Bose or base radio
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I don't have Bose or Burmeister, so I can't comment directly on how awesome those options may be.
I do have the base system, and for me it is entirely adequate, I don't need anything more. The reason for me is that these cars are not the most quiet cabins to begin with (lots of road and engine noise - which is not a bad thing) and such a small space - the base system works plenty good enough for me.
The only thing potentially lacking is a big bass response if you really want to bump some rap music. Again, plenty good enough for me, but I am sure that real audiophiles would disagree (maybe my hearing is not as discerning after going to so many live shows in my life).
I do have the base system, and for me it is entirely adequate, I don't need anything more. The reason for me is that these cars are not the most quiet cabins to begin with (lots of road and engine noise - which is not a bad thing) and such a small space - the base system works plenty good enough for me.
The only thing potentially lacking is a big bass response if you really want to bump some rap music. Again, plenty good enough for me, but I am sure that real audiophiles would disagree (maybe my hearing is not as discerning after going to so many live shows in my life).
It may depend on how you will drive the 718. I drive mine on public roads, and drive it a lot, since it is fun and comfortable. I have the base radio and it is poor in my opinion. My wife who is in no way an audio aficionado said: "Not very satisfying sound" when she first heard it.
I am waiting on MusicCar NW to develop a plug-and-play tweeter for the 718. I have been waiting for six months but I'm patient. My advice is to listen to Bose before you order it. I had Bose in two other cars and did not like the bass heavy sound.
I am waiting on MusicCar NW to develop a plug-and-play tweeter for the 718. I have been waiting for six months but I'm patient. My advice is to listen to Bose before you order it. I had Bose in two other cars and did not like the bass heavy sound.
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I have the Bose in mine.
Before I placed the final order for my car I took a CD along to the showroom, they had a 718 with the standard system in it and another 718 with the Bose.
I listened to the same CD in both cars.
The one with the Bose certainly had noticeably more “oomph“ to the sound and in my opinion worth the extra money.
Before I placed the final order for my car I took a CD along to the showroom, they had a 718 with the standard system in it and another 718 with the Bose.
I listened to the same CD in both cars.
The one with the Bose certainly had noticeably more “oomph“ to the sound and in my opinion worth the extra money.
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It depends, even though I normally chose an upgraded stereo in my cars, I chose the standard audio system in my Boxster.
That decision was based on that I would almost only be driving that car with the roof down, so soundquality would be almost irrelevant, If I had went with the Cayman I would very likely have upgraded to Bose, but based on my experience with the standard audio system I don't think it is a necessity.
That decision was based on that I would almost only be driving that car with the roof down, so soundquality would be almost irrelevant, If I had went with the Cayman I would very likely have upgraded to Bose, but based on my experience with the standard audio system I don't think it is a necessity.
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I have a 2017 base boxster with Bose and am satisfied with it. It's clear and does have bass. For a thousand, I would get the Bose. Any aftermarket upgrade will most likely cost more, so IMO the Bose is worth it. Just my .02 cents coming from having 2-12" woofers, 2 amps, custom mids and tweets, with cross overs back in the 90's.
My home hifi cost far too much, so I'd probably be considered an audiophile, but I have the base system in my Cayman. It's a very loud metal box, so no point spending more on upgrading in my view.
YOMV
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This topic is one that has received much attention in the past. Unlike 0-60 time or cornering forces, it is a very subjective issue and a host of variables in play. My hearing is not what it was (and who knows what that baseline was) subject to the auditory abuse of my youth and the ravages of age. I did order the Bose ($900 at my order) and would do it again. The “audiophiles“ (can this be defined? Like Potter Stewart on pornography-“I know it when I see it...”) scoff anything less than Burmeister or total aftermarket. Remember that these cars have a higher ambient noise level than a something like a BMW sedan. Go listen to a few cars with each system while driving them.
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Bose gives you more bass and loudness than the stock system which you will want since these cabins are not quiet at speed. Treble / tweeters are the weak spots in the Bose but that's not just our cars, it is shared across most of the Bose systems in the range including the Macan GTS I traded in last year. Bass is strong (maybe too strong for some but I like it!) but I've been able to tweak the Bose in my Cayman to make it sound satisfactory for the type of music I listen to.
The stereo is not the reason to buy these cars and I think we all know that but the Bose at least gives you enough loudness and bass to deal with the road noise while you're blasting around the next corner.
The stereo is not the reason to buy these cars and I think we all know that but the Bose at least gives you enough loudness and bass to deal with the road noise while you're blasting around the next corner.
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My base car has a standard radio and it seems fine for the little amount I use it. But I'm also in my late 60s, with semi-crappy hearing, so I'm not sure I'd notice any upgrade. Once in a blue moon I'll play the Jukebox or run off a flash-drive: I never use the tuner.
As others have noted, these cars are a bit noisier than a lot of vehicles so a decent sound system may be a waste (my GMC cargo van is quieter).
I'm doing a fairly long drive tomorrow. From western Jersey through NYC and then out near the Hamptons. I doubt I'll even turn the radio/sound system on.
As others have noted, these cars are a bit noisier than a lot of vehicles so a decent sound system may be a waste (my GMC cargo van is quieter).
I'm doing a fairly long drive tomorrow. From western Jersey through NYC and then out near the Hamptons. I doubt I'll even turn the radio/sound system on.
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I think a better question would be, is there anything else on the options list for $1000 that appeals to you that would enhance your experience in a high-performance, two-seat sports car more than a modest boost in frequency response that will be, for all intents and purposes, lost when engaging the performance envelope of the car?
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+1
I've played mine three times while driving. One, to hear how it sounds; two, when I was stuck in traffic and bored out of my mind; and three, when I forgot my reaction to experience #1. FWIW, I found the bass to be overcompensated (base system, btw).
When I want to hear music, I grab my Grado headphones, not the Porsche. Way too much ambient noise for music, but the kind I bought the car for
. Maybe it's an MT thing. I play my Tacoma stereo all the time.I do enjoy quality car audio (I don't like to call myself an audiophile though, as that carries with it a lot of connotations for a lot of people).
The base/SPP system sounded really bad to my ears. Bose was "ok." Certainly couldn't do any better with that $1000 on the aftermarket.
The base/SPP system sounded really bad to my ears. Bose was "ok." Certainly couldn't do any better with that $1000 on the aftermarket.
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In the FWIW department, one feature of the Bose system probably not present in the base system is volume compensation the the noise level in the car. The control for it is under the "Bose" button in the Audio Set menus. It is subtle but does make a difference.
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This is a tough one to answer as sound reproduction is a personal thing. For me it is very important and my system at home reflects that, however it is not my primary concern when buying a car. I test drove a 718 Cayman with the standard system and felt it would have been fine for my needs. I'm not a Bose fan though but also couldn't justify the expense of the Burmester.
I then landed up buying a car that had Bose fitted (I think all 911s in NZ come with Bose as a minimum) and have set it up so that it bypasses their surround sound processing (i.e. linear mode) and have the bass and treble settings flat and it sounds OK. Most Bose users would probably select the surround mode as their default setting and be happy, in fact I think they would think it sounds great, but I don't like it at all.
I then landed up buying a car that had Bose fitted (I think all 911s in NZ come with Bose as a minimum) and have set it up so that it bypasses their surround sound processing (i.e. linear mode) and have the bass and treble settings flat and it sounds OK. Most Bose users would probably select the surround mode as their default setting and be happy, in fact I think they would think it sounds great, but I don't like it at all.
I have the Bose system, and I think the degree of control that it provides is a strong benefit. You can really tailor the bass/treble, DSP (or not) and volume variability to suit the specific road conditions, programming and desired experience (with spouse or not). In the grand scheme I think it's worth it.
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I have the base and for most of the time it sounds ok but nothing special. What I did notice is the sound quality does seem to depend on what the source is such as playing music or videos from a phone made a big difference. Maybe it was something to do with the compression or something on the track. Try it out and see what you think.
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Just FYI, everyone: This member has a history of opening threads without researching first and using leading/baiting language. Glad to see there's been so much response in such a short amount of time, though!
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I am not especially a Bose fan either. (A confession - I spent 10 years as an engineer at Lexicon, a Harman company and thus a Bose competitor.) However the off-the lot car I selected had Bose and I'm satisfied with it. The Cayman environment is too noisy to experience good audio reproduction but the Bose system does okay. I don't push it because I don't want to subject my ears to high volume just to hear subtlety while driving.
I tried the surround-sound setting and like you turned it off. It may make music seem more like it is in a real space but it takes away detail. Spoken words are less coherent. Try to hear a radio program or (for my sweetie) an audio book while driving PS4S tires on a concrete road and you won't understand a thing!
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