[Tony Curtis]

I have my navigation volume set at 11 ( the loudest ) and its still too low for me and I'm not even hard of hearing. Is there a trick to getting it louder or am I the only one that has noticed this ?

 

[duegatti]

Oh god . . . you're not the only one to notice this. I thought I had developed a work-around, and used it a couple of times, but now I cannot reproduce the success. You can try searching my posts and give my attempted solution a try, but I can't be optimistic.

It's one of the handful of things that totally blows my mind about the car. How it can be like that; how it can irreproducibly be altered; how so few other people have observed this. It must be some unintended consequences of a particular combination of several settings among Tuner, Source, Sound, Nav, etc., etc.

Please post if you make any progress in this. I rarely use the Nav, favoring instead the options available through Carplay. So I'm really out of the game of trying to fix it. But I would prefer if my in car Navigation in my Porsche worked as well as the in car Navigation in my 2006 Murano.

Good luck.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

Yes the Nav assistance volume is definitely too low. The Bose stereo is actually not very loud. Seems to be lacking power. I may look to see if an aftermarket amp can be installed. Some odd quirky things that have lingered on a car that's been around for a while.

 

[duegatti]

And there you have it. 2300 forum members, and this thread is going to sink like a stone.

I do not believe that the Bose system (which I have) has any volume limitation that explains the inaudible nav guidance. Indeed, part of my irreproducible work around involves cranking the Sirius to the max, and at that point there is plenty of volume.

I tried yesterday to generate volume, and I couldn't even get access to the navigation volume that does up to 11 - it stubbornly remained grayed out. Just left me pissed off.

I did find a Word file in which I saved a couple of different posts, describing my irreproducible work around. Here are the contents:

"If I go into tuner, I peg the volume for Sirius. Then I go to source and select Bluetooth. There seem to be some songs, coming from somewhere, ready to play, but they are not playing, and I don't want them to play. Now, If I work my way through the menus to the erstwhile grayed out volume choices, nav voice volume and Bluetooth are active. I go into each of those and max them out (11/11 and 6/6 respectively). At this point, a loud, adjustable Nav voice is produced.

Lastly, I suspect that this is something that benefits from storing the key fob settings.

I have to go into Sirius and split my ear drums maxing out the volume, got to source and switch to blue tooth, and I get the volume back. This is a PITA.

I can also go to source, select Blue Tooth, and max out the volume in Blue Tooth. And even though some song is identified and seems to be trying to play, it is not - no music comes out, but the volume is maxed. Then, I've got volume in the nav voice."

 

[duegatti]

Can I interest you other posters in trying my techniques and sharing the results?

 

[Graustark]

Yes the Nav assistance volume is definitely too low. The Bose stereo is actually not very loud. Seems to be lacking power. I may look to see if an aftermarket amp can be installed. Some odd quirky things that have lingered on a car that's been around for a while.

Doesn't it have 505 watts? How could it then be lacking power in a small cabin... or is it mostly an issue for top-down driving?

 

[GTS18BGTS]

Doesn't it have 505 watts? How could it then be lacking power in a small cabin... or is it mostly an issue for top-down driving?

Top down driving obviously has its issues. However there's something definitely lacking in the system even in top up driving. My other two vehicles have much more robust sounding systems - '17 Ram Limited and a 2004 350Z with an aftermarket Pioneer head run thru the stock speakers. But it's all good. I still have fun driving the car

 

[GregW]

I have the basic sound system and I have no problems with the volume of the nav--roof up or down. I can't remember off-hand how I've adjusted this, but--some options are not available when the car is mobile, and some are only available from either the centre or the multi-function display.

 

[CaymanMatt]

I have my volume set to 11. I have also adjusted volume by using the knob during a nav announcement. I've turned it down when too loud this way. Then if I remember correctly it was too quiet and the knob wouldn't increase volume so I went into the volume menu and found it was still set to 11. Next announcement came through loud and clear.
FWIW.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

Someone at Porsche responsible for the sound system designs must be a Spinal Tap fan lol Guess I need to set my volume to 11 and rock out

 

[Nosmo]

I personally don't recognise this issue. Possibly another EU / rest of world difference in set up. The volume on the NAV can be changed when the NAV voice comes on. Once the lady starts speaking change the sound level. Doesn't that work for you?

 

[GTS18BGTS]

The Nav volume can be set from the settings menu. As you adjust it, a volume sample comes thru the speakers to confirm the setting.

 

[duegatti]

Yes, the volume can be turned up while the voice is active, but so much of the time, the maximum volume achieved is extremely low. I've adjusted the Nav volume level to 11 (when it is accessible).

 

[Viffermike]

Just a couple of thoughts:

• The base stereo and the Bose are actually similarly powered per channel. The issue is that the Bose has four more channels to spread its available power to -- including the 100 watts that power the dedicated sub.
• It's very likely that the Nav volume is tuned to the base stereo's output, which is controlled within the head unit and output as analog. Since there's no difference in head units between a car with the base audio and one with Bose, the modular control box that enables the fiber-optic add-ons (like the Bose amp) likely doesn't have the ability to increase gain -- which, it must be said, really can't be changed anyway since the signal is digital and not analog. That has to happen either in the MOST interface or at the amp -- and since the Nav volume is controlled by the head unit independent of the master volume, well, that creates a volume-matching issue that only a software fix within the MOST interface can solve.
• It's also very likely that the Bose speakers are not only less efficient than the base speakers -- speaker efficiency is a far greater factor than WPC (watts per channel) in overall volume capability in mobile audio -- but they're also likely of mixed ohm ratings. Bose is known for this in both its mobile and home audio products, partially to make up for its speakers' poor design and low WPC capabilities. This creates huge issues for system-source volumes, of which Nav is one. This is also likely the biggest reason why the Soundaktor system is independent from the audio system in almost all VW vehicles.

Sorry, guys ...

 

[antennahead]

It's also very likely that the Bose speakers are not only less efficient than the base speakers -- speaker efficiency is a far greater factor than WPC (watts per channel) in overall volume capability in mobile audio -- but they're also likely of mixed ohm ratings. Bose is known for this in both its mobile and home audio products, partially to make up for its speakers' poor design and low WPC capabilities.

I keep hoping that an aftermarket company will design replacement drivers for this system that are a lot more efficient than the factory speakers, giving us the quality AND volume we desire without having to go the Most 150 interface route. I'm guessing however that the demand for such a product might not be there to incentivize anyone to put the time into developing such a product.

 

[duegatti]

Just a couple of thoughts:

• The base stereo and the Bose are actually similarly powered per channel. The issue is that the Bose has four more channels to spread its available power to -- including the 100 watts that power the dedicated sub.
• It's very likely that the Nav volume is tuned to the base stereo's output, which is controlled within the head unit and output as analog. Since there's no difference in head units between a car with the base audio and one with Bose, the modular control box that enables the fiber-optic add-ons (like the Bose amp) likely doesn't have the ability to increase gain -- which, it must be said, really can't be changed anyway since the signal is digital and not analog. That has to happen either in the MOST interface or at the amp -- and since the Nav volume is controlled by the head unit independent of the master volume, well, that creates a volume-matching issue that only a software fix within the MOST interface can solve.
• It's also very likely that the Bose speakers are not only less efficient than the base speakers -- speaker efficiency is a far greater factor than WPC (watts per channel) in overall volume capability in mobile audio -- but they're also likely of mixed ohm ratings. Bose is known for this in both its mobile and home audio products, partially to make up for its speakers' poor design and low WPC capabilities. This creates huge issues for system-source volumes, of which Nav is one. This is also likely the biggest reason why the Soundaktor system is independent from the audio system in almost all VW vehicles.

Sorry, guys ...

Okay - does this vast technical knowledge that I don't understand imply that base systems should lack the volume problem, and Bose systems should have it? Can we check with the people in this thread? I have Bose.

And next - armed with this vast technical knowledge that I don't understand, can you suggest what combination of settings and conditions I have achieved in the past, to intermittently raise the Nav volume?

 

[Viffermike]

Okay - does this vast technical knowledge that I don't understand imply that base systems should lack the volume problem, and Bose systems should have it? Can we check with the people in this thread? I have Bose.

And next - armed with this vast technical knowledge that I don't understand, can you suggest what combination of settings and conditions I have achieved in the past, to intermittently raise the Nav volume?

I have a base stereo (called SPP, or Sound Package Plus), and the Nav volume is fine. Others who've replied in the thread with the SPP have said the volume is fine, too. That leads me to believe the volume issue is related to the Bose upgrade ... yes, it would be good to know this for sure via a straw poll.

As for settings ... I really don't know how to permanently solve it for you. It does seem that it's related to Bluetooth output since Sirius has essentially the same problem. Source volume output variation is a common issue in OEM audio systems, particularly with upgrade packages; PCM/VW systems aren't the only ones that exhibit it (For example, the audio in my previous BMW had similar output variation). Typically, that's solved by the ability within the Infotainment software to vary the output volume of specific sources, which allows for compensation and balancing from source to source. . PCM 4, unfortunately, doesn't have this feature -- not sure why -- but there may be something under the Bose-specific menu that achieves this, which makes me wonder if there's that kind of setting in the Burmester-specific menu for those who have the Burmester upgrade?

 

[CaymanMatt]

I have a base stereo (called SPP, or Sound Package Plus), and the Nav volume is fine. Others who've replied in the thread with the SPP have said the volume is fine, too. That leads me to believe the volume issue is related to the Bose upgrade ... yes, it would be good to know this for sure via a straw poll.

As for settings ... I really don't know how to permanently solve it for you. It does seem that it's related to Bluetooth output since Sirius has essentially the same problem. Source volume output variation is a common issue in OEM audio systems, particularly with upgrade packages; PCM/VW systems aren't the only ones that exhibit it (For example, the audio in my previous BMW had similar output variation). Typically, that's solved by the ability within the Infotainment software to vary the output volume of specific sources, which allows for compensation and balancing from source to source. . PCM 4, unfortunately, doesn't have this feature -- not sure why -- but there may be something under the Bose-specific menu that achieves this, which makes me wonder if there's that kind of setting in the Burmester-specific menu for those who have the Burmester upgrade?

Mike:
Our CGTS has the Bose system and I would say I haven't had any problems yet hearing the NAV announcements. Only once when I had turned it down myself.
Hope this helps.

 

[Nosmo]

Same here, (UK) CGTS with Bose and no issues. In the sound settings you can select BOSE and then tinker with the bass, treble and fader etc. This setting has to be done per channel i.e. Tuner, Media, NAV etc.

 

[Viffermike]

Same here, (UK) CGTS with Bose and no issues. In the sound settings you can select BOSE and then tinker with the bass, treble and fader etc. This setting has to be done per channel i.e. Tuner, Media, NAV etc.

Interesting. Does the Bose interface in PCM 4 have an overall volume adjustment per source, or is it just tone?

One solution you could try, @duegatti: increase the tone. By nature, this increases output volume. The downside would be that it will affect overall sound quality ... but if it can be done per source and there's a Bluetooth option, that might help.