raceboy

Notice the JDM Z uses a single DIN head unit. That means that we should be able to get the surround piece with the pocket below for doing our head unit upgrades here. Sure there will be kits out there, but I have never seen and aftermarket kit that matches the interior the way factory pieces do:

https://my350z.com/japan/june11/page4.html

roberto350z

i have been putting suwoofers in my cars since I was 16, and I have always found that a sub behind the seat is NO GOOD. Youd think that it would be better to have it right behind you so that it is "facing" you and behind you, but subs are of course omnidirectional, so where its pointting is not nearly as important as WHERE it is placed..

In a hatch, the sub belong all the way in the back so as to use the resonance. The sub should point rear ward for rap and hip hop for maximum amplitude but with some distortion, or forward (but in the back!) to achieve some more preciseness at the cost of "thumP"

Any one approaching audio enthusiasm should not be happy with this systems subwoofer...behind the seat you will get too many higher frequencies and not enough lower f's.

AdamLotz (Z FIEND)

Home Bose systems are usally praised by people who don't know what they're talking about - they are small, overpriced, and have serious deficiencies when it comes to reproducing sound. You will almost _never_ see a Bose setup in a store where you can do a direct A/B comparison between the Bose speakers and another brand of speakers. Instead, the Bose gear is usually in its own seperate room. You _cannot_ make accurate distinctions about sound quality, unless you can do a direct A/B comparison between two sets of speakers. And ironically enough - even if you had two sets of IDENTICAL speakers, they have to be set at exactly the same volume level - otherwise you will subconsciously think that the louder speaker sounds better. There are some really interesting studies about this kind of stuff out there.

The BOSE system in the 300ZX was not good. Really lousy sound quality. It was very hearable - even at high speeds, you could listen to the radio, or talk radio or whatnot and things were clear - but in terms of being musical, not good. Most of their newer car systems are significantly better - they ARE well designed as far as a mainstream product is concerned - your "average joe" will probably be happy with it. But there are some drawbacks:

1) Typically, Bose speakers are amplified at *each* speaker. That means that the head unit is mostly-incompatible with aftermarket speakers, and that the Bose speakers are mostly-incompatible with aftermarket head units.

2) Because of the above, the wiring and mounting points for the Bose speakers may/will be different than the "regular" system. Again, this means it will be more difficult to replace down the road.

3) Bose systems are EXPENSIVE to repair. They will be covered by your 3/36 warranty - after that you're SOL and will probably have to go to your dealer, who will have to send the speaker in for repair, for $$$. I believe on the 300ZX prices were about $120 to have a single speaker repaired.

Basically, if you aren't big into sound, and you aren't concerned about having to upgrade - the Bose system is probably fine for you. However, if you have any plans of going aftermarket, the Bose system will get in your way and generally be a pain in the neck. If you're comparing it to any average factory car stereo, though, you'll be fine. (Most factory car stereos are about $45 worth of speakers, mated to a ~$90 head unit)

nizl

I don't think Edmund's is the best source of opinion on the sound of a stereo. It would be like trusting Guitar World to tell you which car is the best. It's not their realm of expertise.

Besides, if you read that article, you'll find clearly that the writer is incredibly biased. It's obvious he likes Bose intrinsically, and so of course it sounds the best to him.

I heard the Altima Bose system and was unimpressed, but that's my personal subjective opinion. It doesn't "suck", but it ain't worth the extra $$, IMO.

Goober

I was one of those guys who switched the Bose out in the 300Z. Yes, the sound was good for what came with the car but it definitely needs replacing if someone cares for what the stereo sounds like.

The majority of members of twinturbo.com did not like the Bose system for a number of reasons.

One...you can't just replace the speakers or the head unit without buying an adapter. The speakers, as mentioned above, each had their own amplifier built in as the head unit didn't have an amp. If one speaker blew, you couldn't just go out to your local bargain stereo place and buy a new one. You had to go through Nissan and buy one from them.

Two....because you had speakers with their own amps, you couldn't just go out and buy a new head unit. Again, compatibility problems here.

Three....most just didn't like the sound. It wasn't weak necessarily, especially compared to your standard stereo in any number of cars that are out there but it just didn't perform up to hype. It is mass market and performs well enough for half the audience.

I would advise against paying more just based on the Bose system. There are alternatives out there for the same sound for far fewer dollars. I didn't have any problem selling my car at a premium because of my stereo. As far as the in dash changer, yes all discs go in the same slot but it takes a little longer to switch between discs due to the smaller space.

Hope it helps,
Craig

Slareau02

Contrary to what has been said here, I am a fan of Bose. The eleven odd speaker setup in my 2002 Escalade is great in my opinion. Solid bass for what it is too. You won’t win any audio competitions but it gets the job done well. One thing I have read about Bose car systems is that they engineer the system specifically for the acoustic properties of the car. That’s something that unless you work in car audio or have a PhD in acoustical engineering you can’t do. Like it was stated before many people probably think that their aftermarket system sounds better just because it’s a lot louder. Once again this is just in my opinion. Unless you want to go win an audio competition or compete with those nasty civic's that have systems that cost more than their car then the Bose will be fine for you.

JamieH

I couldn't agree more. Bose are the most overhyped systems in audio. I had a friend that bought a $2,000 Bose home system. It was a decent system. But it wasn't even close to being a $2000 system. I put together a system for the same cost that absolutely blows his system away, and then some.

I would never buy a Bose system for the home. I can't speak on their in car audio, but if it is the same quality as their home systems, then it just isn't worth the $$$.