Thoughts on 07 M35 base stereo

[ross6200]

So, I bought my 2007 base M35X a few months ago. Before buying, I researched the audio options because I consider myself an audiophile and sound is very important to me. I really wanted the 14-speaker setup, but I found a mint condition base model in the color I wanted for a great price, so I bought it. And I couldn't be happier. ESPECIALLY with the stereo.

I am nearly 50, and have owned nearly 30 cars. At times I have spent a few grand to upgrade my car audio system. But I have to say the stereo on my M35X base is one of the best I've ever heard! So I'm thinking, either the previous owner sank some serious cash into this system, or the base stereo is not as bad as everyone says it is.

One of things I love about the stereo is how full the base and mid range are. But there is no subwoofer that I can see. So I think it must be a Bose system, with the speakers providing all the base (even though the base M35 isn't supposed to have a Bose?). If that is the case, I am surprised at how good it sounds. I was prepared to hate the stereo and need to spend a few grand on this car, but now I don't have to.

Is there anyone else who likes their base audio system? Is it possible that I have a 6-speaker Bose system in my base M35? Is it possible that the previous owner did something to improve the base system that would NOT require a sub? I am confused, but happily so!

[Ilya]

Do you have navigation? If you do, you have an 8spkr Bose system which yes, sounds plenty good, contrary to what many people say about Bose car audio systems today (supposedly, not what they used to be).

Do you have a speaker above your main dash screen right in the middle of the dashboard? That is another give away of an 8spkr system.

[TDot]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! This car has one of the worst audio systems I have ever heard in a car. Of all the cars I or family have owned in the last 10 years, the only one that comes to mind that has a worse sounding system is in an xterra. The climax for me that told me I had to change it was when I had to rent a car and I got a low end ford. Not saying that the system was anything next to pristine, but it was FAR better than this thing to the point I literally got mad. It was at that very point I decided to overhaul the entire acoustics and system of the car. Could the previous owner have upgraded the system without a sub? Definitely. Solid speakers with a high efficiency, solid magnet, and a good bottom end will give you a world of difference.

IM almost done with my system and will do an extensive write up. I'm not done yet and can easily say I have exceeded my lexus sound (except for acoustics so far), and that was my benchmark...ironically my lex had bose in it as well, but it was FAR better than this. If you get a chance just look at the speakers in the car, the magnet, the cone, the membrane, everything is cheap and thin. The sub is a HUGE joke, it looks like a dinner plate .

Honestly you don't need to upgrade the sub to anything significant, I did a 10" 500w sub in a 12"10"x9" sealed box and the base is way more than I need without even pushing it half. You'd do great with an 8" woofer in a box I believe.

But yes, if it's stock, upgrade and you'll never leave your car.

[ross6200]

I do have the base 6-speaker system. I added navigation a couple months ago, but have done nothing to the stereo. So I guess the previous owner did a lot of work because it sounds amazing. There is no sub but I don't even need one.

[Boonies]

I have an '08 M45 with Nav and even with the BOSE system and all the speakers I find the system a downgrade from my last ride, a 2001 Audi S8 with Bose. In that car I replaced the stock unit with a Pioneer Avic Z3 with Nav and it was fantastic.

I would like to hear more about speaker replacement options. Also, has anyone used sound deadener to quiet the bass rattle from the rear hat-shelf area?

[Ilya]

ABSOLUTELY NOT!! This car has one of the worst audio systems I have ever heard in a car. Of all the cars I or family have owned in the last 10 years, the only one that comes to mind that has a worse sounding system is in an xterra. The climax for me that told me I had to change it was when I had to rent a car and I got a low end ford. Not saying that the system was anything next to pristine, but it was FAR better than this thing to the point I literally got mad. It was at that very point I decided to overhaul the entire acoustics and system of the car. Could the previous owner have upgraded the system without a sub? Definitely. Solid speakers with a high efficiency, solid magnet, and a good bottom end will give you a world of difference.

IM almost done with my system and will do an extensive write up. I'm not done yet and can easily say I have exceeded my lexus sound (except for acoustics so far), and that was my benchmark...ironically my lex had bose in it as well, but it was FAR better than this. If you get a chance just look at the speakers in the car, the magnet, the cone, the membrane, everything is cheap and thin. The sub is a HUGE joke, it looks like a dinner plate .

Honestly you don't need to upgrade the sub to anything significant, I did a 10" 500w sub in a 12"10"x9" sealed box and the base is way more than I need without even pushing it half. You'd do great with an 8" woofer in a box I believe.

But yes, if it's stock, upgrade and you'll never leave your car.

And what was your stock system? Bose? Or non-Bose 6 speaker?

Sounds like to me that you guys may be using low quality audio to begin with? I know I personally have high bitrate music and my MP3's have PLENTY of kick and good sound. The ones that are 128 bitrate are usually the ones where I find myself missing my old system in my previous car.

It's not the best stock system, but it certainly isn't crap as you guy say. And yes, I am music student and audiophile (had a ridiculous system in my old Maxima) so I know good music when I hear it (or don't hear it).

My car is fine. I have 8 speaker Bose system.

[TOASTERGOD]

Boonies,
i used infinity kappa speakers in the doors, they are 2ohm which is the same as Bose
and they sound great. Also the rear deck needs a lot of sound deadning, there are a lot of open areas (where bass can escape into the trunk) that need to sealed. I used fatmat, I bought 50sq ft and did the doors,backseat, rear deck and trunk and had some left over. I basically matted everything i could and I also filled the panel around the sub with poly foam. all of this made an amazing difference in sound quality. I just purchased an amp that will be 4x140w for the door speakers, this should really wake up the door speakers.

[wingFeather]

I'm quite happy with the Bose system, too.

Avoid MP3 and radio if you want to hear the system's potential (those waveforms are compressed/shelved/banded).

[ross6200]

I know the base 6-speaker system isn't branded as Bose, but could it still be a Bose system? If not, one of these days I'll have to take the door cards off and see exactly what the last owner did in there.

[Boonies]

Thanks TOASTERGOD, I found an old post from DeanM45 on the topic as well that discusses the same mod. Looking forward to making some changes! Your description of the amount of mat used is helpful, thanks.

[wingFeather]

My mistake - I thought all Infiniti systems were Bose.

[bejjutsu]

The Bose system is great. If you're adding a 500 or 1000 watt subwoofer, then you've got to consider the fact that you're trying to make a statement.

That's fine, it's fun to play music loud. The stock system (I have the 8 speaker model) is really hard to fault for what it is. Play high bitrate files through RCA (iPod, iPhone etc.), or CDS for the best quality (least compressed) audio.


Also, the type of music you play has a bearing on how the system sounds.
(Recent car listening: Bruno Mars: Unorthadox Jukebox, Leon Fleisher: the Journey, Lots of Led Zeppelin, 1-2-3-4-5 SIXERS! (At a game)

[TDot]

This bose system is nowhere near great. The center speakers start to distort before the volume hits half, the doors distort at 3/4 the volume...some freq before that even. Who knows where the "sub" starts to distort when it actually decides to reproduce the base at a decent volume. The sub is nearly none existent unless the base in the song is resonating at certain freq. The highs are trash, especially since they actually start rolling off around 16K. This isn't perception or conjecture, this is fact on the reproduction and capability of audio in this car. How is any of that "great" in a car that is supposedly luxury. And this is all on 320kbps mp3 and cd. It is irony though that you said only certain music will sound good in this sysyem, because short of source material being poor quality, a great system will play anything without issues, a good system will play anything with a little eq, this is neither. Since my upgrade though, ive been able to play everything equally great. At the end of the day, if anyone is happy with the sound, it is what it is, no one can or should knock that. I personally put up with it as long as I could and when I finally made the change I remembered all that I was missing. Although I admit, I did go a little overboard with my upgrade.

Also, wattage does not translate to loud, or "making a statement". All wattage to a speaker is, is what it takes to power it to it's full potential. I can have a 1000W speaker with a 85 efficiency, and it plays as loud as a 600W speaker with a 105 efficiency. If a quality speaker in reproducing freq without distortion and baffling happens to be high wattage that is what it is. It doesn't necessarily mean that person wants to make a statement, because it doesn't necessarily mean that sub is loud. It could just mean he wants that sub because it's good.

As far as the rear deck rattle and improving the base, you are better off using 1/2" mdf board and covering the holes, or 16awg metal with deadening material on that. Fatmat/dynamat material does little to hinder low freq pass through, which is why people use mlv for soundproofing or to stop road noise. Also for the rattle, I would start off with putting some thin foam or blanket material between the plastic pass through thing in the rear seat and the metal backplate, and also between the rear deck cover and the rear deck before you go and put fatmat all over it to stop rattle, because if you are actually hearing rattle, it's most likely the plastic vibrating against the metal than this weak sub causing the metal to resonate.

ip, I don't know exactly what you are trying to ascertain because it sounds like you are happy with your system whether it is bose or not. However,--my two cents-- if you are going to do changes, as good as the infinity speakers are, I wouldn't do it. They dont reproducd base very well, and your volume is going to be cut down due to this amp from what a lot of people say. Which is going to lead you to getting another amp. If that is going to happen, you might as well start out with the amp and get a 4ohm system all together. More efficient and a cleaner sound on all the freq all around (again, that will also depend on the particular speaker).

Yes, my system was bose, every joke of a speaker and sub I took out had the sad branding. I personally think either it's only the processing in the car that's bose, or the name is just licensed for use. Consider this, there is no other luxury cars to my knowledge that still used Bose. Lexus left them a long time ago. Everyone else is using true high end stuff...mark levingston and the like, there has to be a reason.


Yes, my system was bose, every joke of a speaker and sub I took out had the sad branding. I personally think either it's only the processing in the car that's bose, or the name is just licensed for use. Consider this, there is no other luxury cars to my knowledge that is still using Bose. Lexus left them a long time ago. Everyone else is using true high end stuff...mark levingston, bang & olufsun, peak, luxman, lexicon and the like, there has to be a reason. Bose is only running ramped in "low end" cars now. You get what you pay for.

[TDot]

Wow, I didn't realize how much I had to say. Please no one take offense, I just really really really think this system is trash compared to what i'm used to.

[Boonies]

TDOT, I am looking forward to the big reveal...want to hear more about system upgrades.

[Larz]

I have to agree that Ininfiti could do well by leaving Bose and going with Mark Levinson, Lexicon, etc. My neighbor has an LS460 with Levinson and it far surpasses my 5.1 Bose suround system which BTW does include the center dash speaker along with 13 more. However, my existing system far out-shines most other high end car factory systems. I'm quite happy with it in fact.
IlyaKol makes a good point - the quality of music you play will affect the quality of sound you hear. If you burn your own CDs, and you rip music from cheap / shared music sites, the sound will usually be lousy. If you 'buy' your music online and burn CDs from your comp, the sound is eexcellent. My last car was an Escalade with Bose and it did not sound as nice or fill the car with sound as well as my M.
I also noticed that when using the radio (FM), I don't get the same quality of sound - perhaps upgrading to XM, etc would make a substatial improvement. I don't have XM, jus guessing since it would be digital instead of regular radio waves.
All in all, whatever sound system you have, there will always be something else better out there. I am quite pleased with the system in my car even if it isn't quite as good as a Levinson.

[hormy83]

I have an 08 with Nav, so that must be the 8 speaker Bose system. I've been happy with it, although it isn't perfect - it does sound good enough for stock.

My biggest complaint is when changing volume, especially at lower volumes, just one click is a huge actual change in volume. When having my kids in the back - I want to be able to hear and talk to the kids, but also hear the radio. When the volume is at three bars (multiple clicks of the volume result in only moving one bar) it may be too loud when only going city speeds, but when I turn it down one click (it is still at 3 bars) I can barely hear the radio.

My audio settings for the radio only has one option - BOSE AudioPilot. I've tried turning this on and off and haven't noticed any difference as it relates to this low volume issue.

Anyone else experience this? Any way to "fix" it?

[Ilya]

This bose system is nowhere near great. The center speakers start to distort before the volume hits half, the doors distort at 3/4 the volume...some freq before that even. Who knows where the "sub" starts to distort when it actually decides to reproduce the base at a decent volume. The sub is nearly none existent unless the base in the song is resonating at certain freq. The highs are trash, especially since they actually start rolling off around 16K. This isn't perception or conjecture, this is fact on the reproduction and capability of audio in this car. How is any of that "great" in a car that is supposedly luxury. And this is all on 320kbps mp3 and cd. It is irony though that you said only certain music will sound good in this sysyem, because short of source material being poor quality, a great system will play anything without issues, a good system will play anything with a little eq, this is neither. Since my upgrade though, ive been able to play everything equally great. At the end of the day, if anyone is happy with the sound, it is what it is, no one can or should knock that. I personally put up with it as long as I could and when I finally made the change I remembered all that I was missing. Although I admit, I did go a little overboard with my upgrade.

Don't know how I missed this.

You, sir, had an abused system. Something happened to YOUR car OR you had crap quality music (just because it's 320kbp doesn't mean it actually is...I can download YouTube videos off of YouTube at 320kbp and it will sound like crap).

My speakers at 100% don't distort. Why? Because I actually have good quality files that I play from. In the summer, I have my windows down all the time and have my music at 90%+ to hear it over the highway speeds air going into the car.

You can even watch my HowTo video for the USA Spec. That's pretty loud and it was crisp and clean. This was at 50-60% and I could have gone up to 90-100% with no issue.

http://youtu.be/S6t2ewgGl9c?t=3m4s

[Larz]

Hormy83 ... The Bose Autopilot (I believe) is the option to have the volume automatically increase in response to ambient noises like having the window open with wind noise, etc. I leave mine 'ON' but I really haven't noticed the volume increasing based on ambient noise in the cabin. Far as I am aware, there is no base setting to raise the entire volume range.
I've seen a tutorial on here to increase bluetooth phone volumes, so perhaps if you read the tutorial to get to that mode function, you may find additional adjustments for sound system as well.

[Bravoval]

If your an audio guy dont fck with the stock set up just get the JBL MS* amp it will save tons of money and sound so fukcing gooooooood.

http://www.jbl.com/estore/jbl/us/produc ... S-8_JBL_US

So, I bought my 2007 base M35X a few months ago. Before buying, I researched the audio options because I consider myself an audiophile and sound is very important to me. I really wanted the 14-speaker setup, but I found a mint condition base model in the color I wanted for a great price, so I bought it. And I couldn't be happier. ESPECIALLY with the stereo.

I am nearly 50, and have owned nearly 30 cars. At times I have spent a few grand to upgrade my car audio system. But I have to say the stereo on my M35X base is one of the best I've ever heard! So I'm thinking, either the previous owner sank some serious cash into this system, or the base stereo is not as bad as everyone says it is.

One of things I love about the stereo is how full the base and mid range are. But there is no subwoofer that I can see. So I think it must be a Bose system, with the speakers providing all the base (even though the base M35 isn't supposed to have a Bose?). If that is the case, I am surprised at how good it sounds. I was prepared to hate the stereo and need to spend a few grand on this car, but now I don't have to.

Is there anyone else who likes their base audio system? Is it possible that I have a 6-speaker Bose system in my base M35? Is it possible that the previous owner did something to improve the base system that would NOT require a sub? I am confused, but happily so!

[hormy83]

Hormy83 ... The Bose Autopilot (I believe) is the option to have the volume automatically increase in response to ambient noises like having the window open with wind noise, etc. I leave mine 'ON' but I really haven't noticed the volume increasing based on ambient noise in the cabin. Far as I am aware, there is no base setting to raise the entire volume range.
I've seen a tutorial on here to increase bluetooth phone volumes, so perhaps if you read the tutorial to get to that mode function, you may find additional adjustments for sound system as well.

Yes, that is what I believe the Bose AutoPilot is as well. However my issue isn't really with raising the entire volume range - as I'm fine with how loud I can get it if I want to. My issue is more with how large the volume change is in the lower range. I want to be able to have the volume have smaller increases / decreases to be able to "fine tune" it more. It just seems like the jump in volume is very large - in particular in one spot which happens to be right where I want it.

Basically, there is a volume that I would like the car to be at, but can't get it there. If I turn it up one notch it is too loud, and if I turn it down it is too quiet.

[TDot]

You sir, unfortunately, or fortunately, are unable to hear the poor quality of your audio. So, I'm going to do the neighborly thing and show you how poor your audio is and explain it.
The results you are going to see is similar in two M35 07, one G37, and an FX (the fx I didn't test, I could just hear it). It sure would be a mighty big coincidence if all five of us had abused systems , and one of the M35 the owner doesn't even listen to music, only sports radio.

Before I go on let me first say, 3/4 of my mp3 are my own direct rips from official CDs. So I know the quality. All ripped with studio software. Some of the mp3 not ripped by myself are tested to see the original encoded resolution through a spectrum test. So when I say they are 320, they are 320. And remember I did say I can hear the issue through CDs as well. My background. For 15 years I've been a recording/mastering engineer and built and redesigned recording and film production studios. So when I say I can hear the quality and resolution of audio...I think i have the history and a little bit of the qualifications to say that.

Anyway, what you are about to see are a couple of tests that I run when building recording studios, except with equipment a little more sophisticated. The first is with a sine wave, the second is with pink noise.

The first pic shows the distortion at a little less than HALF volume output of the headunit, clear and evident since YOU can't hear it.


This pic shows the clipping at 3/4 the volume output of the headunit, again clear and evident.


Those pics were just from my car at 60hz @ -5db if I remember correctly, but the same test was done on four Infinitis at 40, 60, 500, 1000, 10000 hertz all giving the same results. Those should be perfectly smooth all the way around. Like this:

This is really sad because this comes from a nano amp that I'm using to power the center speaker off my computer that is producing 55wrms and not giving ANY distortion at max volume which powering the center channel louder than the factory...$50 priceless. (more on this in my upcoming write up)

The following pics are of tests only done on my car, because I wasn't going to take my unit out to test on other cars what I already knew.

This is what the Bose is actually putting out. Shows the disgusting mess the bose is producing.


This pic is the final output, the best the fostgate could do with the screwed up spectrum of this Bose. NOW, the system is outputting a relatively leveled frequency spectrum except for the base which is most likely on a low pass crossover internally off the factory amp.


This pic shows the same thing the very first pic shows in a different form. Instead of a little less than half it is at half the volume output. This isn't showing clipping, it is showing distortion:

This is at 3/4 volume output.


Clipping is done with a different test that I didn't do...but can if you insist.

One of the biggest problems is that the factory system is a two ohm system. This doesn't inherently mean that it will cause poor audio quality or distortion (Except in Infinitis case ), but it does mean it is more likely to do it than a four ohm. Most other "luxury" cars are running 4-16 ohms...anything above 4 is a little ridiculous in my humble opinion...and that is because they know that they operate with more efficiency and generally produce better sound. I would also put money on the fact that this is probably a class D amp system adding to the mess, but I don't know for sure.

Today to top all this off I ran a little test. I decided to run my music through my carputer over bluetooth direct to the fosgate processor, totally bypassing the bose and headunit. OH MY GOD, the difference in sound was UNBELIEVABLE. (I'll get into detail in my write up...especially why I actually decided to do this). ALL distortion went away, volume output tripled with NO clipping...I didn't push it more because I didn't calibrate the audio out the computer to make sure I wasn't pushing out too much that would blow the speakers. I did end up picking up the expected artifacts from the noise floor by going bluetooth (or it could have been the carputer), but it was slight and still a better sound. What does this mean? Getting rid of the factory headunit and/or amp in the equation is a must! Just a matter of how.

By you saying at 100% your system doesn't distort it is clear you simply can't hear distortion unless your speakers are baffling and buckling...no offense...EVERY headunit by their nature will start to distort around 90% becoming real noticeable around 95% (we wont even get into this amp). It doesn't matter how good the headunit, amp or speakers are or how expensive, or if it's factory or aftermarket...although spl comp speakers could mask it a little. You not believing that isn't going to change reality, physics, or nature of the components. This car unfortunately starts failing at an earlier point...speaks to the system it is .

Side note, I am curious though, exactly what crispness or lack of distortion am I to hear from a stereo playing an mp3, through speakers 3ft away, being recorded with a cell phone, playing back from YouTube .

Yes I am new to car audio, simply because I've never had the need to improve it before, but audio is audio and the principle wrms, thd, clipping, distortion, and voltage is the same no matter what. At any rate, as long as you're happy with your "good quality files" and your system...as I've said before, that's all that matters.

[bejjutsu]

At the risk of inciting a flamewar I'll just say, the car is not the best place to listen to music.

/Musician

[Ilya]

At the risk of inciting a flamewar I'll just say, the car is not the best place to listen to music.

/Musician

Obviously. But to say or even imply that the Bose stereo is junk or less than good is just ignorance. With good quality media/rips, you will be pleased. Is it award winning? No. But it's certainly not junk.

/Musician

[Larz]

[bejjutsu]

At the risk of inciting a flamewar I'll just say, the car is not the best place to listen to music.

/Musician

Obviously. But to say or even imply that the Bose stereo is junk or less than good is just ignorance. With good quality media/rips, you will be pleased. Is it award winning? No. But it's certainly not junk.

/Musician

Agreed. I think it's fine.

[TDot]

I never once said the system is junk or implied it. I have stated facts on this systems performance with evidence, and objected to statements that the system is "plenty good" and "great". If someone said decent, I would have left that alone, because that is what this systems is...in my opinion (I guess I have to quality everything with that now).
I have however said the speakers were junk...I was wrong, they are abysmal pieces of junk! lol. Have you seen them? You certainly can't say you've heard them! lol, that's a j/k take it easy.
I have stated my comparison and experience with previous systems which laid the foundation to my "opinion" and how I feel about this system overall in which I never made a direct indictment about the system except it was "no where near great". So if you're going to accuse me of something state my actual transgressions. At most you can complain that I said its "trash compared to what I'm used to"...in a car. It's as simple as If I buy two relatively equal tv antennas and one is clear and the other can barely pick up a ch, one is simply not performing as it should. You may not expect it to pick up every ch crystal clear, but you have a basic expectation on its performance with regards to the other and maybe even due to its name sake. Its not a far fetched idea to call it junk/trash/crap or whatever. And I'm quite sure many have done the same at one time or another in one form or another.
But anyway, if you want to view my stated feelings on this system in comparison to my experience with others as me spouting facts and trashing this and take offence...and then ignore facts about the systems performance laid in front of you, that is what is ignorance. But ignorance...audibly...is bliss lol.
Don't worry I won't say anymore on this subject. Bose is great, sorry if I offended anybody's sensibility with this system.