Yeah I don't really care about the "Bose representation" as much as I care about bass rattling in my door when the bass isn't even that pronounced in the first place.

The car is brand new <110 miles....I don't have any clutter in my car yet to be vibrating or making any noise in the door compartments.

This isn't a marble in a tin can kind of rattle, it's just a very ugly bass flutter with only moderate bass tones from a CD and the bass turned to +0. It's pretty pathetic, honestly.

Bose indeed.

This is a quibble, by the way. I don't intend to convey any sense of buyer's remorse here, because the car performs like a champ.

 

Yeah... about that Bose representation thing... uh, that was sarcastic. I do agree about the sound system I am going to be changing out my stock speakers with Focals, adding a real amp. and a few other things. But the Audio/Electronic section of the forum is where all of this is being discussed.

 

I agree with Squidward, everyone's ear is different. Now when it comes to Bose, you often hear the statement: " No highs, no lows, it must be Bose." Actually that statement is a little off and I'll explain why. If you look at Bose systems in general, whether they be home or car systems, Bose tends to structure their systems around tweeter and a woofer, nothing in between. They crossover the tweeters lower, and they crossover the woofers higher than you'd normally find in most full range systems. By doing this, they "fill the midrange gap" by using drivers that are either too small or too big to produce frequencies in the midrange area.

So, in my opinion, if Bose systems were to have a general fault, it would be in the midrange area, not the "highs or lows." The RX8's sound system is a perfect example of what I'm describing. They use 1" tweeters and 9" mid bass/midrange to make up the system, leaving the "traditional" 5"-6" midrange drivers out of the set-up.

Now, the reason Bose systems may lack the the "high end" and "low end" that people describe, is not because they lack the driver sizes to produce those frequencies. The problem is in Bose's crossover points. They force bigger and smaller drivers to produce fequencies that are "higher or lower than those that they were designed and sized to produce."

Plain and simple, Bose misuses driver sizes and crossover points. I still believe, however, that the Bose system in the RX8 sounds pretty damn good over all.

 

Have you compared the sound with AudioPilot on and off? For sure I am not an audio-type, but for some music the bass sounds distorted with AudioPilot on.

 

Slightly off-topic, but have any of you had the opportunity to sit in a new Acura TL and appreciate that DVD Surround audio system? It's phenomenal. I was completely blown away by it! I sure wish a system like that one was available in the 8.

And yes, the same complaints about the Bose audio systems can be found over at the Miataforum. I now have two Mazdas with Bose, and although the 8's is better than the Miata's, neither is nearly as good as it ought to be. Booming, vibrating bass, shrill highs, and blah midrange. After experiencing the Acura, I think I'll just give up on music and listen to NPR in the car from now on...

 

My husband I were just talking about the crummy Bose system.....he asked how do we know if it is trully a Bose system?....I pointed out it was on the small speaker(tweeter). Then he said maybe that the speakers are only Bose and not the system. It sure is a cheap sounding Bose system....the base system I had in the Protege5 sounded the same as this one. Hmmmmmmmmm...............

 

it sounds average to me, i havent had door rattles (occasionally listen to rap). Id agree about the lack of bass response and the sonic accuracy is poor from the speakers. Ive havent used the audiopilot just because im not sure what it does?

 

All audiopilot does is adjust the unit based on interior cockpit noise...there is a small mic located to the right of the steering column...look above your right knee when sitting in the car..

*edit* sorry...that's what it's supposed to do...

 

Just to pick at you a little bit...don't you think that has something to do with engineering...I mean it is their engineering department that comes up with the insane idea to bridge a 9" midbass and a 2" tweeter to make a midrange sound forum...

either way it's a good temporary solution until something is done with the faceplate ordeal...

 

I'm annoyed. If I'd known the system sucked...I might have just picked up the sport package and saved myself some cash.

I can buy a good deck, full set of speakers, and install it all cheaper than the dealer cost of this "premium" speaker setup.

I don't consider myself an audiophile either, by any means. I feel sorry for the true audio people when they sit down and listen to this.

 

I'm not a sound engineer.

I will tell you, however, what I do know.

I know that the "premium" sound in my 7 year old Mazda MX-6 M-edition sounds a LOT better than the brand new Bose system in my RX-8.

The MX-6 is equipped with 6" fronts, 8" rears, and 1" tweets near the windshield. The sound is balanced and, when coupled with my subwoofer, sounds terrific.

The 8 seems to have sound "pockets" throughout the cabin with the audio focal point being right between driver and passenger....you know, where NO ONE SITS.

Couple this with the bass "farting" going on with my CD player playing a very lightweight bass track and my bass gain at +0....and frankly I'm disgusted. This is the thousand dollar premium stereo that comes with the package, and my 7 year old factory speaker setup in my MX-6 is far superior.

For shame....

 

I realize that this won't add useful information to the issue at hand, but I'm more and more happy that my car came with the base stereo system... it is far less of a pain to upgrade that than the Bose.

 

My buddy has a new TL, and I didn't think the sound system was "all that." It struck me as a typical Bose. Maybe a little better than the Bose in the GT package, but not outstanding.

But then, I'm spoiled by the McIntosh in my wife's Outback VDC. It's awsome.

 

No highs, no lows....it must be Bose!

 

I agree the system sucks, but the rattle has nothing to do with the system, it's something in the door. Mine's got it too, and I've been to lazy to take it back in, but when I hit 10k in 500 miles they're darn well going to fix it.

 

My wife just got a 2004 Acura MDX with the DVD entertainment system in it, and you're right......that thing ROCKS!! It is awesome riding in the back watching a movie with the sound cranked.

It burns my *** because she listens mostly to AM and talk radio when she is driving to and from work, and she has a better sound system in her vehicle than I do!

 

Actually it is about the same. Unless of course you want to put anything but 6x9's in the door. With the Bose the holes are already cut large and with a good template you can cut your own backing to fit smaller speakers in. That's easier than cutting the door molding. The Bose system just cost more so I spent cash I could've used updating my audio on a system I didn't like simply because I wanted features that were not available without it. I never hated Bose so much before I was forced into one (this is my first Bose system).

 

Right on!!!

 

Well, I have to amend my statement.

Maybe it was just the CD, maybe it was the settings, maybe it was the door.

Either way, I couldn't reproduce the problem. The speakers still can't pump bass, but they perform admirably listening to Lar's bass drum hammering away in Metallica's Kill Em All

The system will do just fine until I get my amp and sub installed.

 

I have always installed aftermarket systems in all of my previous cars and I know how to build a good system. IMO the Bose system in my car is one of the best factory systems I've heard. Not saying it's perfect and I can build a much better system, but I can live with it. Guess I'm just getting old!

My brother just bought the new TL a week before I bought my car - top of the line everything. The integrated NAV and voice activated Blue Tooth system is incredible. I haven't had a chance to test the audio system yet, but I will as soon as I get a chance.

 

strange, cuz all I hear are only highs and lows.. there's no midrange, so this statement is completely false for the RX-8, imo.

 

For a factory system the RX8 Bose IMHO is pretty good - for a 51 y/o tone deaf guy anyway. Have a factory Bose speaker system in my 01 SLK320 - it does have much better Bass - I believe it has a subwoofer in that system. John

 

G8rboy, are you saying that with MP3 player you get more equalizer settings compared to just bass/treb with regular cd player?

 

Yes- the RCA Lyra (I'm not talking about the factory MP3 CD unit), which is a portable harddisk based iPod-like device (but half the price of an iPod) has a graphical EQ as well as preset EQ settings. I was able to bump up the midrange a bit and tweak bass and treble better to my liking.

 

For me, the factory Bose sound system is "good enough" for the moment. And actually, it's not that bad - I've heard a lot worse. Lots of other things I'd rather spend my money on right now.

However, it can be improved. I plan on ultimately replacing at least the door speakers and wing tweeters with Focals, maybe the back deck speakers too, and probably adding a sub.

But in the mean time, it occurs to me that a lot could be done with a graphic equalizer (not a booster/eq, JUST and eq) and possibly replacing the Bose crossovers with ones to send better suited frequencies to the drivers.

Thoughs on this, anyone?