992 soundcheck in detail - Base / Bose / Burmester (one is a big leap)
01-06-2021, 09:50 AM
#46
Does anyone know if an aftermarket system upgrade is really an option, in light of the integration of the stock system (whichever you chose) into the car’s information and communication systems? My lock date is in early February, and I am in a real quandary on this. Even if it can be done, is it known what functionality would be lost (like SVC, as one possible example) by doing so?
01-06-2021, 02:13 PM
#47
Instructor
Does anyone know if an aftermarket system upgrade is really an option, in light of the integration of the stock system (whichever you chose) into the car’s information and communication systems? My lock date is in early February, and I am in a real quandary on this. Even if it can be done, is it known what functionality would be lost (like SVC, as one possible example) by doing so?
Some short clips below. No doubt both have invested considerable time in understanding the 992 platform and developing upgrades, so they are not going to give too much away on a public forum. Beware the Essex accent in the second clip!
01-08-2021, 01:10 AM
#49
07-09-2021, 11:03 PM
#50
Intermediate
thank you for the review. I was in between what to pick between the bose and burmester. Even with minor differences, after paying for a 992 911, I felt like I shouldn't cheap and just get the highest option possible to avoid future regret. I enjoyed the detailed review and thank you for it again.
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01-10-2023, 05:11 PM
#52
I'm by far the last guy to comment negatively on some of the posts here. But someone who tests the system for a few hours (with their personal settings) and then claims it's not worth the money really isn't a reference for me. The perceptions are as personal as the taste of the food. One stuffs himself with a good burger, the other enjoys a classy meal at an Italian restaurant and drinks a Brunello di Montalcino. This opinion, which I think is negative here, prevents many in the forum from getting the absolutely fabulous Burmester for the 911. I've had the Burmester in the Panamera (971) for 5 years now and it's worth every penny. For me, too, the financial hurdle had long been reached when I ordered it, but in the end I still ordered it at the very last moment. And I haven't regretted it for a moment. The sound system lets you perceive the car in a completely different way, as soon as you turn up the sound, the sound really wraps you around you. The settings, such as the 3D surround with the different levels of intensity, are absolutely amazing - you feel like you're in a concert hall. Please don't let the Burmester talk you out of this, it's one of the best and greatest options you can order. You use it on every car trip and enjoy it with great pleasure for years. You really don't have to be an audiophile to do this. I've heard the Bose in the 992 GTS and it's really OK, just OK, nothing more. I was able to listen to the Burmester in the 992 GTS Targa and it's a blast, you don't even want to get out of the car, the music sounds so good.
One more thing needs to be said. Many of the options ordered are pointless things like lettering, stickers, lights on doors, colors on brakes, Racetex behind the mirror, etc. If you sometimes sum that up in the configurations, it easily comes to $2-3k. And then you feel the surcharge from the Bose to the Burmester (=approx. 4t $) as much too high. That's just food for thought when clicking on the options, as an alternative.
The Burmester at Porsche is a good opportunity in life to even own a Burmester system. Because for home, you would have to add at least a zero at the end, so that you can sniff what something like that sounds like.
One more thing needs to be said. Many of the options ordered are pointless things like lettering, stickers, lights on doors, colors on brakes, Racetex behind the mirror, etc. If you sometimes sum that up in the configurations, it easily comes to $2-3k. And then you feel the surcharge from the Bose to the Burmester (=approx. 4t $) as much too high. That's just food for thought when clicking on the options, as an alternative.
The Burmester at Porsche is a good opportunity in life to even own a Burmester system. Because for home, you would have to add at least a zero at the end, so that you can sniff what something like that sounds like.
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01-11-2023, 11:00 AM
#53
I'm by far the last guy to comment negatively on some of the posts here. But someone who tests the system for a few hours (with their personal settings) and then claims it's not worth the money really isn't a reference for me. The perceptions are as personal as the taste of the food. One stuffs himself with a good burger, the other enjoys a classy meal at an Italian restaurant and drinks a Brunello di Montalcino. This opinion, which I think is negative here, prevents many in the forum from getting the absolutely fabulous Burmester for the 911. I've had the Burmester in the Panamera (971) for 5 years now and it's worth every penny. For me, too, the financial hurdle had long been reached when I ordered it, but in the end I still ordered it at the very last moment. And I haven't regretted it for a moment. The sound system lets you perceive the car in a completely different way, as soon as you turn up the sound, the sound really wraps you around you. The settings, such as the 3D surround with the different levels of intensity, are absolutely amazing - you feel like you're in a concert hall. Please don't let the Burmester talk you out of this, it's one of the best and greatest options you can order. You use it on every car trip and enjoy it with great pleasure for years. You really don't have to be an audiophile to do this. I've heard the Bose in the 992 GTS and it's really OK, just OK, nothing more. I was able to listen to the Burmester in the 992 GTS Targa and it's a blast, you don't even want to get out of the car, the music sounds so good.
One more thing needs to be said. Many of the options ordered are pointless things like lettering, stickers, lights on doors, colors on brakes, Racetex behind the mirror, etc. If you sometimes sum that up in the configurations, it easily comes to $2-3k. And then you feel the surcharge from the Bose to the Burmester (=approx. 4t $) as much too high. That's just food for thought when clicking on the options, as an alternative.
The Burmester at Porsche is a good opportunity in life to even own a Burmester system. Because for home, you would have to add at least a zero at the end, so that you can sniff what something like that sounds like.
One more thing needs to be said. Many of the options ordered are pointless things like lettering, stickers, lights on doors, colors on brakes, Racetex behind the mirror, etc. If you sometimes sum that up in the configurations, it easily comes to $2-3k. And then you feel the surcharge from the Bose to the Burmester (=approx. 4t $) as much too high. That's just food for thought when clicking on the options, as an alternative.
The Burmester at Porsche is a good opportunity in life to even own a Burmester system. Because for home, you would have to add at least a zero at the end, so that you can sniff what something like that sounds like.
While I have never listened to the Bose, I wanted and got the best sound system available, and the Burmester is fabulous. There is a reason why there is a 4K premium over the Bose.
Don't be turned off by "you can't appreciated music in a loud sports car" crowd----when you want to listen to music turn off the sports exhaust and turn up the volume. The Burmester will sound just as good loud as there is virtually no distortion when you play it loud. If you are into listening to music when you drive, don't let the extra 4K or so on a 150K purchase stand in your way. If all you want to hear when you drive is the sweet sound of the engine, then don't even bother with the Bose.
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01-11-2023, 12:53 PM
#54
Racer
Burmester all the way. What a huge difference.
01-11-2023, 08:12 PM
#55
When I ordered my BMW E92 I sampled the base vs the Harmon Kardon option. It was an HK no-brainer. I didn’t have that opportunity with my 992, but I chose the premium package with Bose (the Burmester struck me as too spendy for a not-particularly-quiet sports car). I think it’s the better option. The Bose is adequate, albeit inferior to my 12 year old HK. But those familiar with good (not even great) audio understand Bose is not about quality, but marketing. Given the low bar of automotive audio systems, the Bose is good enough.
01-12-2023, 12:38 AM
#56
Instructor
I recently got a 992 TTS and I ordered it with Burmester. Prior to ordering I had not had an opportunity to try out the system. I did however get to test a C2S with Bose. My opinion on the Bose was that it was “ok” but in any other car it would feel like a base stereo package. I really debated on whether or not to splurge on the Burmester. I probably read every post on the subject on this forum. It seemed that the general consensus was that it was not worth the money…
After spending some time with the Burmester I figured I’d share my thoughts.
First I’ll admit. I’m not an audiophile. I didn’t use any gauges, meters, or testing equipment. That being said, I can appreciate good quality sound. I love listening to music while I drive and I find it to be part of the experience that I enjoy.
I noticed a significant difference in quality between Burmester and Bose. While the Bose sounded ok it was somewhat flat. The Burmester was loud, full, dynamic and very crisp. There was separation between the highs and mids and the bass was full and deep. I got none of those qualities from the Bose. Based on all that I had read, I was very surprised at how good the Burmester was.
Now to the shortfalls…
As others have pointed out, there is still a lack of sound coming from the rear of the car. So for those who are looking to gain true 3D surround sound by upgrading, you will be disappointed. I’m willing to look past this as it is a sports car and within the constraints of what you can do with the rear, it’s still very good. Lastly, at high (even medium) volumes the car experiences a fair amount of rattling, even some buzzing. Perhaps this is the effects of reduced insulation, I’m not entirely sure. But it’s noticeable and I found it to be the one actual disappointment.
To sum it up… is it worth $4,000 over Bose? I’ll knock a few hundred dollars off the upgrade cost to account for the beautiful silver speaker grills. That’s a nice touch in itself and I’m sure Porsche would charge several hundred dollars just to spec your grills in a different color/material. The rest is really subjective. On a car where 3-4K doesn’t go very far in upgrades it’s absolutely worth the cost. If you must compare to other car brands or home audio… probably not. But we are talking Porsche and most of us are already spending 150-250k on their car. If you enjoy the audio experience while driving and you’re not looking for pure perfection then yes it’s absolutely worth it. If performance is your only objective, then perhaps not.
One thing worth noting. I do have the lightweight noise insulated glass option. I’m not sure if that has any impact on the sound. But I will say while driving at high speeds the Burmester was still clear and crisp. Yeah there’s 640HP right behind me getting in the way, but it still packs a great sound!
After spending some time with the Burmester I figured I’d share my thoughts.
First I’ll admit. I’m not an audiophile. I didn’t use any gauges, meters, or testing equipment. That being said, I can appreciate good quality sound. I love listening to music while I drive and I find it to be part of the experience that I enjoy.
I noticed a significant difference in quality between Burmester and Bose. While the Bose sounded ok it was somewhat flat. The Burmester was loud, full, dynamic and very crisp. There was separation between the highs and mids and the bass was full and deep. I got none of those qualities from the Bose. Based on all that I had read, I was very surprised at how good the Burmester was.
Now to the shortfalls…
As others have pointed out, there is still a lack of sound coming from the rear of the car. So for those who are looking to gain true 3D surround sound by upgrading, you will be disappointed. I’m willing to look past this as it is a sports car and within the constraints of what you can do with the rear, it’s still very good. Lastly, at high (even medium) volumes the car experiences a fair amount of rattling, even some buzzing. Perhaps this is the effects of reduced insulation, I’m not entirely sure. But it’s noticeable and I found it to be the one actual disappointment.
To sum it up… is it worth $4,000 over Bose? I’ll knock a few hundred dollars off the upgrade cost to account for the beautiful silver speaker grills. That’s a nice touch in itself and I’m sure Porsche would charge several hundred dollars just to spec your grills in a different color/material. The rest is really subjective. On a car where 3-4K doesn’t go very far in upgrades it’s absolutely worth the cost. If you must compare to other car brands or home audio… probably not. But we are talking Porsche and most of us are already spending 150-250k on their car. If you enjoy the audio experience while driving and you’re not looking for pure perfection then yes it’s absolutely worth it. If performance is your only objective, then perhaps not.
One thing worth noting. I do have the lightweight noise insulated glass option. I’m not sure if that has any impact on the sound. But I will say while driving at high speeds the Burmester was still clear and crisp. Yeah there’s 640HP right behind me getting in the way, but it still packs a great sound!
Last edited by Jrs146; 01-12-2023 at 12:50 AM.
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01-13-2023, 02:33 PM
#57
I think many people would agree that Bose should be the base stereo at the price point Porsches are sold. But I also get that if stereo is no big deal to you (just need it for navigation or phone calls), you don’t want the extra weight from the beefed up speakers and amps or maybe you’re a true audiophile and will rip everything out anyway.....the base system is a good thing to get and then spend that money on a performance option or other feature.
Makes no sense to have a higher-end and overpriced stereo in that noisy an environment.
… and agree, I don't want heavy speaker magnets in what is supposed to be a lightweight car.
Better to savor tube amp, vinyl, polite British speaker audio at home.
PS-as has been stated by many others in the forms, Bose is not taken seriously in the audiophile world. IMO the only good product they make is noise suppression headphones for aviators.
Last edited by Tompoodie; 01-13-2023 at 02:56 PM.
01-13-2023, 03:02 PM
#58
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Having time to reflect upon it, if I was doing it all over again, I would do the Burmester in my 911. I especially regret not doing it in the Taycan -- an EV is particularly well-served by a great audio system.
I had the BOSE system in both cars. Having experienced the base system in a couple of loaners, I would certainly not go lower than the BOSE and I feel bad for those folks who got stuck with the base system during the supply chain issues. The BOSE should be the base system in these cars.
I disagree regarding "Makes no sense to have a higher-end and overpriced stereo in that noisy an environment.", because the premium setups sound considerably better at the volumes necessary to overcome some of that environment noise.
I had the BOSE system in both cars. Having experienced the base system in a couple of loaners, I would certainly not go lower than the BOSE and I feel bad for those folks who got stuck with the base system during the supply chain issues. The BOSE should be the base system in these cars.
I disagree regarding "Makes no sense to have a higher-end and overpriced stereo in that noisy an environment.", because the premium setups sound considerably better at the volumes necessary to overcome some of that environment noise.
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01-13-2023, 03:29 PM
#59
True, but you may be slowly damaging your precious cochlear hair cells, with attendant risk of hearing loss and tinnitus.
85 dB is the OSHA threshold for using hearing protection over 8 hours.
More than 85 dB, which I suspect may be the case in the scenario you're describing, mean exponentially shorter time duration for potential hearing loss.
I have tinnitus, mild to moderate and want to keep it that at that level. I suspect others in this thread may have tinnitus also.
85 dB is the OSHA threshold for using hearing protection over 8 hours.
More than 85 dB, which I suspect may be the case in the scenario you're describing, mean exponentially shorter time duration for potential hearing loss.
I have tinnitus, mild to moderate and want to keep it that at that level. I suspect others in this thread may have tinnitus also.
