BzzzBom

I recently took delivery of a 718 GTS 4.0. I love everything about the car except the horrible sound system. I opted for the Bose system but it still sounds like crap, especially the vocals and treble. I reached out to Musicar that has made plug and play upgrades for our cars for many years. They have several audio upgrades from Stage 1, replacing the dash tweeters to Stage 3, replacing the amplifier, speakers and sound deadening the doors. I opted for Stage 1 that gives you the most bang for buck. Labor and parts cost $850.00

This simple upgrade totally transformed the listening experience. Even the OEM base speakers sound better because they no longer complete with the horrible OEM tweeters. I’ll probably stop at Stage 1 since the subsequent stages are significantly more expensive, provide less improvement per dollar spent and require a bit more surgery.

Dan Nagy

I’ll probably do the same at some point. I was horrified when I took the Bose tweeters out of my 991.2 - really crappy looking plastic parts that look like they should be in an old transistor radio. I had the same experience as you in that car. I also ordered Bose in my 992 and it seemed better. Nick didn’t have a solution for it yet before I sold it for my GTS.

It’s shameful that Porsche hasn’t insisted that Bose up their game or find another vendor. On the flip side, the Burmester is outrageously priced so the Stage 3 Musicar solution makes total sense. If they were near me, I would have ordered the standard system and taken it there for the upgrade. Nick is A+, and the stuff he assembles is top notch, IMO. I also like that he has different configurations to meet customer needs.

smegman

I can't believe myself how crappy the Bose stereo is in this car, the premium audio in my Aston was incredible

even switching it to linear EQ it still sounds like crap

engine is super loud anyway so its not a huge deal but I am just surprised how bad it is

the bose system in my 1996 i30 was leaps and bounds better

Alan C.

My Costco hearing aids and iPhone 13 are a far better solution to the Bose tin cans with a string system.

Paiceyfan

The 981 Bose System was much better...not sure why it downgraded over the years. I have found it sounds better with the Fader slightly back in the car and using a flat response (Linear), but not great. Definitely would not bother if you are on the fence during configuration.

Nomoracin

do you need to already have the bose system in order to go to stage 1 for $850? or can go go to stage 1 with the base stereo system?

Nickshu

Yes the Bose systems that Porsche uses are garbage. They sound terrible. We opted for Burmester in our 2022 Macan order after listening to the Bose in that plus how terrible it sounds in my GT4 (although I don't really care in the GT4 b/c that's not what a GT4 is for). Sad that in a $100K+ car even the cost-option Bose audio system is so bad. The standard B&O audio system in my Ford diesel pickup sounds 100x better. Come on Porsche!!

Can't you get Burmester in a GTS??

Big Belly 711

Interesting and very timely thread!
Nick at Musicar NW will be posting about this in the days or weeks ahead, but I let them use my car (CGTS) to help them develop a Stage 2 upgrade option for the Bose system.....they had the car for about 8-9 days and I literally just picked it up on Sunday and drove it back to Seattle...(I have no affiliation with Musicar NW)....honestly I was a little skeptical......The stage 2 upgrade involves swapping out the tweeters, adding some acoustic padding to the doors, and installing a 10 channel amplifier.....they leave the remaining speakers stock...I've only had a few hours in the car since picking it up, but I can honestly say it has TRANSFORMED the sound......it's on an entirely differentl level than the Bose (which I know is a low bar).
The system has no distortion even at full volume...I could not be happier, and would encourage anyone who hates the Bose system to look into it...I personally don't see a need for upgrading to stage 3 given what stage 2 sounds like, but that's just me...and it costs less than the Burmester....I'll provide additional details and a more detailed 'review' after Nick posts about it....

ddodds

I had the stage 1 upgrade in my 991S and it was a huge improvement. Now I have a BGTS 4.0 and while I agree the Bose is crap, it really doesn't matter with the top down and rpms above 3k which is how I prefer to drive.

Dan Nagy

Same here, except for long trips >500 miles, and then a good sound system is appreciated.

ltfl09

You need to adjust the system in the settings to make it sound good. I forget what the setting is because I adjusted it over a year ago but I think it's the surround setting. It sounds much better and I'm happy with it

sobiloff

From the other thread on this, I snipped two recommendations. First:And second:

• Bass 4
• Treble 1
• Fader front 1
• Balance passenger 1
• Surround checked
• Linear unchecked
• Audio pilot checked

lovetoturn

Yes the BOSE is not great, but the electronics in the PCM aren't that good either. The BOSE in my previous Cayman S sounded much better when I plugged in my iPhone running an Audioquest Dragonfly though the Aux input, but we don't get that input in our 718s.

Nick's stuff is the real deal.

12v Nick

Thanks for the review! Glad the Stage One made enough of a difference for you. I'll still try to talk you into adding the sound damping at some point but I think you'll still be happy either way. Always great to get some feedback on the results and I'm thrilled that @MoeMistry was was accommodating. He really has a top-notch operation down there.

Aww shucks... Yer gonna make me blush, Dan.

It's an odd dynamic that we see quite a bit, but it seems to be the case more often than not — cars that need no stereo to be marketable usually have a sub-par sound. Cars that lean heavily on their features to be marketable have a bit better audio system. That's just my observation and may have no actual validity. It does keep our solutions marketable though, so I can't be too mad, lol.

Just so you know, the new Bose Stage 2 system is going to be the easiest install yet. Everything for the amp is under the seat. No wires ran through the car that don't already exists. Stay tuned.

Okay, that made me literally LOL

I'm not sure why, but it seems like the Bose audio gets worse with each generation of 911 since the 997. The new 992 Bose is hardly listenable, even for talk radio.

Absolutely not, we have all three stages available for the Base Stereo, Bose, and Burmester. Also, that cost listed is with professional install. The kit is $595 shipped to you and if you're proficient with basic tools you can probably DIY the project. That said, the Stage Two sounds KILLER in the cars with your configuration and it's a good value. Shoot me an email and I'll send you the details: musicarnw@gmail.com

I love how much you love that setup — I spent hours listening to it before you picked the car up and I was just lost in how great the performance was. It's good to hear that I'm not just blowing smoke up my own backside. I'll have a post up this week with the details on what we did for you and the pre-order process for anyone else interested.

Thanks again for helping out as a development partner!!!

-Nick

daaa nope

Just to add in my 2c

I have the "base" system in my Spyder. First did Nick's tweeters - which were a BIG improvement and a very easy DIY install, took about 45 minutes where I deliberately went slow and took my time. I opted to bite the bullet and upgrade to Stage 2 a few weeks later (because I always want MORE!) - and like Big Belly said - HUGE improvement. Sort of in the middle of a week-long roadtrip right now (Chicago to Atlanta, working from Atlanta this week, then on to Austin, before heading back to Chicago) and got to spend a lot of time listening and I'm continually impressed with the quality of sound Nick is able to get out of the OE speakers. Nick also helped me adjust the "tune" slightly for my preferences (tuned down the tweeters a smidge) - absolutely top notch support!

In a way, it really makes me sad that Porsche couldn't just do this from the beginning in a $112k car.