Infiniti G35 - Awesome car, HORRIBLE sound system.

[ZaneNBK]

What the hell were they thinking, the Bose/Clarion sound system in that car is one of the WORST factory systems I've ever heard. Even with the $1000 premium sound system upgrade it's TERRIBLE. It has crappy mid-range, terribly muddy low-range and non-existant highs. I tuned the bass down to default and treble up to high and it STILL had no treble and super-muddy overly-exagerrated bass. To top it all off the head-unit outputs a non-standard level signal and it's custom designed to the dash so you won't be able to get an aftermarket part for it for quite a while (they don't use the standard size or the larger GM size). ARGH!

I'm going to buy either the Sedan or the Coupe (coupe preferably if I fit comfortably) but I really like a good sounding stereo system in my car (currently Inifinity & Pioneer speakers with a decent sounding premium factory stereo in my Monte Carlo). If only I could combine the premium sound system in the Chrysler 300M with everything else from the G35 I'd be in heaven. (The 300M premium system is all Infinity except for possibly the head unit.)

The worst thing is that ANY idiot with two functioning ears can tell this stereo system sounds as bad (or worse) as a $30 boom box from K-mart.

BTW, this is not anti-Bose (though I've yet to hear speakers from them that I like), I'm just ranting about this particular setup.

 

[bmacd]

-=bmacd=-

 

[crawford]

that sucks, but i think no stock sound system sounds that great. the worst part is the dash tho where you need like a ton of work just to get an aftermarket HU in.

 

[ZaneNBK]

Yeah, this is a good picture showing how the head unit is built in to the bevel. Oh well.

 

[ElFenix]

nissan and acura both put bose in there and then tell you its the greatest thing since sliced bread. i really wanted to turn around at one point and asked if he'd ever sat down and listened to how awful it is.

 

[crawford]

Originally posted by: ZaneNBK
Yeah, this is a good picture showing how the head unit is built in to the bevel. Oh well.

ah that sucks, good luck putting a decent deck in that thing.

 

[ZaneNBK]

Well, I'm really hoping that the problem is 99% crappy speakers. Even with their funky system I should be able to put some good Ininity speakers in there. The only other major issue I'm worried about past that point would be how crappy the factory amps are (this system comes with amps for all speakers seperate from the head unit). I'm betting that at moderate->high volumes I'll start getting muddy even with good speakers due to lack of power. Oh well, I can put in new amps as well but I'll have to get special conversion units between the amps and the head unit since the head unit doesn't output at a standard level.

Just annoyed that they're tacking on $900 (checked it on their site) for something I'm going to have to sink a lot of money in the car to replace as soon as I get it. Ok. Done bitching. Glad that someone else out there feels my pain.

 

[nord1899]

Originally posted by: ZaneNBK
To top it all off the head-unit outputs a non-standard level signal and it's custom designed to the dash so you won't be able to get an aftermarket part for it for quite a while (they don't use the standard size or the larger GM size). ARGH!

This is exactly what I hate about my Acura CL with a Bose system in it. Fortunately, the head unit is very close to normal DIN size so I could conceivably replace it without a problem. But I would have to replace everything in the car, except maybe the wires.

I've noticed that a lot of luxury cars are going this route. Supposedly high-end stereos with some sort of customization to make after-market additions more expensive/difficult. Monsoon, H/K, Bose, Infinity, etc... They make the head unit really funky intead of standard DIN or double-DIN. Do silly things with the speaker line levels so you can't just swap the head-unit out and replace it with say, a MP3/CD player.

I would like to change one or two parts of my audio system. I don't want to have to change all of it.

 

[crawford]

The amp thing is kind of like my svt contour, i just bought an amp bypass kit so i can power my infinity speaks from the HU instead of the POS amp behind the glovebox.