Anyone got BOSE??
- Thread starter chrisash32
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AndyMac
Retired from service
way too big, you'd never get the volume needed for it to perform. It's far more important to have the sub and enclosure matched, than to chuck in any old thing you have lying around in an enclosure that's too small.
Yes you can run a stealth sub (or any sub) off the stock HU. In the non Bose system you have rear line outs & remote on feeding the rear/sub amp, so you can use these to feed a proper amp. Remove the tupperware sub, which has the amp attached to it. Then take an RCA lead and strip one end and solder mini blades to the core signal wires and the screens, plug these into the corresponding pins on the stock connector and you then have standard RCA's to feed into your amp. You need to do the same for the rear speaker feed to avoid having to rewire the rears. Connect these up to a 4 channel amp and away you go. The only additional cable needed is the power for the amp which is easily run from the battery via the spare grommet on the ECU cover which drops into the drivers footwell, then tucked under the side trim all the way back to the boot. The pin outs for the B6 Avant non Bose is here:
With the Bose system you need to retain the amp, but can still be easily done without having to resort to HiLo converters or speaker input to the amp.
For £200 you can easily build your own enclosure, buy the phenomenal JL 8W3v3-4 sub (about £90) and pick up an Alpine V12 F400 to power it (about £60 on ebay). Just this single upgrade will outperform the Bose system by a mile. Less bass going to the cabin speakers will also improve the clarity of the stock speakers. I would always perform this upgrade first as it provides a dramatic improvement, then upgrade the cabin speakers if you feel it's necessary. Just upgrading the speakers will not provide much improvement.
Yes you can run a stealth sub (or any sub) off the stock HU. In the non Bose system you have rear line outs & remote on feeding the rear/sub amp, so you can use these to feed a proper amp. Remove the tupperware sub, which has the amp attached to it. Then take an RCA lead and strip one end and solder mini blades to the core signal wires and the screens, plug these into the corresponding pins on the stock connector and you then have standard RCA's to feed into your amp. You need to do the same for the rear speaker feed to avoid having to rewire the rears. Connect these up to a 4 channel amp and away you go. The only additional cable needed is the power for the amp which is easily run from the battery via the spare grommet on the ECU cover which drops into the drivers footwell, then tucked under the side trim all the way back to the boot. The pin outs for the B6 Avant non Bose is here:
With the Bose system you need to retain the amp, but can still be easily done without having to resort to HiLo converters or speaker input to the amp.
For £200 you can easily build your own enclosure, buy the phenomenal JL 8W3v3-4 sub (about £90) and pick up an Alpine V12 F400 to power it (about £60 on ebay). Just this single upgrade will outperform the Bose system by a mile. Less bass going to the cabin speakers will also improve the clarity of the stock speakers. I would always perform this upgrade first as it provides a dramatic improvement, then upgrade the cabin speakers if you feel it's necessary. Just upgrading the speakers will not provide much improvement.
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Is this for the non-bose system you mean? I reckon I could persuade the mrs to let me have that!
And brilliant post again dude!!
AndyMac
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chrisash32
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Just about to pop in the loft and get the model number!
Just wanted to say though, i am really after audio clarity at high volume.. i hate it distorting or just clipping the audio..
Just wanted to say though, i am really after audio clarity at high volume.. i hate it distorting or just clipping the audio..
chrisash32
Registered User
chrisash32
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I think he's saying he doesn't like it, but not sure why?! lol
hmmm. Enlighten us Nutkin please! :icon_thumright:
I don't trust fuji since i worked for them cut corners company imo.
I'd stick to alpine or pioneer. if you dont have the money JVC is a good substitute.
Pioneers Double dins are dead sexy though.
I'd stick to alpine or pioneer. if you dont have the money JVC is a good substitute.
Pioneers Double dins are dead sexy though.
chrisash32
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chrisash32
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JohnboyC
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I have Bose in mY A4 hooked up to my RNS-e HU......sounds OK to me....better then the Harmon Hardon I had in my old beemers.......
Mind you..at 48, my hearing probably ain't as good as it used to be
Mind you..at 48, my hearing probably ain't as good as it used to be
Bose is awful, I cannot get a consistent tone across all volume settings, it sounds boomy at low volumes and tinny at high or OK at low vols and even tinnier at high vols. I have an Alpine processor here with MultEQ and IMPRINT from my last car (a break from 5 Audis, my "new" B6 Avant is my 6th and 5th quattro), 2 amps and a 12inch sub in a properly dimensioned cab that are all ready to go in. At first listen, the Bose speakers sound like they might be reasonable with proper amplification, I will leave those in to begin with and see. The Alpine did a fantastic job of making my last OEM HU sound superb, fingers crossed it does another sterling job as I'd like to stay looking OEM, it is by far the better looking option.
Asking for advice please, does anyone know the difference in EQ that the Bose coding (VAGCOM) affects? Hearing differing stories, some say Bose gives a flat output, some say non-bose gives flat. With the processor, I'd really like as flat an output as poss.... I'll be installing RNS-E this week so am waiting until after that for the Audio upgrades.
Cheers and if your car hasn't got Bose, don't spend money on retrofitting, it's not worth it! Have had both in a B6.... If anything, non-bose sounds more natural.
Ian.
Asking for advice please, does anyone know the difference in EQ that the Bose coding (VAGCOM) affects? Hearing differing stories, some say Bose gives a flat output, some say non-bose gives flat. With the processor, I'd really like as flat an output as poss.... I'll be installing RNS-E this week so am waiting until after that for the Audio upgrades.
Cheers and if your car hasn't got Bose, don't spend money on retrofitting, it's not worth it! Have had both in a B6.... If anything, non-bose sounds more natural.
Ian.
chrisash32
Registered User
Cheers Ian, My problem with the standard setup is the audio isn't clear at volume, which from what i have heard of the BOSE system that is....
I've had a few cars with Bose and have to say it was very good, I've never heard has of the boomy or tinny on the high & low sound ranges, and it's a world away from the standard Audi sound system. You may find an improvement in the Bose system with the RNS-E, I'd give that a go first before ripping the bose out.
One thing about the Bose retrofit, make sure that additional two feed wires for front audio left & right from the HU to the Bose amp are well screened!
One thing about the Bose retrofit, make sure that additional two feed wires for front audio left & right from the HU to the Bose amp are well screened!
dsmclark40v
Registered User
My S4 has got bose and it sounds good to my 25 year old ears! everything I have played has sounded awsome! I wouldn't rip it out to put anything else in. suppose it does sound tinny at high volumes, but then thats too loud anyway as i still want to me able to hear what is going on around me
I'd second that.
At low-medium volumes I think it sounds very good. Although it doesn't bang when you turn it up.
AndyMac
Retired from service
The Bose EQ is flat (and dreadful)
Non Bose EQ isnormal smiley face (and the Bass & Treble actually work)
Neither is controlled via VAGCOM.
It's controlled via the wiring. There is a Bose pin on the back of all Audi HU's, if you earth this pin then it puts the HU into woolly Bose mode. Just by snipping this wire you will improve the whole Bose system.
Non Bose EQ isnormal smiley face (and the Bass & Treble actually work)
Neither is controlled via VAGCOM.
It's controlled via the wiring. There is a Bose pin on the back of all Audi HU's, if you earth this pin then it puts the HU into woolly Bose mode. Just by snipping this wire you will improve the whole Bose system.
True - I have snipped the EQ wire on my Bose system. Made a big difference when controlling bass and treble.
To each their own but i have owned bose system and thought it was ok but love music so had to upgrade and it is a completelty diferent world. You also don't have to pay a lot of money for good equipment if you look around, follow advise from people with experience and most importantly take your time to install your speakers properly with good sound deadening and something god for the speaker to kick against.If you do this then even in the normal mounting postiions they will sound a lot better than the bose system.
I've mostly been listening to hip-hop on low-medium volumes so far but I listened to Queens of the Stone Age last night at a higher than normal volume and, you're right; it's a little flat.
Do you have a connector diagram that shows which is the Bose EQ pin?
Does any one have some good suggestions for upgrading a normal stereo (non-bose) keeping the HU on a budget.
Would upgrading to some different speakers make much difference?
I'm keen to get a better sound out of my audi but don't have the funds or the time these days to put in a bose retrofit.
Thanks
Jim
Would upgrading to some different speakers make much difference?
I'm keen to get a better sound out of my audi but don't have the funds or the time these days to put in a bose retrofit.
Thanks
Jim
Head unit... always replace the head unit first as this makes a world of dfference to the quality and volume of the music.
swarcup
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AndyMac
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The Bose pin is detailed on the diagram on top of the HU, it's on the black power ISO connector on the opposite corner to the perm live:
see the second post on this thread -
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?55935-Upgrading-from-Bose-in-8L-S3
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?55935-Upgrading-from-Bose-in-8L-S3
The Bose pin is detailed on the diagram on top of the HU, it's on the black power ISO connector on the opposite corner to the perm live:
Beat me to it!!
then you are fighting a loosing battle, Audio can only sound as good as the source and the standard HU is poor at best. New speakers arn't gonna change anything at all, if anything the fact they are designed to work on more power than the measly ~10wrms the standard HU kicks out they will probably sound worse.
fair enough-ski
how does the bose get better quality sound out of the std HU then?
can the same be achived with aftermarket stuff at a lesser cost while keep the oem HU?
I know not everyone thinks the bose gives a good sound but I think it is fair to say its much better than the std non-bose systems
how does the bose get better quality sound out of the std HU then?
can the same be achived with aftermarket stuff at a lesser cost while keep the oem HU?
I know not everyone thinks the bose gives a good sound but I think it is fair to say its much better than the std non-bose systems
Doesnt the bose use a different HU?
I have a single din and my dads bose and mums both have double din.
I also dont think the bose is that much better than the standard system with active rear.
all the bose does is take the pre outs and amplifies them with its own amp and speakers.
If you are going to go with an amp and speaker instal it would just sound sooo much better with a decent aftermarket HU.
Some HU look good aftermarket like a becker or a double din, there were some designed to fit vags perfectly.
Clarion in a seat.
If you just disconnect the MIC in the courtesy light, will that have the same affect ?
auroan
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The mic in the courtesy light is the bose audiopilot mic. What lot of people don't realise is the bose system on newer models doesn't use the gala input anymore. It uses the mic to constantly sample the sound inside the cabin. This allows it to dynamically alter the eq to match road/engine noises regardless of what speed the car is going.
The bose ethos is clarity of sound at all a levels..... not massive base etc. IMHO, those who say bose is rubbish don't really understand what it was designed for. <-- just my opinion... not intended to slag anyone off.
OP...If you do go ahead and get the bose stuff to retrofit... make sure get the mic and all the wiring. Otherwise your missing an important part of the setup.
The bose ethos is clarity of sound at all a levels..... not massive base etc. IMHO, those who say bose is rubbish don't really understand what it was designed for. <-- just my opinion... not intended to slag anyone off.
OP...If you do go ahead and get the bose stuff to retrofit... make sure get the mic and all the wiring. Otherwise your missing an important part of the setup.
grum71
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Just to jump in here guys....I retrofitted 2 RNS-E units in friends cars (We all have [B6] S4 avants) One is non-Bose which sounds good. The other 2 are both Bose. My pals has so much more base than mine which is annoying. He has the alcantara/leather whereas mine is full - the only difference. My RNS-E is also factory fitted.
I bought a replacement (new) Bose sub/amp to see if this would make a difference (cheap from ebay) but I am still in the same predicament.
Do I simply snip this Bose wire at the rear of the unit?
Any help appreciated....
Grahame
I bought a replacement (new) Bose sub/amp to see if this would make a difference (cheap from ebay) but I am still in the same predicament.
Do I simply snip this Bose wire at the rear of the unit?
Any help appreciated....
Grahame
AndyMac
Retired from service
If you are retrofitting the Bose sub/amp then the HU won't have the Bose EQ enabled anyway.
Anyone with a full factory fit Bose system can just try it, you can always reconnect it again (but you won't as it'll sound better).
As to the Bose ethos, that's admirable in your living room, but in a car you need bigger bass and treble to combat road noise, so it really doesn't work. I tend to rely on my ears to tell me what sounds good, not the Bose marketing department!
Anyone with a full factory fit Bose system can just try it, you can always reconnect it again (but you won't as it'll sound better).
As to the Bose ethos, that's admirable in your living room, but in a car you need bigger bass and treble to combat road noise, so it really doesn't work. I tend to rely on my ears to tell me what sounds good, not the Bose marketing department!
