Disappointed in B&O Unleashed

[Coreytrevor]

I’m sure it’s already been posted in here as I’ve seen other threads on it…. But use Apple Music to download songs that come in “lossless audio” and or Dolby atmos . You have to make sure you configure this in your phone settings first though - Before you download the songs. Go to settings on your phone and choose lossless as download quality for Apple Music. I have a 22 with wireless CarPlay. I switched from Spotify to apple and it’s like an entire new sound system. I was skeptical at first that apple quality would be that much better than Spotify . But they aren’t even in the same league anymore..

Completely worth the upgrade and the extra $$$

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[NickRivait]

I’m sure it’s already been posted in here as I’ve seen other threads on it…. But use Apple Music to download songs that come in “lossless audio” and or Dolby atmos . You have to make sure you configure this in your phone settings first though - Before you download the songs. Go to settings on your phone and choose lossless as download quality for Apple Music. I have a 22 with wireless CarPlay. I switched from Spotify to apple and it’s like an entire new sound system. I was skeptical at first that apple quality would be that much better than Spotify . But they aren’t even in the same league anymore..

Completely worth the upgrade and the extra $$$

Hey, what quality level did you download in for Apple Music?

 

[Coreytrevor]

Hey, what quality level did you download in for Apple Music?

Under the music settings I have
Dolby atmos - always on

Under audio quality
Lossless audio turned - on
Cellular streaming - high quality
Wi-Fi streaming - hi res lossless
Downloads - lossless

Once you turn these things on you will have to re download the music you already have that wasn’t downloaded in lossless format. You may have to actually remove the album then search it again and download. Sometimes some music is either lossless or Dolby atmos or both. And any new music you download should now be in lossless and/or Dolby atmos. whatever is available

I have had Sirius for probably 15 years now and I’ve always loved it. For some reason though Sirius is absolutely terrible quality in the truck. I know it’s not streamed high quality… but with this b&o it really exposed the terrible sound quality of Sirius

 

[Caneman88]

This is the best stock system I have ever owned and heard.
using Apple Car play and surround set to ON

 

[NickRivait]

I have an iPhone 13 Pro Max with 256GB of storage.

Turned on Lossless, deleted all my downloads, re-downloaded them, sounds amazing. But I notice it glitches out during songs sometimes. Tried restarting my phone, and closing my apps. Anyone else?

 

[VFS]

So I just got my new powerboost with 18 speaker system yesterday. drove it 2.5hrs home and using spotify bt and using fade the only speaker i could hear was the center. I was so pissed I waited 6months for this truck because i wanted the a good system.
this morning i drive to work playing same music and its louder, thought it was me. im at 500km and playing the same file as the day i got the truck and now im hearing, feeling good base like the (22 ram with alpine stereo), sound from the roof and headrest speakers.
So my conclusion, Ford must limit the power going to the speakers so they get broken in, and slowly the computer increases the wattage. if they didnt do that they would be replacing blown speakers under warranty.
anyone else think this same thing?

 

[Buyer2021]

So my conclusion, Ford must limit the power going to the speakers so they get broken in, and slowly the computer increases the wattage. if they didnt do that they would be replacing blown speakers under warranty. anyone else think this same thing?

No.

 

[TJE]

Using Spotify high quality downloads, and with a little tweaking I think it's amazing. I've been in a 19 Silverado, and a 22 Tahoe, both with Bose systems. They don't hold a candle to the unleashed. Only complaint is I wish i could go a little louder. That being said, it did try to blow my eardrums once....

 

[m_bt54]

Using Spotify high quality downloads, and with a little tweaking I think it's amazing. I've been in a 19 Silverado, and a 22 Tahoe, both with Bose systems. They don't hold a candle to the unleashed. Only complaint is I wish i could go a little louder. That being said, it did try to blow my eardrums once....

My experience has been the opposite. My other truck is an 18 Sierra SLT with a Bose system and the sound is much better in the Sierra than in my 21 F150 with the BO Unleashed. I use Apple Music with the highest quality set for both streaming and downloads.

One other note is that I find the BO system sounds much better with wired CarPlay than wireless CarPlay

 

[DrTone]

For those doing apple lossless. Wireless CarPlay will still convert to lossy aac even though it is streaming via wifi not bluetooth. I believe this is done for reliability, performance and battery saving reasons.

To get lossless to the head unit you need to do wired carplay.

 

[sippy2]

using spotify bt and using fade the only speaker i could hear was the center.

I agree...the heavy center speaker is awful. I have tried all the tricks and settings and couldnt take it any more.

So I started acquiring pieces to do a 3-way active. Doing it in stages. Just completed doing frt speaker install(doors,corner dash,tweeters) as the first stage....to my surprise....huge improvement. I will admit I am using Audiofrog speakers and they are not cheap. When I was doing it...I had a hard time getting center speaker installed...but I think it sounded better without a center. I am now going back and forth with the center to see which is better.

Now I am wandering if you just disconnected the center speaker on a stock system if it would help as well. Its easy to access...speaker cover just pops off with trim tools...then two 7mm bolts hold speaker and a quick disconnect.

I would love to hear of someone trying it and see.

 

[Jbcaindo]

The center is useless. It also narrows the sound stage which is counterintuitive.

 

[Flash69]

I agree...the heavy center speaker is awful. I have tried all the tricks and settings and couldnt take it any more.

So I started acquiring pieces to do a 3-way active. Doing it in stages. Just completed doing frt speaker install(doors,corner dash,tweeters) as the first stage....to my surprise....huge improvement. I will admit I am using Audiofrog speakers and they are not cheap. When I was doing it...I had a hard time getting center speaker installed...but I think it sounded better without a center. I am now going back and forth with the center to see which is better.

Now I am wandering if you just disconnected the center speaker on a stock system if it would help as well. Its easy to access...speaker cover just pops off with trim tools...then two 7mm bolts hold speaker and a quick disconnect.

I would love to hear of someone trying it and see.

I’m not happy with the B&O Unleashed system either. I pulled my Audiofrog GB10, and GB60s out of my old truck to install in my 2022. New truck will be Audiofrog 3 way active (GB10s, GB25s and GB60s), Helix DSP Ultra, (2) Mosconi Pro 5|30s, AF coax 6 1/2s for rear fill when there are passengers, single Illusion C3CX for center and 2 (or 4) Hertz MPS 250s. With the Helix I will be able to tune the system to use center or not. Which AF did you use for center channel?

 

[sippy2]

I used a Seas full range driver...didnt want to spend much... as this is just a temp fix. I probably wont use a center initially after I install the Helix amp. I am trying to get the sound stage and imaging I had when I built a higher end home system. I am even back and forth with rear fill.

https://audiostatus.lt/product/sample-product/h1600-04/

Oh yeh..there isnt a wiring pigtail for any of the dash speakers yet...I ended up canabilizing my speakers to make one. But I have since found a connector that works...its kinda expensive because it is a whole pigtail..... but it does work and is what I was using on my center ....when I had it plugged in. It works on all three dash speakers.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089292V5C?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

 

[scott011422]

Out of the box I wasn’t too impressed with the unleashed system. It was no highs, no lows, typical Bose. All the sound came from the front main speaker. However using the suggestions from this forum I turned off the volume leveling on my phone, changed the sound setting in the dash to surround rather than stereo, moved the fader to behind the rear cupholders but in front of the rear seats, and set treble/mids to 80% and bass to 60%.

the system bumps now. Sounds very good. Clean directional audio is supported in higher bit rate music. Most listening is done around volume 8 and the highest I’ve taken it to is volume 16. Anything higher than 16 and your neighbors will be listening to your music with you.

I also had a weird scenario where the music from my phone came over Bluetooth rather than Apple CarPlay. Sounded terrible, less than phone call quality. But now that music is coming through the CarPlay setup I’m very happy with the system….just takes some adjusting to get it right.

This is me 100% This is now the best system Ive heard in person after making these same changes. That and higher quality music is a must. Alexa Ultra, Apple, Tidal, Spotify Prem all sound awesome. Radio and xm are good for low level background only.

I do have the problem with needing more volume on anything coming through the phone, But I wear a bone conducting headset 12+ hours a day and I have my phone setup so that sounds good. If I have to turn up the volume a little more between Alexa and the phone, So be it. as it is now, Spotify and Tidal, 8 is good for daily listening. 25ish is great when I really want to crank something and it sounds great. Better than my 05 F150 with Alpine headunit and a JL 10w7 on stock speakers. Better than my 04 Canyon with Pioneer Head, Infinity speakers and JL Stealthbox.

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