BOSE - What equaliser settings?

[ub7rm]

Just picked up my new to me S3 sportback (pics to follow) with BOSE. To be honest I thought I'd been missold and someone had stuck some BOSE grills on the front speakers but I've stuck my head near the rear left panel in the boot and there is deffinately something rumbling in there....

I was in an older A4 with BOSE and that had a proper kick to it that you can feel in your chest. This does not. Is there anything that can be done to improve matters? What equiliser setting do most people use? To be fair its very clear at high volume and with the engine off there is a heavier bass note but on the road I don't really notice it.

I held out for a BOSE car and kindov wish I hadn't bothered. I would be miffed if I had specced this option from new!

 

[Helifella]

I feel your disapointment - I had a middle of the range setup in my last car a V50 and that was far superior to the Bose.

I find the trebble hurts my ears it just doesn't seem to be acoustically designed like they say it is.

 

[Cruiser89]

To be honest I'm blown away by the BOSE in my A3.

Thing to remember though is that the shape of the car plays an important role. I have a 60plate Audi A6 avant that I use for work and the Bose on that is incredible. In some instances it's too loud and too punchy. But then it does have two subs.

When listening to music I always have my music at 320kbps and if I have a song that is any lower it is noticeable.

Just a few thoughts for you to consider

Hope you enjoy the car though!

 

[Helifella]

For instance how would I know what kbps my iPhone is playing at. I do know I haven't selected the 125kbps in iTunes.

 

[ub7rm]

Oh yes, the car is a weapontraded in my mk5 GTI and I was expecting 'better' but I'm blown away at just how much better. The sound system is good, just not as punchy as I was expecting.

Voice activated bluetooth is an unexpected bonus / nice little toy to play with. Thought I'd miss the little things in the golf that aren't standard in the Audi like auto wipers / lights, red led's in the roof and footwell lights but they're more than made up for in other respects!

Most likely look to retrofit the red leds in the roof though!

 

[audicruiser]

The LED's in the roof is an easy retrofit. you just need to replaced the interior light to one with LED's plus you will get map lights as well then. Installation is plug and play...

 

[wez3570]

I've stuck my head near the rear left panel in the boot and there is deffinately something rumbling in there....

I'm sure the non Bose has a sub?

To be honest I thought I'd been missold and someone had stuck some BOSE grills on the front speakers

Highly possible, some on here have done it.

I held out for a BOSE car and kindov wish I hadn't bothered.

I did too. I came from a custom setup in a previous car with a Pioneer 10" sub, I was pleasantly surprised by the Bose.

 

[moag]

I'm sure the non Bose has a sub?

Most do. IIRC it was only the standard models with the pish poor sound system that didnt have the sub

 

[Sheikh]

The bose definitely has a kick, came from a custom set up in a 3 series and the only thing lacking with the bose is the high's, they make my ears hurt at loud volumes.

When you turn on your headunit it should say BOSE if its non RNS-E i believe.

 

[ub7rm]

Interesting. I'm pretty sure it doesn't say bose when switched on.

The dealer that sold it to me sent all the factory codes for the options and one of which was BOSE... I doubt they are that inventive.

Is there any other way to check?

 

[audicruiser]

Ring Audi Uk and they will be able to tell you the factory spec of your car. As said before, when you turn the ignition on and so in turn the stereo comes on it should momentarily come up with Bose in the screen...

 

[The Governor]

My Black Edition has a BOSE streeo and it doens't say Bose when it starts up either...

Although I'm pretty sure it is a Bose system as the sound is a bit pony.

 

[foxymk1]

my 2006 s-line says bose wen you turn it on

 

[OVRA3]

my 2006 s-line says bose wen you turn it on

So does mine?

 

[ub7rm]

I know the sub is hidden behind a panel, any idea where the amp is located? If I see BOSE written on something other than the speaker grills I know its the real deal.

Good shout re calling Audi UK, may well do that!

 

[audicruiser]

My Black Edition has a BOSE streeo and it doens't say Bose when it starts up either...

Although I'm pretty sure it is a Bose system as the sound is a bit pony.

All A3 Black Eds have Bose...

 

[audigex]

Treble down 3-4 notches. Bass up 2-3 notches. If it still doesn't sound right, you've not got Bose...

 

[The Governor]

I just checked mine, ignition on, switch stereo on, no Bose display, that's on a 2011 Black Edition which has Bose fitted as standard. A bit mysterious...

[Edit] Just in response to audigex, I have similar settings on mine, it sounds.... okay, nowhere near as much oomph as my previous 3 series though...

 

[OVRA3]

I just checked mine, ignition on, switch stereo on, no Bose display, that's on a 2011 Black Edition which has Bose fitted as standard. A bit mysterious...

[Edit] Just in response to audigex, I have similar settings on mine, it sounds.... okay, nowhere near as much oomph as my previous 3 series though...

From what I have read its a coding thing you can either have the unit say Bose on start up or not apparently? But mine sounds awesome, but u guess it depends on what you are used too..

 

[WAFTER]

I guess we all have differing perceptions & expectations of sound, just as we all have personal preferences to the music we like.
Am well impressed with Bose, for the multi-layer fabric hood of the cabriolet seemingly has minimal effect on acoustics.
Regarding the equalizer all settings are at mid-range, and then Bass & Treble set to maximum. L/R balance is biased towards drivers side as my regular passenger not very much into music. F/R balance slightly biased to the rear, because to my ears this provides the all-around sound I seek.

 

[foxymk1]

I guess we all have differing perceptions & expectations of sound, just as we all have personal preferences to the music we like.
Am well impressed with Bose, for the multi-layer fabric hood of the cabriolet seemingly has minimal effect on acoustics.
Regarding the equalizer all settings are at mid-range, and then Bass & Treble set to maximum. L/R balance is biased towards drivers side as my regular passenger not very much into music. F/R balance slightly biased to the rear, because to my ears this provides the all-around sound I seek.

iv also put mine to the rear a little sounds better to me

 

[Helifella]

I'd of thought bias L/R towards the passenger side will give better all round sound rather than pumping more volume to the speakers nearest you, like you have the F/R bias towards the rear??

I agree a tweak to the rear on mine just takes the harsh edge away.

 

[The Governor]

Yes, I bias mine left and rear, otherwise from the driving position it sounds like all of the audio is coming form the drivers door, I've done that with every car stereo I've ever had to try and "centralise" the sound.

I've noticed that the radio reception is especially prone to distortion at the high end, whereas the CD (playing decent quality MP3's) seems to be the best quality sound.

What I do like is that the head unit remembers the settings you had for radio and can maintain separate settings for CD/AUX etc.

The Aux in, despite having the same quality MP3's as the CD player doesn't seem to have as much breadth of sound.

I tend to listen to Starsailor, Elbow, Apparatjik and Seth Lakeman when on my own, so I'm not hooning about kicking out drum 'n' bass

When the kids/wife are in it's a bit more Jessie J and pop stuff

 

[batch]

I'm really impressed with the BOSE in my new car, a 3-dr S3 BE 2012 MY. Although I'm like a kid in a sweet shop anyway with the car! My observations on the BOSE system are that it sounds more akin to a home theatre setup than a custom car install; All my previous cars have had the usual uprated compnent speaker/sub in boot/6x9 combo with a decent head unit and they sounded bass-heavy and very compartmented ie the bass came from behind, the mid wafted up from the floor and the treble bounced off the windscreen! In the better-built S3, with the BOSE, you get that great surround sound sensation of different aspects of your music coming from different directions, to me it sounds airy, crisp and clear but I have noticed on some previously bassy tracks it can sound a bit light. I tend to play anything and everything but mainly classic rock into modern indie, with funky house splashed in here and there. As a great tester track can I recommend "deadmau5 - I Remember". Superb track!