Bang & Olufsen vs stock Bose.
07-04-2015, 12:11 PM
#111
AudiWorld Senior Member
The Bose system has a 3-way component set in the front. The tweeters are in the dash. The midrange is in the middle of the door and is a 2.5" or 3" driver.
The midbass is a ported enclosure with a small woofer, not bigger than about 4".
You will not be able to simply drop in new speakers into the existing locations. Custom installation work will need to be done.
The midbass enclosure is easily removed, but it will leave a large hole in the door frame when it's gone. You have to fabricate a replacement baffle to close up that hole and then put your new speaker in there.
This is a picture of the Bose midbass enclosure after I removed it from my S6.
This picture shows the large hole in the door where the midbass enclosure was.
Here is a picture of the baffle we built for my door. It's ABS plastic that was heated up and molded into shape. We lined it with closed-cell foam, and it bolts to the door using the same bolts that held the Bose midbass enclosure into position. The trim ring for the new 8" midbass speaker was made of wood.
This picture shows the Bose midrange speaker before we removed it. It's the small speaker in the middle of the door. There is no hole behind it. The speaker just mounts to the door and there is metal behind it. I don't suggest trying to put a new speaker there.
07-04-2015, 01:58 PM
#112
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thanks for the pictures and the information
im not unfamiliar with messing with speakers to get them to do what i want
heres what i did in my b6 s4
naths audi s4 avant build thread - SQ & Technical - Talk Audio
cheers
nath
im not unfamiliar with messing with speakers to get them to do what i want
heres what i did in my b6 s4
naths audi s4 avant build thread - SQ & Technical - Talk Audio
cheers
nath
08-10-2015, 08:27 PM
#115
B&O is great but its $6300 so it should be perfect and it is. The brushed faces are a bit too much, ostentacious perhaps... imo
BOSE is quite adequate for the $$$ and it only lacks the volume power, it has the fidelity, bass, treble and lack of distortion even at high volume- 22-30.
All blck faces fit well in a 3x blck A8...
BOSE is quite adequate for the $$$ and it only lacks the volume power, it has the fidelity, bass, treble and lack of distortion even at high volume- 22-30.
All blck faces fit well in a 3x blck A8...
01-09-2016, 03:41 PM
#116
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I have the B&O on my 2011 A8. I cross shopped the Bose. Is it worth $6k more? After living with it for over a year, my answer is - depends on your audio source. The B&O is superior. However, if your audio is coming from an MP3 player like an iPod (even at higher bit rates), you are nowhere near utilizing the B&O to its full potential. Under that scenario, I'd say stick to Bose.
Also, the type of music makes a difference. Live versions of Rock and pop sound better on B&O, as does most jazz and classical. Modern rock and pop sounds almost identical on Bose due to over processing on the music production side. If rap or hiphop is the choice, an after market system might better fit the sound scape.
Aside from a fully custom system, I don't think there's a better audio system on the market than the B&O. One nitpick though - a system of this caliber should've had better equalizer options.
Also, the type of music makes a difference. Live versions of Rock and pop sound better on B&O, as does most jazz and classical. Modern rock and pop sounds almost identical on Bose due to over processing on the music production side. If rap or hiphop is the choice, an after market system might better fit the sound scape.
Aside from a fully custom system, I don't think there's a better audio system on the market than the B&O. One nitpick though - a system of this caliber should've had better equalizer options.
This is a great thread and I thought I'd bring it to the top.
I've been driving two A8s recently, one with and one without B&O (both new). My take is consistent with this comment. If you're just streaming -- the difference isn't significant. And for me, that's all I'll be doing 95% of the time.
They both actually sound very good, IMO.
01-12-2016, 12:56 AM
#117
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let me add to it.
Have a car with stock Bose and must say its kind of lacking bass. I haven't properly driven one with B&O (had maybe 30 min of play) but have other cars with HK and Bowers and Wilkins in it. Bose is good for slow and relaxed music (regardless if you are streaming or not). Anything more dynamic and with solid low waves and Bose is getting lost. IMO. Still decent system though.
Would I pay £5500 premium for B&O (UK)? No. I have experienced Burmester and B&W which are similar class and none of them is worth that much. U can get decent speakers and amp/preamp for that price for you home setup - which I have done
. I am def. spending more time at home than in S8 LOL
Have a car with stock Bose and must say its kind of lacking bass. I haven't properly driven one with B&O (had maybe 30 min of play) but have other cars with HK and Bowers and Wilkins in it. Bose is good for slow and relaxed music (regardless if you are streaming or not). Anything more dynamic and with solid low waves and Bose is getting lost. IMO. Still decent system though.
Would I pay £5500 premium for B&O (UK)? No. I have experienced Burmester and B&W which are similar class and none of them is worth that much. U can get decent speakers and amp/preamp for that price for you home setup - which I have done
. I am def. spending more time at home than in S8 LOL
01-12-2016, 06:40 AM
#118
AudiWorld Member
let me add to it.
Have a car with stock Bose and must say its kind of lacking bass. I haven't properly driven one with B&O (had maybe 30 min of play) but have other cars with HK and Bowers and Wilkins in it. Bose is good for slow and relaxed music (regardless if you are streaming or not). Anything more dynamic and with solid low waves and Bose is getting lost. IMO. Still decent system though.
Would I pay £5500 premium for B&O (UK)? No. I have experienced Burmester and B&W which are similar class and none of them is worth that much. U can get decent speakers and amp/preamp for that price for you home setup - which I have done. I am def. spending more time at home than in S8 LOL
Have a car with stock Bose and must say its kind of lacking bass. I haven't properly driven one with B&O (had maybe 30 min of play) but have other cars with HK and Bowers and Wilkins in it. Bose is good for slow and relaxed music (regardless if you are streaming or not). Anything more dynamic and with solid low waves and Bose is getting lost. IMO. Still decent system though.
Would I pay £5500 premium for B&O (UK)? No. I have experienced Burmester and B&W which are similar class and none of them is worth that much. U can get decent speakers and amp/preamp for that price for you home setup - which I have done
. I am def. spending more time at home than in S8 LOLI wonder what home systems people have that they are contemplating a B&O system in their car?
Anyone care to share?
I'll start:
Living room is vintage Sony ES - Boston towers.
Office is Adcom - Mirage satellites and sub.
Den is Yamaha - Focal.
Garage is Onkyo - Vanderstein.
01-12-2016, 03:32 PM
#119
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let me add to it.
Have a car with stock Bose and must say its kind of lacking bass. I haven't properly driven one with B&O (had maybe 30 min of play) but have other cars with HK and Bowers and Wilkins in it. Bose is good for slow and relaxed music (regardless if you are streaming or not). Anything more dynamic and with solid low waves and Bose is getting lost. IMO. Still decent system though.
Would I pay £5500 premium for B&O (UK)? No. I have experienced Burmester and B&W which are similar class and none of them is worth that much. U can get decent speakers and amp/preamp for that price for you home setup - which I have done. I am def. spending more time at home than in S8 LOL
Have a car with stock Bose and must say its kind of lacking bass. I haven't properly driven one with B&O (had maybe 30 min of play) but have other cars with HK and Bowers and Wilkins in it. Bose is good for slow and relaxed music (regardless if you are streaming or not). Anything more dynamic and with solid low waves and Bose is getting lost. IMO. Still decent system though.
Would I pay £5500 premium for B&O (UK)? No. I have experienced Burmester and B&W which are similar class and none of them is worth that much. U can get decent speakers and amp/preamp for that price for you home setup - which I have done
. I am def. spending more time at home than in S8 LOL
01-12-2016, 06:09 PM
#120
AudiWorld Senior Member
I wonder what home systems people have that they are contemplating a B&O system in their car?
Anyone care to share?
I'll start:
Living room is vintage Sony ES - Boston towers.
Office is Adcom - Mirage satellites and sub.
Den is Yamaha - Focal.
Garage is Onkyo - Vanderstein.
Anyone care to share?
I'll start:
Living room is vintage Sony ES - Boston towers.
Office is Adcom - Mirage satellites and sub.
Den is Yamaha - Focal.
Garage is Onkyo - Vanderstein.
Home theater/TVRoom/ 5.1 Channel Setup
DirecTV
Samsung BluRay player
Samsung LED TV 60"
Control4 system (Audio/Video, Climate, Lighting, Security connected)
Anthem AVM-50v processor
Rotel RMB-1095 power amp
Yamaha P2500S power amp (for zone 2, outside porch)
B&W CDM-NT series speakers
B&W ASW-600 subwoofer
2 Channel Setup
Adcom preamp
Adcom power amp
B&W Matrix 805 speakers
B&W ASW-600 subwoofer
Studio/DJ Setup
MacBook Pro 17"
4 x Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus media players
3 x Technics SL1200M3d turntables
Allen & Heath Xone DB4 mixer
KRK V6 active studio monitors with matching subwoofer
QSC K Series powered monitors
and my car setup is in my signature.
