Grancabrio sound system...ideas

[T10YYY]

My Grancabrio has most options but it's missing the Bose system. My prev GT had the bose option and it was ok but significantly better. My fiat 500 has a better sound system!!
There is no sub/speaker between the armrests as with the Bose.

I came across this install from a reputable audio specialist.
http://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/in...ent&view=category&layout=blog&id=59&Itemid=97

Anyone happen to own this GT?

Seems like a great upgrade and I have just contacted the company but I think 1500 is slightly high and wonder of anyone has any other ideas or perhaps someone in the London area?

 

[Tilum]

Not that it helps, but I wonder who the numpty was that ordered a brand new £100,000 car, but refused to pay £1,440 extra to upgrade the sound system to BOSE!

 

[T10YYY]

I know!!!! That's exactly what I was thinking!!! The car is so well optioned. Even has the extended leather and wood steering but no Bose!!!

 

[BennyD]

Tbh, for £1500 it sounds like its best to spec the standard system and get these guys to fit their system instead. It doesn't sound that bad a price either. If you like your music, and it sounds like you do, I'd go for it.

 

[BigR]

I have mine booked in with Audiofile for a week or so from now. They told me they'd done perhaps half a dozen GT's, but happy to report back in a couple of weeks from now.

What I've gone for is what's described, plus a couple of other upgrades to the system, and the installation of a bluetooth system. All-in about £2400. I ummed-and-arredd about this for a bit as I've just spent a few grand on removing the vinyl from the dashboard for leather, an alcantara steering wheel and a few other bits. But then decided I'm going to keep the car for a good few years so better to do it now and get the joy from a decent stereo than decide to do it 18mths down the line and then stupidly sell the car 18mths later (my God, the original is dreadful - don't think I've ever had such a bad stereo in a car).

If nothing else, it'll force me to keep the car (I like to change), albeit not the most difficult decision to make. Economically, its mental to spend what I've spent on an 08 2.4, but we all know that rational thought is useless with these things!

 

[Felonious Crud]

Tbh, for £1500 it sounds like its best to spec the standard system and get these guys to fit their system instead. It doesn't sound that bad a price either. If you like your music, and it sounds like you do, I'd go for it.

Agreed. The Bose factory upgrade for around the same money looks a complete waste compared to that after-market setup. I have the Bose and it's fine but if I was buying new I'd give the money to a specialist instead to fit a really decent system.

 

[MAF260]

My Grancabrio has most options but it's missing the Bose system. My prev GT had the bose option and it was ok but significantly better. My fiat 500 has a better sound system!!
There is no sub/speaker between the armrests as with the Bose.

I came across this install from a reputable audio specialist.
http://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/in...ent&view=category&layout=blog&id=59&Itemid=97

Anyone happen to own this GT?

Seems like a great upgrade and I have just contacted the company but I think 1500 is slightly high and wonder of anyone has any other ideas or perhaps someone in the London area?

£1,500 for that install is not high at all. Replacement front speakers, replacement subwoofer, 2 amps, cabling, Dynamat plus all the labour for the installation - strip doors, boot, shelf, make baffles, fit Dynamat, run cables etc.. Sounds like good value when you look at everything they did.

 

[Tilum]

Agreed. The Bose factory upgrade for around the same money looks a complete waste compared to that after-market setup. I have the Bose and it's fine but if I was buying new I'd give the money to a specialist instead to fit a really decent system.

Depends how much you prefer to keep your car as close to OEM spec as possible. TBH I'm not (personally) a fan of mods (the odd exception excluded), and like to keep things close to original equipment as I (reasonably) can.

T

 

[Felonious Crud]

That makes sense. Personally I wouldn't be deterred from buying a used car which had been modified to include a decent sound system. If it had been clumsily done or the look wasn't sympathetic to the original then I may have a different view, but from the looks of it the system described is only apparent aurally; optically there is no change at all. I like it

 

[Tilum]

I try not to be, but I am probably a bit of a Hi-Fi snob (Hi-fi was my first ever passion, years before cars ever were.) And TBH I've never heard a car audio set-up sound brilliant so I've just learned to accept that it won't be great and just live with it (or whatever half-decent audio system can be spec'd).

 

[BigR]

I try not to be, but I am probably a bit of a Hi-Fi snob (Hi-fi was my first ever passion, years before cars ever were.) And TBH I've never heard a car audio set-up sound brilliant so I've just learned to accept that it won't be great and just live with it (or whatever half-decent audio system can be spec'd).

But Maserati aren't exactly renowned for their sound systems and as with almost any system you can improve it. In my day to day drive (a Volvo), its perfectly decent. If the Maserati had a sound system like that, then I wouldn't do anything to it. But its terrible!! The radio is borderline un-listen-able as its so muffled sounding.

As to modifications, I used to be of a very similar persuasion - keep it 'original'. But, I've increasingly swung the other way. Having done various things to my Mas, I'm now persuaded that you can improve on the original and if one is keeping it for some time, why not make it your own.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Agreed. The Harman Kardon in my Disco was great, the B&W in my Jag was awesome and the Bose in the Maser is good, but not £1,500 worth of upgrade good.

Nice choice of Volvo, by the way. You pleased with it?

 

[sjc]

I actually found the Bose system rubbish on my GTS( although I'm not a fan of Bose anyway).At low volume it was appalling, if it had Binatone written on the components it would have surprised me! Better at high vols', but thats not what I want when I'm driving.

 

[Wattie]

Agreed B&W is excellent and I reckon Bose in a Maserati means
"Best On Sports Exhaust"
Cheers Wattie

 

[Rags]

would this upgrade be worth it if you already have bose?

Also do guys think there could be warranty issues down the line? ie Maz denying an electrical warranty claim because of the modded stereo system?

 

[T10YYY]

This upgrade will be far superior to the Bose set up but of course if you have a factory warranty it will void it- or at least the electrical components related to the audio system. My car is now out of warranty so I'm more likely to go ahead with this.

 

[T10YYY]

BigR what exactly have they quoted you for? They quoted me 1k for just the front components and amp with all the dynamat etc. They would usually charge an extra £500 for the aftermarket subwoofer but they want to see my Grancabrio first before they can decide on the final costs. They have never done a cabrio model in the past.

I guess you are also having the front components and rear subwoofer upgraded?

 

[BigR]

Agreed. The Harman Kardon in my Disco was great, the B&W in my Jag was awesome and the Bose in the Maser is good, but not £1,500 worth of upgrade good.

Nice choice of Volvo, by the way. You pleased with it?

Yes thanks! Its an S60 D5, but with a factory fitted Polestar kit (so not necessarily a 'true' Polestar in the sense of what they're bringing out this year - which I've thought about but just can't justify £50k for a Volvo estate!). It doesn't give a great deal more bhp (230 in total), but is full of torque - and as a daily drive of 90 miles, I get 45mpg! ...when I don't drive the GT

 

[BigR]

BigR what exactly have they quoted you for? They quoted me 1k for just the front components and amp with all the dynamat etc. They would usually charge an extra £500 for the aftermarket subwoofer but they want to see my Grancabrio first before they can decide on the final costs. They have never done a cabrio model in the past.

I guess you are also having the front components and rear subwoofer upgraded?

Audio System - speakers replaced, subwoofer installed (involves cutting the rear shelf, but apparently the structure is in place already), dynamat everywhere including apparently the petrol tank as its a problem, amp, fitting etc...etc... £1599
Audison BIT 10 and fitting £399
Audison DRC (controller allowing for two time alignment pre-sets) £99
Parrot fully fitted £TBC - have gone for a non-screen one so that its not intrusive. Not quite as ideal due to dialling limitations, but at least its a handfree kit!
Total System Cost ~£2400

They only require the car for about 2-3 days for fitting and have assured me they're OCD about putting it all back together properly. I'm dropping it off in a week from now so will try and remember to get back to review it 2 weeks from now, all being well.

Regarding warranties, mine is out of any warranty hence why I'm doing this. If it wasn't then I probably wouldn't go ahead. Apparently the upgrade is a leap above the Bose system and some of the upgrades they've done are from cars with the Bose system. Mine should be legendary in comparison to the non-Bose / standard system I have today!

 

[T10YYY]

Sounds exciting! Let me know how it goes!


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