The base trim has 9 speakers. Are those 9 speakers the same part as the 16 speaker trims? Does the 16 speaker trims just have more speakers + different tuning/processing? I have no music in 5.1, so I don't believe I'd get any benefit.

Thanks

 

It looks like only the front center channel speaker is the same.

IMO the ceiling speakers and high-mounted midrange drivers in the front doors improve clarity. A lot. And all audio gets processed to use them, not just 5.1.

ADVANCE:


BASE:

 

9 speaker system does not have front center speaker

Audio systems vary by trim, starting with nine speakers and 350 watts on the RDX,
Acura/ELS Studio® Audio with 12 speakers and 550 watts on the RDX with Technology Package,
and all‐new Acura/ELS Studio® 3D™ premium audio system with 16 speakers (including four
ceiling‐mounted Highline™ speakers) and 710 watts on the RDX A‐Spec and RDX with Advance
Package.

Acura 9‐Speaker Audio System
The RDX comes standard with a 350‐watt Acura audio system with nine speakers
strategically located throughout the RDX cabin. Each front and rear door has a 9‐cm full
range speaker. Each front door also includes a larger 17‐cm driver. Separate 3‐cm
tweeters are positioned near the A‐pillars. A 20‐cm subwoofer is mounted in a tuned
10.8‐liter enclosure in the right sidewall of the cargo area.

 

Acura/ELS Studio® 12‐Speaker Audio System (Technology Package)
The RDX with Technology Package features a 12‐speaker, 550‐watt Acura/ELS Studio®
system that is engineered to offer impressive sound quality from a wide range of media
formats. Building on the nine‐speaker layout found in the RDX, two additional 3‐cm by
10‐cm Highline™ ultra‐slim overhead speakers are added in the front portion of the
headliner and a 9‐cm center‐channel full‐range speaker is placed atop the instrument
panel. An external amplifier with patented Acoustic Motion Control™ provides 12
channels of amplification, one to each speaker.

Acura/ELS Studio 3D™ 16‐Speaker Audio System (A‐Spec and Advance Packages)
The RDX A‐Spec and RDX
with Advance Package feature an Acura‐first, state‐of‐the‐art 710‐watt 16‐speaker, 16‐
channel Acura/ELS Studio 3D™ Audio System. Building on the 12‐speaker system, the 3D
system adds two additional Highline™ ultra‐slim overhead speakers (shown on left) in
the rearward portion of the ceiling, located on either side of the glass roof panel. Two
additional 8‐cm drivers are positioned in the D‐pillars on either side on the cabin, just
behind the rear seats. An upgraded external amplifier with patented Acoustic Motion
Control™ provides 710 watts of system power, delivered through 16 discrete channels,
one for each speaker.

 

I have the 12 speaker system and find the Audio is my greatest disappointment with this car.
Tweeters are Harsh and the sound is not immersive.
Audio settings need to be adjusted by source.

 

I asked ELS about implementing an equalizer in an upcoming software update and they said it might happen... It should have been there day 1

 

This is interesting because the ELS system treats different sources differently at the external DSP/amp.

BTW, thanks for the correction on center and front door speakers. I wondered why my count was off.

The relatively high-mounted midrange drivers in the front doors are an improvement over having the vocals serenade your ankles, so it's a good thing all trims have them.

 

WOW, sorry to hear that. My assessment of the system is that it is awesome and the best I have had in a car, or in my home for that matter. I found and formatted some 5.1 music and the sound is amazing....my wife wears hearing aids so I have to keep the volume down when she is with me. But when I am alone....well, I turned it up to the point that it was hurting my ears and there was no distortion at all. That is truly amazing for me.

 

I sat in the 16 speaker system and found the audio is much better than the 12 speaker system. I believe there is a substantial difference between the two systems, not just the approx. thousands of dollars.