Project 'BOSE BE GONE!' audio upgrade completed

[DBZinTN]

Thanks OP, just bookmarked this thread for study. I have a 300w powered spare tire sub going in this weekend, will make do with the bass it offers; but definitely interested in getting all Bose speakers swapped out. Such a flat sounding system, it's the worst. My '25 Nissan Versa has tighter/ better sound than the Z's Bose system

 

[latestarter]

Keep in mind, much, if not most of the crap sound originates from the amp and the way they’ve tuned it. Changing speakers will only expose this more, and the only real way to fundamentally change things for the better is to bypass the amp with something better. You then get the bonus of losing the silly sound effects etc.

 

[DBZinTN]

Keep in mind, much, if not most of the crap sound originates from the amp and the way they’ve tuned it. Changing speakers will only expose this more, and the only real way to fundamentally change things for the better is to bypass the amp with something better. You then get the bonus of losing the silly sound effects etc.

Thanks for the info. Would this be the case if I had ANC/ASE disabled? I know it's best to do a full system swap, but was hoping to swap speakers only. I'd even settle for just door and dash speaker replacement as there are no highs and muddy mids.

 

[latestarter]

I started in a similar path, taking high outs to new amps and speakers. Still sounded terrible. Went whole bypass/removal of amp and used the signal from the head direct into new amps.

I had my dealer turn off the ANC and fake engine Noise As part of step one…sp very similar path as you’re thinking about.

I guess you will get some improvement with speakers alone but it will not go very far in resolving what is an awful system with hard coded eq , that the speakers will not be able to resolve.

I wonder if it would make more sense to replace amp first and speakers later if budget is the issue. I don’t know if anyone has done this.

 

[siddious33]

I started in a similar path, taking high outs to new amps and speakers. Still sounded terrible. Went whole bypass/removal of amp and used the signal from the head direct into new amps.

I had my dealer turn off the ANC and fake engine Noise As part of step one…sp very similar path as you’re thinking about.

I guess you will get some improvement with speakers alone but it will not go very far in resolving what is an awful system with hard coded eq , that the speakers will not be able to resolve.

I wonder if it would make more sense to replace amp first and speakers later if budget is the issue. I don’t know if anyone has done this.

I have started down this similar path as well. I had ANC/ASE turned off at the dealer and it does make a difference. I have tried many different EQ settings and I've decided to just bite the bullet and stop trying fixes to a weak system and instead I will bypass it. Just getting together my ideas now but my plan would be to tap the system in the trunk by the Bose Amp with something like an OWC harness and then run that into a 4 channel amp/DSP combo with component speakers in the front and two drop ins for the side panels. Then a mono-block amp to a passive spare tire sub, with full sound deadening everywhere I can get it.

The standard Bose system in the Performance is either so weak, you can't hear it or so distorted if you turn it up that you can't bear to listen to it, and either way there is NO bottom end at all. It's very disappointing, and I don't hate Bose mind you. We have a Mazda CX-90 with a Bose system in it and that system is a solid A tier factory system. It sounds really good.

Anyway, I'm following along here for sure and might steal some production ideas, or at least ask about good speakers/amps/components. Been ages since I've done this so I'll also just likely have a shop do it.

 

[latestarter]

Keep us posted. Happy to help with photos or commentary etc.