# Problem with Bose sound-system



## knoglas (Jan 20, 2012)

I bought a 2007 Audi TT a couple of days ago and I love it!

But I noticed I "think" I have a problem with my Bose system.
My subwoofer is not working. If I turn up the bass to the max I can sometimes hear it if I have a very, very low musicvolume, so I think its alive, but something is wrong. Most often (and as soon as I turn the music up to a hearable volume) it just isn't there.

My first thought was that its just is dead, but before I go back and complain. Is there something you guys know I can try?

Thanks


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## Gaf (Oct 26, 2011)

First thing to do is to check that the EQ hasn't been set by a prat.

Go into "Tone" I think it is, or setup.

Then click on, Treble, Middle, and Bass independently and check that they are all in the centre normal position, and the bass hasn't been wound right down.

If it's still rubbish then turn the treble, and middle right down to check what the bass is actually doing. I have the bass turned up around three positions above normal to get it more noticeable.

All down to personal preference.


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

I feel the same with my Bose system... Mid is turned way down, Bass turned way up and still I can hardly hear it. I'm not a bass junkie - it's as if the subwoofer is off.

Do you have leather by any chance? The consensus is you need Vagcom to change the coding to trick the Bose system into thinking the car has fabric seats which turns the bass up. Not managed to try it yet on mine though.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

Check the fade also. If centred, the fade is normally quite front-biased so most of the sound will come form those on top of the dash, which are also the tinniest. To get the fade between front and rear balanced you shouldn't need it any more than say 30-40% rearwards for an average seating position. If you need it 60-70% for the sound to be neutrally placed then your unit may also need an update. If you go and see your dealer ask them to check the firmware/software version on your unit to see if there are any updates for it.


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## knoglas (Jan 20, 2012)

Hey,
I've tried everything I can with the EQ. Also turning the treble and mid all the way down, and max the bass. No difference.

Yes I have leather seats. I dont understand how this can affect the bass? =)
Please explain.'

Thanx


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## going..going..gone (Oct 12, 2011)

my Bass can sound overwhelming if set more then +2 from default, so I'd go as far as to say you may have a problem with yours. Also have you tried the 'loud' setting (if you're HU has it in the EQ options?) sends the sub mental!

edit: coupe or conv? coupe don't have a sub right?


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## knoglas (Jan 20, 2012)

Okey,
I found this topic.
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=139313

I now understand the seat(leather/cloth) thing you mentioned... Weird! Will contact my Audi dealer and see if they know how to do this. Seems like all Audi TT mk2 with Bose and leather seats have this issue, atleast 2006-2008.

Hmm.

Thanks guys.


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

knoglas said:


> Okey,
> I found this topic.
> viewtopic.php?f=19&t=139313
> 
> ...


Please let me know what you uncover after speaking with the dealer! What head unit do you have by the way?

And the Coupe does have a sub in the rear passenger quarter panel.


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## IC_HOTT (May 29, 2010)

psmith98752 said:


> And the Coupe does have a sub in the rear passenger quarter panel.


indeed - see the pic - item 7


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

It is an awfully small subwoofer though! That's no excuse for the next to no bass with the Bose system. I really do think it's a problem with only the older TTs that have leather.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

I don't have a problem with it. I wonder if the number of people who say the bass is poor are suffering some hearing loss.


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## -:[KM]:- (May 16, 2010)

Another shot amp.
£640 fitted from Audi and a paltry 2 year guarantee if I remember rightly.


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

ScoobyTT said:


> I don't have a problem with it. I wonder if the number of people who say the bass is poor are suffering some hearing loss.


I'm a young guy, no hearing loss. And I'm not a bass junkie either - currently listening to some music through HD600 headphones. With all the settings on flat, the system sounds not good at all. There's far too much midrange, it's piercing. So turning the midrange down helps but the bass is still lacking. It sounds better when the car is stationary but that's no excuse. The Bose system should sound excellent.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

I agree, it should sound excellent. I would really like to know why there is such an appart difference in experiences of the Bose system. :?


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## powerplay (Feb 8, 2008)

The Bose system is not great in my experience. It's partly due to the acoustics of the TT interior, but I've heard much much better.

A persons opinion of Bose is usually driven by their previous experience of car stereos or their appreciation for a decent audio system. It's very possible some will come to the TT having had genuinely worse in-car audio in which case they will say Bose is great, what's the fuss about.

Personally I know what good bass is, I love great bass extension, the bass you can feel more than hear. If Bose delivered something like the bass delivered by my Audio Technica M50 headphones it would be great, but sadly it doesn't come anywhere close.

Saying that, I have done the vagcom tweak and selected cloth interior/diesel engine and that both improves the lower end and also the stereo effect.


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## drrawle (Aug 14, 2011)

powerplay said:


> Saying that, I have done the vagcom tweak and selected cloth interior/diesel engine and that both improves the lower end and also the stereo effect.


+1


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

powerplay said:


> Saying that, I have done the vagcom tweak and selected cloth interior/diesel engine and that both improves the lower end and also the stereo effect.


Any idea what you've got the tone settings on now? Then again it's going to be a lot different with the RNS-E I guess (I'm on the Concert).


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

I made the change twice today for two different cars, made no real difference going from leather to cloth was our conclusion - but, thats just me..


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

Toshiba said:


> I made the change twice today for two different cars, made no real difference going from leather to cloth was our conclusion - but, thats just me..


What year were they?


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

One was a petrol 56reg, the other was newer - 59reg Diesel i think.


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## drrawle (Aug 14, 2011)

I have found the Bass holds up better when you are at speed which is the main problem with the standard settings IMHO


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## IC_HOTT (May 29, 2010)

ScoobyTT said:


> I don't have a problem with it. I wonder if the number of people who say the bass is poor are suffering some hearing loss.


nah - most hearing losses are high frequency, if low frequency loss is present it manifests itself as lack of volume, so increase volume and the bass will be heard if it exists - speaking as an audiologist :wink:


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

drrawle said:


> I have found the Bass holds up better when you are at speed which is the main problem with the standard settings IMHO


Opposite for me. The bass is heard more when stationary.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

grasmere said:


> ScoobyTT said:
> 
> 
> > I wonder if the number of people who say the bass is poor are suffering some hearing loss.
> ...


Aha.. excellent addition, ta


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## drrawle (Aug 14, 2011)

psmith98752 said:


> drrawle said:
> 
> 
> > I have found the Bass holds up better when you are at speed which is the main problem with the standard settings IMHO
> ...


I know, that was what I was saying :wink:

Before I made the change I had exactly the same perceived issue with the Bose in mine but since making the change I think the Bass holds up better when at speed.


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## knoglas (Jan 20, 2012)

psmith98752 said:


> knoglas said:
> 
> 
> > Okey,
> ...


Audi here in Stockholm obviously know about this "issue" and replied that it will cost around $120 to get it fixed...
... So I went to a guy who has VCDS and he helped me with the coding, and It actually works... The bass is ALOT stronger and I can finally enjoy my music =). I changed the coding to LHD/Cloth/Diesel and not RHD like the post. Wonder if it gets even stronger with RHD??? Hmm..

ps I have Audi Concert.


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

knoglas said:


> Audi here in Stockholm obviously know about this "issue" and replied that it will cost around $120 to get it fixed...
> ... So I went to a guy who has VCDS and he helped me with the coding, and It actually works... The bass is ALOT stronger and I can finally enjoy my music =). I changed the coding to LHD/Cloth/Diesel and not RHD like the post. Wonder if it gets even stronger with RHD??? Hmm..
> 
> ps I have Audi Concert.


Would you be able to find out what the fix was Audi were suggesting? What are the tone settings you have now on the Concert?


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## igotone (Mar 10, 2010)

grasmere said:


> nah - most hearing losses are high frequency


I can vouch for that. Generally, my hearing is fine, but I have trouble with high frequency sounds such as the piezoelectric buzzers/alarms in digital watches etc. All down to years of shotgun shooting, and using the best hearing protection available too.


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## Dino_Donis (Apr 19, 2004)

I was very disappointed with the bass response in my TTS, tried the vagcomm trick, still wasn't happy....fitted a sub...now happy...but i shouldn't have needed to with a Bose system!


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## Ziggytt (Sep 9, 2009)

I had my RNSe retro fitted a couple of years ago, I already had the BOSE and a concert head unit but as many have said it makes a lot of difference having the RNSe unit fitted. I have the iPod Connection, and a 160 gig iPod connected to it so no use for CD's.
A trick I used even though I didn't have a problem with bass normally have it +1 or +2 on the set-up is to use the EQ on the ipod setting, i.e Rock, Loud, Hi Bass etc or you can create your own EQ settings worth a try if you have an iPod and makes a lot of difference to the overall sound.

Ziggy


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## powerplay (Feb 8, 2008)

Ziggytt said:


> A trick I used even though I didn't have a problem with bass normally have it +1 or +2 on the set-up is to use the EQ on the ipod setting, i.e Rock, Loud, Hi Bass etc or you can create your own EQ settings worth a try if you have an iPod and makes a lot of difference to the overall sound.
> Ziggy


You're right in principle, however iPods are best left flat/eq off when connected to the car. Reason is that the ipod is actually pretty rubbish when it comes to audio processing (yeah, you heard me ). Chances are with an EQ setting and depending on the source material the iPod will introduce distortion or clipping as it applies the EQ to the amplified signal.

I went through several iPods thinking they were faulty, but they are all the same.

Also, as far as I am aware you (still) cannot create your own custom EQ settings with an iPod. If you know of a way I would be very interested to learn.


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## Pensive666 (Jun 18, 2011)

I "owned" a mk2 TT courtesy car, with 15k on the clock for a total of 2 weeks.

the day before getting my mk1 back, the speakers began making a funny noise that sounded like "zap zap zap zap".

Then the front speakers stopped working completely. They never worked again.

That, is very very poor performance from an audio system in its early youth; I was amazed. really. I was running it at a low volume at the time, and was not over-loading the system with high volume dubstep or anything of the sort.

I also had starting problems, but thats another issue! I was glad to get my mk1 back for some reliability!! hehe

but yeah, shoddy build from bose and Audi!!


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## Toshiba (Jul 8, 2004)

its an electronic component built on a production line in china by the cheapest bidder along side the ones for other car manufactures such as Infiniti, Maserati, Maybach, Nissan, and Porsche to name a few :roll:

its not really an Audi quality issue....


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## MarcF-TT (Jun 14, 2011)

Finally got a Vagcom and changed my RHD/Leather/Petrol to RHD/Cloth/Diesel. What a difference! You can immediately hear the stronger bass and the midrange sounds different too.

Hoping it sounds as good on the road tomorrow!


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## Ziggytt (Sep 9, 2009)

Had my RNSe fitted after the car was built by a company Audi recommended. Have a three year warranty proper UK/European maps supplied, never had a problem with it. I'm a music lover so like my music loud and full of bass. Only have to turn the bass to +2 or 3. Sometimes play with the Fade to front or back a bit. Makes a lot of difference from the head unit supplied. That's now stuck in the loft. Will sell it if I find someone interested....


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## drrawle (Aug 14, 2011)

psmith98752 said:


> Finally got a Vagcom and changed my RHD/Leather/Petrol to RHD/Cloth/Diesel. What a difference! You can immediately hear the stronger bass and the midrange sounds different too.
> 
> Hoping it sounds as good on the road tomorrow!


I agree with you it makes a massive difference. It has been commented on this and other threads that people can't hear any thing different about it once the changes have been made. Funnily enough it seems to be those same people that diss the Bose all the time. Maybe its just their hearing...


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## going..going..gone (Oct 12, 2011)

I have pretty good hearing (according to my last audio-metric hearing test) and my BOSE system sounds pretty damn fine. I wonder what it is set at - from what I understand leather/diesel/cloth/petrol/blah blah - the BOSE system will be set differently, mine being 3rd hand I have no idea if previous owners have made any changes, however I am making no complaints as it is, and I assume its at the default for petrol/leather. I do not know what peoples issues are with the BOSE sound system. Perhaps it is simply their quality of reception like you say :wink:


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## trickyd (Apr 14, 2016)

ScoobyTT said:


> Check the fade also. If centred, the fade is normally quite front-biased so most of the sound will come form those on top of the dash, which are also the tinniest. To get the fade between front and rear balanced you shouldn't need it any more than say 30-40% rearwards for an average seating position. If you need it 60-70% for the sound to be neutrally placed then your unit may also need an update. If you go and see your dealer ask them to check the firmware/software version on your unit to see if there are any updates for it.


This "fixed" the same issue for me, much improved now, thanks!


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## ldhxvs (Aug 18, 2016)

I have a 2011 TTS, with a Bose system and I have no bass at all..... I can change the equaliser to min and full with no change in sound. :-(
Could this be a shot amp or?


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