SoCalPurpleFit - Have you tried changing the antennae to a longer one? Maybe that may make a difference? Or does the station have an app that you can use to listen versus radio, like Iheartradio?

On my 4Runner, the antennae is embedded into the glass versus a normal antennae. Not sure if the Prius is setup like that.

 

Wow and im over here thinking my LX radio is bumpin 😂😂😂

All i have is a double din block off plate in my other car.

 

 

My issues with the radio are 2. The sound quality is poor, even to my 53 year old ears. The display for things like audio books, podcasts, and music when connected to my iPhone, is poor. Can't even get remaining time on a given track. I've read on Crutchfield's site about an interface that will allow for her unit replacement with retention of steering wheel controls and both camera. Unfortunately the customers who took the time to review their experience with it, all said that the cameras didn't work as expected with the new head unit. I'd replace the radio if I could retain the cameras. Lane Watch is a very useful tool for me.

 

 

Good if you're satisfied. I recently drove my wife's 2010 Fit Sport with it's aftermarket replacement radio, and original speakers. I could immediately detect a difference in the sound. I also find that on my 2015 Fit, the EQ adjustments are too broad for my liking.

 

I agree. Pretty weak for the price.

 

my AM audio definitely sounds like it's running through some kind of filter, audio sounds muffled, so different from the two Toyotas in my family. That said, I recently took my Fit to the Fla Panhandle (900+ miles from home) and was really surprised when I got my hometown all-news station (WBBM-AM, 780 on the dial) after dark. I know all about AM signal propagation and realize it's an FCC clear channel but I never heard it that far from home before (and I've been around a bit; I'm in the all-50 club). Also interesting is that I couldn't pull in the big dog, WLS-AM 890, which was typically the only Chi AM station I could get in past travels.

The other thing I noticed is the absolutely useless AM search feature on the Fit. It hits every other frequency but it's 90% static. My prev car, a 2002 GTI, was much better at filtering out the noise.

 

^^^ Exactly! ^^^

Why anyone would expect great sound from the factory stock stereo of an economy car that doesn't have a particularly quiet ride is beyond me. I'm quite sure that Honda did not add any type of compression to the system since that would cost more.

The OP's complaint also omitted some critical information such as the type of music and what type of source was used. All commercially released music today is compressed to varying degrees during the recording and mastering process. Classical is probably the least compressed. Pop/Rock is typically highly compressed. FM stations compress these recordings even further. If the source is a phone or USB drive that is loaded with mp3 files you're not going to get great quality no matter what system you use because mp3 compresses and actually removes a large amount of musical information, which is why the file sizes are small and you can fit so many songs in memory. Pandora and other streaming sources also use "lossy" compression technology. Using Bluetooth also degrades sound quality. As with many other things, convenience is king and quality takes a back seat.

Here's a fairly detailed article on how mp3 and other "lossy" file formats remove around 90% of the musical content in order to reduce file size: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniq...oes-your-music

I just drove my girlfriend's 2018 Fit some this weekend. The updated '18s are supposedly noticeably quieter than the earlier versions like the used 2016 the OP bought. She normally just listens to talk and news on FM. I played a couple of CDs - one by Caro Emerald which is kinda retro jazzy, loungey, dance stuff and the other by Americana singer songwriter Darden Smith. My only complaint was that it could use a more sophisticated EQ, preferably a 5 band but at least a Midrange control, rather than just Bass and Treble. Still, the sound was enjoyable and decent enough for what it was. When I'm in the car, I'm a driver. If I want to wear my audiophool hat and listen to music closely I listen at home in a quiet environment using lossless formats and mostly vintage tube amps.

 

I thought the 2018 dropped the CD player?

Anyway I just figured out the CD to USB process, and I understand now how they get so many songs on this thing.

 

The LX is the only model that still has a CD player. I guess it's a trade-off in that the more expensive models get a larger infotainment screen and some other "features" that aren't on the LX's system.

Yes, standard mp3 files take up only 10% of the space contained in a "lossless" file. The quality of music reproduction is relatively poor these days so most people don't notice and likely wouldn't care. Probably the vast majority have never actually heard anything better since they're accustomed to listening on multi-channel home theatre systems which are great for action adventure movies but usually not nearly so good for music as an old-school stereo system. Bells and whistles impress people and sell. Use Bluetooth and quality is limited even further but, hey, it's wireless so it must be better. It's another trade-off, convenience over sound quality. Pay more for a system with more watts, more watts has got to be better, right? Subjectively, listeners describe a 3 db (decibel) increase in volume as "slightly louder". If you're using speakers that are equally efficient, you have to double the wattage in order to get a 3 db increase in volume. To make something sound "twice as loud" takes 10 times the wattage. I won't even get into how wattage ratings are easily, and commonly, manipulated. More marketing hocus pocus.

If you burn a CD to iTunes in a lossless format you can then copy those files to a USB drive. I've never tried using a USB in the Fit so I don't know if it will read those files or if it only reads mp3. I'll have to give it a try sometime. Given the automotive environment I'm sure mp3 is fine, though. There's nothing wrong with appreciating convenience. I was glad my girlfriend bought the LX because I have a lot of CDs and I regularly check CDs out from the library in search of new music. It's much more convenient for me to have the option of playing them directly instead of having to convert them and put them on a USB.

 

My 2018 LX (Canadian) doesn't have a CD player.

 

What's a CD player???

 

A CD player is a tray that slides out and it's got a hole in the middle where you can put your drinks. ie a fancy name for a cup holder.

 

 

even if i have a fit lx 2016 model , that i love to drive , i found that the sound system was .... , so just after i bought the car i change the radio and speaker front and rear it cust me almost nothing because i already have the the HU and speakers and it was easy to open the dash

 

why dont you put 2 12w7's/1200hd/600/4 and a external alpine head unit! thatll set you back a few grand and takes care of your sound issues.
tf you want from a 16/17k car??

 

gotta do something about the road noise.

 

that 's exactly i did , well ... partly , i put an alpine hu + amp with focal speakers , it cost me almost nothing , i had it already in my last car ,
i change all by my self . the only thing i miss is a little sub but i can live without