[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by BlueThunder2SS

I'm on here searching today because my BOSE is CRAP!!!

There is a giant hole in the EQ that causes many of my tracks to be completely missing lead instruments, such as trumpet and guitar. Some notes are just completely missing.

I guess I've heard worse, but never a system that appears to be missing midrange drivers!

And minimal bass, as always with "Dr BOSE".

It sounds like you are wanting a critical listening experience.

Unless you drive a Lexus, Audi, Mercedes with a quiet cabin and go for their upgraded systems, you will be disappointed.

You will never get the accustics you seek from a Camaro, the cabin is not isolated enough.

The Bose is great for a factory system, especially when you consider that Camaro is not a luxury brand.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

It sounds like you are wanting a critical listening experience.

Unless you drive a Lexus, Audi, Mercedes with a quiet cabin and go for their upgraded systems, you will be disappointed.

You will never get the accustics you seek from a Camaro, the cabin is not isolated enough.

The Bose is great for a factory system, especially when you consider that Camaro is not a luxury brand.

Every car I've owned I've installed an aftermarket system for around $2500 that is worlds better than the Bose. Back in the 90s I did car-fi as a side job and even in the 90s you could set up a great system that STILL sounded better than the modern Bose in a modern Camaro.

You don't need to have an isolation chamber with acoustically aligned reflective and absorbing damping panels to have great sound. You can have much better sound than the factory Bose IN A WIDE OPEN, RUMBLING V8 CAMARO for about $2500.

First, the factory system turns down the bass as you turn up the volume. Most modern factory systems do this now. That goes against everything.

Second, if you use the right 6x9s you can get that clean, make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, tight bass without the use of a subwoofer.

High current MOSFET outputs in the amplifiers, and polypropylene speakers with massive magnets and voice coils, are much more substantial than Bose speakers and can make even a modest aftermarket system sound better than our factory Bose.

The only reason I haven't yet done the system in my car now is that I just haven't had the time. I like to take my time to do something which would require me to have the interior and trunk stripped out and in pieces all over my garage for 2-3 days, which obviously makes it undriveable.

When I do get the time I'll be throwing these Bose speakers in the trash. Where they belong.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by fastball

Every car I've owned I've installed an aftermarket system for around $2500 that is worlds better than the Bose. Back in the 90s I did car-fi as a side job and even in the 90s you could set up a great system that STILL sounded better than the modern Bose in a modern Camaro.

You don't need to have an isolation chamber with acoustically aligned reflective and absorbing damping panels to have great sound. You can have much better sound than the factory Bose IN A WIDE OPEN, RUMBLING V8 CAMARO for about $2500.

First, the factory system turns down the bass as you turn up the volume. Most modern factory systems do this now. That goes against everything.

Second, if you use the right 6x9s you can get that clean, make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, tight bass without the use of a subwoofer.

High current MOSFET outputs in the amplifiers, and polypropylene speakers with massive magnets and voice coils, are much more substantial than Bose speakers and can make even a modest aftermarket system sound better than our factory Bose.

The only reason I haven't yet done the system in my car now is that I just haven't had the time. I like to take my time to do something which would require me to have the interior and trunk stripped out and in pieces all over my garage for 2-3 days, which obviously makes it undriveable.

When I do get the time I'll be throwing these Bose speakers in the trash. Where they belong.

Again, you are talking about a CAMARO, not a luxury brand. The base price of the Camaro in the 2SS form is what, ~28K , they are not going to put in a $2500 system on a $28K car, sure you get to the 1LE's and you are in the $45K range, but still the base 2SS starts way below that.

The Bose system for what you get is great, especially when you consider what the competition gets. The Bose on my 2SS sounds just as good as the upgraded Harmon Karmon system that was in my $70K M3.

Unless you go Lexus which uses Mark Levinson, or Audi which uses B&O, and I think Mercedes uses B&W in their up charge systems, you are not going to get much better factory than the Bose.

Which loops back to the original question that was asked. which is YES the BOSE upgrade is worth it, especially with everything else you get with the 2SS upgrade

[ctrlz]

I think the 2SS package is worth it.
I agree with many comments here. Like fastball, I have always upgraded factory audio. Unfortunately, the path to upgrading this Bose system is more problematic and therefore costly.
I have been thinking about upgrades for about 2 years now, and in that time have developed a modest appreciation for the stock Bose sound. Not great, but good enough, particularly given the muscle car cabin, exhaust, etc.
My favorite audio upgrade so far... ditching the run flat tires.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

Again, you are talking about a CAMARO, not a luxury brand. The base price of the Camaro in the 2SS form is what, ~28K , they are not going to put in a $2500 system on a $28K car, sure you get to the 1LE's and you are in the $45K range, but still the base 2SS starts way below that.

The base 2SS starts at almost $39,000.

My point is that there's really no factory stereo that matches what you get with even a modestly priced aftermarket system. I wish they made the Bose optional all on it's own on the 2SS, because I bought the 2SS for the heated leather and dual zone climate. I certainly didn't buy it for, nor did I even want, the Bose system. I've put up with it for a year but I'm at the end of my rope and need to get rid of it. Just been putting it off because like I said it's an extensive undertaking to do it right and my car is a daily driver. I don't have the time to have it out of commission for a few days.

In the past I've actually driven cars around without a passenger or rear seat, interior trim, center console, or center dash stack and just naked wires hanging out while I've been in the process of installing my stereo. Can't really do that on modern cars because everything it interconnected and the damn thing flips out if not every part is connected.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by fastball

The base 2SS starts at almost $39,000.

My point is that there's really no factory stereo that matches what you get with even a modestly priced aftermarket system. I wish they made the Bose optional all on it's own on the 2SS, because I bought the 2SS for the heated leather and dual zone climate. I certainly didn't buy it for, nor did I even want, the Bose system. I've put up with it for a year but I'm at the end of my rope and need to get rid of it. Just been putting it off because like I said it's an extensive undertaking to do it right and my car is a daily driver. I don't have the time to have it out of commission for a few days.

In the past I've actually driven cars around without a passenger or rear seat, interior trim, center console, or center dash stack and just naked wires hanging out while I've been in the process of installing my stereo. Can't really do that on modern cars because everything it interconnected and the damn thing flips out if not every part is connected.

You are getting off topic from the OP question though.

The question has nothing to do with adding an aftermarket system, the question was , is the Bose upgrade worth it from the base system and my answer is YES, especially considering everything else you get with the upgrade 2SS.

Talking aftermarket is a whole different topic. He is not asking about hypotheticals , its a simple 1SS or 2SS for current Bose offerings.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by TRZ06

You are getting off topic from the OP question though.

The question has nothing to do with adding an aftermarket system, the question was , is the Bose upgrade worth it from the base system and my answer is YES, especially considering everything else you get with the upgrade 2SS.

Talking aftermarket is a whole different topic. He is not asking about hypotheticals , its a simple 1SS or 2SS for current Bose offerings.

I would not advise upgrading to the 2SS just for the Bose. If the OP or anyone is fine with cloth seats and single zone climate control there’s no real reason to go to the 2SS.

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by fastball

If the OP or anyone is fine with cloth seats and single zone climate control there’s no real reason to go to the 2SS.

Isn't the blind spot/rear cross traffic monitoring in there too? I think that has significant value given the visibility limitations in this car.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

Isn't the blind spot/rear cross traffic monitoring in there too? I think that has significant value given the visibility limitations in this car.

Yeah that's on it too, I forgot because I have mine turned off. Blind spots aren't as bad on this car as some make it seem.

[TRZ06]

Originally Posted by fastball

Yeah that's on it too, I forgot because I have mine turned off. Blind spots aren't as bad on this car as some make it seem.

This I agree with. Set your mirrors properly and it is a non-issue. I don't even notice the little orange lights on the side mirrors even though I have them turned on.

I have my mirrors set perfect, so between the side windows, rear view mirror , and side view mirror, I have no blind spot at all.

I am on CA freeway traffic everyday and never have an issue.

[the_swiSS]

Personally, I love the Bose system. Bumps hard if I want and doesn't break up when you really crank it. Y'all must have some busted ears lol

[fastball]

Originally Posted by the_swiSS

Personally, I love the Bose system. Bumps hard if I want and doesn't break up when you really crank it. Y'all must have some busted ears lol

It doesn’t break up at loud volume because it rolls off the bass cutoff at higher volume to protect the amp from clipping and the speakers from distorting.

That what factory amps do now because they’re all under powered. Not just Chevy, all companies do this now. Few factory systems will ever overdrive at loud volume because they use Rolling EQ. It’s not a bad thing it’s just not for true music enthusiasts.

A proper system will keep the EQ curve you set all the way to max volume without distorting, clipping, or overdriving. That requires strong speakers with big voice coils, more flexible cones and surrounds, high powered amps, and thick power and signal cables.

The factory amp has factory what, 14-16 awg wire for 12v power???

If your amp isn’t supplied from the battery with minimum 8 gauge or preferably 4 gauge wire, you ain’t got no power. You have a glorified transistor radio.

[drfeelgood]

I agree with much of what fastball is saying. I would add this.

If there are features on the 2SS in addition to the BOSE that you want, then I say the 2SS is worth the upgrade, and the BOSE can come with it. BUT, if you don't care aout the other additional features and you are upgrading to the 2SS just for the BOSE, then IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT WORTH IT.

No this is where fastball's argument about aftermarket comes into play. The amount that you would have paid for an upgrade to 2SS, save that amount and use it to buy a NICE aftermarket system that will blow the socks off of BOSE.

Also, I agree with TRZ06 regarding the Mark Levinson sound system in the Lexus, which comes 2nd only to the B and O in the Audi R8. Each company makes different versions of their audio systems for cars, BOSE in my Cadillac CTS-V (before I gutted it) sounded COMPLETELY DIFFERENT and 10x better than the crappy BOSE that's in the Camaro. Part of that is the quality of components used, part of it is the superior damping materials used to quiet the cabin. It all comes into play and it all matters!

[wjones14]

I was in the exact same position as the OP when deciding on options while ordering my 2015 BMW. I knew I wasn't interested in spending thousands after delivery on an aftermarket system, and just wanted a decent clean-sounding factory stereo. BMW offered a harman/kardon premium sound option to replace the standard "hi-fi" system. The option was $875.

And just like these forums, the BMW forums had a popular opinion that while the H/K system was an upgrade over the base system, it fell far short of multi-thousand dollar aftermarket systems, and therefore was still "crap."

I listened to that popular opinion and decided not to opt for the H/K stereo. I regretted that decision the whole time I owned the BMW. The standard system truly was crap.

When I was thinking about a 1LE in 2017, one of the deal-breakers for me was that the Bose system was not available in the 1SS, the only trim level offering the 1LE option. So I held out until the 2018 model year when the 1LE was offered in a 2SS, and now have ZERO issues with buyer's remorse.