Re: Is it worth it.... Converting Pre-Bose -> Bose

[Bruce Stapley <bstapley@megsinet.com>]

Previously, jimi wrote:
> 
> i bought my 97 GLX with the pre-bose system. looking through the list
> i'm hearing/reading good reviews of the bose system. so now i've been
> thinking about converting my pre-bose system to bose. the dealership
> quoted me ~ $300 for the job. would this be a waste of time and money.
> 
> any thoughts ?
> 
> tks
> 
Absolutely [a waste of money]!! While the "Bose" system (Panasonic head
unit, Bose speakers, optional Panasonic CD changer) has good sound for a
*factory* system, it's still not something to "upgrade" to. You quoted a
figure of ~ $300. If this figure is for a new Pan head unit (obviously
including some minimal re-stock compensation), then you'll have
"upgraded" to a mid-quality head unit and whatever speakers are already
in your GLX -- and I'm gonna presume that those speakers don't have the
freq. range or power-handling performance of the Bose set.  But even if
the speakers you've got are great, or you're somehow getting the Bose or
better speakers, that head unit ain't worth spending money to "upgrade"
to.
    As I related back in digest #145, I kept my Bose speakers and
replaced my head unit with a Sony, motivated solely by the desire to
have single CD in the dash. What I didn't expect was the incredible
improvement in sound quality I got from the new piece -- higher highs;
lower lows; tighter, more controlled bass.  And it cost me about $350
plus installation (I'm lazy). I must admit that I'm impressed with the
sound of the Bose drivers; I've always hated Amar's home speakers, but
these rock!
    As for the bass correcting system that Chris Cooley mentioned as a
desirable feature of the Pan head unit; it's generally called loudness
correction, which is a common feature on almost all car (and home)
stereos -- although in better pieces, it also performs a similar
correction to the highs, as the human ear's sensitivity to these
frequencies decreases with volume as well. (On a very few good home
pieces, the loudness correction is volume-dependent, so that it doesn't
cause boominess at normal volumes. Now if it was only age-dependent as
well...)  One feature I myself miss from the original head unit, though,
is the power-on volume ramp; when getting into the car after raging the
tunes particularly loudly the previous evening, it was nice to have some
warning that I was gonna blast myself as the volume level slowly ramped
up.
    So again, my opinion as to whether it would be a waste of time and
money for you to put the Bose system in: ABSOLUTELY!! Put an aftermarket
system in instead.

Bruce Stapley
98 GLX