03LX470

Anyone have this?

The configurator still shows the speakers in the door when you click on the view after selecting the Burmester option. However, the Burmester option is supposed to have few more speakers. I had it on the Panamera and it was a nice upgrade from the usual Bose. I had the Bose on a slightly used Boxster that I owned previously. Not very impressive.

Trying to figure out if the Burmester is worth anything on a Boxster considering it is a soft top (background noises)

hs63gt3

cabin too small, noise due to soft top, engine right behind your head.

nonetheless, I would go for it if I have enough budget.

Speeddeacon

I deliberated between the Bose and the Burmester on my recent CS build too. I've owned several convertibles and I can honestly say that the system that plays the loudest with clarity is ultimately the most satisfying because quality goes out the window, or in this case out the top, when driving al fresco. Being able to hear the music with all of the other lovely noises is pretty hard unless you are just boulevard cruising. It also probably depends on how much time you will actually be listening to music inside the car (i.e. long commute vs. sunday drives, etc.).

I'm an audiophile with more money in my home system than I will have in my build so I am used to high end musical reproduction. You learn early on in the hobby that room acoustics matter as much if not more than the components you use. Unfortunately, a convertible just isn't a good acoustic for good musical reproduction.

So, if you can afford all the options you want and the Burmester is the last one to decide on and you can afford the price, then I would go for it. In the grand scheme of things, $2740 for a premium audio system isn't that much and you get basically twice the power of the Bose, which checks my box about clarity and volume, theoretically. It will also be more likely to allow you to discriminate the differences between the 320kps mP3 and FLAC and Wave files (you can tell the difference can't you?).

For me, however, I wanted to put my $$ into things that would make the car drive and, to some extent, look like what I wanted. If I had my choice, I would have choosen the base infotainment system with Nav and without Bose or Burmester, like in the base Boxster. Something about pushing a Boxster S up over 90k just didn't make me feel too comfortable since this isn't my "last car". So I passed on Sport Techno wheels, PDK, Sport Chrono, Carbon Fiber trim, ceramic brakes and the Burmester system and stuck with the Bose. I did splurge on the Red Interior, which I absolutely love, and the Premium Package Plus so I didn't have to take my key out of my pocked and could keep my tushy warm or cool, etc. My daily commute is relatively short and when my wife and I ride together on trips, we typically don't really listen to much music because we're talking and enjoying each other's company. In a coupe, sedan or even a sparsely optioned CS though, I would probably have chosen the Burmester I have to admit.

There's no wrong answer, only more money. You have to decide if it's worth it to you or not. As always, if you can take your tunes to a dealer and test drive a drop top with both systems, that will give your the best idea about it's worth to you.

Speeddeacon

P.S. I'm also going to have an aftermarket exhaust installed, which obviously would compete even more with the audio system. This was another reason I skipped the Burmester.

GTScott

I experienced both and even top up, sitting still in the parking lot I could not tell a notable difference between the burmester and the Bose. Audiophile must not be an adjective for me. I opted for Bose. I then put on a fabspeed exhaust. I drive with the stereo off now.

Speeddeacon