I was initially unimpressed with the Bose system in my '13. But after playing with the tone controls I was able to get acceptable sound out of it. I too am not a Bose fan. My old McIntosh system is still pretty darn impressive, and it's circa 1975. I should note that you have to adjust the tone controls for EACH source in the '13. Else you will probably be getting "flat" sound from any source you haven't adjusted. Very important. As a comparison, the stock stereo in my Leaf was awful. Muddy, indistinct, no sound stage. The Volt actually presents a sound stage that isn't too bad, considering it's a car. I like the subwoofer too. We had some friends that had a Lexus 450 (sedan) for awhile with a 12-speaker Mark Levinson audio system. Now that was impressive. ML has always made very high-end audio, with accompanying price tag.
did a back-to-back listening comparison '17 LT stock vs. '17 Bose vs. '13 Bose
I've been kicking some gen 2 tires and wanted to see whether the Bose is a must have.
The dealership had an LT and a Premier right next to each other. I took my iphone (with connecting USB) and a well-known song that had some dynamic range, some bass heavy sections, some singing, some higher treble notes.
The salesperson was busy, so he gave me the keys and told me to have fun comparing the sound systems. Even better! No pressure.
Let me share my impressions:
The stock (non-bose) was "better than expected" -- mainly because it had more low end than I thought it would without a subwoofer. Let me be clear that this does not mean "good"--it got muddy and distorted quickly.
The Bose, however, was "worse than expected"--I had read that many issues with the Gen 1 Bose were fixed in the Gen 2, but I think the Bose in my '13 is overall better, with some caveats.
The Gen 2 subwoofers are better placed and offer more "punch" than the '13 (and much more than the stock LT). The Bose would vibrate my seat--and offer "louder" sound at lower "volume" than required in the LT. In fact, the Bose system was absolutely "louder" overall.
My disappointment was the muddy sound. It was just not clear and wide, despite the lower end. I didn't have time to start investigating the system in depth to figure out why, I just used some fading and adjusting with the EQ to get a sense of its range. The '13 seems clearer to me.
Both the Bose and the stock suffered from "narrowing" of the sound--neither offered a wide, crisp sound--although the Bose was marginally better.
Bottom line -- the Bose did not reach "must have" territory for me and I would settle with a stock system and look at upgrades later if worth it. I just didn't think it was "good enough" to warrant the extra cost over the stock system--I would rather pay more aftermarket for a system I would really enjoy than "more" for a "less bad" system.
Funny thing is, getting back into my '13, I played the same song for comparison and found that it was crisper and clearer overall, but it didn't have as much low end punch (but I also have a heavy Volt mat in the back).
I know this is an issue that many people question and I just wanted to share my $0.02--it's obviously an issue of personal taste for everyone.
The dealership had an LT and a Premier right next to each other. I took my iphone (with connecting USB) and a well-known song that had some dynamic range, some bass heavy sections, some singing, some higher treble notes.
The salesperson was busy, so he gave me the keys and told me to have fun comparing the sound systems. Even better! No pressure.
Let me share my impressions:
The stock (non-bose) was "better than expected" -- mainly because it had more low end than I thought it would without a subwoofer. Let me be clear that this does not mean "good"--it got muddy and distorted quickly.
The Bose, however, was "worse than expected"--I had read that many issues with the Gen 1 Bose were fixed in the Gen 2, but I think the Bose in my '13 is overall better, with some caveats.
The Gen 2 subwoofers are better placed and offer more "punch" than the '13 (and much more than the stock LT). The Bose would vibrate my seat--and offer "louder" sound at lower "volume" than required in the LT. In fact, the Bose system was absolutely "louder" overall.
My disappointment was the muddy sound. It was just not clear and wide, despite the lower end. I didn't have time to start investigating the system in depth to figure out why, I just used some fading and adjusting with the EQ to get a sense of its range. The '13 seems clearer to me.
Both the Bose and the stock suffered from "narrowing" of the sound--neither offered a wide, crisp sound--although the Bose was marginally better.
Bottom line -- the Bose did not reach "must have" territory for me and I would settle with a stock system and look at upgrades later if worth it. I just didn't think it was "good enough" to warrant the extra cost over the stock system--I would rather pay more aftermarket for a system I would really enjoy than "more" for a "less bad" system.
Funny thing is, getting back into my '13, I played the same song for comparison and found that it was crisper and clearer overall, but it didn't have as much low end punch (but I also have a heavy Volt mat in the back).
I know this is an issue that many people question and I just wanted to share my $0.02--it's obviously an issue of personal taste for everyone.
1 - 2 of 44 Posts
1) It's not a great sound system.
2) My 68 year old ears aren't flat anymore!
2) My 68 year old ears aren't flat anymore!
1 - 2 of 44 Posts
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