OK, I can't take it anymore...
02-26-2003, 01:28 PM
#1
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OK, I can't take it anymore...
<rant mode on>
The bose system in my '03 just plain sucks. :-( I can't even listen to most of my CD's because I can hear just how much is really missing. I actually had to come home today, take out a few CDs, and play them in my home system to make sure I wasn't going nuts.
Ahhh.... There, that's better.
</rant mode off>
So now what do I do? Does anyone know of any custom installers in the greater Philadelphia area with experience on the A6? Good or bad experiences welcome.
I guess I have to put up with FM radio since at least then I'm not already familiar with how good the music can sound.
TIA,
The bose system in my '03 just plain sucks. :-( I can't even listen to most of my CD's because I can hear just how much is really missing. I actually had to come home today, take out a few CDs, and play them in my home system to make sure I wasn't going nuts.
Ahhh.... There, that's better.
</rant mode off>
So now what do I do? Does anyone know of any custom installers in the greater Philadelphia area with experience on the A6? Good or bad experiences welcome.
I guess I have to put up with FM radio since at least then I'm not already familiar with how good the music can sound.
TIA,
02-26-2003, 02:21 PM
#2
You can't "fix" the bose......only replace it
Some may tell you to ad a subwoofer, that is a stop gap at best. To do it right you need to replace it all. head unit amps and speakers. $$
I just live with the bose for what it is. A decent sounding stock car stereo.
I just live with the bose for what it is. A decent sounding stock car stereo.
02-26-2003, 06:58 PM
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For Symphony I, it can be reprogrammed to non-Bose. Anyone know about Symph II?...
If so, I would design a new system, about $2-5k worth, around the stock head unit. Otherwise, you still have to keep the Symphony (due to various other functions it controls), but it gets tucked behind the replacment unit. At least, so I'm told.
On my Symphony I, it sounded awful to me ... until I accessed the hidden equalizer feature. Now, after careful adjustment, it is tolerable (even for an audiophile) for enjoying music, but provides no auditory thrills. For that, I use my Vandersteen 3A Signature speakers and tube amps, with RPG ProFoam all over the walls, at home.
I'll probably replace all but my head unit eventually, either before or after coil overs (and after new job, house, furniture, and a Bedat tonneau wristwatch for my wife, in thanks for her endless tolerance...).
If the Symph II is like the I, then it has line outputs, and can be programmed to non-Bose, meaning it turns off the special Bose equalization curve. Then it should sound adequate with new amps and speakers. Don't use those speaker level to line level adapters, unless you can't find line outs.
On my Symphony I, it sounded awful to me ... until I accessed the hidden equalizer feature. Now, after careful adjustment, it is tolerable (even for an audiophile) for enjoying music, but provides no auditory thrills. For that, I use my Vandersteen 3A Signature speakers and tube amps, with RPG ProFoam all over the walls, at home.
I'll probably replace all but my head unit eventually, either before or after coil overs (and after new job, house, furniture, and a Bedat tonneau wristwatch for my wife, in thanks for her endless tolerance...).
If the Symph II is like the I, then it has line outputs, and can be programmed to non-Bose, meaning it turns off the special Bose equalization curve. Then it should sound adequate with new amps and speakers. Don't use those speaker level to line level adapters, unless you can't find line outs.
02-27-2003, 01:12 AM
#7
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Bose quality is a very subjective thing, but I may have an explanation for really bad sounding Bose
I've had 3 cars with Bose now, and my business partner has had another 3, plus I've test-driven another 4 or 5 with Bose and I've found a huge variation in the quality.
My A6 2.7t Avant sounded like crap, while my business partner's identical car sounded great - bass was pretty good at neutral anyway, but could be turned right up and still didn't distort. Mine sounded bassy enough, but vocals were distorted whenever a bass note was played. Both displayed BOSE in the Concert display when powered up. Eventually, my head unit was replaced, and that improved things no end, but it still lacked something compared to my business partner's car - I suspect the speaker cones had been damaged by this point.
My S8 always sounded superb. The highs were clear and bright, bass was strong when set at neutral and even at full volume there was no distortion. My business partners S8 sounded OK, until you compared it to mine. He always maintained that it sounded worse than his A6, but I just thought it was because he'd lost that big plastic sub in the trunk. We listened to the same CD in both, and mine sounded far superior.
Now he has an RS 6 Avant and I have a Sedan. His Bose doesn't sound very bassy, and you have to set bass to full to get much happening. Mine is really bassy, even on neutral settings, but I have the same distortion issue that I had in the A6.
The head units have to be programmed (at the factory or dealer, anyone know?) for Bose or non-Bose operation, number of passive speakers etc. I don't know the exact coding that is performed, but I know that each model requires a particular coding value for Bose and another for non-Bose, and that these values differ between models and Avants / Sedans etc.
I asked my dealer to check the coding on my RS 6's Nav+ unit. This was in December and I'm still waiting for them to get an answer from Audi UK as to what it should be coded up to. It's quite obvious that they don't have a clue about any of this, as I even had to tell my salesman that the head units are coded with the VAG tool, he passed that onto the head tech and he was mildly surprised by the news...
It's about time I kicked some *** with my dealer. I've got a couple of minor things that I want sorting, this being one of them. To be honest, the only reason I've left it is because I don't have time to drive round town to the dealer to give them a bollocking, and I just listen to CDs at half-volume and it sounds OK.
I've decided this morning that I'm sick of getting poor service, so this afternoon they will get a phone call and I expect them to get me some answers or I will be going to Audi UK, or even Audi AG if I have to.
My A6 2.7t Avant sounded like crap, while my business partner's identical car sounded great - bass was pretty good at neutral anyway, but could be turned right up and still didn't distort. Mine sounded bassy enough, but vocals were distorted whenever a bass note was played. Both displayed BOSE in the Concert display when powered up. Eventually, my head unit was replaced, and that improved things no end, but it still lacked something compared to my business partner's car - I suspect the speaker cones had been damaged by this point.
My S8 always sounded superb. The highs were clear and bright, bass was strong when set at neutral and even at full volume there was no distortion. My business partners S8 sounded OK, until you compared it to mine. He always maintained that it sounded worse than his A6, but I just thought it was because he'd lost that big plastic sub in the trunk. We listened to the same CD in both, and mine sounded far superior.
Now he has an RS 6 Avant and I have a Sedan. His Bose doesn't sound very bassy, and you have to set bass to full to get much happening. Mine is really bassy, even on neutral settings, but I have the same distortion issue that I had in the A6.
The head units have to be programmed (at the factory or dealer, anyone know?) for Bose or non-Bose operation, number of passive speakers etc. I don't know the exact coding that is performed, but I know that each model requires a particular coding value for Bose and another for non-Bose, and that these values differ between models and Avants / Sedans etc.
I asked my dealer to check the coding on my RS 6's Nav+ unit. This was in December and I'm still waiting for them to get an answer from Audi UK as to what it should be coded up to. It's quite obvious that they don't have a clue about any of this, as I even had to tell my salesman that the head units are coded with the VAG tool, he passed that onto the head tech and he was mildly surprised by the news...
It's about time I kicked some *** with my dealer. I've got a couple of minor things that I want sorting, this being one of them. To be honest, the only reason I've left it is because I don't have time to drive round town to the dealer to give them a bollocking, and I just listen to CDs at half-volume and it sounds OK.
I've decided this morning that I'm sick of getting poor service, so this afternoon they will get a phone call and I expect them to get me some answers or I will be going to Audi UK, or even Audi AG if I have to.
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02-27-2003, 10:50 AM
#9
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Very interesting, please keep us informed if you find various Bose codes....
All I have are a couple of messages about coding it as Bose or non-Bose.<ul><li><a href="http://www.netwiz.net/~jds/files/a6_links.html#vag">http://www.netwiz.net/~jds/files/a6_links.html#vag</a</li></ul>
02-27-2003, 11:09 AM
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I'm trying to find as much info as I can on the subject
To avoid my dealer just saying "it's OK" and doing nothing.
I found <a href="http://www.tt-owners.de/faq/media/a919902.pdf">this interesting link [PDF]</a> which is a TSB for TT CD changer installation. On page 4, it shows coding 00517, the 5 in the 3rd digit intrigues me as the page <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/concert.html">here</a> says that 0 here means Bose (no passive speakers). So is the example in the TSB flawed, or does the 3rd digit control more than it first seems? I'm confused!
Of course, I'm assuming that the VAG 1551 coding method is the same for Nav+ as other head units.
The search continues...
I found <a href="http://www.tt-owners.de/faq/media/a919902.pdf">this interesting link [PDF]</a> which is a TSB for TT CD changer installation. On page 4, it shows coding 00517, the 5 in the 3rd digit intrigues me as the page <a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/concert.html">here</a> says that 0 here means Bose (no passive speakers). So is the example in the TSB flawed, or does the 3rd digit control more than it first seems? I'm confused!
Of course, I'm assuming that the VAG 1551 coding method is the same for Nav+ as other head units.
The search continues...