Well, of course... as I mentioned... one can spend stupid amounts of money in car audio. I've had experience with custom tuning individual crossovers for speaker sets. Also have had (still do) several AudioControl components, most similar to their current EQL, EQS, EQX type components. Of course in addition to the Morel drivers I mentioned earlier I've had Altec, JVC, JBL, SEAS, Vifa, Scanspeak and may other drivers.
High end auto installs can (and do) sound quite well. But given the constraints, there just are too many physics going against any installation that you simply don't have when installing into a proper room. Dollar for dollar you can take the same expenditure in a rectangle shaped room and have exponentially better sound.
The inherent problem that will always exist within the confines of an automobile/truck/van etc. is you just do not physically have the space to reproduce a given sound wave. For instance, low bass will never physically be able to be reproduced inside the confines of an automobile due to the wavelengths involved. (IE: 24Hz=28.25ft @ sea level @ 72°) And that is before it hits a wall and needs to reflect back, double that for a full sine wave inside the area. Move down to 20Hz and you need a full 56.5 feet! Then take synthesized/electronic bass from a lot of today's music where they'll mix it down to 14~16Hz and you're looking at a wavelength of 70~80 FEET!
Yet inside the vehicle you indeed have the impression that you are experiencing true, low, bass. How does that happen? Simple, you are pressurizing the internal area, and your entire body, eardrums and everything else is simply oscillating (more or less) in unison with the bass drivers. Open the hatch, all the doors, give the sound a place to go and WHAM the bass outside will truly reach "sub" levels. It's turning your body literally into a passive radiator.
Which also goes to why the cops travelling around outside say the bass is so loud to them when inside all you're doing is just having a good time.
You're not right. Why do you think the full length of a soundwave has to physically fit in a room before it "truly heard"? Makes no sense. Answer this.... how do headphones work? Clearly most sound waves are longer than the distance between your ear and the headphone's speaker. Everyone has witnessed bass in headphones. Don't tell me they aren't "actually hearing it".
Also bass travels further than higher frequencies. It is also omnidirectional, which means the sound waves sort of bleed all over the place. That's why you can still hear it clearly outside of a car and down the street, but you can't hear the rest of the music.
