2022 Kia EV6 - Meridian 14-speaker Sound System Review | Apple CarPlay & Android Auto 

Finally an in-depth review of the meridian with an appropriate recording method. Been waiting for something like that since the EV6 got introduced. Thanks a lo for that! I would have loved if you had shown the subwoofer and the amplifier too. We ordered our EV6 including the Meridian, still I was between B and C like you when we test drove it. So I already plan on maybe replacing the speakers, especially the trebles in the front doors and the sub. But hey, it's not that important, the system is really nice after all!

Got subscribed for your sound system reviews !! Can't wait to watch your other vids from this lovely EV6 !!! Greetings from Barcelona ;)

Amazing i could feel the same feel in my earphones

I tried the 14 speakers from Meridian on Kia K8 I really liked it, its surround and no vibration noise coming from the car due to the sound system really will done system. Most cars have good systems but the car produces vibration noise which keeps you distracted all the time!

I love your reviews of audio systems! I hope you get a chance to review the B&O system in the GV60 and even the updated 2023 Niro EV when it becomes available.

Kia's screen size, technology, responsive and navigation system is top-notch, something I will never pick any other brand over this one for now.

Such a cool video to present the audio system of this car. You covered every aspect and with good recording material to get a good idea. Most of the time when I see a video presenting a car, this aspect is omitted but it's quite an important aspect for many people. Now that I discovered your channel, which I'll follow, I'm gonna check if you've made another with Tesla 3 and/or Y. Many thanks for this video, all the best !

I still use a quad DAC LG V50 (tuned by Meridian!) with AIFF/WAV/WMA pop music via Poweramp app. Can't wait to test drive this sound system as it should be a perfect pairing.

EV6 meridian sounds very good for me :)

I found to get decent output through the sound system especially through CarPlay. You need to go into setting and increase the CarPlay input volume to over 50 then it’s much better. I also moved the perceived centre back a bit it feels too far forward like dash area not in the car to me. After coming from the brilliant meridian on the Range Rover sport it’s not on the same level.

Love the vid…is there going to be a review on the 12 speaker Bose system in the Kia Sorento which is a competitor to the harman/kardon in the Santa Fe which you reviewed…and also the 15 speaker harman/kardon in the Kia stinger with dual under seat subs?

You nailed it when talking about needing to turn in down due to the harsh sound. It is very fatiguing and I cannot listen at the volumes I like for long... In my case it is a lease so I don't think there is anything I can do about it. Its a shame b/c everything else I love about the car!

Thanks for your rewiew! I have been waiting for a rewiew to see if its me who is to hard on the soundsystem, i had the Ev6 for 3 mounth now and i bought the GT'line only because a wanted a great audio sound. It was like 6k extra. And i was soo disappointed by the sound and the lack of bass.. I have always liked Meridians home audio equipment. But i feel like they sould out the name, whithout delivering what they us to stand for.. I guess everything is for sale this days.. 😔 Thanks again and i guess i have to find som new speakers for the frontsystem. But im not shure the amplifier is up for it.. Cant find any specs about the watt in the amplifier.. My guess is 300-500 watt.. And thats no good for 14 speakers... 🤷‍♂️

Can a subwoofer be added? I have the ev6 wind awd with the tech package, but it seems to lose base at the low end.

Can you swap the subwoofer? Can a update fix the underpowered sound?

0:05 You got an efficiency of 5.3 miles per kWh ! Amazing ! How was it driven ?

Hey Charlie, great video. Love your channel. I'm a huge audiophile. I'm very interested in the new acura mdx type s. Can you please do a review on its sound system. It's different than the regular mdx bcuz it has the els studio 3d signature sound system with 25 speakers. I would greatly appreciate it! Looking forward to it. Love the vids keep goin! 😆

It sounds better than my ES250

I went to a kia outlet yesterday here in India. They dont want people to buy EV at all. The display car in the showroom did not have any charge. They would not even plug It in. Can you imagine? Secondly he told me the sound system is the worlds most premium one worth Rs 15 Lakhs (approx 18000 usd) and now I come here and find that the mids are not good. I thought the speaker system would be flawless. Even while hearing it sounded so average.

Is it possible to put an aftermarket sub and amp in the car?

The problem is that the defaults are hopelessly weedy and trebly. After some experimentation/calibration with tracks that I know really well, played from my iPhone over USB, I have gotten good results with these settings: Imaging: 2 Immersion: 2 Treble: +0 Midrange: +2 Bass: +4 With the above, things are sounding much more like a decent home setup, across all musical genres. Still wish I knew what "imaging" and "immersion" actually mean in technical terms though!

Needing help from the aftermarket pros. Let's say you made the mistake of buying the EV6 hoping for a stellar audio system but as this reviewer states, the system is rather muddy and the highs aren't crisp and the lows aren't rumbley enough... is it POSSIBLE to fix all of this without just trading in the vehicle?

kia uses almost all brands of sound system

They need to step it up on their Android Auto/Car Play especially with not having any streaming apps on their system

Does anyone know if this is the exact speaker set up in the 2022 RWD base trim, ???

Can you retest this car, since october 2023 this audio had a retune update on meridian

@Daily Motor, I heard that the kia EV6 audio had been improved with the December software update. Now I wonder if these reviews should include the software version, and whether you might want to post another (if in fact the sound has been updated)

Mustang Mach E has a 10 speaker B&O system ..The dash is a sound bar..

With the meridian name and audio spec of this car, I would expect a very nice sounding system. What is the usual short fall of cars that prevents them from being A tier - is the the cheap speakers, underpowered amp, loud interior, etc?

i chose it without the meridian system am exited if ill regret it.

This looks like a brand new car, around 600miles? I wonder if the sound might get better over time, some speakers can take 10-100 hours of playtime to sound like they should, If that is the issue or not, I cannot say.

Mazda cx60 sound quality great

Surround sounds way better than authentic. I was severely disappointed in my ev6's stereo system until I switched it to surround. I can't understand why authentic is the default. It sounds horrible.

Watched your Video with high quality earphones, and I have to say, I heard your "problems" with the system. (good microphones). I think it is just right for its class and prize. Anyone, who wants more fidelity needs to replace it with even better speakers or even amplifier(s).

I'm disappointed in the Meridian sound system, which means the BOSE system in the Ionic 5 makes the car a non issue

Just got a 2023 EV6 GT-Line, underwhelmed with the Meridian system. Basic sound quality is fine. But the system has a number of serious deficiencies. Biggest one is that the default volume balance is defective. If you adjust the overall volume to a comfortable listening level, then adjust the "Position" setting to fade the audio all the way to the rear of the car, the volume decreases dramatically. Worse, even when in the centered position, the rear door speaker volume is a small fraction that of the forward speakers. Under normal, default settings, the forward speakers are pretty much the only ones doing any real work as far as filling the cabin space with audio. I have found that by fading the position back to the -7 to -8 setting (out of +1o to -10), where the volume has dropped off dramatically but at least is perceived as well-balanced front-to-rear, then you can turn the volume back up and things are "okay". But the overall balance still changes as the volume setting it adjusted, and driving the audio system at the higher volume levels produces some artifacts in the audio. :( It also helps a little to enable the "Surround" processing, which seems to increase the levels going to the surround speakers in the rear pillars, but this setting adds a heavy reverb effect to voice frequencies, which is uncomfortable to listen to for talk radio or vocal-prominent music. Another major problem with the audio system is that the radio has a **terrible** receiver/tuner. It fails to lock on to the signal at much higher signal quality than any of my other cars. I get the "staticky, cutting in and out" quality to the audio unless I'm in a spot where the radio signal is _really_ good. It seems that the "Radio Noise" setting is there mainly to filter out the static you get most of the time, but unfortunately it filters other qualities of the audio too. Besides all that, there are basic things like the system having only a three-band equalizer, and not having any separate EQ for the subwoofer. But I could live with those, if it weren't for the fact that the overall basic sound design is just **crap** .

brother. so icredible channel~ )

I just bought the Ev6 and the sound is clear but not enough low end bass. I traded my Stinger in which had the 15 speaker Harmon Kardon system. Which which was much more powerfull.

There is a way to configure the apple car play and android auto full screen. It’s in settings.

I thought the system sounded pretty good in my short test drive but now that I have my new 2023 GT- line it is just sub par. I can't really describe what all is wrong with it but it sound tinny. I will have to see just how much it will cost to bring this system up as this is one fun car to drive and charging at home is a blast. Great car bad stereo. Now the Hyundai Ionic 5 sounded even worse to me btw.

Very Good settings Equalizer triple 0 mid 0 bass 10 Intelligent IQ high sound mode Authentic

No wireless car play is a hard stop for me. Such a great car it’s too bad.

Man I really want to hear The Weeknd on this car😭

I have been incredibly disappointed with the Meridian sound system. I used to have a Bowers and Wilkins system in my Volvo XC60 which was incredible. I even found the JBL system in our old Kia E-Niro better. I took the EV6 to a local in car audio specialist, and he said that there is little to no sound insulation in the doors, and the location of the subwoofer is poor, as there's nowhere for the sound to escape to. The car itself is absolutely AMAZING though!! Just a shame about the sub par audio, especially with the Meridian name attached.

I would like to hear you say "i sell propane and propane accessories. Taste the meat and not the heat."

Well B’s get degrees 😜

I have this meridian audio system in my EV6, not really happy. I should have my head closed to the windshiled to recover a good stero shape, no possibility to have equaliser sets for separate speakers (no way to manage the central speaker), bad front-to-back spatialization (sound not loud at rear)...

How about compared to Tesla Model Y? Which one you think is better? Thanks!

why does android auto only use half screen, looks outdated to me for new car.

If this is B tier, is the Ioniq 5 Bose system even worse?

Has anyone figured out on how to "lock " the start screen to XM-Radio / nav . I find this system always defaults to 2 over sized battery fuel gages.. worthless!, very irritating to have to re- set 4 or five times a day. would never buy this vehicle again.

can you watch you tube videos like on tesla,

I personally hate the meridian sound system. For $60,000 car the sound sure does suck. You have to turn it to 50 to really be able to hear it and even at that volume the bassreally lacks. I wish they would’ve stuck with Harman Kardon like in my kia optima hybrid.

I was disappointed in the sound quality of my EV6. But the car is so cool its a small fault.

Please could someone translate the "B" rating in a scale from 1 to 10? (Assuming 1 would be rubbish and 10 would be perfect)

It maybe a Meridian badge on their speaker but I don't think Meridian has nothing to do with the sound system. Speakers and amps may be produced by third party,

Man I cannot believe they don’t have wireless Applecar play and android auto. I hate to say it but I might be a deal breaker for me.

I had high hope for the EV6 Meridian system, but it is not to be. I have a Meridian system in my F type. It is wonderful. If that is a 10 in the F type, then The EV6 scores a 5: -2 for bass extension and slam (seriously the subwoofer is either missing, not wired, or wired out of phase), -1 for treble definition (the violin doesn't have that shimmering shin, the cymbal doesn't have that metallic twang, etc.), -1 for midrange clarity (vocal is recessed and thin), and -1 for dynamic (everything sounds compressed at both low and high volume.) I know Meridian can sound better and they are known for excellent sounds but... this is just embarrassing... to be charitable. It seems they focused on adding more features and forgot all about the sound quality. Shame on Meridian for releasing this piss poor system. KIA should kick Meridian in the ass and demand their money back.

Maybe HiPhi X has fake Meridian loudspeakers.

Pon reggaeton, no mames.