wait wait- the Q had a negative noise system???? I drove a 92 Q for years and I will say it had the best damn sound in any car I've ever been in (without crazy aftermarket audio, that is) But I never really noticed that sound compensation you're talking about....and I would say the wind noise was "moderate" but that was in a 13 year old car, so the door seals and stuff were probably on the way out. Even so my question is- are you sure about this? I did just sell the Q so it doesn't matter to me too much, but I am very interested....

Also about the audiopilot system- I think it does a fair job of altering frequencies, but not volumes in general: I wish it would up the overall volumes much more so that when i'm stopped at a light it's at a normal volume, but if I then drive with the windows down and sunroof open, it increases it enough to be heard well.....it simply doesn't do that. ;( But let me know anything you know about the Q....i did love that car....

 

I can't argue with any of your points, Bose is garbage of which I'd never allow in my home. However, for a car in which I like to listen to the engine, I don't really see this as a major issue. Have you replaced your "garbage" system or are you living with it because there are a great many other modifications that are far more worthwhile?

 

I'm living with it because there are other modifications which are more worthwhile.

It's funny...but up until I got the 8 I used to have music up pretty loud all the time in my car (in which I actually had a GOOD system)...in the 8 tho' I do like listening to the engine, so I find myself either listening to music real low or not at all. Now I don't know if that's because the system sucks, or because I really want to hear the engine. Probably a combination of the two...

 

My feelings on Bose:
If they sold at low prices, or didn't hype crazy engineering promises that didn't deliver the magic, I'd have no problem with them. All the clever engineering tricks in the world don't matter if, in the end, you're left with a system that sounds "factory" but sells for a "premium upgrade" price. It doesn't disappoint me to the point that I'd rip it out, as I don't think of my car as a high-end listening environment anyway, but I wouldn't have sprung for it if it hadn't already been part of the package in my '04 deal.

Slightly off-topic aside:
I followed Niro's link to that great dissection of Bose's home-theater-satellite-cube system, which is one of the more overpriced items of any kind on any market today. Anyway, following links from that site eventually wound up on an early '70s review of the 901 speakers. One aspect of them that the reviewer actually liked was that they softened the harshness of the (then relatively new and unrefined) solid-state amplifiers. So "no highs" used to be a good thing, apparently! Plus he liked the fact that they had a BIG soundstage.

What's my point? Audio quality is subjective and taste-dependent, and we've come a long way from enjoying the warm sound of old tube amps, to now wanting totally flat frequency response with well-defined highs and bass all the way down past 20Hz. Value is less subjective, though, and I can't justify lots of extra cost for little extra perfomance.

 

tell me someone please is it possible to connect Monitor to our factory Head Unit ? I have without DVD HeadUnit. Send me private message please thanks , Illia

 

Actually, the topic is the interesting link on Bose's website on how the AudioPilot system is supposed to work.

I personally don't think Bose sucks at all - they make high-quality, very bullet-proof audio gear for a variety of applications including car audio, home audio, pro sound and others. I own a number of other Bose items including the Acoustic Wave radio, the Quiet Comfort headphones, an old AM5 surround sound setup that I bought on eBay for only $150 (and at that price it's awesome. Not so good at $1500) and others. I agree that much of their stuff is over priced, but hey, they make good stuff that works well.

And whoever said "sound is in the perception" or something like that above couldn't be more correct in the assessment. It's all about what sounds good to you. I happen to think the sound system in my RX-8 is terrific. The one improvement I'd make to it is to add the Bose subwoofer that my 2001 Acura TL had mounted on the rear package shelf. That really added some bottom to the music without the god awful THUMP THUMP THUMP **** that the idiots with the boom cars think sounds good.

 

You simply must be joking. There is a reason Bose doesn't publish frequency response charts on their gear--because it's appalling. And what "pro sound" gear do you think Bose does worth a damn? Show me one professional recording studio with Bose gear. You can't, because no professional would touch them.

No, good sound is NOT perception. When someone runs an audio analyzer on Bose output, that scientific fact showing you just how nasty Bose is.

BTW, I work in the AV industry.

 

Hi.

"Good sound quality" depends on:
1) source recording
2) reproduction of the recorded signal
3) amplification
4) speakers
---------------------
5) listening room
6) your ears
7) your brain

Audio analyzers apply to everything above the line. You can analyze a listening room from specific positions, but most of us don't sit dead still listening to music. If your living room is an anechoic chamber, I guess you can disregard this.

Steps 6 and 7 do involve perception, I'm pretty sure. More to the point, it's possible (and it does happen) that nonlinear audio gear, combined with the nonlinear response of the listening space and the listener, can sound good. It may not be the objective Platonic ideal of sound, but someone will enjoy it.

And to the point about value, the AM5 is an excellent $150 system.:D

 

Well gang, last time I checked I listen WITH MY EARS not an audio analyzer, my 43-year-old, likely somewhat deaf, ears. And I could give a rat's *** whether my AM5 system can hit 20,000 Hz because I cannot hear above 15,000, per a recent audiogist's exam. So what's the point of it?

I own a Bose pro-sound PA system for my band that's derivative of the old 901 system - and it sounds awesome - fills the clubs we play in beautifully. And everyone talks about how clear we sound and how easy it is to hear.

I don't work in a studio. I don't care what they use. I've never had anything from Bose blow up or break on my watch.

Sorry you don't like it. Don't **** on me for liking it. It's subjective. The only piece of audio analysis I care about equipment is mounted on and in my head.

That's like saying "The RX-8 is **** because ..." and spout all the numbers crap about it, when you've never driven the car and haven't experienced how the car transcends the numbers.

I think Bose gear transcends the numbers. If you don't like it, feel free to buy something else.

 

Here's the problem with your argument. Bose sounds ACCEPTABLE to most people because most people have never truely heard a high end sound system. Bose markets and PRICES themselves as a high end sound system, when in fact they're no better (actually definetly worse) then the polk audio system I set up for my parents...costing half the price of the bose system.

When people hear a true high end system...and I'm not talking about a 10k one, just a good one costing the same as a bose from best buy...it will blow you away, that's when you realize how much bose really sucks. Ofcourse everything is perception...if someone who's never driven anything but a 1980 civic gets into an rx8, they'll think it's the best and faster thing in theh world...get in a porsche and that rx8 suddenly isn't so hot. The problem with bose is that it's an rx8 (yea I'm being nice here) priced the same as that porsche...now if you bought the rx8 at the porsche price you're a pretty dumb &*#$...that's what you're doing when you're buying bose instead of say...paradigm.

Set up a good high end audio system for the same price as that bose, and listen to them both. You'll instantly hear what you're missing from the bose setup. It's not only scientifically measurable by an audio device...you can HEAR the difference. It's really amazing what a good sound system can do...people just settle for "good enough"...not knowing what they're really missing.

as far asa the title of the thread...the audiopilot system is no different...it's a piece of bose garbage. You read about it, and it sounds amazing what it can do on paper, unfortunately it doesn't live up to its claims, not even close. It says that it'll compensate tone basaed on noise entering the cabin...it specifically says it'll up the vocals when you open the window to make them audible. Have you tried that? I opened the windows and the only thing I heard was a little more base, I couldn't even tell if there were vocals at all. The only thing that the system in this car is qualified to play is talk radio.

 

Well, I guess I'll throw in my .02....

I've had Bose home speakers for years and have LOVED them from day one. I realize speaker sound is pretty subjective, as everyone has their own idea of what great sound is (I personally like to feel the bass and Bose has always delivered). As far as the Audio Pilot...it's a piece of crap. Why oh why would anyone want the sound to come out like you are underwater???? This happens more often than I care to think about. That little simulation on their site forgot to put that visual in.

I haven't found any user controls, cuz I'd like to think I've just got it adjusted wrong...am I missing something?

 

Sadly, 'tis true.

 

I dont get it.. what do you guys have against Bose? no its not for "audiophiles" per say, but what the hell else do you want for a stock radio option from the dealer? Yes I know that it pales in comparison to an aftermarket set up but really now guys... you should know better when buying a player option from the dealer... you WILL be gouged and the quality (more often than not) wont quite be what you expect.

example... the Shaker 1000 option for the Mustang GT here in Canada is 1900.00... you know what that gives you? TWO TENS.... for 1900 quid i can buy a wicked kick *** deck, a pair of subs, tweeters, amps and have it installed.

 

As previously feared, this thread has degenerated into a Bose-Basher. Although citing Polk as being better is again subjective. Now the Paradigm, there you have an argument.

 

How about a standard DIN sized radio with an internal amp (none of this amp in speaker nonsense) so that you could easily upgrade the speakers and/or the head unit?

If you are going to make it hard to replace, then spend the bucks and make it Lexus "Mark Levinson" or something - just not Bose. Ford made those stupid oval radio plates but the after-market responded with kits to allow you to use a standard DIN sized radio in them. I am afraid the 8 is so low volume that they will never make much to help us out.

Dennis

 

I'll probably get bashed by the Bose haters, but I have the noise-cancellation headphones, and think they are great. I travel twice a month and use these on planes. I had to set my volume at 18 with conventional headphones in order to hear music. I set these at 3, and the soiund is crystal clear.

I am disappointed with the AudioPIlot feature in the 8. Either mine does not work, or the technology does not work. I need to turn my volume up at higher speeds or when the windows are open. It does not appear to adjusted anything for me (and it is indeed ON).

So, just like any company, there may be good products and bad products; and just like any product, one person's idea of good is another's idea of bad. Some of think the 8 is a great car, and some do not. Some people will never even look at one. Some people like Pontiac Aztecs, and others don't want to see them.

We are all entitled to our own opinions, and hopefully, even when others' opinions are different from our own, we can respect them and the person who gave them. Be nice.

 

Honestly the bose premium system in the 8 is really pathetic, even the mids sound like crap. The premium system in my eclipse and Senta is far better and in both cases we are talking significantly lower priced cars.

Saying bose makes pro audio gear is funny too. Nobody really cares much about good sound quality out of a PA system in the first place, just needs to be loud. If you went into a studio with anything bose (including their headphones) you would be laughed out. If you went into a home bedroom studio with bose you would be laughed at.

The reality is that the bose system in the 8, and all bose systems, are really for marketting towards dumb consumers that fall for bose marketing. That's what the audiopilot feature is too, marketing.

I mean really, their new wave radio add claims it reproduces half an octave lower sound than any other system, what a complete lie and bunch of crap that statement is. If you know anything about sound you know that is a lie but there are consumers who are dumb enough to believe it.

 

For that matter, how about a head unit that doesn't also run the A/C display. At least Mazda didn't build the radio into the PCM, so maybe we should count our blessings.:p

Seriously, I'd have no problem either with Mazda's radio choices if it were easier to upgrade them myself. As it is, I'd have to work with custom plastic trim, brackets, and who knows what else, and still leave the old head unit in if I want to see my vent settings.

 

On some GM cars if you remove the OEM stereo the air bags may fail to deploy (or is they just fire at any time?). Anyway, that would hurl worse, I guess.

The new Accords have a/c controls and the stereo together, but Accords sell in enough volume that there is an aftermarket kit to replace the controls and mount a DIN stereo.

Dennis

 

Where can i find new front speakers? the size is 8" for the bose system and 6x9 with the standard system, i have the bose and i cannot find that size speaker. any suggestions?

 

Man, you just bumped a 7 1/2 year old thread!!!

 

They're 9" and you can't.

Try going to the top stickie in the Audio section of the site.

It explains most everything.

https://www.rx8club.com/interior-aud...-first-226065/