B&W Sound System in Ultimate model - very poor

[Marmaduke]

I'm now three weeks into my new 2024 XC90 Ultimate.

I'm still learning lots about how to operate it, with lots of delving into the 'manual' in the app... Oh, for a paper version! "Just use search" I hear you say. Well, I don't want to search for something specific, just wander through it randomly in front of the TV, stopping off where something catches my eye... I used to learn a lot from manuals that way, in the old days before companies scrapped paper manuals, claiming they were saving the planet.

I spent a lot of time trying to get the 'top of the range' sound system settings right. I just can't get a proper stereo picture and balance between L and R sound where I'm sitting in the driving position. My 2016 Landrover Discovery had a far better system than this B&W one. In the Discovery, I could move the whole sound stage to the left or right, so that the sound coming out of the L and R door speakers were biased to the right, i.e. giving a perfect L and R sound balance to the driver. The B&W system has no such control. I can highlight 'driver' in one of the settings and that just makes the right speaker louder and the left speaker hardly discernable at all, even if I lean right over to the left past the middle console (not whilst driving, of course...)

I think I've exhausted every permutation of sound setting, but just thought I'd post here in case someone had stumbled across anything that might help.

[JonathanD]

Originally Posted by Marmaduke

...delving into the 'manual' in the app... Oh, for a paper version! "Just use search" I hear you say. Well, I don't want to search for something specific, just wander through it randomly in front of the TV, stopping off where something catches my eye... I used to learn a lot from manuals that way, in the old days before companies scrapped paper manuals, claiming they were saving the planet.

I know exactly where you are coming from!

When I bought my then new V90 five years ago, having heard or read that Volvo Cars no longer included a physical, hard copy manual with new cars I told the salesman I wanted one. It was added to my order at a cost of twenty quid or so if I recall correctly. I know that was then and this is now, but I would be surprised if it is no longer possible to get one. I know you can download it from the Volvo Cars website, but we are talking about a tome running to literally hundreds of pages making DIY printing impractical. Besides, a properly bound and produced version is infinitely preferable...in my humble opinion at least. So it would definitely be worth your while speaking to a dealer.

On your B&W question I can offer no assistance as my V90 makes do with the far more humble, standard stereo equipment.

[OldEngineer]

See this...

https://www.swedespeed.com/threads/2...3#post-8085156

[LRS]

Volvo in their wisdom decided to remove fundamental audio controls when moving from Sensus to AAOS. They kept these removals secret by not publishing any changes in their AAOS based sales materials and specifications. They decided to remove Balance and Fader controls.

I also believe that the real reason for going away from a paper based or PDF owners/user manual is not entirely based on their virtue signalling green agenda, but is rather more cunning and deceitful.

Without a physical copy of a manual, Volvo can easily alter their online manuals text with a few simple keystrokes. I have seen this for myself regards a paragraph of text that was in the 2022 (21w46) XC60 online manual regards the 12v battery, having now mysteriously disappeared. Volvo is now able to change historical information for its own purposes.

“If it’s not in writing, then we can’t be held liable”. "Whatever actions we may wish to take we have carte blanche to do so".

[piorunz]

Originally Posted by LRS

Volvo in their wisdom decided to remove fundamental audio controls when moving from Sensus to AAOS. They kept these removals secret by not publishing any changes in their AAOS based sales materials and specifications. They decided to remove Balance and Fader controls.

What?! That cannot be right. AAOS cars are so stripped down, I don't think I will be ever getting one.

[LRS]

Originally Posted by piorunz

What?! That cannot be right. AAOS cars are so stripped down, I don't think I will be ever getting one.

I agree, it isn’t right and felt the same after buying mine and still cannot see the logic of removing a very basic, long stayed and assumed function as balance & fader controls. Looking at things now and having lived with the car for a few years I’ve had to come to terms with playing AAOS roulette each time I get in the car.

All the AAOS bugs and issues were driving me to distraction, and still do at times, but I guess you have to try and learn to live with them as these latest systems are sadly here to stay and going back to the simplicity of my good old MY11 XC90 is gone forever.

Putting the whole AAOS debacle to one side, the XC60 is a good car and has to be one of the most comfortable long distance driving cars I’ve ever owned - even better than my old XC90, and Its cabin interior is a really nice place to be. I also think the XC range is a good looking car compared to the multitude of clone bubble shape cars out there. Regards the loss of balance & fader controls I listen to a lot more talk radio now rather than music as a result of this - or maybe its just an age thing now

Cars are going to become more and more a commodity with things like specification subscriptions becoming the norm – enable the electric seats function by paying a term based subscription.

Hey-Ho

[sk546]

Its obviously just a me thing as I personally now find that AAOS is a far superior system for how I use it compared to my previous Sensus car, yes, it would be nice no have the Drive Mode select and battery hold functions easier access but overall, everything just works better, smoother and is mostly more operable than I found with Sensus.

For the majority of the niggles that other people have found, I don't share them as I'm not using the functions (and never did in Sensus) and as such, I don't miss the fact they are not there.
For how I use my car, AAOS just works and as yet, I haven't had masses of issues with the AAOS Operating system crashing and requiring multiple resets, for this I count myself very lucky as there appears to be alot of reported issues on here about it.
Google Maps as a navigation system is light years better than the Sensus navigation, my HK sound system gives me superb sound quality that needs no adjustments by me to improve it and for things I need to adjust, adjustment is easy and the voice commands work very well.

Everyone's experience and requirements for a cars Infotainment/operating system are different and what one person finds an issue wont even be noticed by someone else. All we can do is find something that works for you and if it dosen't, switch to find something that does.
Clearly, Volvo aren't going to make AAOS into a clone of Sensus, the sensus system was volvo's own system and they controlled the rights and could change what they wanted to whenever they wanted. AAOS is not Volvo's system and making changes requires multiple buy-in's from the different partners which takes time and money on all fronts and if all do not agree, its not implemented.
Its about time people accept that AAOS is what it is (i.e. not a clone of Sensus) and move on.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by Marmaduke

I could move the whole sound stage to the left or right, so that the sound coming out of the L and R door speakers were biased to the right, i.e. giving a perfect L and R sound balance to the driver. The B&W system has no such control.

This is how I have my current car set up and with the fader biased towards the front speakers.

The car I have on order has B&W and I was led to believe it would still have balance and fader controls even though they've been removed from the standard audio system. Clearly this was wrong.

My new car was ordered in Sep 2023 with delivery now expected end June. As I read more about features missing and things not working in AAOS I start to wonder whether I should proceed with the order. I'm going to test drive a Lexus after Easter because if my (and others I know) previous experience with that brand is anything to go by, everything just works (and keeps working).

[LRS]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

The car I have on order has B&W and I was led to believe it would still have balance and fader controls even though they've been removed from the standard audio system. Clearly this was wrong.

I believe you should be OK with the B&W level system, as it still retains the Balance and Fader controls, when I last checked.

It was the High-Performance Sound system and the HK system that both had the Balance and Fader controls removed under AAOS.

It may be prudent to go and check a just-delivered car at the dealer with B&W – just to be sure it's still there.

[Milliner]

I believe you should be OK with the B&W level system, as it still retains the Balance and Fader controls, when I last checked.

I was waiting in the car when I saw this thread.

Under the 'sounds' setting, I can't see balance or fader options (they were there on my old Sensus car with standard stereo, but I never used it personally).

Only studio gets an option to focus on the driver or all and an option to change use to the middle speakers or the front ones only. A kind of fader/balance of sorts I guess, but not as adjustable as before.

That said, I think it's a superb speaker system. I use 'stage' and it gives a dolby atmos-like effect of surround sound on well produced tracks. Not even considered looking for a fader until I stumbled upon this thread.

For all AAOS' lack of features or ambition, I certainly wouldn't say the B&W sound system is a problem.