Our hot little 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 is hoot to hoon and (naturally) a favorite among the heavy-footed on the editorial staff. And with a sticker price that pushes just past $23k, it's also a road rocket that won't burn a hole in most pockets. But if you want good stereo sound from the factory, you got to pay up.
The premium Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound system is part of the pricey $1,895 Tech Package on our long-term MS3, which also includes a "compact" in-dash nav system and keyless entry/pushbutton start. So the almost-$2,000 question is whether paying for all the extras to get the Bose audio is worth it. In a word: Yes. For more words on the system's merits and to see how it measures up, keep reading.
The Setup
The Bose system in the MS3 consists of 10 speakers powered by 242 watts. One is a 5.25-inch woofer cleverly mounted in a sealed enclosure that sits atop the spare tire in the hatch. We've seen a similar setup from Bose before (in our former long-term 2009 Nissan 370Z Touring for example), and it works wonders at producing big bass in a small space. The other eight speakers consists of a 3.5-inch "Twiddler" mid/high-frequency speaker in the center of the dash, a 1-inch tweeter near the lower-front corner of the window in each front door, a 6.5-inch speaker low in each front door, a 5.25-inch speaker in each rear door and another 3.5-inch mid/high speaker in each D pillar.
The Sound
We ran the MS3's Bose system through our standard audio evaluation process, which includes listening to jazz, rock, folk, pop and rap music tracks as well as non-musical test tracks to gauge clarity/lack of distortion, tonal balance, timbre, tonal accuracy, soundstaging, imaging and dynamics. (For more on our audio evaluation procedure, see the Edmunds.com article Sound Advice.)
The Bose system was a bit boomy overall and often the low end overpowered the rest of the audio spectrum. But it's nothing that can't be tweaked away with a twist of the bass tone control. On the flipside, the system handled with aplomb the deep bass notes that start the Joan Armatrading track "In Your Eyes" (which make weaker systems buckle), and the bass quake of Outkast's "Ain't No Thing" was palpably powerful.
Low bass was also discerned as coming from the front of the vehicle, indicating a smooth transition between the front midbass drivers and the woofer in the rear. This was especially apparent on percussion-heavy sections, in which the visceral impact of the kick-drum was as in-your-face as the muscular midbass and taut upper-bass frequencies. And this meant none of the dreaded ping-ponging bass effect that some systems with rear-mounted subs exhibit.
Timbre and tonal accuracy -- a measure of how faithfully a system reproduces the sound of musical instruments and of the original recording -- were also above average. Midbass-heavy tracks, like Luka Bloom's "Cold Comfort" and Red House Painters' "Cabezon," were reproduced with very little distortion, although high-frequencies could be a bit shrill.
Where the system really excelled was with soundstaging and imaging, which is even more remarkable for such a small car. Width-wise the soundstage stretched slightly beyond the confines of the exterior and it was high and fairly deep. Imaging was mostly spot-on, particularly with vocals, thanks to the center-channel speaker. Bose's Centerpoint processing spreads the soundstage out even more, but at the cost of making the music -- and particularly vocals -- sound thin and unnatural.
The system easily aced our non-musical test tracks for staging and imaging, and it scored a rare "Fair" rating for low-level linearity and even rarer "Good to Excellent" rating for mid-level linearity, which shows how well the sound holds together at low and mid volumes.
The Sources
Besides music from AM, FM and Sirius radio and from one of six CDs that can be loaded into the in-dash changer, the MS3 doesn't give offer as many source options as most other cars. It does support Bluetooth audio for streaming music files, but you have to own a compatible mobile phone or portable music player. And the MS3 has an aux-in jack for plugging in a portable music player, but otherwise doesn't offer iPod integration, such as through a USB port, as with many automakers.
What We Say
Like the MS3's turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine, the Bose system may not appear impressive on paper, but it out performs more powerful competitors. And it easily aced an Edmunds.com test of branded system in cars costing less than $30k. Since the Tech Package option in the 2011 MS3 has been jacked up to $2,515 -- and the included Bose system pumped up to 265 watts -- the cost of the premium audio in our 2010 model looks more like a bargain.
The Scores
Sound: B
Source Selection: C-
iPod Integration: D
Cost: B-
Doug Newcomb, Senior Editor, Technology
mrb5091 says:
04:19 AM, 09/15/10
The extra 600 in the tech package isn't just an increase for 23 watts. It adds in auto-leveling bi-xenons and automatic wipers.
I own a 2010 and wish I had waited a few months.
ocramidajzj says:
05:01 AM, 09/15/10
People tend to bash Bose but it sounds like this system is pretty competitive. I also find the system in my Mz6 sGT to be much better than the Bose system in my 08 MS3. The same qualities Doug points out (excellent imaging and bass integration) also fit the Mz6 system. The Mz6, high frequencies aren't shrill though. Orchestral music sounds good in teh 6 where it didn't in the 08 MS3. The 08 MS3 which was a bit shrill and muddy. I do find that the CD playback in my 6 is bettered significantly by BT and the iPod integration through the MID/Display available in the 2010 6.
Nice review hope to see more audio reviews in the future.
eclogite says:
05:28 AM, 09/15/10
Premium audio is a MUST for me in any car I own. The Bose system in my '96 Maxima still sounds pretty good, though it's beginning to show its age (won't play CDs, some radio buttons no longer function, finicky tape deck controls).
I hope to see more review of sound systems (premium and otherwise) on the long term test fleet vehicles. Thanks!
m900mwk says:
06:10 AM, 09/15/10
Why give iPod integration a 'D'?
My iPhone has seamlessly linked to Bluetooth on my 2010 MS3 since day 1, and now that Apple has released IOS4.1, I can change tracks from the steering wheel. It sounds fantastic.
A 'D'??? More like an 'A'.
bodyblue says:
08:37 AM, 09/15/10
I have always like Bose products...both home and car but I have never owned a car system.....hell I still have a set of 201 Series ll home units I use every day. Bose has always specialized in soundstaging......their old slogan was "Stereo Everywhere". I gave my daughter my Acoustimass units with awesome clear plastic Acoustimass module that I won 25 years ago at a industry show....all her friends that see it want it bad.
shootamcg says:
09:47 AM, 09/15/10
Yeah, ever since I got my iPhone4 I just use BT audio and with 4.1 it works even better. I wouldn't use a USB cable unless I was going on a long road trip (but as it is I have a USB charger in the centre console anyways.
dougnewcomb says:
10:18 AM, 09/15/10
@m900mwk: The MS3's wireless Bluetooth audio also works great with my iPhone 3GS. But if you only own an iPod w/o BTA, you're screwed ... unless you buy a BTA transmitter. Hence the D grade.
questionlp says:
10:56 AM, 09/15/10
@m900mwk,
Doug mentioned the Bluetooth option for devices like the iPhone, but also mentioned that there is no USB port for traditional iPods (i.e.: non iPod Touch or iPhone devices). Therefore, you are limited to the Aux in and you will need to use the controls on the iPod rather than the controls on the steering wheel.
For a 2010/2010 model year car, I consider the lack of a USB port a fail for the car that costs more than $15K base. Aux should at least be available standard and USB port an option for less expensive cars.
felonious says:
11:02 AM, 09/15/10
Also, bluetooth audio drains power while a USB connection will charge your device. That's a pretty big difference right there, not to mention audio quality.
questionlp says:
11:30 AM, 09/15/10
@felonious,
Agreed on that as well. Also, depending on the head unit, you can just throw a bunch of music on to USB sticks (which are pretty inexpensive compared to the equivalent-sized iPods).
I like that my car has two SD/SDHC slots, which I have a 32GB SDHC card in each. The downfall is that no head unit supports Apple Lossless or FLAC stored on USB drives or SD cards.
zoomzoomn says:
11:31 AM, 09/15/10
I test drove a 2010 3 with this system and found it quite capable. Yes it was a bit boomy, but the clarity and separation was quite good. I have an '03 6 with bose and while it's low end is a bit weak it has an amazing "sound stage" with very good stereo separation. The new 3, while a bit more front biased, was on par with my 6 in that respect. I also have an Armada with Bose centerpoint and find it to be a bit too front biased and the "sound stage" simply does not "float" as well as either Mazda. The separation is just not as natural sounding.
ocramidajzj says:
11:58 AM, 09/15/10
I actually defeat the centerpiont and audiopilot on my sGT because I find it finished the presentation. As zoomzoomn states centerpoint creates a soundstage that is too front heavy and audiopilot messes with the frequency response.
ocramidajzj says:
12:05 PM, 09/15/10
Damn spell check. "finished presentation" should say "affected presentation".
pezzy669 says:
06:12 PM, 09/15/10
When I first got my '10 3 I was unimpressed with the Bose, however in an attempt to make the highs more pronounced I ended up with Treble maxed and the bass nearly maxed. After doing some research online I read in multiple places this ends up ruining the whole sound on the Bose car systems, so I reset both to 0 and ended up with bass at 0 and treble at 2. It made such a huge difference!
Thanks for the great review!
roadburner says:
07:24 PM, 09/15/10
The Bose in my 2007 MS3 is barely acceptable- and certainly nowhere near great. As for Bose home products, I can put together a $1500 HTS that will blow any Acoustimass system into the weeds.
ocramidajzj says:
11:50 AM, 09/16/10
Damn spell check. "finished presentation" should say "affected presentation".
hank39 says:
12:46 PM, 09/16/10
Just curious: any pics of the speakers in the D-pillar? I owned an '08 MS3 for a couple years and enjoyed the Bose system in it for what it's worth. Wish I could listen to this system to gauge the improvements.