Standard Sound System?

[N111BJG]

Maybe I’m the exception but I hardly ever listen to music etc when I drive, I play a few spoken word podcasts, but not many or often.
That being so I see no point in spending any extra money on a better stereo,
Of course according to my wife I am hearing impaired, i have never seen the point of suggesting otherwise, I surmised it would just result in extra DIY or similar chores being requested

[Cobnapint]

Had BOSE in my 2009 C4S Cab.

Tbh, I wondered what all the fuss was about. It wasn't at all as special as I was expecting.
For less than £800 quid you could probably take your car down to the local car audio specialists, let them loose on it and it still end up sounding better than the BOSE.

[Kleynie]

I have all the dsp options unticked on my Bose system as I find the sound somewhat artificial otherwise. My last Macan also had Bose, so I have never tried the standard system, but if it’s standard stereo without the dsp bits, then it could well be very good.
However, the GTS provides its own soundtrack !

[Old Chimer]

Maybe I’m the exception but I hardly ever listen to music etc when I drive, I play a few spoken word podcasts, but not many or often.
That being so I see no point in spending any extra money on a better stereo,
Of course according to my wife I am hearing impaired, i have never seen the point of suggesting otherwise, I surmised it would just result in extra DIY or similar chores being requested

I'm with you, except my listening tends to be Radio 5. Mrs will switch to Heart whenever she gets in, but she's profoundly deaf in one ear so spending anything additional on the sound system would be a complete waste of money.

[Deleted User 4749]

Having read most of the threads on Bose v Standard I had the chance to test both, base system in a Gen 2 S and Bose in a Gen 3 base... I selected 3 very different tracks (ACDC Highway to Hell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, This Shirt & Sir Simon Rattle Planets by Holst) played via my iphone X connected via the USB....I drove along the same route in dry conditions....

Bose had more volume and you could hear the base banging away in the boot (well not with MCC!) if you ramp up the volume......no difference between systems when listening dribble on BBC R4!

So in short after all the effort I still can't decided to fork out £800 on the Bose or select the carbon interior trim to replace rather than the nasty shiny plastic which is standard on the S!

[Deleted User 4752]

Having read most of the threads on Bose v Standard I had the chance to test both, base system in a Gen 2 S and Bose in a Gen 3 base... I selected 3 very different tracks (ACDC Highway to Hell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, This Shirt & Sir Simon Rattle Planets by Holst) played via my iphone X connected via the USB....I drove along the same route in dry conditions....

Bose had more volume and you could hear the base banging away in the boot (well not with MCC!) if you ramp up the volume......no difference between systems when listening dribble on BBC R4!

So in short after all the effort I still can't decided to fork out £800 on the Bose or select the carbon interior trim to replace rather than the nasty shiny plastic which is standard on the S!

I have the nasty shiny plastic and would very much preferred the carbon instead (BTW, you can get brushed aluminium or walnut for free, a word seldom uttered on a Porsche forum ). Seemed a lot of money for what it is though.

I can’t vouch for the BOSE but the stereo is one thing I wish I had investigated further. I have the base stereo and for me its extremely disappointing. Its very difficult to get a good compromise on sound. The fact that it only has bass and treble adjustment says a lot for how low-rent it is. Somehow the singing is muddy but the music is pitchy. Not sure how it’s possible to get both at the same time. Its also never sounds very stereo; to me it is very obvious the sound is coming out of the speakers and not enveloping you. I can’t say if the BOSE surround sound options help with that because I didn’t investigate thoroughly enough.

Others have mentioned it takes time for the speakers to “bed in”, I don’t know the science behind that and its not something I have ever heard other than on this forum. However, its does seem to sound better after a couple of months of ownership, but that’s more likely to be because I’m more used to it and its been a while since I heard the Harmon Kardon system in my previous car than because the speakers now behave differently.

As for those that listen mainly to spoken word, I tend to do a lot of that too ( I love series like Cabin Pressure and Hitch-Hikers guide and often listen to them on long journeys ) and the base isn’t great at spoken word, again it can be quite muddy in comparison to other car stereo’s I’ve had. There is no crispness, it goes straight from muddy to pitchy, no matter what adjustments I make ( limited though they are ).

As for volume, the base is “loud enough”. You won’t out-compete an 18 year old in a Corsa kitted out with Halford’s finest, but do you really want to? If you have your Porsche windows down with music blaring out loud enough make peoples ears bleed then you are probably conforming to a Porsche driver stereotype that you probably don’t want to be associated with.

The BOSE “may” not be a lot better, but at £800 over the TCO I would definitely spec it if I had a do-over. As for the axminster stereo, thats’s properly silly money, but then we all drive Porsches, so……..

[Jon A]

Having read most of the threads on Bose v Standard I had the chance to test both, base system in a Gen 2 S and Bose in a Gen 3 base... I selected 3 very different tracks (ACDC Highway to Hell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, This Shirt & Sir Simon Rattle Planets by Holst) played via my iphone X connected via the USB....I drove along the same route in dry conditions....

Bose had more volume and you could hear the base banging away in the boot (well not with MCC!) if you ramp up the volume......no difference between systems when listening dribble on BBC R4!

So in short after all the effort I still can't decided to fork out £800 on the Bose or select the carbon interior trim to replace rather than the nasty shiny plastic which is standard on the S!

My spec is a generous one and I elected not to get Bose. I did a similar test with my mates GTS and his wife’s Cayman (Bose) with both cars engine off. Neither of us or his wife could tell any difference although accept Cayman is different acoustics.
At the end of the day the Bose is probably “better” but nearer £100 better than £800 better and that’s the rub. I will be happier looking at my carbon interior every time I drive than wondering if the sound quality could be better as I listen to Talk Sport

[Deleted User 4749]

sorry ...bit harsh referring to the gloss plastic trim as 'Nasty' it just just a bit......'Audi' I prefer the standard option in the Base!

off thread has anybody had issues with the gloss plastic scratching??

[Deleted User 4752]

sorry ...bit harsh referring to the gloss plastic trim as 'Nasty' it just just a bit......'Audi' I prefer the standard option in the Base!

off thread has anybody had issues with the gloss plastic scratching??

Not yet, but unsurprisingly you need to clean the centre buttons and the touch screen A LOT! Well, I do.

[hood69]

Laughing at the comment about only having base and treble showing how low rent the stereo is.
Best not to invest in some decent HiFi gear then as you don't even get that.