dolphin2551

If I'm reading right the Bose sound system is a seven speaker system but what Im reading is people are replacing the speakers in the doors and the two in the back where are the other three and why aren't they replacing them? Am I missing something?

VettesintheRockies

I've got about two hours listening to the Bose Speakers. I am not an expert, don't know enough to be critical. We had the XM going and sounded great to us. Those that are more up on systems will tell us what were missing. Just my opinion.

jschindler

The Bose system is just like the 400 horsepower. 99.9% of buyers are happy with it, and others are upgrading. Why they do just the fronts and not the backs I don't know.

BTW, I'm happy with the Bose, as are everyone else I personally know who has heard it.

Grzldvt

You have two more speakers in the bottom of the door controlled by the Blose system which makes replacement a bit more difficultwithout an interface, and a speaker up in the dash behind the defroster.

jazzlove

I'm happy with mine...., I think it sounds great just the way it is!

But, some of these guys are "audiophiles". It's a disease, they just can't help it. They've just gotta' "tweak" the system. I'm sure some of them sound like those ricers the young kids drive, where you can hear the bass notes 50 meters away from the car!

_Nomad_

HEY! I resemble that remark!

shopdog

The Bose system has 2 speakers in each door, a 3.5 and a 10. There's another small speaker in the center dash, and two more in the rear.

The main things wrong with the Bose system are poor sound stage and poor high frequency response. To cure most of the problem, you just need to replace the 3.5 inch speakers in each door with speakers that actually have tweeters (Eclipse works) and disconnect the dash speaker to restore stereo image (easiest to disconnect the wires at the amp, so you don't have to pull the dash apart).

The huge 10 inchers in the doors can stay to provide the "thump" that the kids like. But you need something to fill in the sonic hole between where the thumpers cut off and where the mid-high speakers take over. A small powered sub is the easiest solution (Clarion works). Since the mid-lows are non-directional, one sub will suffice. Put it wherever you like in the rear cargo area. Drive it from the point where you disconnected the center dash speaker. Power it from a switched source of power (the power seat fuse is a good place).

You could go a lot more elaborate, but those simple inexpensive changes will improve the sound enough to satisfy all but the most "golden eared" audiophiles.

2005ArcticWhite

I am that 99.9% happy with Bose on C-6, CD's sound outstanding

Eddy C

I am happy with it...for now. But I only have to drive my wife's Lexus with the Mark Levinson to realize it could be better. Music is such an important thing in a car for most of us, it only makes sense that if you can afford it and it's easily doable, why not upgrade.

tom4416

The car has a stereo?! I thought all the music came from the engine/exhaust, I'll have to check mine out - LOL.

Sierramadre

The Bose system seems fine especially when combined with the XM radio.

PAKev

I've had Bose systems in my 94 Z-28, my 94 C4 Vert and in my C6. I'd say the C6's Bose system is by far the best...a great sounding system with plenty of power. My only complaint is the rattling in the passenger door at certain low frequencies which I'm trying to resolve.
I love this car!!

silverZ51

The stereo in my wife's Lexus SC430 absolutely blows the Bose system away, I've never heard a better sounding stock stereo system in a car. My everyday day car is a Mercedes E class with a Harmon Kardon sytem that is also better sounding to me than the Bose. But I do have to say that both of these other cars are considerably quieter inside when driving and I believe that contributes to them sounding better to me. I have a moderate degree of hearing loss from years of ear abuse and have difficulty hearing anytime the ambient background noise is high. So to me the Bose system does not sound good when I'm driving fast or on a street that cause excessive tire noise, but possibly to someone with good hearing the system probably sounds good.

Hoonose

Talking about 'holes' in the audio spectrum. I suspect, and I think I read, that Bose set up the system specifically for the Vettes interior environment. I would suspect that they did their homework, and did plenty of audio spectrum analyses. Except for, maybe, not enough bass, I found little lacking with the upgrade Bose. Nothing that a little equalization couldn't clear up, improve or get closer to my preference. Of course, the Bose system is not an audiophile system, but a flat audio spectrum is important for good, authentic sound reproduction. I would suspect, that by placing in just a few different (generally brighter, or more effecient) speakers, here and there, that this setup would be disrupted, somewhat. By installing louder, more efficient speakers, which may also be brighter, most listeners would believe that they have 'improved' the sound. And, I'm sure they will be happier, at least for a while. (which is, of course, important) I also believe that the new system may eventually need to be equalized back to something closer, anyway, to what Bose originally had in mind.

SA HEAT

Me too

Korbo

[QUOTE=Hoonose] Except for, maybe, not enough bass, I found little lacking with the upgrade Bose. Nothing that a little equalization couldn't clear up, improve or get closer to my preference.

Many of us do not find this to be the case. And the paper speakers Bose provides without enclosure do nothing positive to change those opinions. If treble appears to be lacking and equilization is inadequate for some, then putting some inexpensive higher quality speaker replacements in the doors and rear bring far greater returns in the overall sonic field at the potential risk of disturbing what Bose considers to be the ideal I imagine (for me).

shopdog

A pink noise CD and a calibrated binaural microphone feeding an audio spectrum analyzer disagree with your suspicions. As Lord Kelvin said, if you can't measure a thing, assign numbers to it, your knowledge of it is of a poor and meager kind.

StanNH

I did find the stock Bose system fine with CDs and okay with FM. Not bad at all. Having said that, I also was not overly impressed with the midrange and treble response. I like a "brighter" sound and couldn't quite get what I wanted just playing with the tone/equalization controls. I had no intention of spending big bucks on upgrading a perfectly acceptable system, but I did want to improve it if I could.

I followed Ted's suggestions and replaced the front 3.5" and rear 5.25" speakers with some inexpensive Eclipse replacements. The total cost was less then $150. There is a dramatic difference in the sound with this simple change. The midrange and treble response is much brighter and the bass response sounds much richer. I won't do anything else since this is exactly what I wanted to get out of this system. My conclusion is that while the Bose sounds pretty decent, small and inexpensive changes can be easily made that will improve the sound significantly.

TedG

Stan found the same thing I did. In essence it is a very painless upgrade. I have been listening very carefully to the system and the improvement is really good. I added the Clarion sub and that added voice to the bass with no real thump. But the speaker replacement is cheap and easy. Even if you think it is fine, the upgrade is worthwhile, it expands the range enough so you can dial it in to your liking.

There is a ton of talk about soundstage and how Bose did blah blah blah. But Bose is known for their enclosures..more sound from less...etc. IN THE C6 THERE ARE NO, NADA, ZIP ENCLOSURES. Bolt the speakers in the door like in any cheezo Geo Metro.

Hoonose

I was looking around for all my old audio stuff to do just that. Did you do the analysis? And, if so, what did you find? Which Bose do you have?