Multifunction Steering Wheel - Worth it?
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,022
Likes: 13
From: Back in the OC
Originally Posted by Chris Prack
No no.....mine's fine. I am on the service end of things and enjoy seeing what everyone is up to. It just keeps catching my eye. Unfortunately it's starting to look like the 997 is a Cayenne in a smaller package...........
Track Day
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 4
From: Short Hills, NJ
I don't have the MFSW but I do have the Bose sound system and I would strongly suggest getting MFSW if you have ordered the Bose, give or take the insane near $1,000 cost for something standard on cars that cost 20%.
As you hit around 3-4,000 RPM the engine begins to drown out the stereo which does not have a speed or throttle linked volume level - unlike the base stereo. I think it claims to have some ambient sound responsive capabilities but nothing apparent or useful.
So I find myself constantly diddling with the volume control and having this vital control on the wheel would be not only more convenient but a good deal safer. Also, for my style of CD listening: a track control or repeat button on the steering wheel. The volume control you can grab without looking at the dashboard with some practice. The track control micro-buttons. Fuggeddaboutit!
I love my 997S, but if anything would stop me from staying with Porsche it would be their absurd overcharging for options that are standard on most other cars and my sense that if they offered many of their options standard they could sell their cars for a lot less while making even more profit. Inventorying a gazillion options must cost them a fortune and play havoc with production efficiencies.
As you hit around 3-4,000 RPM the engine begins to drown out the stereo which does not have a speed or throttle linked volume level - unlike the base stereo. I think it claims to have some ambient sound responsive capabilities but nothing apparent or useful.
So I find myself constantly diddling with the volume control and having this vital control on the wheel would be not only more convenient but a good deal safer. Also, for my style of CD listening: a track control or repeat button on the steering wheel. The volume control you can grab without looking at the dashboard with some practice. The track control micro-buttons. Fuggeddaboutit!
I love my 997S, but if anything would stop me from staying with Porsche it would be their absurd overcharging for options that are standard on most other cars and my sense that if they offered many of their options standard they could sell their cars for a lot less while making even more profit. Inventorying a gazillion options must cost them a fortune and play havoc with production efficiencies.
Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,022
Likes: 13
From: Back in the OC
Originally Posted by pnoble
I don't have the MFSW but I do have the Bose sound system and I would strongly suggest getting MFSW if you have ordered the Bose, give or take the insane near $1,000 cost for something standard on cars that cost 20%.
As you hit around 3-4,000 RPM the engine begins to drown out the stereo which does not have a speed or throttle linked volume level - unlike the base stereo. I think it claims to have some ambient sound responsive capabilities but nothing apparent or useful.
So I find myself constantly diddling with the volume control and having this vital control on the wheel would be not only more convenient but a good deal safer. Also, for my style of CD listening: a track control or repeat button on the steering wheel. The volume control you can grab without looking at the dashboard with some practice. The track control micro-buttons. Fuggeddaboutit!
I love my 997S, but if anything would stop me from staying with Porsche it would be their absurd overcharging for options that are standard on most other cars and my sense that if they offered many of their options standard they could sell their cars for a lot less while making even more profit. Inventorying a gazillion options must cost them a fortune and play havoc with production efficiencies.
As you hit around 3-4,000 RPM the engine begins to drown out the stereo which does not have a speed or throttle linked volume level - unlike the base stereo. I think it claims to have some ambient sound responsive capabilities but nothing apparent or useful.
So I find myself constantly diddling with the volume control and having this vital control on the wheel would be not only more convenient but a good deal safer. Also, for my style of CD listening: a track control or repeat button on the steering wheel. The volume control you can grab without looking at the dashboard with some practice. The track control micro-buttons. Fuggeddaboutit!
I love my 997S, but if anything would stop me from staying with Porsche it would be their absurd overcharging for options that are standard on most other cars and my sense that if they offered many of their options standard they could sell their cars for a lot less while making even more profit. Inventorying a gazillion options must cost them a fortune and play havoc with production efficiencies.
And that steering wheel didn't cost an arm & a leg either. It came as part of the high-end electronics package. Yeah I know what you mean by having to pay so much for options on a Porsche. It's the price you pay for customization. I don't know of any other car company that offers so many options allowing the customer to personalize his car the way he wants it. And you're suspicions are correct, the price is a reflection of the production cost of having to slow down the assembly line so that every bit of customization can be accomodated. The paint I am ordering, Slate-Grey, costs $3025 extra! Clearly that is not the cost of the paint materials but of the setup costs of having to change over to this paint, which I'm sure they do after they have a minimum number of cars ordered with that color.
But the end product is having a car that is often like no other in terms of personalization. That is also the appeal of owning a Porsche. And in the end this is the price we customers are willing to pay to own such a fine sports car.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
From: Amsterdam, NL
pnoble: did you switch on the AudioPilot option via PCM?
www.bose.com gives a nice explanation how they attack some of the noise and loudness issues.
www.bose.com gives a nice explanation how they attack some of the noise and loudness issues.
Track Day
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 4
From: Short Hills, NJ
PV,
I believe I did but will double check.
What I find is not so much the overall amplitude of the engine sound, but the very pronounced masking of certain frequencies.
Example: I'm listening to Bill Evans Live at the Village Vanguard with Scott LaFaro on bass and at about 4,000 RPM Bill Evan's Piano is still going strong and Paul Motian's drums too but the bass (actually 7/8th size and quite 'tenor') is gonzo.
I would have thought that Bose who wrote the book on noice cancelling would have figured out a solution.
I believe I did but will double check.
What I find is not so much the overall amplitude of the engine sound, but the very pronounced masking of certain frequencies.
Example: I'm listening to Bill Evans Live at the Village Vanguard with Scott LaFaro on bass and at about 4,000 RPM Bill Evan's Piano is still going strong and Paul Motian's drums too but the bass (actually 7/8th size and quite 'tenor') is gonzo.
I would have thought that Bose who wrote the book on noice cancelling would have figured out a solution.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 2
From: Chicago
Regardless that's great music! I find that type of music hard to listen to in a car just because there's a lot of interesting stuff happening that really requires you to be sat at home focusing on it 100%. That's why Miles doesn't travel with me.
Noise cancelling would be the way to go with this, or you just listen to your car, preferably with PSE fitted.
Noise cancelling would be the way to go with this, or you just listen to your car, preferably with PSE fitted.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
From: Amsterdam, NL
Let me be clear: I like the sound system. It is significant better than anything else I had so far and is addressing the needs in the car. At the end of the day, music is important in the car, but can't match a theatre, and that's OK.
However, I went throught the Bose explanation on how they "solve" the background noise problems. It seems they do a decent on-line Fourier analyzis, by trying to lift the music out of the noise (which is far better than a plain loudness deal), however, they should als be able to reduce the noise level itself, but it seems that they don't, yet. The system is measuring the actual noise and music level via two microphones in the steering wheel column. Technically, they should be able to do more with the system.
However, I went throught the Bose explanation on how they "solve" the background noise problems. It seems they do a decent on-line Fourier analyzis, by trying to lift the music out of the noise (which is far better than a plain loudness deal), however, they should als be able to reduce the noise level itself, but it seems that they don't, yet. The system is measuring the actual noise and music level via two microphones in the steering wheel column. Technically, they should be able to do more with the system.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,362
Likes: 442
From: Alpharetta, GA
Originally Posted by pnoble
As you hit around 3-4,000 RPM the engine begins to drown out the stereo which does not have a speed or throttle linked volume level - unlike the base stereo. I think it claims to have some ambient sound responsive capabilities but nothing apparent or useful.
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Thread Starter
Banned
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,022
Likes: 13
From: Back in the OC
Originally Posted by gravedgr
Sorry to revive this thread...
