This if my first post on a forum (ever), so please go easy on me.

I have recently bought a 2011 S-Max Titanium (2.0 petrol ecoboost). The car is fitted with the 9-speaker Sony DAB CD. I am really dissapointed with the sound quality, which seems to have very little bass and the low frequencies start to distort at relatively low volumes.
I have played with all of the settings including the DSP.

I have noticed that the DSP (digital signal processor) only has three settings (optimise all, optimise left, optimise right), and sounds much better when set to 'optimise left' and is at its worst (distorts and sounds tinny) when set to 'optimise all'. I would have expected that 'optimise all' (which is the default) would have been the best. Also it does not seem possible to turn the DSP 'off', which I can do on my earlier fords with Sony Stereos (05 Mondeo Ghia and an 07 Focus Titanium).

By comparison to my Mondeo and Focus, I would have expected the S-Max to be much better, as it is newer and now has 9 speakers (the ninth speaker is a centre speaker on the dash), but this is not the case. The standard sony audio in my Mondeo and Focus blow the S-Max away.

Does anyone have any ideas as to whether this is normal, or if you have an S-max then do you have a similar experience?

Also the Audio manual that came with the car does not cover the Sony stereo, so if anyone knows where to get hold of one (preferably online pdf download) the I would be most grateful.

Depending on the build date of your S-Max, your dealer mig (which also have newer software with revised sound settings. The Optimized All setting equals the old OFF setting (which also had time delays etc. to move the stage to the front).
Is your sound issues with all sources, or specific to one (FM/DAB/CD)?

Thanks TomTom70.

My sound issue is with all sources (I mainly use Ipod or CD). Interesting to know that the new DSP 'optimised all' is equivalent to the old 'off' setting. As the old 'off' setting gave the best sound in my Mondeo and Focus, I suppose this highlights that their is definitely something not quite right.
I have tried moved the fader/balance around, and each individual speaker is working fine. I just hoped that I would be able to turn the DSP 'off'.

Thanks again for the response. I will give my dealer a call in the week and see if they are aware of any updates (when I purchased the car they told me that all updates had been applied - although that was taken with a pinch of salt).

Thanks again