Buying 2023 CX-5 Premium with Bose Audio Credit…Will I miss it?

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Beelzebubba

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2012 CX-9 Grand Touring FWD
I know a lot of '22/'23 CX-5s had options credits due to the chip shortage. I'm currently looking at a 2023 Premium with the Bose Audio Credit. I'm not thrilled about it, because it's just a Preferred with bigger wheels and active headlights. But I'm starting to think it may be worth it. $28k for a '23 Premium with 6k miles (service loaner) and it gets the CPO warranty. It's also the color I want, Sonic Silver, which has been dropped for 2024. So I'm warming to the idea a lot!

Besides the improved sound quality, do I lose any functionality without the Bose system? I still have Carplay, etc, right?

Thanks in advance!
 
With the bose system, you'll find yourself listening to music more.

With the base system, you'll find yourself listening to music less.
 
Beelzebubba said:
I know a lot of '22/'23 CX-5s had options credits .....

Besides the improved sound quality, do I lose any functionality without the Bose system? I still have Carplay, etc, right?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Buy it! The Blose system is horrible. It has a bloated, juke box sound and screechy treble. I'm on my second CX-5 with it and I modified this one to cure that. No "music" has a smile-shaped response curve. The Blose centerpoint speaker destroys any stereo image and it never turns off, even if you deselect it in the settings; it just gets quieter.
 
I find the bose system to be good for me coming from a 2013 Cruze. I think it sounds good. I just got XM renewed for 3 months for $2.12. I did notice the radio and apps I used via bluetooth did not sound as good as XM.
 
I have a 2023 cx5 turbo with Bose and like listening to music but it is not an impressive system by any means. It is not terrible but my Ram 2500 pickup stereo sounds 10X better and it is just the standard system in that. If I were ever to get another Mazda, which I won't, I would not care whether it had the Bose or not. I would say if you want silver that color is something you will see every single time you look at the car so that is more important than the radio as you can always put a better system in it if you love your music.
 
ColtX-5 said:
Buy it! The Blose system is horrible. It has a bloated, juke box sound and screechy treble. I'm on my second CX-5 with it and I modified this one to cure that. No "music" has a smile-shaped response curve. The Blose centerpoint speaker destroys any stereo image and it never turns off, even if you deselect it in the settings; it just gets quieter.
Click to expand...
Set it to Centerpoint level 1 for the best overall sound. Higher is too artificial. Without it, sound quality is lower. I couldn't get anything satisfactory with it off.
 
N7turbo said:
Set it to Centerpoint level 1 for the best overall sound. Higher is too artificial. Without it, sound quality is lower. I couldn't get anything satisfactory with it off.
Click to expand...
I found turning centerpoint off was best. bass and treble at +7 I mostly listen to outlaw country and older rock and roll and easy listening rock ie xm the bridge and outlaw country. I don't listen to metal or rap so that probably has a lot to do with it too.
 
Interesting. I have a fairly good home system (11 channel Atmos, plus 2 subs, tuned, neutral) and some good IEMs. The Bose system leaves a lot to be desired in terms of tonal balance and fidelity. I wasn't too impressed with the bass and treble controls and taking them past a few clicks just ends up too "V-shaped" as far as the response goes and never really feels coherent.

So the fact that it's actually listenable at Centerpoint 1 and even enjoyable with some kinds of music says a lot about the base system, which I left off pretty much the whole lease period last time.

Sorry. I don't want to sound like an audio snob but I've spent quite a few years chasing satisfaction. I know car audio is at an inherent disadvantage but I don't think it would be hard to do a lot better.
 
Last edited:
Beelzebubba said:
I know a lot of '22/'23 CX-5s had options credits due to the chip shortage. I'm currently looking at a 2023 Premium with the Bose Audio Credit. I'm not thrilled about it, because it's just a Preferred with bigger wheels and active headlights. But I'm starting to think it may be worth it. $28k for a '23 Premium with 6k miles (service loaner) and it gets the CPO warranty. It's also the color I want, Sonic Silver, which has been dropped for 2024. So I'm warming to the idea a lot!

Besides the improved sound quality, do I lose any functionality without the Bose system? I still have Carplay, etc, right?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with the differences in features of the newer Bose/non-Bose systems. I have it in my '17 GT. It's good enough for me, though I've heard better systems. The Harmon-Kardon system in my '16 Forester was at least slightly better from what I remember, while the standard (non-Mark Levinson) stereo in the '18 RX 350 I drove was much better than either of those. The standard system in my '13 ES 350 was probably on par with the Forester's stereo, maybe a little better sound quality. I personally would worry more about not having SiriusXM than not having the extra power and tweaking ability of the Bose system (not sure if the newer Premiums w/out Bose have SiriusXM). If you play your music loud, like very loud, then yes, I'd try for the Bose system; I don't listen to my music that loud, though definitely louder than my sister who just has it on for background music and I can barely hear it. I've never heard one of the non-Bose systems in a recent Mazda, that I can remember at least, but I'd imagine I'd be able to tweak the settings to make it sound at least passable for me.
 
While my CX- 5 signature was in the shop, they gave me a CX-30 without the bose system, and it sounded anemic. Also, when I test drove the CX-5 without the Bose found the same problem. I’m an audio file and found the spare tire subwoofer was inadequate/weak, so I upgraded to the spare JBL subwoofer, amp, etc. And finally got the base I was looking for.
 
Lol. I use my voice dictation and it doesn’t always get it right. But I can assure you the sub that comes with the bose subwoofer is weak. The rest of the speakers sound pretty good, which is why I upgraded the subwoofer.
 
I think the opposite. The sub provides decent bass. In fact, don't turn it up more than a few clicks or you'll throw the balance way off and end up with boomy music. It's the speaker sound quality that we struggle to get right. Part of that is the components, part is the glass-enclosed environment that will never be good for audio.
 
N7turbo said:
part is the glass-enclosed environment that will never be good for audio.
Click to expand...
I have to completely disagree with you on that point. People who *know* how to tune a car stereo learned how to tackle those hurdles more than 30 years ago, and have been doing nothing but get better ever since.

30 years ago we did it with analog processors that we stole from the Pro Audio realm, using signal delay, 1/3rd octave equalizers, and esoteric crossovers from companies like Alesis, Behringer, and Rane. Then car audio specialist companies like Audio Control and Precision Power got on board. Finally about 1995 or so, DSP's started showing up, and tuning made it's way to even the most cash strapped enthusiast.
 
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