Bose Audio vs Standard...

Question... I'm looking to buy an '02 C2 coupe very soon. How much better does the Bose sound system sound than the stock? Secondly, if i go with the vehicle without bose and want to upgrade speakers for better sound quality, is that a standard installation done by a circuit city type place, or is there more to it than that? thanks! Ryan

Overall, whether its a stock or bose, you can do much better by replacing the standard system with a better quality aftermarket stereo system. You can spend a moderate amount, or a extrodinary amount. But if you are only going to replace speakers and buy from a dealer like C.C. etc, you will probibly be better off just leaving the whole thing alone. Because you are going to get minimal results at best. If you really want to make a difference, go shopping at a few real auto stereo dealers and see all the different stereo equipment that is avaliable.

get pse instead

I have the Bose upgrade, it is ok but certainly not important enough or worth making a decision on which car to buy.

Bose option is nice - yes, an aftermarket system will sound better, but you get the subwoofers with the Bose and it cranks a pretty high volume...

The regular system sucks! Hope that helps.

This is how I view the topic. I have Bose and I love it. However, lack of Bose would not have deterred me from buying a car I otherwise liked.

For an 02, I wouldn't care for the bose, its not worth it, without the 03's MOST digital bus, you are free to rip out the entire sub-par system and go aftermarket. which would be my suggestion if you care for high-quality (faux pas?) audio inside your car while driving. for me, im pretty happy with the 2 speaker system in my GT3, its good for traffic reports and some music on the highway to keep me sane on long trips. (by pass pipes with the windows closed can get quite mind-numbing after awhile)

Hey I am no audiophile but I have had both and I've had the regular system with the large amp and speaker upgrade. The Bose is significantly better, clearer and has better bass than the 01 and earlier systems. That was your question I think. I will also say that my current 01 with the DSP is almost annoying to listen to. So I generally don't as the car sounds great to me. Bill

Exactly ! I'd say you're fighting against physics. The car and engine produce enough noise that your actual music will not be that different between bose and stock offerings. If you get rid of the engine noise, you're losing out on the sporty feel of the car (the essence of a 911!). I'd tell you to listen to both system. DON'T listen to them in a quiet sound room - you're never going to listen to your music in such a controlled environment. Listen to them as you drive the car - assuming you've found cars with and without the bose option as you hunt. I'd say use the music system as a differentiator between cars when everything else is the same. You know I was going to install the Eclipse AVN navigation system with Pioneer speakers. Then I noticed how much I love the usual engine sound (I find myself turning off the radio everytime). So I ordered a sport exhaust instead (Fabspeed) !! Really ! For those long trips I have the iPod handy ... my 2 cents Sid

I ordered my car with the Bose " High End", i can honestly tell you it was redone that very day. Its sounded ok, but not worth the $$ they charged for it, It would never be a deal breaker to me.

Ryan, I have a BMW w/ factory Harmon Kardon upgrade and a Lexus w/ factory Mark Levinson upgrade. I'd say my "02 C2 w/ Bose is in between the two. Had test driven an '02 C2 w/ regular system; IMHO it is below BMW w/ HK in comparison. Hope that helps. -WKL '02 C2

I like my Bose. Better than the Bose in my MB which I thought was decent. It doesn't sound like you are an audiophile. I'd get a Bose if possible since it'll be sufficient for you and you'll probly want more than a HIFI. If the car doesn't even have HIFI, I'd avoid it since you'll have to get grilles, brackets and stuff when upgrading which means it'll be $$$. Aftermarket is nice but I hate the subwoofer, amps and stuff all over the place. Plus, unless you spend at least 2 grand, I doubt you'll do better than Bose. Don't let this stop you from buying the car if that's the only thing missing.

I am a pretty serious home audiophile and dealer for exotic high-end German horn speakers (my main home system retails for the cost of a base 997). Yet I never understood spending serious coin on car audio, what with 70 dB+ of engine/wind/tire noise and the need to concentrate on the matter at hand...driving. I have the Bose system in my '04 and it's actually quite decent for mobile use; however, as others have previously noted, I wouldn't make a purchase decision - especially for a comparatively noisy & involving sports car - based on the sound system.

Triode - I see where you're coming from, but I spend a lot more time in the car than I do listening to my home audio system. Maybe if we were in the 70's and it was groovy to have HiFi and 8 track, but who's got that kind of time to enjoy a 70k home setup?

I got Bose in my '03, but only because the previous owner had it installed - I wouldn't pay for the difference. I also got HK in my M3, but only because the base system was such complete crap. In general, however, I think there are VERY FEW factory upgrades that are worthwhile - Infinity and Lexus probably being the exceptions. On a 1-10 scale, I would rate the 996 Bose (and I have the '03 MOST system) a 6.

For my .02 I spend more time feeling out the gas pedal to make the rear end sing rather than listening to quality of the music. I have the HIFI but its a pretty standard car radio sound, yet I couldn't care less. I also like the look of the OEM radio in the console because I love the stock look, wihtout the aftermarket.

I went down the high end route with a previous car and never thought it was worthwhile. My 02 has the Bose system and it's ok. The stereo upgrade money on this car has gone into the suspension.

I have Bose in both my Benz and my C4S. Both are very similar with maybe a slight edge to the P-car. It's nice to have an OEM sound system as opposed to dealing with aftermarket solutions. But here in TO when rush hour traffic is at a standstill, is when I really listen to music at a higher level. Other than that I use it for news and as background music at a fairly low level; you still need to hear the engine (PSE!) and what else is going around while driving in this congested city. Bose sounds best when the engine is off and you're detailing the interior. Might also help at resale a bit.