Re: Re[2]: Audi A4 Audio & misc

[dieckeaw@plu.edu]

On Wed, 24 Jan 1996, Byas U Nambisan wrote:

> Thanks for all the info...
> 
> BTW, what is the issue with the Bose amp/speaker.  I've seen a couple of posts 
> that did not speak highly of it.  It had orginally been on my list, but I didn't
> get it. 

I don't know if it made it into the archives, but someone posted an 
excellent bash/flame of bose originally found on another audio site.  
Basically, Bose has a VERY specific sonic signature they seek...a 
signature that is 20 or 30 years old, but which they are deathly afraid 
to alter.  And despite the belief of bose, speaker design has come a LONG 
way in that time.  So, for $1100, you can buy a top of the line Bose 
louspeaker that's basically 30 years old.  For $600, you can by (insert 
your favorite brand here, be it KEF, B+W, Mirrage, Paradigm, etc) that'll 
knock the socks off the Bose in terms of instrument timbre, rhythm, and 
most importantly soundstaging (Bose's weakest link).  This attitude is 
carried over to their car stuff, but to make matters worse, they make it 
very difficult to upgrade.  You either have to replace the entire system, 
or leave it untouched, nothing inbetween.  For the price of the Bose 
option, you could put together a simple upgrade for the stock system 
(Pioneer, suprise suprise, makes a killer triaxial speaker for $100 a pair 
that'll put $300 MB Quart coaxes to shame.  No joke!) that'll easily 
outperform the Bose rig.  Better value for the money.  One craveat:  the 
bose system IS tuned to the accoustics of the specific car its in, so it 
may take some research to find aftermarket components that match the 
accoustics of the car, but once that's accomplished, you're free of the 
binds of the Bose system.

Whew!

-Adam