Lucid Air Stereo "Surreal Sound" Test Impressions

[Bunnylebowski]

This car needs a sub?

Say “Alexa on Tidal play the song Other Voices by The Cure” and you will have your answer. (The answer is no, it doesn’t, but if someone wants to add even more bass, well coooool.)

 

[noobzilla]

Hows the EQ setting customization in the Lucid? Would be nice to adjust by frequency range

 

[borski]

Hows the EQ setting customization in the Lucid? Would be nice to adjust by frequency range

For now, just three bands “low, mid, high”

Does *not* need a sub but to each their own!

 

[joecrna]

Haven't heard the Lucid yet, so my reference for factory systems in the Lexus Mark Levinson system. Other then that I go aftermarket. Can't wait to hear if the Lucid Surreal system is worth the money. You know, I tend to use different systems for different listening at home. 2 channel- B&W, detailed critical listening/some theater- Martin Logan/Velodyn and for most cinema in a horrible room- Klipsch. I really love Martin Logans in an EQ'd room set for near perfectly flat response. Cars I like to boom with bass, albeit, very tight bass and an EQ to make some aluminum domes sizzle or a few Martin Logans. Have yet to find a factory car stereo that really satisfies. Maybe the Lucid will? My hearing is finally starting to roll off but I can appreciate a high detail, flat set-up.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

Not to go too off topic but trying to decide whether to do a listening room with a TV or do a reasonable mini home theater. Since the 3D ship has sailed, not really thrilled about doing a real home theater. For a listening room, not sure what speakers.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

Haven't heard the Lucid yet, so my reference for factory systems in the Lexus Mark Levinson system. Other then that I go aftermarket. Can't wait to hear if the Lucid Surreal system is worth the money. You know, I tend to use different systems for different listening at home. 2 channel- B&W, detailed critical listening/some theater- Martin Logan/Velodyn and for most cinema in a horrible room- Klipsch. I really love Martin Logans in an EQ'd room set for near perfectly flat response. Cars I like to boom with bass, albeit, very tight bass and an EQ to make some aluminum domes sizzle or a few Martin Logans. Have yet to find a factory car stereo that really satisfies. Maybe the Lucid will? My hearing is finally starting to roll off but I can appreciate a high detail, flat set-up.

I’ve had Porsche Burmeister and the top of the line Lexus system. Lucid Dolby Atmos via Tidal blows them both away but I’m really waiting for streaming Apple Music cause their Dolby Atmos selections are much greater. Already have over 1400 selections ready to go once Apple Music is available via CarPlay.

 

[joecrna]

Yeh, I've got the Porsche system too. The extra processor and speakers are defiantly worth it with a soft top but still not great. I don't usually listen to Atmos except for home theater. Even then I tend to prefer other processing. Im hooked on details even though they are often mistakes in the original recording. Things like seeds hitting the inside of Moraccas, a deep breath before playing a wind instrument or fingers sliding off the strings of an acoustical guitar. I try to avoid any compressed music, I seldom actually do. Think vinyl records or multi real players, all digital is compressed. A car never reaches these levels. They're always a compromise. Im hoping the upgraded Lucid system sounds very good for a car, I ordered my wife's with the upgrade. It sounds like it should. I'd hate to try to do an aftermarket system in any EV right now. I just don't know enough about them or their packaging.

As for theater vs listening room, how critical listening do you plan. My one room, with Martin Logans, easily switches between the two. I would not recommend these speakers for most people. Speakers are easily the most individual component in any system. You'll have to listen to lots to see what style you like. I don't think you should listen to so called experts. It all very personal. It depends on you and the music you listen to the most.

 

[noobzilla]

Not to go too off topic but trying to decide whether to do a listening room with a TV or do a reasonable mini home theater. Since the 3D ship has sailed, not really thrilled about doing a real home theater. For a listening room, not sure what speakers.

Also head's up that all other components matter too so make sure to consider budget for them -- file or audio quality, DAC (digital to audio converter), amplifier, cables, speaker, subwoofer. It's a whole can of worms to discuss about but if you like reading and researching then it'll be a lot of things to read about!

Edit: digital to analog converter not audio

 

[noobzilla]

For now, just three bands “low, mid, high”

Does *not* need a sub but to each their own!

I havent checked the manual but I wonder if the Air has analog input. I'd like to check DAC specs too. Regarding EQ I can probably find some software EQ from phone and adjust there. I'm a basshead and like to feel the oomph but I adjust up to a certain frequency only so it doesnt affect other instruments.

 

[noobzilla]

I think I should stay away from this post... I'm starting to have a very strong itch to listen to the Air's sound system but I won't be able to so I'm just gonna get realllly frustrated haha. I wanted to try it during a visit to their Studio but I didn't want to hog the car and force the Lucid rep to listen to my music and he already spent a lot of time showing the car. Maybe there's someone here in the Sacramento area who'd want to do a listening session. I can offer headphones session for an Air audio session

 

[Bunnylebowski]

, DAC (digital to audio converter),

Do you mean digital to analog converter? The Lucid does not have an analog input into its amplifier that’s easily accessible without taking the system apart, so there’s no point in having your own DAC unless you’ve got a way to bypass the system, which would involve installing your own. To my ear whatever they’re using is quite good and doesn’t need extra fuss/time/money to make it even better, but that’s just my ears. Also people should understand that Dolby Atmos is a FILM listening format designed for cinema audio, and very few music recordings were/are mixed or recorded in that format, although more things are getting remastered in that format because it helps sell gear. Honestly not much music aside from film scores is even recorded/mixed in 5.1, although plenty has been remastered in that format, but aside from the sub not much is sent discreetly to the rear channels or height channels if you’re talking Atmos, it’s usually just the reverb that’s placed back there with the sound stage primarily front left center right. Audio compression via the various streaming formats has waaaaay more effect on what you’re hearing than the number of speakers.

 

[hmp10]

Say “Alexa on Tidal play the song Other Voices by The Cure” and you will have your answer. (The answer is no, it doesn’t, but if someone wants to add even more bass, well coooool.)

Also try "The Road to Ensenada" by Lyle Lovett -- one of the most beautiful and subtle low bass lines I've heard in a song. It starts in the second half of the song and is rendered superbly by the Lucid's sound system.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

Also try "The Road to Ensenada" by Lyle Lovett -- one of the most beautiful and subtle low bass lines I've heard in a song. It starts in the second half of the song and is rendered superbly by the Lucid's sound system.

Great I’ll check it out!

 

[noobzilla]

Do you mean digital to analog converter? The Lucid does not have an analog input into its amplifier that’s easily accessible without taking the system apart, so there’s no point in having your own DAC unless you’ve got a way to bypass the system, which would involve installing your own. To my ear whatever they’re using is quite good and doesn’t need extra fuss/time/money to make it even better, but that’s just my ears. Also people should understand that Dolby Atmos is a FILM listening format designed for cinema audio, and very few music recordings were/are mixed or recorded in that format, although more things are getting remastered in that format because it helps sell gear. Honestly not much music aside from film scores is even recorded/mixed in 5.1, although plenty has been remastered in that format, but aside from the sub not much is sent discreetly to the rear channels or height channels if you’re talking Atmos, it’s usually just the reverb that’s placed back there with the sound stage primarily front left center right. Audio compression via the various streaming formats has waaaaay more effect on what you’re hearing than the number of speakers.

haha yes analog, thanks for correction.

I'm generally distrustful of factory car audio. Even on upgraded trims that I've rode on with these multi speakers set-up, they sounded tinny. They were probably just streaming low quality compressed streaming format which didn't help. But again I don't have high expectation of car audio so when @copper posted and said how good the Air audio's are I got super excited.

I just like to experiment hence I'm wondering if Air has analog in although it's impractical to use even if it did. I'm extra excited for the Dolby Atmos because I do like to listen to instrumentals and film scores!

@copper are you in HeadFi forums or any other forums? Would like to see specs of speakers set-ups you have.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

haha yes analog, thanks for correction.
I just like to experiment hence I'm wondering if Air has analog in although it's impractical to use even if it did. I'm extra excited for the Dolby Atmos because I do like to listen to instrumentals and film scores!

Yeah some scores I know for a fact that were recorded and mixed specifically for Atmos are Rise of Skywalker and Life of Pi, they make an artful non-gimmicky use of the height channels.

 

[maxwang]

Anyone knows how much power(watts)the “surreal sound system” has?

 

[SDHacker]

Anyone knows how much power(watts)the “surreal sound system” has?

From digitaltrends article:

"It’s a 21-speaker, 800-watt, dual-amplifier system that Lucid has dubbed “Surreal Sound.”
According to Lucid Motors, it worked with Dolby, to tune the speaker system for the space of the Lucid Air using the Capitol Records Studio C recording studio as the reference design.
The result is a sound system that can reproduce Dolby Atmos sound, using a 12-channel, 7.1.4 Atmos configuration.

 

[joecrna]

Life of Pi does really sparkle with Atmos, even using my Klipsch bouncing sound off the ceiling. As opposed to ceiling mounted speakers. My main theater uses a 12.2 system but I don't think any movies are even mastered for this format. I wouldn't get to caught up in how many speakers or the power of the system. When you are the engineer designing a system from the ground up you simply match efficiency of the speakers to the amps. If you are like most of us consumers cobbeling together a system from available components then its much more important. Still matching is the goal while providing sufficient power for the sound level you desire. Some speakers are terrible power hogs while others are suprisingly efficient.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

Life of Pi does really sparkle with Atmos, even using my Klipsch bouncing sound off the ceiling. As opposed to ceiling mounted speakers. My main theater uses a 12.2 system but I don't think any movies are even mastered for this format. I wouldn't get to caught up in how many speakers or the power of the system. When you are the engineer designing a system from the ground up you simply match efficiency of the speakers to the amps. If you are like most of us consumers cobbeling together a system from available components then its much more important. Still matching is the goal while providing sufficient power for the sound level you desire. Some speakers are terrible power hogs while others are suprisingly efficient.

Unfortunately Tidal doesn’t have the Dolby Atmos version of Life of Pi; only the Master version

 

[Steve11ca]

Has anyone else heard a vibration coming from the rear deck under fairly heavy bass? My rear shelf is being replaced and I'm hoping that it's just a one-off situation and not something systemic. Listening to the 80's Dolby Atmos playlist, B52's Love Shack is one of the songs that will bring it on.