Hey guys.. 2005 X with the Bose stereo.

I no audiophile by any means. And this stereo is still the best car stereo I have ever had. But I have noticed something I think is odd. My guess is it is not a problem per se (fixable by warranty) as the stereo works just fine.

Any time I start the car up and listen to radio or CD, it has plenty of highs and lows, but a really muddy sounding middle (settings: bass +4, treble +5, balance/fade even, no SSV). Here is the odd part. I turn the radio up one unit at a time with an even progression of volume. But going from 19 to 20 is like hitting a "loud" button. But it is not that the volume goes up more than say from 13 to 14 or anything. It is that all the sudden the entire mid-range of sounds comes to life. If I turn the stereo back down the mid-range STAYS. So usually I get in my car and for 1 second I turn the volume up to 20 and then back down to whatever level to get low/mid/high ranges.

Not sure if I am making any sense. It is very noticeable when you do this but it is not that the stereo is bad otherwise; just missing decent mid-range. Note that the mid-range will stay "on" at that point even if I turn the stereo off. Only when I turn the carr off do i have to repeat this.

Anybody else notice this? Can somebody go try this on their car and see if they notice it?

Thanks.
Nate

 

Old news... known issue.

Also, those bass and treble settings of +4 and +5 do not actually stay stored in the radio, even though it looks like they do. They equalize back to "0" when you turn the car off, even though the display will still show +5 or whatever.

For instance, turn on the car, listen to your radio... and then change those settings. When you change them, they kick back in. For instance, change that +5 treble down to +4 after starting the car, and the treble will actually increase, because it will kick back in at a +4 setting... from "0".

 

Welcome to the world of Bose. We've just all learned to live with it.

 

I'm pretty sure the settings are stored ..... hmmm!

Lemme try and will update.
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Baj

 

My two cents, which does not fully address the volume to 20 procedure: When you turn up the bass and treble you are going to hear them more than the midrange-you are, in essence, reducing the midrange when you turn up the others. The bass, in particular, I think masks the midrange and for most music (except I guess some rap, disco and electronic tunes) does not need to be too high (flame alert-flame alert-don your suits now!).

The settings, I thought, were retained. There have been some units did not, but I think they were replaced as defective. You're description of what happens was clear, but I am not sure why it would happen like that.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

 

I tried this on mine and it certainly displays that actual setting and it is correct. This procedure did nothing to demonstrate this is a problem for me. I did have to have mine replaced because of the CD jammed issue, but certainly not all have this issue. I suggest you take yours in and demonstrate to the dealer and have yours replaced. That's horrible.

 

At the time I notices and brought it to the dealer's attention, I tried the steros of several 2005 G35s on the lot. They all acted the same. It takes a somewhat sensitive ear to notice.

Maybe they have come out with a replacement unit by now. Obviously, a software defect in the stock Clarion head unit.