Leaf Audio/Music Features

[tps]

What are you guys using for amplification?

My MMGs are driven by a pair of Outlaw M2000 mono-block amplifiers, and I'm using a Benchmark DAC1-PRE with balanced interconnects. Normally I use the DAC1-PRE's USB input hooked to my laptop, however, when I was testing my Sony MP3 I connected the analog output of the MP3 player to the analog input of the DAC1-PRE. For LPs, I have a Technics SP10 with SME III arm and Shure V15-V cartridge into a PS Audio GCPH phonostage. For digitizing at 24/96, the balanced output of the GCPH is connected to a Behringer SRC2496 running in ADC mode, and its AES/EBU output feeds a Fostex UR2 SD card recorder.

In my 20 year old Camry, which died a couple months ago, I had installed a Focal speaker system with ADS/JBL amplifiers and Audio Control EQ. The Focal speakers were some of the best car audio speakers I ever heard; great sounding midrange and high end, and I had Focal "mini subs" under the front seats.

I'd be surprised if the LEAF's factory system is as good as the Focals, but the low interior noise level will likely be a definite plus. In any event, I've been exposed to what great audio quality sounds like, and I'm looking forward to hearing how good (or bad) the LEAF's factory system is.

 

[tps]

I still have my tube gear with Martin Logans, though.

Martin Logans and Acoustats were the first great sounding speakers I ever heard. I was working at the time at an NPR station which had B&W's in the production room, along with a bunch of Studer mixing equipment and recorders. The B&Ws sounded very good, but the Martin Logans and Acoustats sounded GREAT! All of these speakers (including Magnepans) require really good source equipment and material to sound great, because they will clearly reveal every flaw upstream. Which is why I was so surprised that my MP3 files didn't sound near as bad as I thought they might. This should give me some good material to put the LEAF's system through it's paces when I have the chance... Of course, I may take a Sheffield Lab or Reference Recordings CD, also.

 

[Gonewild]

Pardon me if this has been answered before, or is a dumb question...I've only had dumb phones before. I felt compelled to make the leap to the iPhone since it will talk to the car, and also has an app to monitor our solar system. But this is more about using the phone IN the car....

Since the car has a USB port, does that obviate the need for a dedicated iPhone interface gadget for charging and transmitting audio...meaning, can you just use the phone<->USB cable that came with the phone to not only interact with the audio system but charge the phone? Also, I know you can go handsfree with bluetooth
(I assume there's a mic somewhere in the cabin?), but would docking the phone with its own USB cable achieve the same thing?

I guess what I'm asking is does the USB port simply consider anything attached to it to be a removeable drive with storage, or is there more to it (such as providing the charge current and/or interfacing to the phone)

The USB cable is for attached storage like jump drives the audio system will scan for file then display them if possible.

 

[EVDRIVER]

For the most part, the MP3s sounded pretty good on my Magnepan MMG planer speakers. I'm used to listening to analog LP, lossless, and high resolution at home, but for the most part, the analog output from the portable Sony MP3 player didn't sound that bad.

I used to have Magnepan's a few years back. Gave up on LPs a while back too. Higher resolution MP3 will slowly approach the quality of CDs, though usually I can make out the difference - though I've not tried connecting any mp3 players to my main music system.

I plan to try out analog out, USB & BlueTooth options to figure out the "best" one - but I'm 2 months away from getting Leaf.

I have Magnepan MMG-W's in my bedroom system and use wall-mounted speakers with B&G planar tweeters in the living room. My custom MMG's (struts, new crossovers) are in the closet with the amplifier I built for them due to cat issues until I can get a dedicated room... But I think I will go full-digital active crossover when I bring them back out as most of my source material is now digital.

What are you guys using for amplification? Other than the UcD amplifier I built, the majority of my amplifiers have been NAD with some higher-end and some lower-end. (BTW, although not powerful enough for some speakers, my NAD 3020 has been the most reliable piece of audio equiptment I've ever owned)

It is good to know some people have decent frames of reference for sound systems-- unlike most car audio fans or people who think Bose is the ultimate in speakers. Maybe people who give their impressions of the LEAF's audio system should list what they are used to listening to and/or what they think sounds good.

I hope the ipod is digital direct like on other cars. At home I have Thiel 3.7's, Parasound JC1 Mono Blocks, JC2 pre amp, Sonos with Wyred 4 Sound DAC, RGPC 240V Power Station for Isolation to RGPC 1200S. Using al WAV or FLAC files on the re-clocked Sonos. That's for 2-CH, Surround is a separate system.

 

[evnow]

I hope the ipod is digital direct like on other cars. At home I have Thiel 3.7's, Parasound JC1 Mono Blocks, JC2 pre amp, Sonos with Wyred 4 Sound DAC, RGPC 240V Power Station for Isolation to RGPC 1200S. Using al WAV or FLAC files on the re-clocked Sonos. That's for 2-CH, Surround is a separate system.

Wow - you have a car budget audio system !

Very nice looking speakers ...

 

[EVDRIVER]

In natural Cherry, luckily It's one of my businesses Jim Thiel was a remarkable speaker designer, he died recently after years of building fine American made speakers in Kentucky, every single part is from there and made there.

 

[tps]

Slightly OT: do any of you participate at the Steve Hoffman forums? A bunch of music and high-end audio discussions there... With the kind of audio systems being described above, you guys may find something of interest over there.
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/index.php

 

[evnow]

Slightly OT: do any of you participate at the Steve Hoffman forums? A bunch of music and high-end audio discussions there... With the kind of audio systems being described above, you guys may find something of interest over there.
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/index.php

I'd say http://www.audioasylum.com is the place for hi-fi. Where else will you find separate forum for SET amps or Planars/Statics/Ribbons speakers ?

 

[lne937s]

Slightly OT: do any of you participate at the Steve Hoffman forums? A bunch of music and high-end audio discussions there... With the kind of audio systems being described above, you guys may find something of interest over there.
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/index.php

I'd say http://www.audioasylum.com is the place for hi-fi. Where else will you find separate forum for SET amps or Planars/Statics/Ribbons speakers ?

I actually used to be on Audio Asylum, but found too many vocal opinions with too much snake oil and too little understanding of physics. After that, I went to www.diyaudio.com , which not only has a lot of hobbyists on there but also many of the people who are actually designing and building some of the amplifiers and speakers you are buying (or the components within them). There you can really get into the weeds of things like speaker/amplifier design, rather than concentrating on magic wooden blocks or $$$ speaker cables.

However, a few years ago, my girlfriend moved in and brought her cat (which is now my fiance and our cat). He is a ~20lb Maine Coon that likes water, tape, aluminum foil, apple bitters spray, etc. (all the things cats are supposed to hate). With the market down, I decided to put as much money as possible into investments, rather than upgrade apartments here in NYC. As such, audio has taken a back burner. However, audio does teach you to appreciate elgant simplicity in design and engineering, which I think translates to electric cars.

When I do bring my maggies back out, I plan on keeping it simple and going full digital. Just reframing and adding a couple of these with direct digital input, signal processing and crossover done in digital, and only converting to analog just before the amplifier circuit: http://www.hypex.nl/docs/AS2100_manual.pdf

I do find it interesting that so many people on here are buying American speakers like Martin Logan (Kansas), Magnepan (Minnesota) and Thiel (Kentucky), when there is such a proliferation of cheap imports. Just goes to show that we are more than willing to buy from a domestic company when the quality/performance is there.

 

[tps]

I'm still looking for the "best" USB flash drive to use with the LEAF's audio system, given where the USB connector is mounted. Maybe this is it:
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11572

The largest of this model is 16GB, I'd really like to have 32GB as I'll have overflowed 16GB by next year...

 

[hodad66]

I've been using two 8 gigs from USB brando in my Soul
for the past year and a half. For me, any larger would
be simply hiding my music. I'll get a third 8 gig. The size
is great because you won't knock against it.........

 

[evnow]

I'm still looking for the "best" USB flash drive to use with the LEAF's audio system, given where the USB connector is mounted. Maybe this is it:
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=11572

The largest of this model is 16GB, I'd really like to have 32GB as I'll have overflowed 16GB by next year...

My suggestion is to wait for the car - check how a normal drive feels like in the car. My feeling is it would be just fine.

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Get one of those microSD adapters the size of a teardrop:

And stick a 32GB microSD card in it. That's what I carry on my keychain, and I'd expect to have the same in the Leaf. It will just be a nub sticking out of the USB slot.

I wonder if the Leaf would accept a USB Hub for simultaneous iPod charging and USB stick music.

 

[evnow]

I wonder if the Leaf would accept a USB Hub for simultaneous iPod charging and USB stick music.

That might be possible - but you would have to use a charging USB cable (that doesn't have data lines).

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I wonder if the Leaf would accept a USB Hub for simultaneous iPod charging and USB stick music.

That might be possible - but you would have to use a charging USB cable (that doesn't have data lines).

Why?
Most hubs have data lines to each downstream devices -- works on the PC, might work on the Leaf.

 

[evnow]

Why?
Most hubs have data lines to each downstream devices -- works on the PC, might work on the Leaf.

I doubt they would considered the possibilty ...

 

[Rat]

I still haven't heard an authoritative answer on whether the audio system has the random/shuffle option. That's important for those of us who don't want to have to load files in "random" order onto the USB drive or, alternatively, listen to a whole album of one thing at a time. Can anyone confirm?

 

[evnow]

I still haven't heard an authoritative answer on whether the audio system has the random/shuffle option. That's important for those of us who don't want to have to load files in "random" order onto the USB drive or, alternatively, listen to a whole album of one thing at a time. Can anyone confirm?

Check the user manuals for other Nissan vehicles. I'm sure they share the same audio features ...

 

[garygid]

Not actually knowing what they are, I only KNOW that the audio features COULD have been improved.

 

[tps]

Looks as if Lexar makes one of those tiny USB drives with 32GB! in their "Echo ZE" series. http://www.nextag.com/Lexar-Media-Lexar-Echo-711901693/prices-html