. Those who heard my sound system they said it worth more than what I spend.
Now I have 2015 Camry xse v6 with JBL sound system:-(. Also I have camry 2015 xle with base stereo. it is huge difference in sound quality between base and Jbl. Base model has more vocal and high compare to JBL. When I listen songs on XM radio then its bass is way more compare to base model. As gideon1331 and others mentioned that "uncheck surround sound". I have listened the same songs on different sources on JBL, and found that only satellite radio has best quality, why I have no idea!!!
I have replaced front 3.5' dash tweeters with aftermarket polk audio, but it was not big change in JBL system,and then I have upgraded speakers by replacing rear ONE speaker with 2 6.9' polkaudio 3way speakers because one speaker area was empty. sound is better but not as good. Its my experience that JBL system has lack of Highs. So for that My suggestion will be, buy aftermarket 2inch tweeters to improve high and for bass connect 12 inch or 10inch sub. It will give you not best but yes way more better quality than you imagine in low cost.
Toyota better not to give JBL system.. it is waste of $800. I am sure Ferrari owners will not have same problem with JBL as toyota owners have.:wink:
What kind of music are you guys listening to?! WHile I understand the lack of "premium" bass to the system, I have no problems "bumping" my JBL system to bass-heavy EDM music although lows around 35-40Hz (like those on Hardstyle) will be trash, mids and highs are perfectly fine. As others have said, just make sure you turn off that crappy SURROUND option.
Thanks for the reply. I listen to everything practically - jazz, jam rock, rock, classical, blues. I turned off the surround sound yesterday and that did make a big difference. The quality of the sound is pretty good, but I just wish I could get more volume. Also, I like to play around with the EQ and I find that it has almost no effect.
Must be a decoder issue of some sort. Unlike my 6th gen, where my I pod sounded the best.
On the XSE, getting used to the fwd stage JBL platform, XM radio rocks and sounds exceptional. All other sources are weak . (i pod, fm, blue tooth streaming etc.)
Bear with me ... Vikings won today and I'm in a full on F'k the Pack mode1
I am still convinced my 2012 sounded better than my 2014, especially after living almost a year now with both. Only difference was the head unit in the 2012. I'm also bothered by how I've maxed it out when listening to Pandora or my Bluetooth audio (especially with the windows down and cruising) a few times but I chalk that up to my phone and limitations of the technology, I had issues with Bluetooth audio output and quality in a Blaupunkt HU too. The other oddity I've noticed is Pandora seems to sound better with Surround on but all the other sources sound like garbage with it, possibly because Surround seems to boost output/gain a little bit, like the Loud button in my old Camry/Corolla tape decks.
There's a reason Pandora (and XM) will 'sound' a bit better with the surround option on. They're both highly compressed audio streams which means the highs tend to be rather tinny. Surround crams nearly the entire signal through the front center speaker with very little coming out of the left and right front speakers. The center channel has no tweeter, so while it's a more muffled sound that sounds terrible with a good quality source, it will help mask the tinny sound from the crap audio source. Same reason why XM sounds decent in a POS 4 speaker rental car stereo and horrendous in a car with a better system.
sound quality is depends on choice of music, what format you are listening and how much you want to listen in terms of volume. I have seen people who are happy with 2 speakers and others like me are not happy with JBL system. Upgrading sound system in japnese car specially in toyota and subaru is way more easier than other companies.. Best thing what every one can do is change of speakers. after my research and installing infinity speakers Infinity Kappa 60.11cs by harman kardon were the best option for camry sound system. you only loose little bit of loudness in front doors but on other hand you will get high and mid with crisp and clean sound, no matter what music you will listen all instrument you never heard in normal or jbl system. After that you need Lows and for that there is no substitute of subwoofer for lows. Try this and you will find day and night difference. Trust me they are costly but if you want real sound then these are best..after this if feel you need more volume, you can add aftermarket 4 channel sub, thats what I did..
Here's a primary example of why the alleged "surround" mode should always be off. I added a Kicker Hideaway amp/subwoofer to my '15 XLE's JBL "Pemium" sound system last Fall. It has improved the overall audio quality and has added some true bass to supplement the mid-bass that comes with the system. It's allowed me to fade 70% the rear with using some more volume. A couple of days ago, I noticed that the rear speakers sounded distant and somewhat muffled. When I faded completely to the rears it was obvious on MP3s, Sirius and FM but less so on CDs. I tried to troubleshoot the problem for a few days but couldn't solve it and thought that I might need to take the car in for service. Yesterday, on a hunch, I checked the audio setup and lo and behold, the surround mode was active on the three affected sources although I couldn't recall my doing that. As soon as I turned it off, the rear speakers came alive again. The surround mode sucks the soul of the system's audio even more that I thought. I hope that it's not spontaneously turning back on. That could be a major issue for me.
Forgot to mention but for some reason I get more of a full front to rear sound stage from the passenger seat than the driver's seat. Anyone have an idea on this one?
More on the front - rear spound balance. As insane as it sounds, it appears that the driver's seat blocks some of some of the sound coming from the alleged subwoofer (more like a mid) and mid range speaker on that side of the car. If you move your head over the console, you get more audio presence from those speakers just as you do from the passenger seat which has an open diagonal path to them, especially the larger speaker. The Kicker sub in the trunk certainly fills out the bass but from the drivers seat, the overall sound is still heavily front loaded. From the passenger seat, the audio sound stage is actually very good. If you lower the back of the drivers seat all the way, the sound balance is restored. I am flabbergasted that any sound engineer, be it from JBL or Toyota could fail to notice this design flaw. Minimally, since there is no right rear large speaker, just an empty cutout, these idiots should have moved the one speaker to the center of the rear deck. More and more, as I approach the one year mark with the car, I'm tempted to start looking at other options. I love the V6 engine and relative smooth ride of the XLE but the audio system is very important to me and this one just doesn't cut it in too many ways.
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