Frohlich

The Acura TL (S) was given the 7th best sound system in this list by Edmunds. I know a lot of owners here actually rag on the sound system but maybe it isn't so bad after all for a factory system?



http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/...6/article.html

vandy786

Edmunds says in their webpage, "The Bose system in the 2002 Acura TL, which comes as standard equipment, has only five speakers, but sounds like twice that." I agree. I am very satisfied with mine.

AC

It is a known fact that the Bose System in the TL sux...despite what Edmunds says. Frankly, I'm surprised it, along with several others made top 10.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

I guess if you consider that it comes standard in the vehicle, it's not that bad.

Sure Lexus has the Mark Levinson system, but I seriously doubt it's standard equipment.

Also consider what most of us on the board consider good:

Ear bleeding SPL
SQ so good you can hear the gansta rapper drop his wad of cash on the ground.

RAdams

I listen to everything but rap/hip-hop and country and I don't have any complaints with the stereo.

my2sense

IBrepost...

there was a thread about this the other day, where I got flamed for dissing on the Blowze system...

DJ Iceman

Sometimes people get too wrapped up in brand names. This cuts both ways for Bose. For the masses, their marketing department has done an admirable job--I think that to most people, Bose means quality at an affordable price. For audiophiles (or just plain snobs), Bose means inferior components, barely acceptable sound, and overall poor quality.

Who is Acura targeting? You be the judge.

axleback

I'm quite happy with our sound system so far. Some of the aftermarket stuff are so annoyingly loud that even the trunk lid rattles isn't really my thing. But then again, maybe I'm just too old...considering some of the TL-S owners on here are in their late teens. However, it would be nice if Acura would at least offer an upgrade. I believe the Lexus IS300 offers an upgrade to Nacamichi (sp?) if the person chooses so. Correct me if I'm wrong?

axleback

Ajay_RENAMED

I really like the Bose system in my TL. True it doesnt compare to an expensive aftermarket system but for a stock system its more than enough for me.

axleback

Btw, anybody hear anything about the Maxima's Bose system? Are we better than theirs?

axleback

Kramer

I thought the stereo in my 01 TL sounded pretty good for a stock system, my only though was that it could use a little tighter bass.

I think in my 03 I will just add an aftermarket sub to the stock system like someone here did.

drcookie

Put it this way :

Does Acura TL have good sound system ? YES

Does Acura TL good sound system produce good quality sound ? H*LL NO !!!

Cheers !!!

oblio98

THAT'S IT!

:-jon

JPritch

It's not standard, it's a roughly 2-3K option. I frequented the Lexus GS board before I settled on a TL, and members were saying that the sub is still paper etc...

Let's face it people, if you want better sound, buy the aftermarket parts because you're not going to get alot from your factory system.

But I'm in the boat that feels the stock system on the TL sounds pretty damn good.

JD7

Arent the Bose systems in the TL's the same as in MB and others? Cuz the ones in my parents Q45 and E430 are damn good.

tabraha

Yeah, I'm pleased with it for a stock system. I used to do Sound Quality comp's in my teen years so there is still a thirst for a little louder, cleaner sound there but overall for a stock system it's not that bad. Comparing to others my mom's Q45 has a bose 7 speaker system and it's no better than the TL.

If you think the stock system sucks that bad go spend the money you saved by buying a car with a great bang-for-the-buck ratio like the TL!

I'd rather complain about my head unit that is jammed! Been waiting on the dealer to call me for 2 weeks now.

jkozlow3

Here's a very interesting artice. If you read the review of each car in the test, notice the 'stereo evaluation' link at the bottom of each page. The TL-S had the second best stereo of all the cars in this test. Many of the other cars use a Bose system and the TL's system was rated better.

Interestingly enough, the Volvo S60 won the stereo evaluation by a longshot, yet the S60 was nowhere to be found on Edmund's top 10 stereos list.

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/compa...8/article.html

heyrandy

I wonder what they are smoking over at Edmunds:

The speakers add further to the quality of this system. They include a pair of 1-inch dome tweeters in the front doors mated to a pair of 6.5-inch mid-bass drivers below. The rear doors offer a second pair of 6.5-inch speakers, this time configured for full-range sound. The piece de resistance is an 8-inch subwoofer centered along the rear deck.

Worst Feature: Tweeters positioned a little low in the doors.

Has anyone seen those blasted 1" dome tweeters? I guess I'll keep looking. Maybe I'll go back to the dealer and tell them they forgot mine! And our sub is really 9" if you want to be picky.

Maybe Edmunds tested a completely different car???

oblio98

That explains it! They have the wrong car, maybe the CL-S. The CL-S has tweeters.

:-jon

jkozlow3

But the CL-S doesn't have a sub, does it?

Monte TLS,MAX

I think the Bose in the 95-99 Maximas sounds way better than our Bose, but the Bose in My 02 Maxima is pretty close to the TLS's to me.

neuronbob

More comments from the TL side...

http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=39290

heyrandy

As I mentioned before, Edmunds tested the wrong car!!!

Summed up well by my wife when we first test drove the TL-S: Our van sounds better than this

We have a '98 Chrysler minivan with a stock Infinity 10-speaker stereo that definitly beats the stock TL-S hands down.

I already replaced the front door speakers of my '03 TL-S with Polk DX6s. I would now say that the DX6-enhanced TL-S is a little cleaner than our minivan but the minivan's bass still kicks butt over the TL-S

Southbound

You tell em heyrandy,
I'm sorry people, you can flame me ALL you want. But the stock stereo system sucks! I have a 94 Camry with a stock system that blows the BOSE away. If I were BOSE, I'd be ashamed to put my name on that crap that they call a system. It may be a decent stock system for a typical Enterprise Cavalier rent-a-car, but for a $33K luxury car that boasts about having an elaborate custom sound system, YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!

16 Watts into the door speakers... Paper door speakers without any tweeters whatsoever. They're not even coaxials let alone components. The CLS does sound a bit better, because at least they put tweeters into their sail panels. I test drove a 02 Maxima SE before buying my TLS and its Bose system did sound a bit better than the TLS. It sounded about on par with the CLS because it at least has tweeters as well.

FLAME ME ALL YOU WANT... But talk about a low-end system... The BOSE system is SO CHEAP that instead of putting money into tweeters or at least a decent coaxial, they put an obnoxious 20db high frequency EQ boost into the amp at 5Khz to TRY and make the paper single cone speakers actually produce something above AM RADIO RESPONSE. It's cheaper to add a capacitor in the head unit and try to fake it, rather than to build two "COSTLY" tweeters into their system! What a total letdown!
I was under the false impression that BOSE systems were something to brag about... BUT what a POS! I don't know how they ever achieved their reputation??? AND EDMUNDS HAS OBVIOUSLY NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BUT A WALKMAN BEFORE! I've just lost any respect for any evaluation they do with regard to anything from here on out. While they may rank the TLS 7th... Maybe it's because there just aren't that many cars out there above $30K to compare with... The ONLY thing nice about the system is the in dash 6-CD changer... but all I read is problems about it jamming about as often as I read about tranny problems.

I'm sorry, I DON'T listen to RAP or exaggerated bass either. I just want something beyond kiddie power mush with an actual adjustable EQ for an amp and something that actually reproduces highs for a speaker. My 1960s Chevy had a Bass and Treble control for God's sake! In this day and age of HI-FI and SURROUND SOUND, etc. You would think that a "LUXURY" car would put more emphasis into their audio quality, instead of trying to fake it by building cheap junk and then slapping a supposedly prestigous name on it. It's deception and cost cutting at its finest. It's NOT just the TLS that does this... BUT they are one of the worst that I have ever seen. I too have replaced my front door speakers with the POLK DX-6s which are some good coaxials. They would sound great, if it weren't for the fact that BOSE BLOWS them out with their exaggerated high frequency peak made to make up for their stock AM RADIO door speakers. So BOSE BLOWS, but not only that, they HOSE you by not allowing you to easily upgrade from their proprietary crap. What a racket! At least let me lose the stuff, if I'm not happy with it... Instead they protect it like it's some coveted super system. It's all marketing hype. You couldn't sell this system on a late night infomercial!

I'm sorry, but anybody who is satisfied with this stock stereo system, must only listen to "books on tape"! You have truly never heard "pleasing" fidelity before. It's a shame that you have to gut your new luxury car and spend countless hours and money just to be able to hear "REAL MUSIC". I refuse to do that, so I've stopped after just upgrading my front speakers and that has helped a lot. If only Acura/Bose could have spent another $100 bucks on the system, it might have actually lived up to its hype. It really doesn't cost that much to do things right from the start. Yeah, I don't expect something that rattles windows and has the cops following you... BUT CAN YOU SAY SOUND BLARE? You just shouldn't have to buy aftermarket stuff to make a luxury car sound GOOD in this day and age. I mean they're putting DVDs into cars now... SO Why not honest GOOD sound quality?????

Flame me all you want, I know I'm on a rant... but the audio system is definitely the "weakest link" in the entire car. I'd be spending money on upgrading the stereo WAY before I put money into rims,and tires, and sway bars, and, intakes and exhaust mods. At least the stock 260hp is something above the ordinary! The stereo is just plain lame! AT LEAST GIVE ME THE TWEETERS LIKE IN THE CLS! Oh Yeah, that might push the production cost up $20bucks!

GARBAGE! :yack:

Razer

Well, count me in with the "books on tape" crowd, because for myself and many of us, its just fine.

MIZU

I agree, stock setup sounds good to me. i wants made the mistake of spending mega bucks for a system only to find out i only had 50c ears.