Bose car sound system

I would say the only thing worse than paying $1800 for a bose home audio system would be paying 1800 for a bose car audio system.

While they aren't the best factory-installed systems out there, I don't think they're terrible. The worst part about them, IIRC, is that they wire the speakers up funny (or maybe just use funny speakers) and the speakers end up running at like 0.5ohms. The problem here is that you can't just take a speaker out and drop in a replacement.

I may be wrong on some of the details here, but I know I've read about lots of people wanting to swap out parts of their Bose car system and couldn't do it without ripping out the entire system.

in a vehicle i like the system that alpine offers
more bang for the buck.

First, let me preface my post with the fact that I LOATHE Bose...most overhyped, overpriced, pieces of garbage on the market. That said...my wife's maxima had the Bose system in it. I'm not nearly as discerning when I'm in a vehicle, and the Bose system was adequate. I surely wouldn't pay anywhere near $1800 for it (way overpriced, but what factory installed "delux" audio systems aren't?), but once it's in there, unless you really want to go all out with a super system, I don't think it would be worth it to strip it out and replace it. I'd just keep it and enjoy it.

First let me say that while not a fanboy of BOSE, I don't loathe them...

Next, I ahve a BOSE stereo system in my Infiniti G35 Coupe. I find the sound sub par. The highs are not clear and the sound is almost muffled. The Harmon Kardon sound system in my //M3 was not the best but still sounded better than the Infiniti Bose. The Bose system in my odler 2000 Maxima sounded better than the Bose system in this Infiniti.

When I told the car salesman that I was not nust about the stereo and it sounded sub par, he had a look of disbelief. He said I was nuts and that this was a top of the line sound system. Then he said it needed some fine tuning (I can change the bass and treble only) and that should fix it.

[Sigh], anyway, I can live with it in my car but I am not happy with the sound...

-Evangelo2

I hear GREAT things about the Lexus Mark Levinson sound system. That one is regarded as one of the best out there...

-Evangelo2

Anyone know anything about the JBL systems Toyota offers? I have JBL's at home that I am happy with, I was wondering how they translated the car speakers

The reason Bose sounds good to some in the store is the same reason Bose sounds good in a car-the speakers are close to the listener and the system is eq's for that proximity. I had a Bose system that came with a Miata I owned. It sounded fine to me. The interior noise was mercifully loud enough to mask any sound deficiencies!
I still don't get expensive sound systems in cars unless you live in it and there is absolutely no road noise?!? Dennis

I have an 03 Acura TL w/ Bose system. The lows become distorted even at mod volume. The Boston Acoustics speakers (even matched w/ just a 6" Bazooka sub) I installed in my old car sounded much better. But, had an 06 TL (w/ standard DVD audio system that I think is Bose also) loaner for several days, and it sounded quite nice. I tried all my DVDA discs, and it had very good surround action and much better bass response.

I have a '99 Audi A6 with a Bose system. It's OK. Nothing fabulous but adequate. My wife has a Lexus with a Mark Levinson system and I am not bowled over by it. It's clearer than the Bose, but not by a lot and the placement of the speakers is not ideal IMO. I just think that cars are not terribly good places for sound systems.

I have a 2007 Passat wagon on order that will come with a Dynaudio system. I am looking forward to comparing that with the ML system. Some early buzz is that it is the best factory system currently available. We'll see.

I have a Toyota solara with the JBL system in it. I think it sounds pretty good, but then again, I'm not nearly the audiophile in the vehicle as I am in the home.

I tried hard not to get a Bose system with my G35 coupe, as well, but to no avail. I needed the Premium package for other things, and possibly needing to add the Nav system in the future.

The head unit is actually made by Alpine. I don't find the bose system in my infiniti to be as bad as people make Bose out to be. Albeit, my finding with re: to the Maxima is different from yours. In my brother's '98 or '99 maxima, I thought the bose sounded not very good. In my infiniti, it sounded a whole lot better. Maybe the 2000 maximas have a better system?

I find that the highs exhibit a little sibilance, and the lows aren't that low

Also, I found the HK in my buddy's BMW 325 very nice sounding--definitely in another league.

I would like to replace the Bose, but that means taking out the head unit, as well as replacing all the speakers, which will be very expensive to do. A search at Crutchfield yielded nothing (speaker replacements) for my car. I read that some people have been successful with replacing the tweeters, which made the system sound a whole lot better.

Hey Nhan,
Another fellow G35 Owner Great car. Over at G35Driver.com people have audio setups that are compatible with the stock head unit (I ahve the premium and nav as well along with Sirius Satellite and do not want to change the stock head unit). Here are some Inifinity speakers that work witht he G35 stock unit...
Infiniti Kappa 60
Infinity Kappa 50

As far as the 2000 Maxima, it was a total redesigned car from the 98 and 99 Maximas so the sound system was changed.

I think the main problem I ahve with the sock Bose system is how they apply their EQ settings. Terrible...

-Evangelo2

Thanks, Evangelo2. I've been surfing that site for the past week--very good stuff. The Nav system must be NICE! Maybe one day I'll go DIY, which may end up costing just as much as the stock NAV Did you get the Manual or Auto?

Thanks for reminding me about the satellite radio. I was going to give XM a shot (3 free months), although I only spend like 1 hour in the car each day. Hardly worth the $13/month charge

When you say stock unit, you mean the bose system, right? Thanks for the Infinity speakers/amp links. I'll take a look at them.

The Bose system in the sedan sounds nicer than the coupe. I've heard both (and own the sedan).

6 Speed Manual Always preferred manual.

You may not be able to retrofit the stock Nav. From what I read on the forums that is a lot of money. People say it is more worth it to trade the car in and get one with Nav from the factory.
On a side note, Acura Navi is nicer. I really do not use the Nav as much as I thought I would and usually I leave the screen down (off).
-Evangelo2

I come from a car audio background...there is NO dealer installed radio that sounds anywhere near as good as you can go out and get in the aftermarket for the same price the dealer will charge you. Go spend $250(deck) + $250 (2 pair speakers) + $350 (simple 10"sub in box) + $450 (5channel amp) and you will have a system using midlevel component (Pio. deck, Audiobahn sub, Polk speakers, and any number of amps) that will blow away that $1300 factory crap.

Is Bose the best? I don't think anyone will claim that... but I've been fairly happy with it nonetheless. (02 Altima here... been drooling silly over the G35's though...

Any other experiences with the DVD-A available in the Acuras?

Off topic, but anyone going to the NY Auto Show this Friday?


Thanks,
Mike

That may be, but the coupe is sexier

I wish I knew how to drive a stick. I didn't want to experiment with something this expensive

As far as putting in a Nav system goes, you're right in that it's going to take quite a bit of work, but it's doable. Check this out (you probably have seen it before in some threads on G35Driver):

http://www.digitalwheelz.com/G35Scre...g_Pictures.htm

Some guy completed the project for around $1200, but add about $600 for my ammature job and it comes out to about the price of the factory Nav

I think most everything about the Acura (TL)'s interior is nicer than the G35's. Can't wait to see actual pics of the new sedan from the NY Autoshow tomorrow.

Don't forget about the cost of trying to fit standard parts into a non-standard Blose system

On the contrary, MANY people will proclaim Bose as being the best

I wish I could attend the NY Autoshow, but I'll have to settle for pics from some of the car forums.

Personally I thought the Nissan Murano was a joke. It's marketed as a sporty SUV and even looks decent on paper, but in reality it's no faster or sportier than any other SUV.

Maybe I just rented a dud, but I'll never rent it again (much less buy one).

I've got a Bose system in an RSX-S and it sounds just like any other car system. Supposedly there is a subwoofer mounted in the spare tire, but it is worthless as far as I can tell. It's not bad, but it's nothing special.

I've had good impressions from all the Lexus systems I've heard including the Nakamichi, Mark Levinson, and even the basic system is pretty decent.

I know some car companies (Honda, for one) use an entirely different wiring harness on their nav-equipped cars. It's a big pain to try to do a retrofit of the OEM system.

For the G35 Coupes, the package building blocks requires a Premium Package if you want to add the Nav package. Without the Premium Package, the wiring is not there for adding the Nav Package. Since I do have the Premium Package, my car is wired for adding the Navigation System. I'm not saying the work to get an aftermarket Nav system in there won't be easy, but it's much easier than dealing with a G35 without the Premium Package/wiring. I could be wrong, though

It was nearly impossible for me to order a new G35 coupe without the Premium Package (went to 3 different dealers and none had what I wanted in stock). The closest state (to Texas) that they can locate one was in Alabama. It would cost me $800 to have it brought to one of their dealerships. And since I wanted a sunroof (cost is $1000), I figured why not just get the Premium Package (which comes with a sunroof and a host of other cool features, like bluetooth, intelligent key, and bluetooth) for $3000. The cost would be just $1200 more than one without the premium system. And I didn't want to waste $800 to have the car shipped to me, nor did I want to wait 3 months for the car I wanted to be assembled from the factory.

Besides, having the Blose system (and Prem Package) would increase the resale value, should I choose to go that route in the future. They really do get you with all these different packages, though, but I'm glad I went with the Premium.

If I remember right, the problem withthe bose in car stuff is that each speaker has a small amplifire wired inline somewhere from the head unit. If you pop out the factory head unit, and put in an aftermarket, and then pop out the bose speaker, and pop in another one, that amp is still inline. You basically just have to pull it all out and rerun new speaker wire, which really isn't that big of a deal, since if you are running an amp in the trunk you are running wires front to back already anyway.

If you check out some car audio threads you'll find out that, just like home audio, BOSE SUCKS, any aftermarket deck with any aftermarket speakers will sound a lot better that any bose system that comes with a car. Just look at the speakers they have a paper cone, you could get some $50 pair of speakers that sound way better. By the way, I work at a dealership and the G-35's are my favorite car they are just awesome in every way. I would even take one over a vette.

My parents have had 2 G35's and a Maxima... the first G35 was when it came out (march 2002?) and the second one was last summer (White G35x)....

The best stereo we had was in the 1st G35... to my ears anyway. The new one sounds muffled. Bose in the Maxima was pretty good too.

But there are obviously ways to improve sound... I know that Focal makes 1500$ 3 way speakers for cars! Dynaudio makes some stuff for VW too I belive.

A friend of mine has an SL 500... and the sound on that is a cut above, even with the top down.

Really, stereos in cars are a bit of a moot point, because unless you drive a Lexus, noise from outside (even the sound of your tires against the pavement) deteriorate sound quality.

Regards,

Chris

In my Jeep wrangler, I knew due to road and wind noise, my stereo had to get loud..so I found a deal on those $ 1500 focal 3 way components, and had them installed in custom fiberglass kick pods down in each floorboard. They are being driven with a 200x2 Precision Power art series (the old PP stuff is amazing) amp. I have an Audiobahn 12" sub firing down, mounted inside a custom made console between the front two seats. It sounds amazing.