Since no one else made the main thread a poll I thought I would...What are your feelings on the OEM base and Bose audio systems available? Try to keep your opinions in the poll only and anything written in the other thread.---> Originally posted by NasaMan: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1571670

P.S.You can post comments here about the poll if you like.

 

Haven't heard the base system. I'm not sure enough people have actually compared the systems with the same music to make a valid poll.

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Neither have I. I have the Bose with the Nav and it is fine with me. The C5 had Bose as well, no problems with that either.

But then - what do I know - My aged, sound ravaged ears likely can't tell the difference between great and crap.

 

I cannot copare mine against the base. I bought the "good packadge"
and that is what I hear. For the record compaired to my C5, and 4 DD
that I have had recentlyt he system in my C6 is a POS!!!!!!!! The best thing they fixed with the new junk was the SCV, (or whatever they call it now) so it does absolutely nothing. I guess these bozos never heard the old saying "if its not broke, do not fix it"

 

This has been beaten to death for the last 10 years or so. The audio system that comes with car is easily upgraded/changed if you don't like it. It's no different than any other car. Some folks will NEVER be happy with an OEM audio system and will always want something else.

That's why there are aftermarket manufactures and installers.

Tom

 

 

I am making an assumption that I would like the Bose System better than the base system, since I have never heard the base system.

The Bose system works fine and I see no reason to change it, an IPOD adapter would have been nice!

Major Hal

 

I think I have "just" the base system in the car but it sounds pretty darn good for a stock system. The only stock system that I've had that might be better was on my 06 Charger RT. But that car wasn't nearly as fast as the Vette.

 

What wasn't included in the poll was an option for minor upgrades. There are several who were satisfied with the OEM system after only replacing speakers or adding a subwoofer.

 

I we could also have another poll that could shed some other information, too. How about:

Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Very Unsatified
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Unsatified
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Neutral
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Satified
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Very Satified

Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Very Unsatified
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Unsatified
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Neutral
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Satified
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Base Audio - Very Satified

Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Very Unsatified
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Unsatified
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Neutral
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Satified
Listen to Loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Very Satified

Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Very Unsatified
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Unsatified
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Neutral
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Satified
Don't Listen to loud Bass-heavy music - Have Bose Audio - Very Satified



Wayne

 

You should also divide this up by years. I've had and heard Bose systems in pre-07 cars and I was not satisfied at all. But, in my 07, I am satisfied.

 

the Bose system in my 05 was utter ****e. I kept my headunit for the Nav, and replaced everything else. It's amazing how much they charge for options like that, when the money spent in aftermarket gives you 10x better results. If I didn't want the Nav, I would go with a base system and replace if I was buying again.

All high's, no low's, must be BOSE

 

The OEM system is just fine for me. An automobile is really not the place to appreciate the nuances of a great audio system. Too much environmental noise, etc. If you want a great audio system, the home is the proper place for it. As previously stated, if you really want all the bells and whistels in a car audio, uogrades are easy and there is no dollar limit.

 

 

My 2000 Audi A6 had an awesome OEM system (the upgraded unit). I went the upgrade route from my '81 280 ZX, my '86 Scirocco 16v, then went stock after that. Now I'm back to aftermarket.

 

I have the base, and have never heard the bose, so I can't compare them. But I am very happy with mine, and will not be doing any upgrades.

 

In addition to that, when driving a car, you should be focused on DRIVING... not on music.

I'm a musician and audio engineer, I mix and master audio... I work with some of the most refined and expensive audio equipment known to man... I appreciate great audio... but the stock audio system in my C6 is more than adequate for me... because when I'm driving the C6, the last thing I want is to be distracted by audio. But when I am home or at a recording studio, that's when I enjoy cranking up some great music through a great amp through great speakers. A car is not a place to be worrying about refined and/or loud audio.... I know many will not agree... to each his own.

If anything, I just fear that loud audio in a car will only serve to distract drivers, potentially leading to unnecessary accidents. Not sure how effectively one can drive a car, especially a high performance car, with audio blasting in their ears. I've actually avoided a few collisions in my day because I HEARD things about to happen and reacted before even seeing... your hearing can be a very helpful tool for avoiding accidents. Plus, anything that distracts one at ALL while driving is simply bad... increases chances of a mishap.

For me, the stock audio system at very low volume is just right... no accidents in over 20 years and hundreds of thousands of miles of driving

 

Not a good assumption. The base system has an actual 4 channel stereo amplifier (stereo front and rear). The Bose has a two channel stereo amp with a third channel producing mono for the rear and center dash speakers. The difference in soundstage is dramatic, with the cheaper base radio being the winner.

Now that said, the base system is just a typical mediocre OEM system, with cheap speakers and not much power. But the point is that the Bose system is worse, and worse by design. It also has cheap speakers, and a fatally flawed amplifier design. Changing the speakers of either system will make a remarkable difference in sound quality. But with the Bose you also must change to a 4 channel amplifier to restore a proper stereo soundstage.

 

Wow, interesting. I never heard the Bose, but... having a mono channel will indeed wreck whatever sound stage you could ever possibly have in a car to begin with.

In one regard, having a mono channel in the center of a CAR makes some sense because, at least when two people are riding in a car, the driver is going to get hit with mostly the left stereo channel, and passenger mostly the right stereo channel... so a mono channel in the center IN THEORY would help to balance things out a bit for both occupants. BUT, regardless of theory etc, it still wrecks the sound stage and erases stereo width... yuck.

Because the interior of a car is so small and the occupants can never be in the center of the stereo soundfield and/or center of the cabin, things will NEVER be right... unless you were to use headphones. So... as I said earlier, leave audio appreciation for when you are at HOME relaxing in your recliner in your acoustically tuned studio room with state of the art audio system. And when you're driving your C6, listen to the engine, listen to the traffic around you etc and focus on driving.

 

I was somewhat happy with my bose system until I read this!