Crappy Corvette Audio System Has One Major Advantage
04-26-2011, 09:45 AM
#41
Race Director
04-26-2011, 10:23 AM
#43
Safety Car
04-26-2011, 10:58 AM
#44
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St. Jude Donor '13
04-26-2011, 11:11 AM
#45
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13, '16-'17-'18
There IS NO good sounding Bose system. All parts of the Bose system a equally lousy, and that includes the head unit.
With the right speakers and a good head unit, the $1500 option stereo can be replaced for about $2,000-$2,500.
Shame on GM for putting that crap in our cars.
With the right speakers and a good head unit, the $1500 option stereo can be replaced for about $2,000-$2,500.
Shame on GM for putting that crap in our cars.
Short of putting it on the bench, checking frequency response on a spectrum analyzer and checking distortion, I'd be willing to bet the head unit's response is on par with state-of-the-art. Same for the Bose amps.
Quite frankly, I think too many people are totally subjective (and biased against) the Bose stuff. The main issue is the speakers - replacing those alone (and adding some good tweeters) makes a night and day difference for the MUCH better.
I have experience with this, not just an "educated guess" based on my own prejudice as so many others seem to....
04-26-2011, 11:28 AM
#46
Le Mans Master
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and other hardware capable of 1.0+g , track use, 190+ mph, handling 400+ ft lbs of torque, etc.. That's where the money went..
I'm more than happy to have a crappy stereo in the car and have more in performance..
04-26-2011, 02:23 PM
#47
Race Director
04-26-2011, 02:36 PM
#48
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GM must have put a different system in you GS if its that bad. My Nav. actually works good also, just had to take time to learn how to use it. And the stereo is decent sounding for a stock system.
04-26-2011, 09:34 PM
#51
Burning Brakes
I now bought the 2011 GS, and the first two clicks on the Bose non-Nav are just hiss. I can't believe they would let the car leave the factory like this.
I have to turn it up to five or six to drown it out, but with the windows up on a trip last week, it is too loud for me and the girlfriend to enjoy.
I had always planned on taking the unit out and swapping the equipment from the 2008. I have since sold and upgraded most of the equipment and it is being installed as I type this. 1500 watts, New Kenwood 9980 HU, Focal K2 Power all around, Stealthbox with 10W3V3, etc.
I am to pick it up Friday and will once again enjoy my car 100%.
Last edited by DC321; 04-26-2011 at 09:44 PM.
04-27-2011, 12:09 AM
#53
Le Mans Master
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I'll put my system up against anything out there (one without subs that is).
Short of putting it on the bench, checking frequency response on a spectrum analyzer and checking distortion, I'd be willing to bet the head unit's response is on par with state-of-the-art. Same for the Bose amps.
Quite frankly, I think too many people are totally subjective (and biased against) the Bose stuff. The main issue is the speakers - replacing those alone (and adding some good tweeters) makes a night and day difference for the MUCH better.
I have experience with this, not just an "educated guess" based on my own prejudice as so many others seem to....
Short of putting it on the bench, checking frequency response on a spectrum analyzer and checking distortion, I'd be willing to bet the head unit's response is on par with state-of-the-art. Same for the Bose amps.
Quite frankly, I think too many people are totally subjective (and biased against) the Bose stuff. The main issue is the speakers - replacing those alone (and adding some good tweeters) makes a night and day difference for the MUCH better.
I have experience with this, not just an "educated guess" based on my own prejudice as so many others seem to....
I have one test CD that will put any system though it's paces and find obvious holes especially in the low end to mid bass portion where there usually is a hole and at the high end, where certain sounds don't carry well. There is a definite improvement over both ends with the Pioneer HU.
The Pioneer low end mid bass vibrates the door panels, I never got that with the stock HU. That tells me the stock HU couldn't deliver in that range in equality with the rest of the sounds it was delivering.
This test CD also uses the triangle to emphasize an ending, and the stock HU simply didn't carry it's sound to the end, whereas the Pioneer is very definite and lets the sound carry through as the composer intended.
Again what we hear and absorb is very subjective. Growing up under a very heavy classical background taught me at a very early age how an instrument should deliver it's message and how it fits in relation to every other instrument it is interacting with.
It's a curse, I own a detail shop and have several dealer accounts. Whenever I pick up a car at a dealer for detailing, the first thing I do is shut down the rear speakers and start futzing with the balance, bass and treble, and these aren't even my cars
04-27-2011, 12:19 AM
#54
Le Mans Master
I've got a new 2011 GS, my brother has a new 2011 Yukon. We have adjoining assigned parking spaces in the covered parking behind the office building we work out of (family business!).
Last Friday night I'm leaving the office late and see my brother standing in the lobby looking a bit bummed. "Why are you still here?", I asked. The answer, "Someone broke into my car and stole the nav radio!". He follows up a sec later with..."oh sorry, I didn't think to check your car!".
Interesting thing to me was...I had absolutely no concern that my car was broken into (and I truly love my car!)....I told him..."There's no way anybody would ever want to break into a Vette to steal that POS!"
Fortunately for him, there was absolutely no damage to his car...the thief didn't do any damage opening the car (not even a fingerprint on the black paint), and fortunately, they didn't rip the unit out. The trim molding piece was sitting undamaged on the passenger seat and the screws that were removed were in the cup holder. The cable assemblies also appeared undamaged. It almost felt like he was trying to be courteous while stealing the nice radio/Nav.
Fortunately for me, the Vette's $1800 Nav option isn't exactly a desirable unit in the open market! I can't imagine how furious I would be had it been my car that was broken into!
Last Friday night I'm leaving the office late and see my brother standing in the lobby looking a bit bummed. "Why are you still here?", I asked. The answer, "Someone broke into my car and stole the nav radio!". He follows up a sec later with..."oh sorry, I didn't think to check your car!".
Interesting thing to me was...I had absolutely no concern that my car was broken into (and I truly love my car!)....I told him..."There's no way anybody would ever want to break into a Vette to steal that POS!"
Fortunately for him, there was absolutely no damage to his car...the thief didn't do any damage opening the car (not even a fingerprint on the black paint), and fortunately, they didn't rip the unit out. The trim molding piece was sitting undamaged on the passenger seat and the screws that were removed were in the cup holder. The cable assemblies also appeared undamaged. It almost felt like he was trying to be courteous while stealing the nice radio/Nav.
Fortunately for me, the Vette's $1800 Nav option isn't exactly a desirable unit in the open market! I can't imagine how furious I would be had it been my car that was broken into!
04-27-2011, 01:27 AM
#56
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '11
First, I frankly don't really care that much about the Bose. Bought the car for the performance. I take exception, however, that some of us are biased against the Bose. I'm not being subjective. Objectively, it sucks compared to sound systems in lesser cars.
I have a 2011 Jeep GC. MSRP $24k below the Corvette. The sound system rocks, and the NAV is 200% better than the Corvette. I know, apples to oranges.
My second issue with your argument is that it is a good head unit, but if you replace the speakers, the system will be much better. What? Why should I be happy with an expensive option that will be better after I spend MORE money? Should have been done right the first time.
No offense. In the spirit of debate!
PS. Apoligies to the OP... As usual Bose threads wonder off-topic! Glad you still have your system, and no damage.
04-27-2011, 03:33 AM
#57
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I figured the thread would morph into a discussion of the Nav/Audio units in the Vettes.
To all those that express the sentiment "I bought the car for performance!"....I did the same thing...100% for performance. I did however spend an extra $1800 for an upgraded Nav/audio system...the performance parts were already paid for elsewhere. I would think that most folks would expect to get a fairly top of the line system for that kind of money.
Seriously...have you ever just panned the audio to the rear speakers only? If you think your $1800 upgrade is a quality unit, just try that. Why the heck did they even bother with them? While the door speakers do sound acceptable, the rear speakers sound like an old transistor radio (well, maybe not that good)....if the total package was quality, all of the speakers would at least be acceptable IMHO.
To all those that express the sentiment "I bought the car for performance!"....I did the same thing...100% for performance. I did however spend an extra $1800 for an upgraded Nav/audio system...the performance parts were already paid for elsewhere. I would think that most folks would expect to get a fairly top of the line system for that kind of money.
Seriously...have you ever just panned the audio to the rear speakers only? If you think your $1800 upgrade is a quality unit, just try that. Why the heck did they even bother with them? While the door speakers do sound acceptable, the rear speakers sound like an old transistor radio (well, maybe not that good)....if the total package was quality, all of the speakers would at least be acceptable IMHO.
Don't care if stereo isn't the best.
