To Bose or not?

Author
Discussion

Ady128

Original Poster:

535 posts

142 months

Thursday 28th July 2016
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I'm having a Macan in January and I'm wondering whether to have Bose. The thing is: I have quite a good hifi at home (Naim CD and Epos speakers) therefore are the Bose any good?

paralla

3,528 posts

134 months

Friday 29th July 2016
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The obvious thing to do is find one with Bose and have a listen. Sounds like you might be disappointed with Bose though. There's always Burmester.

I sold a Cayman S privately earlier this year and the key differentiator between it and pretty much all the others on the market at the time was the Burmester.

red997

1,304 posts

208 months

Friday 29th July 2016
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Having similar home audio as you (Linn & Naim) I am usually disappointed with car 'audio'

Can't say specifically for the Macan, but I had a KN with Bose - wasn't too bad when tweaked appropriately
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Came close to buying a Panamera with Burmeister (OPC sold it under my nose whilst I was on my way to put a deposit down - no more Pork ever purchased from them again !)
It sounded better in the HF end (probably due to the ribbon tweeters) but I didn't get the chance to try it on the road.
The Panamera Turbo I eventually purchased had Bose, which to be honest wasn't bad - similar to the KN system - certainly went very, very loud !

Current car (991 GT3) has the Porsche sound plus system
Now, road noise is huge on the GT3 in comparison to the Panamera or KN, so it's really a case of just cranking it up loud now !

To be fair though, it isn't that bad considering the very compromised environment it has to operate in.

rbh

282 posts

131 months

Friday 29th July 2016
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I also have similar system at home Naim and Wilson-Benesch, I honestly don't think high end audio systems in a relativerly noisey awkwardly shaped environment, such as a Porsche is worthwhile. I have a 991 with Bose and it's fine, however, discerning musical detail at any speed is not realistic.

edo

16,699 posts

264 months

Friday 29th July 2016
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Agree with the above. Have had Bose in various Porsches and it caries from average to good.

I had it in my 991 GTS Cab, and it was rubbish IMHO.

Was good in my 981 Cayman, and is very good in my wifes 2014 Cayenne.

I think in a Macan I would spec it. I would not bother with Burmester; nice to have if buying used, but a lot of money for very little gain IMHO.

SimNugget

580 posts

169 months

Friday 29th July 2016
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I have Bose in my Macan - it is good, not brilliant. But it is a sound system in a car so will always be compromised by wind and road noise, bongs, traffic announcements and the 'mind of their own' parking sensors in the Macan.

S

nsm3

2,831 posts

195 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
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I have Bose in my Cayman and always thought it 'adequate' but not quite as good as the B&O in our Audi?

Just had a 718 loaner with the Burmester (?) system and that was noticeably better than my Bose.

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

155 months

Sunday 31st July 2016
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Bose is a little better than the standard set-up, but the Burmester is very good indeed.

Wudee

269 posts

143 months

Monday 1st August 2016
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i have Bose on my 991 and do not like it. Too much bass and not clear tones.


Ady128

Original Poster:

535 posts

142 months

Monday 1st August 2016
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Thanks all; I'm still undecided and have to decide soon as my OPC have today told me I have a build slot for November. I'll have to have a listen to Bose and the standard.

jakesmith

9,461 posts

170 months

Monday 1st August 2016
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woollyjoe said:
Any sound reproduction in a car is awful at all price points...

The environment is hostile for sound reproduction. Reflective surfaces everywhere, no air volume to move, sealed box, interfering objects, and then the noise from outside.

Then you have speakers in locations borne out of convenience rather than suitability.

You add the two, and the sound is so compromised, you can forget any kind of cohesiveness, sound staging, even timing. Best you can hope for is clarity and volume and that is it.

Even the best in car audio is easily bettered by £70 earphones and high quality music on your iphone. I'm not saying I wouldn't want the best a car has to offer, just that the price does not translate into audio quality - the limits of quality stop very low down.
Can't fully agree. You sound like you have very good or well trained ears but that doesn't follow to most of the population.

Agree that smaller cars like Porsches are challenging but my friend spent nearly 7k on his Sl55 and the sound is incredible. In larger cars it is possible to create good sound. Good clarity and volume will do all but the most discerning audiophile. The Meridien 825w system in the Evoque was about £1k and is seriously good

I don't think comparing the cost of home and car audio is useful they are completely different applicatios and beside, try doing a trackday in your house!

911wise

1,867 posts

208 months

Monday 1st August 2016
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I had it in my 2012 Cayenne and it was poor, whatever the source. I had it in my 996c4s and when listening to a cd it was quite good. Clear and punchy.

Ady128

Original Poster:

535 posts

142 months

Tuesday 2nd August 2016
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I'll probably have it as most of the population will think it's wonderful and it'll help come resale time. Thanks peeps.

sajafzal

392 posts

152 months

Wednesday 3rd August 2016
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Ady128 said:
I'm having a Macan in January and I'm wondering whether to have Bose. The thing is: I have quite a good hifi at home (Naim CD and Epos speakers) therefore are the Bose any good?
Epos and Naim always worked well together, the Bose will not even get close, if you enjoy music at the highest quality I would suggest listening to Burmester

I own a HiFi shop, where I sell Naim, and I started off in car audio many moons ago, the Burmester is very good, mine is fitted to a Cayenne, if you are ever in West London you are more than welcome to have a listen

Saj