For those who don't like BOSE do any of you have bose in your cars? (1 Viewer)

[Paul Seyfarth]

For those who don't like BOSE do any of you have BOSE in your cars? If you do... why?

 

[Salvador]

when i went to Air Canada Centre (where the Toronto Raptors play) i noticed they used an ALL bose setup for their soundsystem. It didn't sound too bad but btw.

 

[Brian Bunge]

Paul,

I don't like Bose nor do I own a car with a Bose speaker system. But what you will find is that most people aren't comfortable with buying a $30K-$40K+ car and then ripping out the stereo system. Also, most of the time these systems are part of a package which cannot be mixed and matched. Therefore, if you want the package that comes with leather seats (which I also hate, BTW) you are probably stuck with the stereo system as well.

I'll tell you one thing though. If I bought a car that came with a Bose speaker system it wouldn't stay in there any longer than any other factory system I've ever had. A friend of mine had a Premium Infinity system in his Dodge Ram. It was complete junk. Cheapo paper cones and flimsy baskets on the woofers and cheapo paper cone tweeters.

BTW, I'm custom designing a sub/sat system that will blow the pants off of any of the Bose Lifestyle systems out there!

Brian

 

[Evan S]

I have a Bose system in my car (Audi A4). When I went to a secondary dealer to get something better put in they said that because I have a 1997 Audi, there was nothing I could do. If they take out my unit, the LCD display on my dashboard will go blank. See, that tells me how many miles to the gallon I'm getting, gives me a warning if I get low on gas, etc. If I get the Bose system taken out, that display will disappear. So, I didn't want to go through the logistical nightmare of doing it, so I didn't. Hence, I still have the Bose:frowning:

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I have a Bose system in my 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. It sounds good - but I'm 100% sure something else would sound much better
I have never owned anyhting Bose before until the above purchase. Probably won't ever get them either. A buddy of mine (since moved away) had a Bose system and he liked it. I thought it sounded good - but again, I'm 100% sure something else would sound much better
Mike

 

[Paul Seyfarth]

"I have a Bose system in my car (Audi A4). When I went to a secondary dealer to get something better put in they said that because I have a 1997 Audi, there was nothing I could do. If they take out my unit, the LCD display on my dashboard will go blank. See, that tells me how many miles to the gallon I'm getting, gives me a warning if I get low on gas, etc. If I get the Bose system taken out, that display will disappear. So, I didn't want to go through the logistical nightmare of doing it, so I didn't. Hence, I still have the Bose"

There is an easy way around that. Keep the factory head unit, but move it so you can't see it( move it under the dash or someplace out of the way). Detach everything except the LCD, power, ... what ever needs to be attached. Then install a new headunit and speakers. Put it in place of where the old Head Unit was. You will have power going to both units, but the factory is only for the LCD.

 

[Shawn Sefranek]

I hate BOSE home systems, but my 2001 Acura CL Type-S has one as a stock system.

My main complaint was the lack of BASS, so I supplemented the sound with a 400-Watt Amp and (2) 10” Alumapro SubWoofers in the trunk.

I can’t really rip the “BLOWS” stuff out for THREE reasons:

1) My car has the DVD Navigation system, which gives voice instructions through the speakers after it lowers the music. This is all integrated into the factory deck.

2) It is a 6-Disk IN DASH changer and there is no aftermarket system that has this feature in the dash. Most make you put the changer in the trunk.

3) Finally, the car has audio controls in the steering wheel. I would loose this with an aftermarket system.

I know if the price was right I could probably overcome all this, but I don’t want to put thousands of dollars into the car system when it sounds relatively OK.

I would rather put the money into my Home Theater or DVD collection.

Shawn S

 

[Paul Seyfarth]

"1) My car has the DVD Navigation system, which gives voice instructions through the speakers after it lowers the music. This is all integrated into the factory deck.

2) It is a 6-Disk IN DASH changer and there is no aftermarket system that has this feature in the dash. Most make you put the changer in the trunk.

3) Finally, the car has audio controls in the steering wheel. I would loose this with an aftermarket system. "

1) I am not sure about this part

2) There are Aftermarket IN DASH cd changers. Nakamichi makes great 6-disk in dash changers.

3) Most aftermarket Head Units come with a remote. Or you can buy aftermarket steering wheel volume controler.

 

[NickSo]

Hmm, is BOSE car audio as bad as BOSE home audio?

 

[Howard_S]

Put it this way. Most stock audio systems suck so bad that Bose is good to have. Bose has spent a lot of time in making small footprint speakers and I heard they have put some research into the car audio department and are getting better.

What I notice is that Bose does seem to give pretty clear mids and highs. Not enough bass though. However I rather have little bass than distorted bass.

 

[Scott_Sylke]

I have a Bose system in my car (Infiniti G20t) as well. I don't have anything negative to say about it at all. Sounds pretty damn good to me and the bass is pretty impressive. Keep in mind though that I'm not one of those people that you'll see cruising the drag with the windows down and music blaring though.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

I am an avid Bose hater.. I have heard all of thier products
over the years (including the "legendary 901" and I can
honestly say nothing they have ever made has impressed me
in the least.
Yet I have had 3 cars with Bose Stereo systems. Why you
ask? Because I have NO CHOICE... I am a Corvette nut and
I have owned so far, an 1989 Z51 Coupe a 1995 Coupe and
now a 2000 Coupe and all have had Bose and they all Blow.
But you see I have no choice in the matter. So what I do is
turn the Stero off and install a good performance exhaust
and listen to the REAL music that the heart and soul of
Corvette could only produce
Glad my 1968 Corvette Coupe don't have Bose (or for that
matter, a stereo at all...)

 

[Paul Seyfarth]

BOSE is just as bad in car audio as it is in Home audio. In my car I have Polk DX3065 compontents, a Clarion Head Unit, a Pheonix Gold xs4600, and an MTX 6000 sub. The Amp powers everything, and everything is installed myself.( cost $900-1000 ) it sound so much better than the bose system.

My brother use to have a bose system in his Audi A4. I have also head bose in Benz S430, and in New VW's, New Maxima, and in other cars.

Bose sounded great before I put my system together. After having my system for a while, when I heard the Bose system again it sounded horrid. It was painful to listen to. Here is what I found from listening to bose.

all of these depend on the system

1-Bose sounds loud at almost any volume, yet there is so much missing from the sound. You have to turn it up to painfully loud volume to get full sound and there will still be alot missing.

2-Very loud in mid-bass and highs compaired with the rest of the system.

3-Many badly placed speakers.

4-Costs way too much.

If you get a good aftermarket system you will wonder how you ever though bose sounded even OK.

 

[Scott_Sylke]

I've had an after-market system in a previous car and it was good. It was a hell of a lot LOUDER than the BOSE system, but I think the BOSE system in my car sounds just fine. The music seems well balanced to me and it's cetainly not lacking in bass. It probably would if I cranked it up to 120 dBs like I used to like to do....but I guess I am just growing old and am not into that LOUD is better thing anymore.

 

[Chuck C]

I have a Bose system in my Caddy, and I don't plan on replacing it for one of the reasons provided: it's just too hard. I dislike my Bose car system more and more each day. I'm at home for a relaxing weekend away from school, and during the four hour trip, all I heard was midrange. Best Buy installed a pioneer cd player (which took four hours by the way) and even with all its sound-adjustment features, I can't get anything to sound right. So guess what...no high no lows...you know the rest.

 

[Paul Seyfarth]

"I've had an after-market system in a previous car and it was good. It was a hell of a lot LOUDER than the BOSE system, but I think the BOSE system in my car sounds just fine. The music seems well balanced to me and it's cetainly not lacking in bass. It probably would if I cranked it up to 120 dBs like I used to like to do....but I guess I am just growing old and am not into that LOUD is better thing anymore."

My I ask what you had? A good aftermarket will sound many times better than BOSE at any volume. I usually don't turn my system up much at all. I usually keep it between 10, and 13. I have it set up to go up to 26 with out distortion.

"I have a Bose system in my Caddy, and I don't plan on replacing it for one of the reasons provided: it's just too hard. I dislike my Bose car system more and more each day. I'm at home for a relaxing weekend away from school, and during the four hour trip, all I heard was midrange. Best Buy installed a pioneer cd player (which took four hours by the way) and even with all its sound-adjustment features, I can't get anything to sound right."

Installing another system instead of BOSE is just as easy as any other system. You can install aftermarket speakers in the factory locations. Most Best Buys are bad at car audio installs. My brother who used to work at best buy, decided he wanted to get rid of his bose in his Audi. The car audio dept was supposed to install his new head unit, and front speakers, plus disconnect the rest of the speakers. At the end of the day the only thing they had done was disconnecting the rear speakers. He took it to a specialized car audio place and they did everything in less than an hour.

If you are looking at getting car audio equiptment look online prices are about half of retail. If you want more info on car audio/video go to sounddomain.com

When Buying an aftermarket system MAKE SURE you get an AMP to power your speakers, and not the head unit. It's a night and day diffference.

 

[Mark Guidry]

I too like Shawn S. have a 01 Acura CL-S that had the bose system in it. Unlike Shawn I do not have the navi so I left the stock HU with the 6 disc changer in it and riped out the speakers and bypassed the stock amp. I am now running a JL 300/4 (75x4) to some CDT speakers ,great SQ BTW, and a JL 500/1 (500x1) to a 12" IDMAX sub. I also added an Audio Control EQ so I can fine tune the sound. Sounds MUCH beter than the stock system in the car!

 

[ace peterson]

I just wonder how much less your car would cost if there was something else in there other than Bose.

 

[KeithH]

Absolutely not! If my car came with Bose speakers, I would have ripped them out and left them in the dealer showroom. Alternatively, I would have bought a different car.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

Hahaha! All of this Bose-bashing kinda makes me want to see what I can find for a replacement speaker in my 2001 Pathfinder
I may be trading it in next year (for the rumored 2003 - "BIGGER" Pathfinder that is supposed to be more Toyota Sequoia-like. So I may hold off the upgrade until I decide on keeping it - changing the speakers might decrease the trade in/sale value somewhat, as unfortunate as that is!