I know audio pros say that Bose sucks... and from a price and quality standpoint they are probably right - but coming from a 996 C4S with the non upgrade stereo, the 997 Bose keeps me very satisfied.

 

Actually Dan, I think the issues are two:

1) The claim of it being a great system.... high end car, high end system, high end price... if you claim it, you better deliver and this system is just not worth the price. This is what annoys me. I would rather have no radio than pay for a false claim.
2) It is a nail to hit. Some see a nail and will hit it. Oh well.

Bruce in Philly

 

The point I made in my post about Hi Fi in cars has nothing to do with how trained your ears are or how noisy the cabin. Any ear/brain system can resolve news and music easier from a system with higher fidelity than one that is less. Awareness of the system's articulation is not relevant. You will naturally play a Hi Fi system at lower volume because you just don't need to turn it up. Everyone will regardless of training or cabin noise level. That is why Hi Fi is important to everyone.

Bruce in Philly

 

I get the feeling most of the "i never listen to the radio" people drive like 14 miles a year, but for those who don't, you are legitimately telling me that on a 2 hour trip, you don't turn the radio on?

that sounds horrifically boring.

 

I normally skip the optional sound system and upgrade and do the install myself, I really enjoy the process of doing the planning, selecting the components, tackling the challenges during install and finally tweaking the system. I wasn't planning on doing this at all to my 911 though so it was a nice extra that the car I bought had the Bose system, it sounds fine when playing CDs on my commute. At least it should be better than the base system, thought that is better to have if you plan to upgrade.

But I agree is falls short of the claims and not worth the premium.

 

+1 on great article.
i used to sell bose speakers when i worked at pacific stereo(at one time the largest indep hifi store in the country w/ 82 stores)...and yes, i did get freebies for selling bose - sell twelve 901 series IVs, and you get a pair for free. the MIT stories lend to credibility, but it was all about the demo - if you had a rack of ramps, it CAN sound great. otherwise, not so much.

as for the car systems today - all the car systems suck - regardless of whether it's bose, harmon kardon, etc... as much as they try to market it as high end, none of them still sound as good as my old nakamichi head unit with ADS plate speakers and 2 ADS amps w/ the subwoofer - and that was from 1986!!!
PL

 

I dunno dude, the B&O in the A8 is pretty spectacular in my book.

 

When I have to make a long trip into the city I might turn on the radio (to an AM news/traffic station). That's about it though. I even had the Dennison installed for my iPod. Never use it either. Content just to think and listen to the car.

 

Not true. Some Bose products are great, and some are junk.
Its unfortunate that much of the product this day and age is attempting to market stuff under the brand name, effectively destroying the brand value.

But the Bose noise canceling headphones are the benchmark device.
And older Bose speakers were the reference standard in the 1970's.

So pick wisely from the product line as there are only a few gems in the pile of junk, but they are there.

 

I don't turn the radio on very often, but like someone said, whether it is music or talk radio, a quality sound system is a joy to listen too. And Bose, which is referred to as "Blose" by many in the audio field, isn't. Bose systems use heavy equalization to make up for poor performance and are renowned for distortion. It may not seem very noticeable when listening, but over time, i.e. long trips, it is fatiguing to the ears. On the other hand, companies like B&O and Mark Levinson will sound great whether they are in a car or home environment. And contrary to what some have said, cars can make excellent listening environments for designing sound systems. Unfortunately Bose usually places small amplifiers on each of their speakers which makes upgrading them more difficult, usually requiring changing out the entire system.

 

i've not heard the B&O, but i've listened to many of the Levinson systems in Lexus and they are not very impressive to me...perhaps one step above Bose in MB and HK in BMWs, but still not very good, esp for the money.
PL

 

the bose system was much better in my 2003 996 turbo than my 2005 c2s!

my turbo has additional tweeters on the dash which really made the sound great!

i dont have any plans to upgrade my system though

 

I used to have the Bose system in my 996 C4S, but I replaced it with new speakers, amp and a new head unit. The speakers are made by Focal, and they sound fantastic. It's a HUGE improvement over the stock Bose system.

That being said, I also have the Bose system in my Cayenne. It sounds much better in the Cayenne than it ever did in the 996. I think the size and shape of the car's interior really make a big difference.

 

I agree with most of you and I am more spot on with Hurricanesteve. I have the bose system and want something cleaner sounding in my 996 c2. I want to start with the head unit. Most of you sound a lot more educated in the sound dept. than I could ever hope to be. What do most of you recommend that has good quality in most of the sound ranges for 200 to 300 dollar price range?

 

Most systems suck, but as I said have a listen to B&O in Audi, and B&W in Jaguar (and now Maserati), and you'd be amazed how they sound like.