[misters3]

Just received this teaser photo from Iain and Audio Advice of my audio install......can't wait...when is Christmas?

 

[tomgtr]

Welcome back, ho was Florida? Looks like quite an operation. Will they still use the OEM audio unit at all? Seems almost a wast to drive those speakers via OEM audio unit. Surely you pot amps in between but still...

 

[misters3]

We got lucky in that we played golf on the 3 best days i was there, but was a bit wet and cold the last 2 days. But they were spent buying clothes and drinking
But TPC Sawgrass was amazing. Stunning place. Our Marriot Sawgrass villa was great too. 4 nights, B&B, 3 rounds of golf including Stadium course £335...bargain of the century if you ask me! I didn't play that well on the Stadium course but i'm definitely going back if i can get the same deal next year.

I will post the full details of the audio in another thread when i've got my car back etc. So forgive me if i seem a bit evasive....not long till Christmas Plus i've given them carte blanche (within a budget)to do what they think is best (Iain judges pro audio installs and has an amazing system in his car) so i'll need to get the details off them.

But i went to see them last weekend as they were doing a detailingworld meet at their workshop and i saw my car in bits and Stuart who is also doing the install, showed me some of the crazy things the Bose system does and doesn't do. Honestly, anyone else thinking of doing and audio upgrade would be best served warning their audio installer to buy some valium as it's been their most difficult install ever! But i guess now they've done one, whoever goes next has a much easier time of it.

The idea was to keep the look as OEM as possible, but when the car was stripped, there was no point in putting the speakers in the OEM position etc, hence the pillar placement. But otherwise it's looking OEM as much as poss.
OEM head still being used.
OEM amps bypassed or removed. So new amps etc.
New cabling
New subs
Soundproofing.

More to come (soon i hope)

 

[charles charlie]

Frankly buddy that looks truly amazing!

What was Iain's opinion of the headunit itself?

 

[misters3]

Frankly buddy that looks truly amazing!

Their work is stunning. The sticking will hopefully match the Black Edition red etc. My car is a pretty basic install to be honest compared to some of the cars i've seen eg this 1960 mini clubman which has a brand new system installed, but it's all refinished and hidden so that the car looks standard. Amazing work on the leather, panels, boot etc. They get a lot of customers from down South due to their rep.

Eg on my install the boss man is flying over from Dublin to help sign off on the install in terms of tuning the sound etc. Their attention to detail is very reassuring.

What was Iain's opinion of the headunit itself?

As for OEM Headunit. It does what all OEM headunits do, and messes about with the eq curve when you turn up the volume. Basically it saves the speakers from being driven too hard and falling apart (when you see the speakers you'll know why!)
When i took Iain for a drive in my car, he commented how weak the midbass was, especialy as i turned it up, there was nothing.
As i put it, i found it very tiring on my ears. Especially when i drove down your way. It just grates with me.
But when i saw the speakers, they look very very weak to be honest, so it's hard to put the blame purely at the HU. Also the amps aren't exactly anywhere near Bose quality either. I can't understand why they put their name on it as it's not worthy of their home audio stuff.

So i'd now recommend people don't buy black and don't buy Bose if they are ordering from new.

However saying all that about HU, we steered clear of the top of the range Focal's (not only because of price!) but because they would highlight the weaknesses of the HU. So it is a compromised system. But i wanted to keep the £14k headunit.

So it's not a top end audiophile system, but near enough for me, and exactly where i am on the audiophile curve of diminishing returns for price and quality.

If i pass by your way, i'll give you a call so you can hear it. I'll be doing a trip to London in Feb, so might see how i'm set for time etc.

 

[charles charlie]

If you could that buddy, that would be great.

The lack of any midrange with these Bose systems is frustrating but not unexpected.

Although I'm not that much into audiophile equipment, I would certainly welcome an improved sound.

 

[tomgtr]

what ballpark figure are you expecting as cost?

 

[misters3]

If you could that buddy, that would be great.

The lack of any midrange with these Bose systems is frustrating but not unexpected.

Although I'm not that much into audiophile equipment, I would certainly welcome an improved sound.

It's the least i could do after all your help Will be Feb 16th (most likely)as i'll be around Brum that evening.

I know you say it's not unexpected, but in my S3 the Bose was better and that was a 2001 car with a fairly basic HU (not that it's saying much) and so i was kinda expecting something fairly decent especially as the HU was so trick etc.
I realise now that i should have auditioned, but i'm sure none of us thought about the audio system when we got the chance to drive the car!! :lol:

I'm not an audiophile either. Never owned anything Linn, Arcam etc. I've never had the house which would do it justice.
Although have dabbled in some home music production over the years and had a Kenwood, Denon DCA 800, Infinity Kappy, MB Quartz system in my Clio 15 years ago

 

[misters3]

what ballpark figure are you expecting as cost?

£5k Although there has been quite a bit of spec creep (i'm like that!) So will see!

So it is a huge amount of money, and you can do it for less than half that with very good results.

I was offered good, better, best and went for best. (minus focal berylliums)

I plan on keeping the car for a good long while, so i justified it to myself that way.

When i think about it, i wonder if i'm crazy to be spending that much on a car audio install, but i guess it's a bit late now And i guess you can spend that easily on other bits for the GTR quick quickly.

Saying that, i was talking to guys who'd spent £30k last Sat on Leons and Mk1 Golf's. So it's not outrageous

Oh and it's going against my business , so i get some relief on the cost there

Can you tell i've not quite justified it to myself yet? But then i was the same about buying the GTR in the first place, and when i got it, i was more than happy. So same thing will happen when i get my car back and hear how good the car sounds.

Next stop switchable exhaust

 

[charles charlie]

Feb 16th is a Tuesday?

Looks like I'll just have to take a day off......

 

[misters3]

Feb 16th is a Tuesday?

Looks like I'll just have to take a day off......

Ah hold on..18th..Thursday. Playing golf on the Friday. Then down to London till Tuesday.

Don't tell me you work afternoons I could come by yours around lunch time if that suits?

 

[tomgtr]

I hope I'll find anybody on this side of the pond who is willing to do something decent as well although 5k audio combined with my exhaust is not gonna work!

 

[misters3]

I hope I'll find anybody on this side of the pond who is willing to do something decent as well although 5k audio combined with my exhaust is not gonna work!

What exhaust do you have?

But that's why i am thinking AAM or what is AMS switchable exhaust

 

[tomgtr]

Miltek Y-pipe now, hopefully Akrapovich Q2 next year (after bonus time this will go down easier with the families CFO!!)

 

[misters3]

Miltek Y-pipe now, hopefully Akrapovich Q2 next year (after bonus time this will go down easier with the families CFO!!)

Ah that's what i have now too

 

[tomgtr]

Its great except at around 2500 RPM in my opinion.

 

[andyc]

Awesome set of front speakers (a pillar builds look good), what subs and amps you running?

Its a shame you have to keep the oem headunit. Does the oem headunit have an eq that you can properly tune or is it just basic?

Ive been competing in IASCA for a few years now. And its bloody expensive lol

 

[charles charlie]

Ah hold on..18th..Thursday. Playing golf on the Friday. Then down to London till Tuesday.

Don't tell me you work afternoons I could come by yours around lunch time if that suits?

I'm sure I can wangle a Thursday or Friday afternoon off for a gander at your kit!

Just let me know and I'll be more than happy to meet up.

 

[charles charlie]

I'm gonna be installing some Dynamat Extreme behind the rear seats and possibly the boot in the New Year.

Did your installers suggest anything like that for you Ian?

 

[ScottyB]

Loving the look mate especially the Pillar speakers!

Give me a shout when it is all done would love to hear and see it in person.

Regards

ScottyB