Isn't there only one antenna in the rear tail lights?

 

You know, people have been bitching about the quality of the Bose audio system since the car was first released. Lots of folks have commented, changed their audio systems, and offered advice.

I would love to hear from a real automotive audio expert on the Bose system, and specifically what and how should the components be changed... Not just another forum member, but someone with recognized expertise in automotive audio engineering...

 

However, I like my Bose stereo. After reading all of the negative posts before I took delivery of my C6, I was really worried but I'm pleasantly relieved.

Could be the type of music you like. The most recent music I've been listening to include Metallica, Slipknot, Corrosion of Comformity and Tool and they all sound great in the system. I have plenty of bass for aggressive driving music.

Now, I haven't dropped in any of my Steely Dan or Tower of Power so it may choke on high quality music that involve more than just guitar, bass and drums.

 

By the way, the fidelity of XM on my Bose NAV system really sucks. It's the first XM radio I've ever had and I'm really disappointed with the quality of the sound. Sounds like an old cassette tape sometimes, flanging in and out on the highs. Yuck.

My CD's still sound great -- to me.

 

Maybe that's how YOU want music to sound, but to say that's HOW it's supposed to sound is just pure hockey-puck!
Music is SUPPOSED to sound like it was recorded in the studio. (unless, of course it's a live performance recording)
Not that the Bose sounds TOO good, but it does sound closer to studio monitoring than live.
In the end, though, music should sound like what YOU want to hear.
If you want to add and hear more slam, then pursue that, more zing, then fine, for you. Add some power and components then.
It's up to the individual to decide. Remember, most C6 owners are older, and probably want just a nice smooth sound. The Bose delivers that.

 

I agree. I am very happy with my Bose system. As for Steely Dan, Try "Three Against Nature". It sounds great.

I wrote that post only because so many people complain about the sound. I guess they're used to the kind of boomers you can hear from 100 yards away..., however, I would like to hear an upgraded system to see how much difference there really is... For instance, people rave about the Mark Levinson systems in some of the upscale japanese cars...

 

Interesting. I wonder this is why my FM stations sound like chit each morning I drive to work.

The antenna is in the taillights???

 

No. The C6 uses a diversity antenna system. There are actually 3 antennas hidden in the rear fascia, and two different antenna couplers. As is usually the case, the AM antenna is a high impedance voltage probe design. The FM antennas are low impedance designs. If the radio has selected the AM antenna, FM reception will be lousy, and vice versa.

 

The definition of high fidelity is that the sound reproduction system should be totally transparent. The reproduced sound should be exactly the same as if you were listening to the performers live while the recording was being made. The stereo soundstage imaging should be exact, there should be no coloration of frequency response, etc. Is it live or is it Memorex? You shouldn't be able to tell.

Of course an over-dubbed studio production may not be the same as a live stage performance. Often the performers aren't even in the studio at the same time, the recording engineer may process the sound to produce a desired effect, etc. But nonetheless, the stereo reproduction system should provide an unbiased reproduction of the sound the record producer *intended* to deliver, without introducing any artifacts not *intended* to be part of the performance, or leaving out anything that was intended to be part of the performance.

Now a car is a tough listening environment. The softest passages of a musical performance can be masked by road noise. The acoustics of the cabin are less than ideal. Etc. Some compromises have to be made so that the sonic experience is a close approximation of what the artist intended to deliver. But the Bose systems in our cars make too many compromises, and in many cases the wrong compromises, to provide any semblance of high fidelity stereo reproduction. The sonic spectrum has gaping holes, and is very far from transparent. The stereo image, such as it is, wanders, producing a muddy and indistinct soundstage. Etc.

Does it sound as pleasant as a $19.95 clock radio? Sometimes. But it is a very far cry from sounding as good as less expensive stereo systems in some other cars and trucks. I take as example the Infinity system in my old Dodge truck. It has an impeccable soundstage, it has a *much* better mid-bass response, and it provides the listener with good clean high frequencies from A pillar mounted tweeters. Cost $800 on the option sheet. Ours cost $1400, and sounds *much* worse.

Now I don't hold up that Infinity system as a paragon of high fidelity. It certainly isn't. But still, it comes so much closer to the mark than the Bose systems in our cars that it is downright embarrassing, and for almost half what we paid for the Bose system too. A true high fidelity system makes for an awesome listening experience, but many people aren't willing to pay what that costs. Ok, but we shouldn't have to settle for mediocrity when there are examples of *less expensive* systems out there in cars and trucks which come much closer to high fidelity than the Bose system in the Corvette.

As to people who want to be their own producers, and deliberately distort the sonic experience to be different from what the artist intended, I'm not going to go there. When the listener chooses to substitute his judgement for that of the artist, that's a whole other subject.

 

The car I just got rid of for my C6 was a 2002 Lexus SC430 with the Mark Levinson system. When I got the car in '02, it was considered the best factory installed system on the market.

It did sound good, really good, but I certainly don't think the Bose is embarrasing next to it. The dynamics of the ML system we're greater, but the Bose has stronger bass to my ears.

After all of the negative threads and having the M Levinson system for 3 years, I figured I was going to have to yank the Bose system out and replace it. Not the case, at least for me.

 

How does the base (non Bose) system sound? Worse, the same,.........better? Just wondering.

 

I put a custom Alpine system (changed everything,Amps ,headunit,speakers) I have XM and it sounds as good as my CD's and is the same volume as well.It must be the GM setup.We have factory XM in our new 05' Odyssey minivan and it also sounds as good as CD's.My custom system cost 3k but it sounds it,everyone who has heard it is stunned by the clarity.I can hear it loud and clear with the top off at 70mph including the bass which is really solid.If your unhappy with your sound system and love the car just change it,you won't regret it.

 

I have serious concerns for anyone who thinks the Bose system with XM radio sounds even remotely good. CD and radio is tolerable but the quality of the XM radio is absolutely unbearable. The AM stock radio in one of my older cars sounds better than the XM radio. Anyone who orders a car with it will be severely disappointed!

 

I understand that there's a software fix in the works, which should at least improve things, as there seems to be some sort of voltage\volume mismatch.

 

It's not the XM, it's the implementation in the C6. I have it in another vehicle and it rips! However, not so much in the C6.

Rich

 

One, I would suggest you tour the Bose plant before you totally bash them.

Two, the primary design guild lines were initiated in 1983 for the 84 Corvette. A complete computer designed layout so that BOTH driver and passenger hear exactly the same sound with separation. Nice trick if you can do it and they were the only ones that could handle the job.

You first have to understand what sound wave fronts do in a confined environment. You have to understand what near and far field wave propagation is all about. That is a very complex problem in that the near field length varies with frequency. If designed properly you have to calculate the energy spread of those fields. To compound all of that you have to consider all the reflected sound energy and it’s near and far field propagation.

If you choose the Billy Bob approach you don’t care about any of that and do the Boom Box approach and cancel out any reflected energy. All that will do is allow you to pick up a teen-age girl and tic off people that are now forced to listen to your music from 500 ft away.

I worked for Magnavox for 10 years and Zenith Radio Research for 5 years in Acoustic Microscopy (Ultrasound). Magnavox holds over a hundred patents involving sound reproduction and Bose nearly the same. Also owned my own Hi Fi Company for 12 years before my x wife got it all. Interesting I designed a Quasi Complimentary Stereo amp in 1964 and is still being used in an Italian restaurant in Madison Wisc today.

 

XM should sound good, but it shouldn't sound as good as CDs. CDs are uncompressed, and XP is compressed, with a much lower data rate.

Michael

 

 

No, they aren't. There are two induction loops for the fob in the rear fascia. They're wired to a third module. It is really busy back there. You can find a diagram (not a very good one) on www.corvettemechanic.com. Look for an article titled antenna module.

 

True, but its quality is nearly as good as my 192kps recorded mp3's.My point is when your stereo is right XM works great,its not HD radio but it certainly miles above FM.I have a very discriminating ear and at home prefer to listen to my DVD audio cd's but that's in a controlled enviroment where you can really enjoy the nuances.In a noisy sports car XM works great.