In another thread, someone posted a response from Bose that said the head unit is made by Clarion. So it may be that Clarion is responsible for the brain-dead dynamic equalization, Bose is responsible for the crappy sounding sub (the other spkrs aren't hi quality either) and the Nissan engineers (or maybe product marketing) are responsible for the brain-dead decision to put all this inferior equipment in what is otherwise a top-shelf car.

The most frequently ordered option in the new 350Z might soon become "delete BOSE audio system" if Nissan wakes up and allows this. The dealers would have an aftermarket hay-day charging $2K for a dealer-installed "premium" system.

I sent my complaints off to Bose. I don't expect anything worthwhile back from them.

BTW, while my car was getting PDI'd my salesman let me read the Nissan sales propaganda. I'm pretty sure that it was in there that I read about the technologically advanced dynamic equalization system. It's not just automatic, it's dynamic, meaning it constantly adjusts the EQ in response to ambient noise levels it picks up through a microphone in the cabin. My experience would indicate that it works more by speed and gear inputs because when I change gears the thing seems to make a quantum adjustment which is clearly audible, while the ambient noise level change does not seem nearly so audible. Given it's the bass that is most obnoxious, I'm guessing that there is some way that drive-train vibrations (or their harmonics) are getting into the feedback system and driving the bass to louder and more obnoxious muddy levels.

I think I could live with the lousy Bose speakers if I could just turn the dynamic EQ off. Nothing like accentuating the weaknesses of the speakers under varying driving conditions.