Bruce In Philly

I stopped in a really good car audio place here in Bryn Mawr PA, just outside of Philly, to discuss what can be done to improve these Bose systems.

In short, they said "not much" as they are all digitally integrated with the other car systems and the Bose system has an all-in-one unit where all processing and amplification is done. Yuck. The system is specially equalized for the car's particular environment. While this appears to be a great approach, to me and other audiophiles, it just spells sonic disaster. I was hoping they could "cut the wires" to the amp section and could then use after market amps etc.

They recommended this JL Clean Sweep approach.... it takes the cables as they leave the amp and head to the speakers and re-equalizes it to be flat - it uses a special CD that plays reference tones and the box then neutralizes what comes out of the amp to be flat. Then you take these signals to your own amps and speakers.

http://www.jlaudio.com/car-audio-oem-interface

This is supposed to improve the sound but to me, it doesn't make much sense as all of the original electronics are left in the signal path.

Any insights? Opinions? Experience with this system?

Oh, the other option is to replace everything.

Thanx
Bruce in Philly

IslandS52

Clean Sweep was designed to be used with aftermarket amps and speakers along with an OE head unit, not to be used as a EQ in line with your Bose amp and speakers. You would not be improving the power or side skirting the limitations of the stock drivers, you'd just be flattening out the response, which you could probably do with a old school equalizer and a sound meter.

mdrums

Yep. Clean Sweep and the other product like this from Alpine that I had in a Mini-Cooper that has eq and various curve to use.... was designed to use the stock head unit but aftermarket amps and speakers. You can't insert these products into the Bose system.

hakaida702

I think this should help.
http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-b...vic-120bt.html

jcnesq

Best 911 sound solution:

CORSASCHNELL

Although my audio system is on while driving it is always turned way down to silence, I only turn it up when at a stop light and then turned down again before i take off.

These cars are way too loud to enjoy any quality audio programs for me plus I happen to like the engine sound slightly better than Vivaldi's Four Seasons.

gasongasoff

If you bypass the Bose amp with a Cleansweep + aftermarket amp and change nothing else out, you've just eliminated the one thing that makes the terrible stock speakers sound acceptable: the equalization.

If you want you want it to sound substantially better, you'll have to swap out the speakers and add a real sub. Which usually means replacing the amp, and often the head unit, and preferably adding a processor/EQ of your own.