Re: Audi Sound Systems

[Jeff.McMeekin@Corp.Sun.COM (Jeff McMeekin - WWFO Technical Office)]

> Having never heard the Bose sound system in the Audi, does anyone have
> a reaction, positive or negative, concerning it versus the standard
> Audi sound system?  Is it worth the upgrade or are you better off
> upgrading on your own... Thanks!

I have a major negative reaction to the Bose soundsystem.  I've got the
latest incarnation of the Bose system in my '95 A6. 
My complaints are 
	1) muddy sound.  I like to listen to voice as well as music.
	  No amount of tweaking the bass and treble controls would
	  sharpen the voice material (books on tape).  For music
	  the system is only 'ok' and certainly nothing that
	  makes you sit up and take notice (as I've had in other cars).
	2) indifferent reception (possibly a powered antennae would help)
	3) Very difficult to upgrade to CD.  On this note I actually
		complained to Audi and they agreed to buy back the
		option.  One would think that with $500 I could solve
		the problem but integrating a CD player cleanly
		into the Bose system is not easy.  Last time I checked
		Audi offered no CD player so one would need to buy
		an after market CD-ready head unit and an adapter
		unit ($140) that would drop the signal levels to
		something the powered speakers could handle.  However
		looking specifically at the Denon line, I would have
		to buy the top of the line $700 head unit, if I wanted
		front/rear fader control (it relates to how many
		outputs the unit has and at what level, i.e. amplified
		or not.  And I still would probably have the same muddy
		sound

		If you don't get the Bose system, you buy any old CD head
		unit, wire in the changer and go.  If you get the Bose unit
		you realistically have to replace speakers and head unit.
		This gets expensive.

What I like
	1) The radio station currently playing is displayed in the
		center of the instrument cluster.  This may also
		be true of the non-Bose system though.
	2) Factory installation- less likely to get ripped off (this
		is all theory but it seems to me that factory
		radios don't have the high theft value that an Alpine
		or Blaupunkt have.

Unfortunately 95's were coming highly loaded.  Audi may claim for 95
that they have dropped prices (they have) but some of that is phantom.
If every car comes with leather option, comfort and convenience, and
Bose, then it's not really an option.  You may have difficulty
finding the right equipment level to match the color you want.

If you are looking to buy an Audi and decide whether to get that option,
I would recommend against it.  If you already have an Audi and
would consider upgrading, I definitely would recommend against it.