Money2536

I guess I'm one of those guys that gets a small swell of anger everytime the word BOSE is used in a sentence. For a decent portion of my life, I researched, lived, breathed, ate, slept, dreamed, high-end Home Theater and 2 channel audio. I designed/sold systems that cost hundred of thousands of dollars. The hatred toward Bose is probably more jealousy of their marketing success.

They have hugely successfully convinced the masses that their low-cost, low-quality, infaerior products are not just good, but great. As soon as you mention the words car audio, music, or home movies, the vast majority of the US would word associate BOSE. I think that's pretty remarkable. As soon as I would mention the name before playing a note, most people have already made up their mind that the speakers sound good.

That being said, if you know what good actually sounds like, then BOSE will make you cringe. But, BOSE "engineers" have a very good understand what regular people think is quality sound. They don't make their stuff sound accurate, they make them sound they way people like it. If that is what you are after, then their mission is accomplished. Luckily for them, that's what most people want.

I think of it very much like the current state of Flat Panel televisions available today. The very best displays make you feel as though you are looking out your window. The colors are accurate, you get real life like graduation from white to grey to black, and obviously you get life-like detail. Well the TV I just described to you no longer exists. It's called a Plasma display. What happened? Marketing! Your local moron sales persons somehow created this world-wide BS rumor mill about Plasma and how LCD is better.

When I walk into a room with an LCD display(yes LED is LCD stop calling it LED), I can barely look at it. Every single one of them, no matter the calibration or cost look like crap. But they produce what people think they want, a bright picture. Newsflash, brighter isn't better.

Alright, I'm getting worked up. If you want to live in the dream world, buy BOSE. If you want something better out of life, do some homework. We drive Porsches for pete's sake! Be better!

Dalema

What settings do you use?

THPorsche

With the 120% tax I am paying for my 991 C2 in HK, I could get a turbo in CA. When I WAS in CA, I spent the money on a 997.1 C2 Cab instead of a "S" because I knew I would enjoy the open air more than the extra HP/ larger brakes and other stuffs that came with the "S". And no, I don't track my car. If the BOSE is good enough for you then it's good enough. Using your example, "You should try taking your BOSE System to a competition, see how it can preform, then you would understand the Burmeister over the Bose. Then beg a whatever the next level system is. Then start your own post.....

GrandLaker

When I configured my Turbo S Cab never even thought about upgrading to the Burmester. I'm not a stereo guy but if I wanted a kick *** stereo I'll take that $3,500 I saved toward an after market that I'm sure would be far superior to the Burmester.

Money2536

For $3,500 you have no chance of outperforming Burmester. I would guess it would take about $10,000 in the aftermarket to do better.

LexVan

Until the electrical gremlins start.

Duke I

Money, I thought you did not like the burmester. No? One of the reasons I did not go for it.

Money2536

I'm not wild about it, but it is about as good as it gets for a factory stereo. I like most everything about it except that it's very bright sounding. I'm pretty sensitve to the harshness from the ribbon tweeters. I've dialed it in to make it sound pretty good, but I would still prefer an aftermarket system.

I just think you'd have to spend a lot of money to get something better due to the limitations of the factory locations to install speakers/amps.

mtbscott

One of the advantages of being on in years and pretty deaf from years of motorcycles and punk rock is that pretty much any car stereo sounds "good enough" for me including my 991's Bose.
I would not give a rat's **** about spending $10K on a car audio system (or one for my home for that matter.) Ignorance is bliss.

Money2536

That's the ticket. I've never had $1,000 truffle, and I'm surviving without it.

Porsche_nuts

What one perceives as good sound is such a personal thing. What sounds good to one person sound lousy to another. My settings are Bass - 2, Treble - 3, Fader - 2 to the rear, Surround - on. Some say having surround on makes the sound sound too artificial. Works for me. YMMV.

Agree with Money in that Bose is great at marketing. Bose is far from the best. I have listened to some pretty amazing systems, but I'd rather put my money elsewhere.

GrandLaker

No worries about me doing that either, hell I listen to AM stations.

kosmo

frankly it isnt worth price.

StudGarden

I've never had a truffle that cheap either

I'm just a middle class dude that grew up poor back when a $1000-2000 Alpine or Blaupunkt sounded awesome in a 70's or 80's 5 series, which back then we thought was relatively high luxury.

To me the base sounded good, but lacked the volume or bass to really crank it up. The Bose goes a long way towards filling that gap. I still probably haven't adjusted it right yet though. And today's music sources being primarily zeros and ones, a lot is left to the programming and coding. I'll play one song from iTunes that sounds amazing and another similar one that sounds like crap and I have to turn the volume down to help it out.

I haven't tried the Burm. For what it costs I probably never would get it. I'm sure it's better, no doubt. But unless I'm configuring a lottery car(s) or getting a future CPO that had it anyway, it's one of many high cost options I'd just never tick in a build.

I'm not an "audiophile" I just like music, and sometimes I like it loud. The Bose does a pretty good job with that. It's odd that's a 2 grand up charge in a 911 but only $700 in a Cayman/Boxster though. 10 vs 12 speakers due to cabin size difference of course, but that's a pretty big split. Maybe it's just marketing for a captive audience, who knows.

By the way, who makes the "stock" stereo anyway?

MJBird993

I disdain your comment. No, wait, that's not right. I agree.

Seriously, I've noticed that Rennlist has gotten "less nice" but it is still better than 6-speed. Back when I was riding bikes, I was a frequent contributor to a BMW motorcycle forum, then it went under new ownership and when I returned a couple of years later, the whole dynamic had changed.

Not unlike the M5board... when I first bought an E39 M5, they were still cars that cost $35K+, and educated, intelligent folks ruled. Now those cars are being bought by teenagers and youngsters, and although it is still a good resource, the tone of the forum has changed. All things change. On the Internet, more so, more quickly.
I think some people, after spending the $2400 or so that Bose costs, are disappointed with it, and it's an easier target than PSE or the dashboard wart.

Personally, I don't think that the Bose system "sucks" so much as I just don't like it, the way that the subwoofer is tuned and the value for the money. But that's me and unlike the majority of car owners, I generally don't buy my cars off the lot, I order them. I currently have an order for an Audi A6, which will be my seventh ordered car. The hardest thing is the waiting. Waiting is the hardest part. It don't come easy.