Bose ?

Kitsch

Kitsch

Seat - Skoda - Audi
Joined
May 15, 2007
Messages
20
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Southampton
Just picked up my new car this morning.:jump:

How do you know whether you actually have Bose ?

I thought something came up in the head unit display ? Symphony II.
Do have Bose above speakers.
 
Should have a silver band on the front door speakers with 'BOSE sound system' written on it.

Also a centre speaker on the dash ( or do all A3s have this? ).
 
The front speaker grills have a bose stamped on them. The headunits don't display the word "BOSE" anymore.

Regards, John.
 
So does that mean the headunits actually switch on faster now ?
The HU's that display 'BOSE' take a ****** age !
 
Ok so you have to take there word it's fitted or listen to someone who does not have Bose to check.

& yeap comes on quickly unless loading a cd then abit slower.
 
Kitsch said:
Ok so you have to take there word it's fitted or listen to someone who does not have Bose to check.

& yeap comes on quickly unless loading a cd then abit slower.
Click to expand...

No not at all, it has the words BOSE on the front speaker covers. No words, no bose.
 
BOSE = Crank up the volume, no sound distortion
NO BOSE = Crank up the volume, sound distortas accordingly

Easy... worth it? Yes if you do not plan an aftermarket upgrade

Pedro
 
Collected new A3 on Saturday with Symphony/Bose & whilst driving away from the stealers, couldn't believe how tinny & cold it sounded compared to the Bose I'd tested a while ago. Did wonder whether the thing was configured properly, or I'd been fobbed off with ordinary speakers!

A day later whilst twiddling with the settings, I changed the GALA setting to AUTO and there was a pronounced difference - the sound became warmer & richer, with a more rounded bottom end. Still not as nice a bass tone as my old 8L 1.8T concert non-BOSE, but nevertheless, an improvement.

I can't explain it though and wonder if something is playing tricks on me. Reverting the GALA setting back to OFF, it didn't seem to go back sounding awful. In the absence of a better explanation, it's as if switching the GALA to AUTO for the first time kick-started the BOSE tuning circuitry... which seems a daft suggestion, but who knows?

As an aside, does anyone know of any hidden Equaliser settings for the latest Symphony? That could be really useful!:icon_thumright:
 
Mr_P said:
Still not as nice a bass tone as my old 8L 1.8T concert non-BOSE
Click to expand...


That's what I've said all along.
Non-Bose cars have much better bass,especially at low volumes.
Basically,I reckon non-Bose beats Bose up until around 10 on the volume scale.
If 10 sounds painful to you,don't bother spending money on Bose.
I like to listen to music around the 15 mark,so I need Bose.
Non-Bose is just a distorting mess at 15.
 
Easiest way to confirm if you have Bose or not is to look at the sub in the boot. If it looks like this then you have Bose:
AudiA38PBosesub.jpg
 
Easiest way is rip the lining off the boot ?!?!
Surely the easiest way is to look at the door speakers for the silver 'Bose' badge.
 
I was given a non-Bose 1.6 A3 as a loaner, while mine was in for service recently, and it sounded much, much worse than my Symphony/Bose system. Very tinny and bass-light, no guts at all.

I have found the Bose system sounds best with all controls set flat, except for the bass, which is at about +20% full scale.
 
My car has BOSE and I think it sounds really good, very clear and lots of bass.

I do tend to listen to stuff quite loud, perhaps the BOSE speakers just need driving a bit more than the normal ones so don't come alive at low volume.

Never tried the normal system in the A3 but BOSE is way better than the one in my Leon which I think was similar to the old A3.
 
Maybe the 1.6 A3 has less speakers than other models ?
The 2.0Fsi sport I sometimes drive doesn't have Bose and it has miles better bass at low levels.
I also disagree with your Bose settings.
IMO,the headunit is the limiting factor in the Bose set-up.
It doesn't sound anything close to good unless bass and treble are whacked up to max.
My MD always changes the HU in his Bose cars and it sounds much better.
Don't ask me how he does it,he just puts it into a stereo shop and throws money at it.
Never changes the actual speakers though,just the HU's.
 
I have all my settings flat apart from Bass up a couple of notches. I switched GALA to Auto but haven't really played around with it.

I'm no Audiophile but it sounds good to me.
 
bowfer said:
... It doesn't sound anything close to good unless bass and treble are whacked up to max.
Click to expand...
Maybe you need an ear upgrade !

Actually, when I briefly owned a 2.0TDI A3 (also Bose), it didn't sound anything like as good as my current car. The sound was generally drowned out by the incessant rattling and thudding from the oil-burner !
 
Well that's why they give us adjustment !
I could do with more though,for sure.
Interstingly,the A4 HU's offer mid-range adjustment.
 
Mine has that too, Symphony II+ ( or whatever it is now called )

Has Treble, Mid and Bass..
 
s3mike said:
Mine has that too, Symphony II+ ( or whatever it is now called )

Has Treble, Mid and Bass..
Click to expand...

Mine to with Bose and sounds fantastic at all volumes. Remember the souce of music will have an important factor. If you play MP3's at a low recorded bit rate, they will sound flat, i always rip music at about 210 i think, compared to the standard I-tunes of 160ish. Its a bigger file but you get better quality.

CD's also have different audi standards, if you ever go to a hi-fi show the they tend to play similar well recorded music not just your brit-pop stuff. This brings out the detail in the player, speakers, amp etc. So depending on what music you play will have an impact on how it sounds.

As for GALA isn't this to cancel out un-wanted noise at differing road speeds?
 
Yeah, true, my MP3s are 256k variable bit I think which is quite high.

I haven't actually tried playing a CD yet to see if it sounds different / better.

I guess the new Symphony unit which plays MP3s could be better than the old versions too?
 
thebears said:
As for GALA isn't this to cancel out un-wanted noise at differing road speeds?
Click to expand...

It just adjusts the volume,dependant on speed,I think.
Nothing fancier than that,I don't think.
I think I switched mine off,can't remember.
I remember it being particularly annoying in a Saab I once owned.
Really slow to react.
For example,if you braked down to a stop from a high speed,the stereo would still be blaring for ages,until it 'caught up'.
 
bowfer said:
Easiest way is rip the lining off the boot ?!?!
Click to expand...
You could do that if you're a complete idiot, or alternatively just open the cubbyhole door and have a look.
Badges aren't foolproof, some Bose systems don't have them.
 
Any word of the B+O set up from the A8 filtering down to 'lesser' models ?
Bet that sounds amazing.
Heard the Levinson set-up in the new Lexus ?
Wow.
It's better than any set-up I've heard,OE or aftermarket.
 
audi upgrades
I noted on the new A4 preview on the audi site that you can opt for B & O on the new A4.
 
RedSportback said:
I noted on the new A4 preview on the audi site that you can opt for B & O on the new A4.
Click to expand...

Really ?
Oh man,don't tell me I'll have to consider another Audi...
I swore I wouldn't !
 
"Bang & Olufsen sound system
Top entertainment: with 505 watts of music power, ten channels and 14 speakers, the optional Bang & Olufsen sound system with surround sound provides genuine listening pleasure in the A4."

Listed as optional equipment in the blurb.

Must admit the car does look good. Am due to change mine early 2008, and at this moment in time I don't have a clue what to have, but I will dfeffinatly look at the new A4
 
Be a hefty sum for the B+O though,I would imagine.
If £400 for Bose,I'd imagine double that for B+O
Levinson is,I think,£1300 in the Lexus.
 
bowfer said:
Really ?
Oh man,don't tell me I'll have to consider another Audi...
I swore I wouldn't !
Click to expand...

.....And you can order one on 23rd Sept, when the Frankfurt show finishes.

It's available with a 'proper' common rail diesel too.
 
More than double, the A8 B&O system is £4.5k, so you'd hope it would be pretty good.
 
£4.5K ?!?!?!?
Holy smoke !
For that money,I want some topless bird doing the volume for me.
 
Looking at the A4 preview site (didn't know it existed).
Very interesting.
Squint and you'd swear it was a 3 series,styling-wise.
143bhp diesel with only 144 g/km too.
Velly intelesting....
 
bowfer said:
£4.5K ?!?!?!?
Holy smoke !
For that money,I want some topless bird doing the volume for me.
Click to expand...
...carrying a tray with champagne and cigars also. :)
 
Isn't B&O a bit like Bose though ie a bit showy/flashy, nice branding but that's about it? Don't get me wrong, I like the Bose in my A3 but from what I can gather 'audiophiles' (whoever they are) don't really rate either? Or is it just some sort of inverted snobbery thing?
 
rich1068 said:
Isn't B&O a bit like Bose though ie a bit showy/flashy, nice branding but that's about it? Don't get me wrong, I like the Bose in my A3 but from what I can gather 'audiophiles' (whoever they are) don't really rate either? Or is it just some sort of inverted snobbery thing?
Click to expand...

Remains to be seen with the B&O I suppose.
Bose is relatively easily bettered by aftermarket stuff,but how many people can be bothered ?
I can't,these days.
My days of chopping/altering/wiring/adding amps etc.are long gone.
I want a neat install that matches the interior,so the likes of Bose is fine for me.
 
B&O are known for quality as well as flashiness.
Bose have never been known for quality, mainly just space saving innovation, which isn't really an issue in a car.
 
audi upgrades
bowfer said:
It just adjusts the volume,dependant on speed,I think.
Nothing fancier than that,I don't think.
I think I switched mine off,can't remember.
I remember it being particularly annoying in a Saab I once owned.
Really slow to react.
For example,if you braked down to a stop from a high speed,the stereo would still be blaring for ages,until it 'caught up'.
Click to expand...
It used to do that on all models but BOSE-equipped cars have replaced basic GALA with AudioPilot which reacts to the ambient noise level rather than just the speed.

Works really well actually - you can hear it adjusting the volume depending on the amount of road noise as you drive over different surfaces.
 
Bose aren't just known for space saving innovation.
I know what you're saying (soundwave radio / small cube speakers etc.) but it wouldn't mean anything if they sounded *****.
They sound ****** good,along with space saving innovation,surely.
 
Is it easy to add bose, if you have bought the car without it?
 
My wife had a Mark Levinson set up in her Lexus, 11 speakers inc two subs , the sound was crystal clear , but just not dynamic! the bass was up full and it still wasn't enough! i think Bose is better for the car!

p
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

bezA3
Bose
Replies
3
Views
860
Artimus
Artimus
C
bose
Replies
10
Views
1K
audicruiser
audicruiser
ghouseman
Bose
Replies
4
Views
1K
AndyMac
AndyMac
N
Bose
Replies
16
Views
1K
Amchlolor
Amchlolor
M
Bose
Replies
39
Views
2K
ugly_bloke
ugly_bloke
Top
Back