Bose Media Centre is Poor | FerrariChat

Bose Media Centre is Poor

Discussion in '612/599' started by chris5150, Apr 27, 2009.

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  1. chris5150

    chris5150 Formula Junior

    Apr 16, 2009
    500
    ..very poor. I dont understand why the manufacturers of expensive cars keep using Bose. I have never come across a good Bose system yet, and disapointingly the 612 is no exception. How come Astons get Bang & Olufsen Hifi's & ferrari go with Bose?. The one in my 612 ( which is a grand tourer by the way, so one would expect quality for long journeys )is fiddley & downright distracting to try & use on the go. The sat nav is appauling, no post code recognition, I mean come on thats being available on £70 tom toms for years now, lord help you if you want to change your route half way through. Proximity sensor on the unit is about as useful as a chocolate fireguard.
    Actually I have to say that the sound quality isnt too bad, but having just come out of a Merc, the Bose system is like a child has designed it.
    How on earth people can grumble about BMW's I drive is beyond me, give them a Bose and they will never grumble again about it, trust me.
    Yes I love my car, no the Bose issue is not going to make me swap my car, no posts please about 'well dont use it, just listen to the engine'..I am well aware of how nice the 612 sounds.
    I just cannot get my head round why Bose continues to find its way into such expensive cars when its so dated function wise.
    Anyone out there actually like their Bose system?
     
  2. champagne612

    champagne612 F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Mar 28, 2009
    5,725
     
  3. ferrarifan2

    ferrarifan2 Rookie

    Feb 8, 2009
    17
    My 599 also has Bose system in it ,sounds great but using it is major pain in the ass.
    But my understanding is that radio and navigation in it is made by Becker in Germany only speakers are Bose
     
  4. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    I don't know, I've been very happy with the Bose Media Center in the 612. It took a bit of getting used to, but I don't have any complaints.

    To each his own, I guess.
     
  5. dan360

    dan360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2003
    2,669
    Boston
    Depends what year we are talking about. The '08s have the "proper" bose system. Before that they just have bose speakers and the crappy old becker system.

    I've used Sat Nav in BMW, Lexus, Mercedes, Porsche and dislike things about all of them. I have an '08 612 with the proper Bose and I like it. I particularly like that it zooms in an out when you are using navigation mode and are at a junction. The only thing that really bugs me is that if you a playlist playing on the ipod, stop and start the car, it remembers the point you were, and picks up again, BUT if you try and skip a track it then plays the first track on the first album on the ipod and you have to reselect the playlist.
     
  6. drgek

    drgek Formula 3

    Jun 21, 2004
    1,142
    Full Name:
    Gary
    What I've wanted to know since I got my 599 is why the ability to alter equalization settings is disabled in Bose-audio equipped cars. It bordered on absurd, but Scott in LaJolla posted a way to bypass that. I've been happy with the sound quality ever since (thanks again, Scott - let me know when I can send some pizzas to you and the other guys in your shop for lunch.)

    What you have to love about the media centers in the 612s is, to my understanding, the TV tuner is analog. I'm at a loss to understand why they'd fit a TV tuner in the car in the first place, but it's completely non-functional in this country after the mandatory switch to digital programming in June.
     
  7. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    The TV tuner was an option, and not an especially cheap one. I couldn't imagine why anyone would want one either. Without the TV tuner, it can still play DVDs, though.

     
  8. mazza

    mazza Rookie

    Sep 14, 2006
    26
    i thought i was the only one did;nt like the bose media centre,and i have the 08 one to one....I JUST CANT GET MY HEAD AROUND WHY FERRARI CHOSE BOSE FOR THERE FLAGSHIP FERRARI.......REALY PISSED!!!
     
  9. chris5150

    chris5150 Formula Junior

    Apr 16, 2009
    500
    Was beginning to think it was just me!.. mine's an 08 OTO too...and the Bose is rubbish to use, some of my issues are-

    a) Sat Nav does not recognise Post codes ( zip codes to you american fellows ). This is an amazing oversight when every sat nav that costs £79 currently available seems to have it. Sat Nav has no birds eye view. You need a degree to work out how to reroute once you are following the thing.
    b) Everytime the Sat Nav zooms in as you approach a junction, it does not zoom back out again to the setting you had zoomed to originally, so you are constantly zooming back out after every junction
    c) keying a destination one letter at a time on a circular knob is about 37 years out of date now
    d) Map Panning is a right pain
    e) My Screen is a dull & lifeless grey colour, nice horse in the middle, but why grey?...why not show the radio stations on the screen instead of having to turn the circular knob again to see the stations currently available?
    d) The screen is too bright on a night - time, I have turned it down as far as it will go & its still distracting. Why is there no quick button to turn the screen off?...if you want the radio/cd on with the screen blank you have to go through three screens of settings to get to the 'display off' setting...not good when you are driving
    e) bluetooth on it doesnt seem to want to pair with my 3G iphone...anyone done this?


    In summary its just buggy, slow, and ill thought out compared with Merc/BMW/Toyota's etc offerings. I have a 2004 BMW Z4 with the Idrive in, and that radio/cd/sat nav/phone works far better than the bose & its 4 years older which is a lifetime in the advances of media centres.
    £200k Ferrari Mile muncher state of the art GT car deserves better...thats all I am saying, think if I was speccing my own new one I would try very hard to get a differant system out of them!
     
  10. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    I can't speak to most of your complaints (I suspect the post code thing is a UK thing, as I can't imagine any use to being able to recognize US zip codes), but mine does sync happily with my first generation iPhone over bluetooth.

    Of course, if you're moving faster than 20mph the person on the other end of the call won't be able to hear you, but I've heard that's common to all of Ferrari's bluetooth setups.

     
  11. daviddavid

    daviddavid Formula Junior

    May 17, 2005
    306
    Bose puts effort into marketing its product, but takes no pride in its product. It wouldn't surprise me if they pay Ferrari. Have a look at this article with reference to some of their speakers. http://www.intellexual.net/bose.html
     
  12. chris5150

    chris5150 Formula Junior

    Apr 16, 2009
    500
    Thanks for the post David, pretty much says it all about the quality, Bose always has been more self hype than anything, Im just amazed they get away with it, and that car manufacturers 'brag' about the gear being fitted in their cars. Everytime I see 'Bose stereo' I think uh oh....Ok it was more understandable on a Nissan 350z, but when its fitted to £££££ Porsche's & Ferrari's it really is not good!
    Bravo Audi & Aston Martin bothering to go with Bang & Olufsen...millions of miles ahead of any bose product...come on ferrari team up with B&O on your grand tourer please
     
  13. Trevor_Baker

    Trevor_Baker Karting

    Apr 13, 2009
    67
    Royal Leamington Spa
    Full Name:
    Trevor Baker
    I've just spent an hour sitting in my 612 (with the engine running so that I don't drain the battery) learning how to use the Bose sat nav, etc. As with all my previous cars (several 911s, a 993 911RS, a 959, two 355F1s, a 360 and, believe it or not, a Chevy SSR with the 6.0l engine), I run only one car at a time and I use it as my everyday drive in all weathers. I'll be doing at least 1,000 miles a month in this 612, so sat nav is important for me. For the last two years, I've been spoiled by a combination of Pioneer Avic HD3 (which accepts postcodes) and Trafficmaster, the latter including live traffic, reasonably up-to-date speed limit notification and, most importantly, speed camera warnings. I'm happy with the radio and sound in the 612, but the sat nav leaves a lot to be desired. I don't like the user interface (I'm in the software business where user interfaces can make or break a product). I certainly don't like the way in which it's far too fiddly to control my iPhone whilst driving. There is supposed to be an iPod connector in the glove box (this is for my wife!), but I can't find it. I don't want the cost or hassle of changing the in-built Bose system, so I think the only practical option is to enhance it with Trafficmaster. At least, I then get the chance to speak to a real person if I get lost!

    Reading this makes me sound so negative about such a fantastic car. That is not my intention. I have been fortunate to own some truly great cars, including a Porsche 959 (which I sold, via a dealer, to "Mr Bean"), and I have a feeling this 612 is going to be in that league in terms of smiles per mile.

    By the way, I'd be grateful in anyone can tell me where to find that elusive iPod connector.
     
  14. dan360

    dan360 F1 Rookie

    Feb 18, 2003
    2,669
    Boston
    Its on the back of the door to the glovebox, not in the box itself. There should be a leather pocket on the door and the connector is inside that. If that's not there, then you don't have the Ipod interface - it was an option...

    I think your comments on the UI are interesting, I've yet to find any sat nav that's standard fit on any car that has a really good UI. I think BMW's is the worst by some way, but I personally actually find the Bose one marginally less annoying than previous experience with Lexus, BMW, Porsche and Mercedes.

    I'll also comment on the B&O thing - B&O while cool are a triumph of design and coolness over fitness for purpose. I did a day long test drive in an S8 fitted with the B&O system. The best feature was the cool way the tweeters pop out of the dash. Sound quality was fine but nothing special, but so is that in the 612 with a Bose. I don't consider either "hifi". For me I've never understood the huge money some spend on ICE installs, its an unforgiving environment for sound quality (esp a Ferrari!). The 612 system offers plenty of quality for the situation.
     
  15. SciFrog

    SciFrog Formula Junior

    Apr 9, 2008
    566
    USA
    Any of you guys getting rid of your head unit, I might want it to upgrade my old Becker in my 05 612... If possible at all.
     
  16. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
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    Don
    In the UK, that trafficmaster thing sounds pretty hard to beat!
     
  17. Lone Wolf

    Lone Wolf Formula 3

    Oct 24, 2006
    1,085
    Highway to Hell
    can anyone point me to the post about getting the Bose in my 599 to contorl bass/treble?

    thx
     
  18. champagne612

    champagne612 F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Mar 28, 2009
    5,725
    Mine has the Alpine...works great nice subwoofer in the rear - well hidden.
     
  19. elipinski

    elipinski Formula 3

    May 14, 2006
    1,390
    Full Name:
    Emanuel
    "I have been working on an audio system upgrade on a 599 for@ 2.5 weeks and we are keeping the stock becker radio in the system and we were looking for a bass + treble control or an eq.... If you push the 2 buttons above the 2 knobs along with the lower right button below the right knob all at the same time then this will put you into a hidden menu and you can select the bose option and then you need your radio code and you enter it this will then allow you to access in the sound menu an equalizer that has preset curves and 4 user setable curves.... Not bass + treble but better....



    Have your IPOD on in the car. Then click on Media 2 times and you get SOUND. Click on SOUND and you get all the options. This is the best I could do with my phone in the car, to much clear. From the factory is is not very good at all. So you have to change all the settings. I turn loudness up to #2, subwoover around #3, turn on Ferrar sound, i did a custom EQ sort of like ROCK, then messed with the crossover so the small speakers dont have to reproduce low sounds. I also adj the subwoofer crossover so it does not go abouve 110HZ. I also made sure to TURN OFF my EQ on my I POD. Since I made all the adj on the stereo.


    On the preset menu, there are a User 1..4 list. Select one, and hold the R center knob button down. Voila, user settable equalizer.
    Go into surround menu as well, select Ferrari. Can adjust crossovers of speakers and sub, damn, I'm pissing the neighborhood off. MUCH better. Thanks SC. You working on a nice metallic red car now? Tell owner hi if it is.


    Hello,

    When I enter the code nothing happened, it returns me to hidden menue again .. I press on the bose options and ask me for the code again I enter it again and takes me back to the same thing!!

    am I doing somthing wrong?


    once the code is entered (nothing obvious happens) you then exit the menu and go into your audio/ settings and there will be an equalizer that wasnt there before.... if you enter the code again it will turn your eq back off again!

    Scott

    "

    regards--e
     
  20. Lone Wolf

    Lone Wolf Formula 3

    Oct 24, 2006
    1,085
    Highway to Hell
    Thank You. I will try this tonight.
     
  21. Fly'n DutchMan

    Fly'n DutchMan Karting

    Oct 4, 2005
    248
    Agoura Hills CA
    Full Name:
    Sander Brouwers
    In the past people have had really good luck in terms of improving sound quality on the Bose systems simply by changing out the head units. I know when I was working at a Ferrari dealer I would advise customers to pull the Becker head units and change them out for even a low budget aftermarkert unit, a $300 Pioneer Premier head unit made a night and day difference in sound quality while retaining the rest of the Bose system.

    But I understand what you're saying, manufactures are so poor at outsourcing the sound systems to companies that know what they are doing, just look at Porsche until recently, MBZ systems have been crap as long as I can remember.

    Search the forum here and you'll find plenty of people that have swapped out the factory head units for aftermarket NAV/Audio units with great results.
     
  22. Lone Wolf

    Lone Wolf Formula 3

    Oct 24, 2006
    1,085
    Highway to Hell
    i 'found' the hidden eq settings menu in the stock radio and it works great now. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! thank you very very much guys...
     
  23. eric

    eric Formula Junior

    Aug 3, 2001
    705
    Albion, CA
    OMG OMG OMG!!

    FYI: these instructions work for the Bose radio option in the Alfa 8C. And OMG, why on earth do they hide this? why do they give us such a flat sounding system out of the box, and not share that it could sound so mcuh better?

    Sure the car makes all the sounds a person could ever want, and one does indeed have to ask why a stereo at all. Buit once past that, OMG. In just fiften minutes of fiddling with the options, this stereo ROCKS!!!!

    Thank you to whoever first shared this info (I recall seeing it in various subforums here). Now I have a great sound system and still get to be amused at the cute little Alfa Splash screen when it boots on start up.

    Sure, I'd love a B&O in the car, but can live with this. Now if it'd only support 32GB CF cards and lossless WMV files...Anyone gotta fix for that? :)
     
  24. Trevor_Baker

    Trevor_Baker Karting

    Apr 13, 2009
    67
    Royal Leamington Spa
    Full Name:
    Trevor Baker
    On Wednesday, I used my 612 for a 400-mile round trip from my home in Leamington Spa to Plymouth. I bought a Garmin nuvi 860T so I could get live traffic and speed camera alerts. A colleague shared the trip. Whilst the Bose sound system was excellent, the so-called predictive user interface was a nightmare to use. The Garmin could be used whilst driving. The Bose was positively dangerous! I had to stop the car at various motorway services to make the most basic changes. Receiving phone calls was OK, but making calls was dangerous. The Bose navigation and phone functions are the worst I have ever used (and I've been using sophisticated nav/phone systems since 1987). Eventually, I shut down the Bose system and fixed the Garmin to the Media System's screen. I connected my iPhone to the Garmin by Bluetooth and gained full access to my contacts. Making and receiving calls on the Garmin puts the Bose to shame. It's time someone from Bose or Ferrari looked at the practical aspects of the Bose Media Centre.
     
  25. champagne612

    champagne612 F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Mar 28, 2009
    5,725
    Ferrari 612 is the best driver available in the world - my 612 went Alpine / Laser Rear hidden sub etc. Bose is not going to lead or even follow. A technology leader like Apple should enter the high end info-tainment TM ha ha car world.
     

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