General Car Conversation 2024 - part 2
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,002
Likes: 526
From: Maryland
I have Bose in my Cayenne and it’s just ok, really nothing great at all. When you turn it up you can start to hear it distort and become less clear. I’m still amazed at the sound of the no name system in my Tesla.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,225
Likes: 1,773
From: Ohio
No name that actually works well is still a good system lol!
bose has come a long way. from 'acoustic wave' radios and single cd players and their tiny cube home theater surround systems which could impress the easily impressed with highs and lows (sub), to now offering a wide range of equipment. they're probably best known now for headphones and earbuds which are very impressive for their sound and noise-cancellation abilities. i don't consider bose overpriced any longer. competition helps.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 18,225
Likes: 1,773
From: Ohio
Amen. They may hit hard but the concepts of imaging and resolution among many other things aren't in their repertoire haha!
I say that as someone who has one of the nicer Bose car setups in my 2015 A8, but it's the base audio for a reason......my S4 also has it but it's using a much cheaper version befitting the lower class of car it is. The A8s is passible, the S4s is not great for anything other than bass heavy thumping loud sound.
I say that as someone who has one of the nicer Bose car setups in my 2015 A8, but it's the base audio for a reason......my S4 also has it but it's using a much cheaper version befitting the lower class of car it is. The A8s is passible, the S4s is not great for anything other than bass heavy thumping loud sound.
Thread Starter
CL Community Team
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,359
Likes: 608
From: IL
Their home audio IS trash, with the exception of PERECTLY set up 901s (where the outboard active EQ box corrects many of the physical speaker's sins). Car audio runs the gamut. We have two cars with Bose systems. One is pretty decent, the other is just ok. To be fair, both are better than the crappy Harmon Kardon in my M3. Because those are variable too. I've heard older H/K systems that sound great.
Pole Position
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,354
Likes: 555
From: fl
I mostly agree with this.... except the Bose in our Infiniti QX80 is not "just OK", it's sub-par. The Tesla sound system is by far the absolute best I've personally had or experienced in any car. And it's not even close.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,087
Likes: 514
From: Knoxville, TN
We’re off topic, but high end soundbars can be amazing. I have a $2,500 Sennheiser Ambeo soundbar in my basement and it’s amazing you truly do get surround sound and it’s full and rich, meets my needs completely.
Yeah they don’t thump, that’s not how they are designed. ML in the LS460 is known to be very good, and it is, but in all the other models including the LX it’s not that great.
It’s not a debate, the numbers are out there. ML systems have much lower total harmonic distortion than basically any other auto system. It’s they claim to fame.
Bose trades heavily on their name. I just have never been impressed and if you read audio reviews, reviewers aren’t either.
you’re making my point. You’re buying the Bose name, not the units that are much more highly rated for the same money. I prefer to buy what’s highly rated whatever name it is. Your own article you posted here rates all those soundbars better than Bose, but you’re still going to buy Bose.
Of all the cars I have had, this is how I would rate the audio systems that I really recall
1. Burmester 2024 S580
2. Nakamichi 1998 LS400
3. Mark Levinson 2017 LS460L
4. Mark Levinson 2004 LS430
5. Harmon Kardon 2023/2020 Chrysler Pacifica
6. Burmester 2020 S560
7. Standard Audio 2013 GS350
8. Standard Audio 2015 LS460
9. Mark Levinson 2003 ES300
10. Mark Levinson 2003 ES300
Yeah they don’t thump, that’s not how they are designed. ML in the LS460 is known to be very good, and it is, but in all the other models including the LX it’s not that great.
It’s not a debate, the numbers are out there. ML systems have much lower total harmonic distortion than basically any other auto system. It’s they claim to fame.
Bose trades heavily on their name. I just have never been impressed and if you read audio reviews, reviewers aren’t either.
you’re making my point. You’re buying the Bose name, not the units that are much more highly rated for the same money. I prefer to buy what’s highly rated whatever name it is. Your own article you posted here rates all those soundbars better than Bose, but you’re still going to buy Bose.
Of all the cars I have had, this is how I would rate the audio systems that I really recall
1. Burmester 2024 S580
2. Nakamichi 1998 LS400
3. Mark Levinson 2017 LS460L
4. Mark Levinson 2004 LS430
5. Harmon Kardon 2023/2020 Chrysler Pacifica
6. Burmester 2020 S560
7. Standard Audio 2013 GS350
8. Standard Audio 2015 LS460
9. Mark Levinson 2003 ES300
10. Mark Levinson 2003 ES300
I guess I'm not an audiophile, as I said that the LX has a surround sound system and is quite good, less distortion or whatever.. but it just doesn't thump like the Bose does despite having half the wattage. The bass module is right behind my seat as I said.
All I know is if I crank the Bose up the whole house rattles, the pets get scared, and it sounds crystal clear. There's a microphone headset you wear and sit in about 5 places and the sound adapts to the room, you only have to do it once.
I also like 5.1 systems but you have to have a receiver etc etc. I'm finnnne with what I have.
Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,587
Likes: 93
From: CA, Mid OC
I think I am going to hire someone to stuff the engine and transmission in my AE86. It’s beyond my wrenching skills which are pretty limited. It’s not easy to find someone trustworthy who wants the job.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 17,087
Likes: 514
From: Knoxville, TN
I just went to my Indy to get a quote on all fluids changed in the LX (diffs, transfer case, coolant, transmission drain and fill) and it's only $800 all Toyota fluids... that's a good price to knock out all of that maintenance. I forgot to do spark plugs, anyone know how much plugs cost for the 5.7?
Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 4,587
Likes: 93
From: CA, Mid OC
I have a great Indy as well. I’ve been taking cars to him since 2005. He is Lexus/Toyota but does work on Hondas too. An acquaintance asked me if he would work on a PT Cruiser. I figured he would not but I told the person to call Son and ask because it’s not to me to make business decisions for others. He said hell no as I expected. Who would want to work on one of those? lol