DaveA
Well-Known Member
Without Meridian audio, I’d have upgraded to Gen 2 to get rid of my clunking half-shafts… I can’t hear them over Linkin Park at 17 volume, so weeeeee! ?
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pepesilvia
Member
Just took delivery of a 2025 R1T Dual Max w/ Premium Audio. The sound of the audio system on the ride home was absolutely abysmal and playback quality seemed to vary wildly between songs. Pushing volume above 12 would result in the distinct sound of clipping. All of this experienced using a Bluetooth paired Pixel 8 smartphone using YT Music with HD Audio and Spatial Audio enabled and all Rivian audio settings at default.
I figured this had to be a software bug, there's just simply no way Rivian would sell a near six figure vehicle with what amounted to the worst sound system I've heard in a vehicle in recent memory.
Thankfully after getting home I found this and other threads on the issue. I went ahead and ran a stereo test track as recommended and found my left channel was missing, as others had reported (to be clear, I think the left track missing is only a symptom of the malfunction itself, not the entire problem). I proceeded to perform a soft reset of the entertainment unit and the test track played back correctly. I proceeded to play back the same songs that had been so horrific on the drive home and the difference was night and day. While I still wouldn't classify the Rivian system as "great", it is now solidly "good", and I am sure would be better if I weren't using BT (waiting on that YT Music app Rivian..)
The above sort of dovetails into a larger issue though. While I'm happy the audio issue has been essentially satisfied via a soft reset, I also ran into issues when taking delivery. In order to get my profile to show up in the Rivian dash, enroll a smartphone key, or pair BT, we had to do a hard reset of the vehicle. This all strikes me just a little too buggy - two resets (one hard, one soft) within the first 4 hours of delivery simply isn't a good look.
If anyone from Rivian is reading, I think you all need to maintain dual branches of Rivian code - Stable and Feature releases. Allow people to opt into the potentially buggier Feature releases for the latest "cool stuff" but also offer a truly stable release that doesn't come with these sorts of QC problems (and allow folks a clear path to switch back and forth between each branch). Do this and fix the sources of the interior rattling sounds (good lord come on, I'm calling Rivian tomorrow) and you have a clear winner here., but until then, you really cannot expect these vehicles to break into mass (premium) market - most folks just won't do this sort of troubleshooting (or care to).
I figured this had to be a software bug, there's just simply no way Rivian would sell a near six figure vehicle with what amounted to the worst sound system I've heard in a vehicle in recent memory.
Thankfully after getting home I found this and other threads on the issue. I went ahead and ran a stereo test track as recommended and found my left channel was missing, as others had reported (to be clear, I think the left track missing is only a symptom of the malfunction itself, not the entire problem). I proceeded to perform a soft reset of the entertainment unit and the test track played back correctly. I proceeded to play back the same songs that had been so horrific on the drive home and the difference was night and day. While I still wouldn't classify the Rivian system as "great", it is now solidly "good", and I am sure would be better if I weren't using BT (waiting on that YT Music app Rivian..)
The above sort of dovetails into a larger issue though. While I'm happy the audio issue has been essentially satisfied via a soft reset, I also ran into issues when taking delivery. In order to get my profile to show up in the Rivian dash, enroll a smartphone key, or pair BT, we had to do a hard reset of the vehicle. This all strikes me just a little too buggy - two resets (one hard, one soft) within the first 4 hours of delivery simply isn't a good look.
If anyone from Rivian is reading, I think you all need to maintain dual branches of Rivian code - Stable and Feature releases. Allow people to opt into the potentially buggier Feature releases for the latest "cool stuff" but also offer a truly stable release that doesn't come with these sorts of QC problems (and allow folks a clear path to switch back and forth between each branch). Do this and fix the sources of the interior rattling sounds (good lord come on, I'm calling Rivian tomorrow) and you have a clear winner here., but until then, you really cannot expect these vehicles to break into mass (premium) market - most folks just won't do this sort of troubleshooting (or care to).
tbennett017
Member
Gen 2 upgraded system, and it sounds uninspiring at best. Pretty poor quality for the money. I have a 10 year old Audi with the B&O system and it sounds far superior.
Supratachophobia
Well-Known Member
17 year old Lexus with Mark Levinson; god-like audio.
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Phazor
Well-Known Member
Try the different EQ settings posted here, they help a lot. Rivian acknowledged the audio issues and committed to improving them in future SW releases.
DaveA
Well-Known Member
So just stepped out of my Gen 1 with Meridian and stopped by La Cantera in San Antonio where Rivian was doing test drives for Gen 2. Fully booked, so interest is obviously still there for our beloved Rivians. I put on the exact same music I had on in my Gen 1 and, well…the difference in sound is huge. BUT it depended on the artist I was playing weirdly. I found some things to sound almost Meridian like (Rufus du Sol, alt/electronica) and things like Blink 182 to sound meh. I really think Rivian just needs to work on their codec for playback and it will sound pretty good.
usofrob
Well-Known Member
My tests show a big spike at around 600 Hz. So, if the song doesn't use that frequency range much, it might sound very good.
tay
Member
Hi All,
Glad to find this thread. Picked up a R1S Gen2 (Tri, max batter) with premium sound (basically every feature they offer). We previously had the original Quad R1T which had crazy GOOD sound. The new R1S sound is awful, it feels like its blasting in the very front, can feel the speakers, but the EQ is centralized, and barely getting any sound from the door speakers, and zero bass. Have updated all the SW, have tried apple music, spotify in car as well as BT on the phone. All sound bad. Wish they would acknowledge this as a SW bug...this has to be fixed.
Glad to find this thread. Picked up a R1S Gen2 (Tri, max batter) with premium sound (basically every feature they offer). We previously had the original Quad R1T which had crazy GOOD sound. The new R1S sound is awful, it feels like its blasting in the very front, can feel the speakers, but the EQ is centralized, and barely getting any sound from the door speakers, and zero bass. Have updated all the SW, have tried apple music, spotify in car as well as BT on the phone. All sound bad. Wish they would acknowledge this as a SW bug...this has to be fixed.
Phazor
Well-Known Member
Has anyone noticed improvements after the latest update? I haven't had much time to listen carefully and mess with the EQ settings post update but in the little time I've had in the car since the update the sound stage sounds more balanced to me.
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tpoltron
Member
- First Name
- Trent
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2024
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 28
- Location
- Cupertino, CA
- Vehicles
- R1S, Model 3, Model Y
- Occupation
- tech marketing, F45 gym owner
Gen2 base audio here. Got the update and the EQ is still a mess. mid-bass super high and mid treble super low. With pretty much the same EQ settings I posted elsewhere its OK but not great.
Tanuki68
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- WS
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2021
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 60
- Reaction score
- 124
- Location
- Arroyo Grande & Shaver Lake Ca
- Vehicles
- 2025 R1T Max, Tesla Y, 1991 Miata, Cake Kalk &
- Occupation
- Retired 6/2024
Gen2 premium audio R1T. Not an audiophile but it sucked prior to the update. After the update I received a few dats ago, it’s really good to my ears. its like an all new system and I’m no longer disappointed with what a paid for it.
portdirect
Well-Known Member
Its OK - unless you have a Gen1 (Elevation) sitting on the driveway next to it - and then its clearly still a downgrade from where things were before. I doubt Rivian would take me up on this suggestion, but "tolerable" would be better than "premium" as a way to describe it.
Tanuki68
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- WS
- Joined
- Nov 6, 2021
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 60
- Reaction score
- 124
- Location
- Arroyo Grande & Shaver Lake Ca
- Vehicles
- 2025 R1T Max, Tesla Y, 1991 Miata, Cake Kalk &
- Occupation
- Retired 6/2024
I can relate. I gave my daughter my 2007 Honda Ridgline 3 years ago. She was home for the holidays and I took it for a drive. It was and is a great little pickup but after having a Lightning and now the R1T it feels like an ox cart. There’s a price to pay when upgrading life’s luxuries.
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