2024.51.1 Update Sound System Changes Again!

[CO Riv]

I updated my rig with 2024.51..1 to my Gen 1 R1T with the Meridian sound system. Well, here we go again with changes to the sound system, which has not improved. I am using Apple Music for my music. Everything is much quieter when playing music, and there is a noticeable difference between Atmos to non-Atmos songs. When I thought they had it close to dialed in, Rivian took another step back. I am disappointed in the way it sounds right now, just after I was really happy with how the sound system was performing with the last update. I usually listen between 12-14 when I am driving, and now I needed to move it up to 16-18; and Non-atmos songs seemed flat and just didn't have the pop they did before. On the other hand, I need to move the volume to 14-15 when the Atmos songs come on, as they are much louder. The bass and mids just seem flat compared to the last update. Overall, I'm disappointed in this update for the sound system.

I absolutely agree with your assessment. I drove for the first time after an update last night and immediately felt depressed about how poor the sound was from Apple Music. I, too, need to listen at 17 on volume, where 14 was fine before. Even at higher volume settings, the sound quality is much worse with poor imaging, almost mono-sounding on many songs. Certainly not "premium sound."

Sponsored

 

[DrBad]

Spotify now sounds better than Apple Music. I had one tune on AM that was too low to hear clearly turned all the way up. And big differences in volume from song to song. I didn't look to see if any were ATMOS.

 

[rbrak29]

You might need hearing aids - i was listening at 12-14 then I got hearing aids not its at 4-7 - just fine -

I have hearing aids and I cannot go much above 2-3, else my ears bleed. Volume sensitivity sucks. Turned off Dynamic Sound Adjustment off as volume at a stop light was too low at my standard sound setting. Constantly adjusting volume using radio or Apple Music. Rivian is going all in on autonomy when they cannot fix their audio system.

 

[R1Tom]

Very early R1T with Meridian

Just took a hour ride to office this am...

Played several Sirius stations and the Apple Music. Some songs Atmos...some not.

Other than needing to use a higher volume setting for same sound level as before....I can't detect much if any difference in sound quality post latest update.

And needing the higher volume setting is a benefit resulting in finer control between each discrete level.

Making audio systems produce too much volume at a low volume setting is a mind trick just like how I think Rivian has programmed the throttle mapping in the Tri's. Make people think they have more power than then do.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Very early R1T with Meridian

Just took a hour ride to office this am...

Played several Sirius stations and the Apple Music. Some songs Atmos...some not.

Other than needing to use a higher volume setting for same sound level as before....I can't detect much if any difference in sound quality post latest update.

And needing the higher volume setting is a benefit resulting in finer control between each discrete level.

Making audio systems produce too much volume at a low volume setting is a mind trick just like how I think Rivian has programmed the throttle mapping in the Tri's. Make people think they have more power than then do.

Exactly. Volume happens at the preamp level. No difference in system power or dbl capability—just a finer range of control.

 

[ndmiller]

Mine changed but only volume.

Before 3 was a bit to low, but 4 was blaring loud.

After update 4 is a good volume. Anything 5-6+ is still deafening. R1T Gen 1 Apple Music, YMMV

edit, can't believe anyone is talking about any volume over 7, my apple watch warns about sound (too loud hearing loss warning) between 5-6, so 13-14 would probably knock me unconscious.

 

[PeterSK]

Very early R1T with Meridian

Just took a hour ride to office this am...

Played several Sirius stations and the Apple Music. Some songs Atmos...some not.

Other than needing to use a higher volume setting for same sound level as before....I can't detect much if any difference in sound quality post latest update.

And needing the higher volume setting is a benefit resulting in finer control between each discrete level.

Making audio systems produce too much volume at a low volume setting is a mind trick just like how I think Rivian has programmed the throttle mapping in the Tri's. Make people think they have more power than then do.

I have a mid-2023 R1S with Rivian sound, haven't received the update yet but have the same complaint with Apple Music. Early on I was listening at high single digits, but after an update if I wanted to be able to talk with people in the car it had to be at 3 or even 2, especially if the dynamic sound adjustment was on. I had to take that off, and even so there just wasn't enough control - at one level you could hardly hear it, and the next it became intrusive. Hoping this update fixes that.

 

[Ghens]

Mine changed but only volume.

Before 3 was a bit to low, but 4 was blaring loud.

After update 4 is a good volume. Anything 5-6+ is still deafening. R1T Gen 1 Apple Music, YMMV

edit, can't believe anyone is talking about any volume over 7, my apple watch warns about sound (too loud hearing loss warning) between 5-6, so 13-14 would probably knock me unconscious.
[/QUOTE
Sheep are sounding off after your reply

 

[-0-coach-0-]

I know you said you use Apple Music, but do you happen to also use Spotify? If so, any comparison? Gen 1 R1T Meridian here too, and Apple Music’s bass response is SO much better than Spotify’s, but I don’t like the Apple Music platform. I wish we had that sound quality from Spotify.

I am with you. I like Spotify much better as a music streaming platform, but their delay in moving to a hi-fi tier has left us with fewer choices when playing hi-fi music. Rivian has put its eggs into Apple Musi,c and it does sound better than Spotify, so I spend a lot of time moving playlists over from Spotify to AM .

 

[norivian]

Atmos seems to sound better for me. I was playing The Beatles Yellow Submarine ? on itunes and it sounded good. I thought the rear window was open at one point. ?

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Network connectivity? Other than hardware failure, can’t imagine how one person is reporting an experience that is different from everyone else.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I think it sounds better on Gen 2. The sound is more potent than before, closer to the Meridian I used to have. Maybe they gave some of us Gen 2 people your good radio.

 

[R1Tom]

I think it sounds better on Gen 2. The sound is more potent than before, closer to the Meridian I used to have. Maybe they gave some of us Gen 2 people your good radio.

I am not sure what is going on with some of the G1 Meridians but mine still sounds amazing. If anything the bass got a bit more potent.

 

[FrictionlessLube]

I had this issue today after updating this morning. Play an atmos song, at say, 8. Then a non atmos song plays and I can barely hear it, so I go up to 12, then an atmos song plays and it’s extremely loud, so I go back down. Rinse and repeat. Never had issues before. Seems the update made the issue rather than fix it. I’ll try a soft reboot and see if that resolves it.

 

[Antonio]

I updated my rig with 2024.51..1 to my Gen 1 R1T with the Meridian sound system. Well, here we go again with changes to the sound system, which has not improved. I am using Apple Music for my music. Everything is much quieter when playing music, and there is a noticeable difference between Atmos to non-Atmos songs. When I thought they had it close to dialed in, Rivian took another step back. I am disappointed in the way it sounds right now, just after I was really happy with how the sound system was performing with the last update. I usually listen between 12-14 when I am driving, and now I needed to move it up to 16-18; and Non-atmos songs seemed flat and just didn't have the pop they did before. On the other hand, I need to move the volume to 14-15 when the Atmos songs come on, as they are much louder. The bass and mids just seem flat compared to the last update. Overall, I'm disappointed in this update for the sound system.

Same boat here. I now have to increase the volume to 15, when I would normally listen at 10.

Sponsored