As for imaging, it was top-notch.
Officially that whole entire article is nonsense and most likely sponsored by Boston Acoustic or Daimler Chrysler as publicity.
First and most importantly, proper imaging cannot be achieved with 3 speakers in the dash. The term "Stereo" refers to left and right imaging. A center channel screws up left and right imaging. I found the imaging so bad with the stock Sound Group 2, that I thought my hearing was going out on my left ear. After I removed the center channel, things got back to normal.
The factory subwoofer rattles the rear "speaker protector tray" in the trunk so badly that many owners have removed it. Mine is in a landfill somewhere.
I truly was unaware how horrible the Boston Acoustic system was until I removed it from my car, and held the speakers in my own hands. I then replaced the speakers and attempted to run higher quality aftermarket speakers off the Boston Acoutic "66 Watt per channel" amplifier. It was barely capable of pushing 30watt 3.5" Speakers, let alone 6x9"s in the rear deck.
Upon reviewing my plan of attack, I yanked out the factory system out of the equation completely, keeping only the NAV unit. Only then did I realize how much noise was induced through the factory wiring and the ESP module mounted on the same bracked as the amplifier. I was suffering whine and popping noises. My audio installer had to relocate the ESP module to cut back on the induced noise from the unit, and spent over 4 hours wiring resistors in place of the factory speakers and throughout the system to reduce noise.
We finally got the factory induced noise down to a bare minimum and I am amazed at the imaging and sound quality in my car. The Sound Group 2 speakers were so bad, they didn't even produce these noises. Replace them with an aftermarket speaker and you begin to hear the whining.
The simplified version is this:
Boston Acoustic makes great aftermarket equipment, their OEM applications are much like BOSE. Paper whizzer cone speakers incapable of accurately producing music. Is it better than most factory systems? Sure. But in comparison to anything aftermarket, its horrid. That said, at comparable prices, buying aftermarket equipment and having it installed by a reputable installer will produce results that will blow the Sound Group 2 system out of the water.
I regret buying Sound Group 2, can you guys tell?
I don't consider myself an audiophile either, but I guess I am definitely pickier than most. The guy that wrote that article must be new to car audio, or is simply comparing it to the many other factory systems out there.
Take a listen to the Factory System in the new Acura TL. THAT is a quality factory system.
