Standard Audio in the S/V90
 

So my Audi had Bose, a £700 option, with 14 speakers and a subwoofer.and 465w, it was ok but nothing special.

The Volvo standard system has 10 speakers, no sub and 330w and let me tell you, the difference is truly amazing. The Volvo standard system after a bit of tweaking blows the Bose out of the water. I was worried about not ordering the B&W system, but glad I didn't, the standard system sounds great and will only get better as it loosens up.

Thanks for this. Maybe a silly question, but do Audi systems need a "loosening up"/run in time? Like engines?

All speakers benefit and improve with use, some can require 100 hours of play to realise their full potential.

I hopefully pick up my V90 in a couple of weeks. Could you possibly put a pic up of the full EQ screen so I can have a look at what is there? One of my friends is an expert and I'm hoping he can set it up for optimal sound. I'd like to get him to work on researching the options and he wants a pic.

No pic, but you get bass/treble plus a 5 band equaliser with 3 presets and a custom mode you can set your self, plus L/R and F/R balance

I am no audiophile and have some hearing issues, but I do like my music - though my friends and family think most of it is "weird :)

My S90 has the "standard audio", and I think it is incredible.

I have had my local dealers demo S90 for a few weeks now, which does have the B&W upgrade and I have played around with it, so have had some opportunity to compare.

On my "standard system", putting some tracks on which have an emotional attachment to me for one reason or another, and cranking the volume up way too high almost had me in tears

Whilst there is no way I could personally justify £3K for the B&W system, I can understand why someone would opt for it. Listening to the same tracks on the B&W with Concert Hall mode engaged adds another level (I did shed a few tears).

However, put a talking book on (which I listen to a lot), or the traffic announcement cuts in, and Concert Hall makes it sound like they are talking from the bottom of a barrel :)

In my opinion: If you have the money, go for the B&W - it is amazing. If you are juggling options to keep the cost within a budget, I doubt you would be disappointed with the standard set up unless you have an exceptional hearing

Good advice.

The way I look at it is that unless one keeps the car for ten years the b&w system is hardly worth it for mere mortals. For people who change the car every three years, the premium audio is going to cost them £1000 per year. It will be worth zero at trade-in and will cost that much irrespective of it being built into a lease cost. One has to be a SERIOUS audiophile to pish that amount a year against a virtual musical car 'wall'.
Even spread over ten years it costs £300 per year for the dubious pleasure of a slightly better sound quality within what is not an ideal environment for listening fidelity.

Each to their own though. If that is a priority and found to be worth it and affordable, why not!

I have standard audio and sub, and I agree, I rate it higher than the Bose I had in an a6 avant.

Oddly, we don't get the option of the sub in the S/V90? Yet our European neighbours do, weird.