BOSE stereo...kinda sucks

[Mandrew1]

This is a random topic, but I suppose this is the kinda place for that. I've got a 2003 S wit the factory BOSE stereo, and I'll be honest, it's been underwhelming from the day I bought it (about a year ago). Seriously, I've heard Chevy factory radios with fuller sound than this. The best way to decribe it is lack of midrange - there are some highs, and there are some low-lows with the sub, but everything in between seems to be missing.

I've adjusted the EQ on the head unit as best I can, but to no avail. There is one receipt (I'm second owner) in the book that states the subwoofer amp was replaced. I'm stumped - is it just bad speaker placement on these systems, or do you think I have a dud?

[DFW02S]

BOSE is an acronym for Better Off w Something Else.
Bose, Monster Cables, BMW = marketing hype. (Just kidding BMW folks.)

The mildly provoked attack holds except for the Bose #15 noise canceling headphones, they actually work very well. I hate it when I get on a plane without them.

[RobbieKnobbie]

You don't have a dud. My '06 with CDR24 + factory Bose system is about on par with the AM radio that came in my '79 Ford Maverick. Except the Maverick's radio didn't skip every time I ran over a paper clip in the road.

Half the time I don't even bother turning the radio on, just relax and listen to the motor!

[Ghostrider 310]

BOSE has always been slickly marketed not very good stereo gear. I'm not impressed with their car audio and still believe all these years later the Paradigm performance series was the better grab for speakers.

[Brockmeister]

Acually, the stock stereo system in my BMW sounds pretty good, My truck sounds good w/ an Alpine head unit. The Porsches I've owned...not so much. A new Polk Audio 100x4 amp, MB Quart fron speakers, and 6" Polk speaker down below helped alot.

[dan.oneufer]

Your description matches what I hear from my 2003 S. I also feel the rear speakers are a weak point. I only hear them if I adjust the fade to mostly the rear.

[Mrmaddbrad]

I love my Bose speakers. They sound great. Idk what you guys are talking about. lol

They sound awesome for a stereo system in any roadster i've ever been in... But you could always drop the money and buy better speakers. Just be warned that you should be willing to buy very expensive ones, because if you don't you'll probably be disappointed.

[Mandrew1]

I tried to make allowances for roadster-noise, but it sounds as if this is the rule, not the exception. Interesting, since this is marketed as the "premium" system. I can only guess what the base system sounds like (or doesn't).

As usual, you guys are full of good news, and now Visa and myself are gonna head over to Crutchfield. :-)

(as an aside, I put a Borla cat-back on earlier this month, and haven't been listening to much stereo anyway...except around 2000-2900 rpms, when I could use that set of BOSE noise canceling headphones in a bad way)

[etarasoff]

I have a 2005 Box with the "sound plus" package and it is just terrible. My 1997 F150 factory stereo is loads better. I am currently planning out a new system myself. If you're like me, listening to the exhaust doesn't cut it for mundane driving and listening to a transistory no-MP3-no-Mids-no-Bass-no-Love stereo is aggravating!

[Mandrew1]

Etarsoff, I made the mistake of "trying to live with it", and had the local audio guy (after determining my deck didn't have RCA inputs) splice wire an FM radio frequency based jack for the iPod.

This was a cosmic fail on several accounts.

One, between parts and labor, it was a couple hundred.

Two, a cheap high power aftermarket deck with front audio input and XM-controls is about $200.

Three, he used a non-insulated (or not enough) input wire, so now with my crappy audio, free of all midrange, I get to here an engine/electrical whine that parallels the RPMs.

File that under money well spent.