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

["Patrick Sherman" <patrick@volkswagen.org>]

I would just upgrade to the Bose Amp and all the speakers. Drop a
aftermarket head unit and 12 disc changer. I added those to my bose system
and it sounds 240% better!

Patrick Sherman
patrick@volkswagen.org
'97 VENTO VR6


> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-jettaglx@igtc.com [mailto:owner-jettaglx@igtc.com]On Behalf
> Of Bruce Stapley
> Sent: Sunday, June 14, 1998 10:27 AM
> To: jettaglx@igtc.COM
> Subject: Re: Is it worth it.... Converting Pre-Bose -> Bose
>
>
> 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
>