I know it's probably too early, but from week 22, all Octavias are produced MY16, which include a new generation of the Bolero system with larger screen, resolution and faster cpu.

 

If any of you speaks with a dealer about it, could you ask if maybe they have improved the software options in the new Bolero as well as the hardware - if they gave better control in the new system, it might have solved the reported issues. It certainly seems from reading this thread that the biggest problem are not the speakers, but the fine tuning.

Edited 16 June, 201510 yr by Etherion

Shame there isn't some sort of service menu that can be accessed to alter the sound.

I am due to get a 7 month old Mk7 GTD as a loan company car some point next week with MIB1 Composition Media (equivalent to Bolero)....will have this for a few months until my MY16 GTD factory order turns up (which will have MIB2 Discover Nav - equivalent to Amundsen). I think it will be interesting to see how the MIB1 equipped Golf compares to the Octavia, also whether there is any real improvement with the move to MIB2. I will post my findings once I have the newer car.

Some months ago, I seem to recall that several of us on this thread put in calls to Skoda UK Customer Service to complain about the sound quality with the Bolero system and I'm wondering if anyone got anything useful out of them in response?

 

I was promised a call back by a Problem Manager (or some such title) within two weeks but I never did.  As I was then off on a long holiday I rather forgot about it but I'm still disappointed they didn't get back to me at all.  

 

I've just put in a complaint via the web interface, referencing this thread so it'll be interesting to see what sort of response I get to that.  I'm now convinced that a software update to the Bolero would very likely be able to fix the problem at a stroke, so it's very frustrating that we've had to put up with this for so long when an easy fix may well be possible.  If it isn't, I'd at least like to know why not, given that I now know the system is physically capable of producing decent sound.

It was a similar problem on the O2 as well, especially the rear doors - replace the caps on the tweeters to alter the crossover frequency and it made a huge difference to the sound.

 

It would have to be a strange equalisation curve to compensate for the crossover being at the 'wrong' frequency.

It was a similar problem on the O2 as well, especially the rear doors - replace the caps on the tweeters to alter the crossover frequency and it made a huge difference to the sound.

 

It would have to be a strange equalisation curve to compensate for the crossover being at the 'wrong' frequency.

 

I suspect we're all experiencing the same symptoms but finding different workarounds for the fundamental problem - whatever that is.

They are on the back of the tweets 6u8 cap. You have to solder the 6u8 off and solder the 3u3 on instead. Make sure that you buy a bipolar cap. "3u3 BP. 25 -50 volt"

 

So they're crossing over at around 6000hz with the standard capacitor.  No wonder it sounds rubbish!

I just bought a new Octavia mk3 with a Bolero and the sound is terrible, problem is the crossover frequency for the tweets is far to low so I pulled of the door trim and changed the capacitors in the tweets to 3u3 BP. The original are 6u8 far to big. Now it sounds nice and soft with only high treble. A lot of work just for changing a few caps but it was defiantly worth it.

I only had 2 so soon the back speakers are getting the same.

Price about £1 time 2 hours.

 

Hi, I decided to fit the caps to the front tweeters, please can you give some pointers to getting to the tweeters. Last thing I want is a broken clip and a resultant rattle. Thanks.

Hi, I decided to fit the caps to the front tweeters, please can you give some pointers to getting to the tweeters. Last thing I want is a broken clip and a resultant rattle. Thanks.

 

According to workshop manual its accessed via the mirror rather than door car but don't know how - the front door cards are likely to be awkward due to the air bag pressure sensors, so need to be careful with this.

This is what the electrical section of the workshop manual says re treble speakers... Electrical system workshop manual is on post 47 here http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/273542-mk3-owners-workshop-manual-info/page-2

 

But this is all it says (I will have a look how mirror is removed).

 

6.2 Removing and installing front treble

loudspeakers

 The loudspeakers are built into the inside of the exterior mirror

cover.

In the case of a fault, replace the mirror cover with loudspeaker.

6.3 Removing and installing the rear treble

speaker

 The treble speakers are firmly connected with the rear inner door

trim panel.

In the case of a fault, replace the rear inner door trim panel ⇒

Body Work; Rep. gr. 70 .

 

 

 

But this is all it says (I will have a look how mirror is removed).

 

6.2 Removing and installing front treble

loudspeakers

 The loudspeakers are built into the inside of the exterior mirror

cover.

In the case of a fault, replace the mirror cover with loudspeaker.

6.3 Removing and installing the rear treble

speaker

 The treble speakers are firmly connected with the rear inner door

trim panel.

In the case of a fault, replace the rear inner door trim panel ⇒

Body Work; Rep. gr. 70 .

 

 

Must be from the inside not outside - but can't tell if the tweeter cover is separate / behind the door card.

Looking at it I think the tweeter cover is trapped behind the door card 

 

Must be from the inside not outside - but can't tell if the tweeter cover is separate / behind the door card.

 

Looking at it I think the tweeter cover is trapped behind the door card 

 

Hopefully I am wrong and anyone who has done it can confirm.

As I mentioned in post #129, I put in a new complaint about this issue of sound quality after SUK failed to follow-up on the one I raised last summer.  I must say that this time I've been impressed with the handling of the complaint by Customer Services - they've phoned every few days to update me on progress and seem to have gone to some effort on my behalf to find an answer.

 

Today I had a call from Rhys in Customer Service with the outcome of his investigation, and we spent some time on the phone.  However, despite his efforts I'm left if anything a little more dissatisfied than I already was.  This is what he told me (and I read back my notes to him to ensure I had it right):

1. There have been a number of complaints about the sound quality with this system - including several that Rhys himself has handled. In particular customers have complained that the sound quality is poor compared to previous Octavia model they've owned.
2. The problem is not a fault in my car (which I knew) - it's a design feature.  I was rather amused to hear a design failing being described as a "feature" but Rhys was skilled enough to say it without it sounding ridiculous.
3. The factory are aware of these concerns but have no plans - as far as SUK are aware - to issue any kind of firmware update for the Bolero unit.
4. The factory are taking this feedback as input to help them improve the design for future models.

This leaves me with several concerns about all this:

1. They seem to be admitting there's a problem but can't or won't do anything about it, and SUK can't even find out which of these it is.  If a software update were impossible for technical reasons, I would accept that replacing the Bolero unit in thousands of cars wouldn't be realistic but I don't know this and there seems to be no way for us, or even Skoda UK, to find this out.  If it's just that they have made a business decision not to do the update, then that's different.
2. Although SUK's Customer Services seem to be very helpful they are almost completely powerless even to get clear answers from the factory, let alone get problems fixed. 
3. They seem to be admitting that all is not well but are not willing to take responsibility for fixing it - or at least explaining why this is impossible.  As I pointed out, if this were a safety-related problem, they'd develop a fix and do a recall.  As it is, the only risk to them is damage to customer satisfaction and, although I feel that Customer Services care about this, it seems the factory don't.

I asked Rhys if there is any further escalation route I could use to pursue this and he suggested a referral to the Executive Department.  This resulted in a phone call later the same day from someone called Ian Watson.   He was sympathetic but also realistic, pointing out that overall they've had relatively few complaints about this - not enough to justify investing in developing and distributing an update (even if this is possible, which none of us know). 

 

So there we are:  not enough complaints to justify do anything about a problem that they know about.   It's probably the outcome I was expecting, but I'm still left disappointed with Skoda and wondering if I should really have bought VW as usual last year.

Edited 13 July, 201510 yr by alancha

Hi Alancha, I have been banned by my missus from using Brisky now (and for the sanctity of my marriage I am going to honour the ban haha) but I just had to reply to this.

As I mentioned some weeks ago I was due to receive a Mk7 GTD company car and said Id make a comparison.....well Ive had that car for a couple of weeks now and plain and simple the sound system is leaps and bounds better. Its a MIB1 CMS (so Bolero equivalent).

Loud, bassy and can be turned up really loud. It still does something to protect the system with music that is really OTT bass wise or I guess it deems the original signal to be overwhelming but its far less obvious.....you just get to a certain loudness and it doesnt get any louder...but its loud enough to be borderline uncomfortable anyway. None of this heavy cutting of bass or v heavily restricted output as on the O3.

In summary...no doubt the same technology....just way WAY better implemented on the Golf. As it happens the system in the Golf sounds v like that in the Mk2 Octavia which is praise enough.

Laughable that Skoda are not looking to offer some sort of fix for this as it will surely be as straightforward as some minor doctoring to the firmware.

Edited 13 July, 201510 yr by pipsypreturns

Would welcome some feedback on MIB2 Amundsens please. Are the new units just as restrictive as the MIB1's? Cheers.

As I mentioned in post #129, I put in a new complaint about this issue of sound quality after SUK failed to follow-up on the one I raised last summer.  I must say that this time I've been impressed with the handling of the complaint by Customer Services - they've phoned every few days to update me on progress and seem to have gone to some effort on my behalf to find an answer.

 

Today I had a call from Rhys in Customer Service with the outcome of his investigation, and we spent some time on the phone.  However, despite his efforts I'm left if anything a little more dissatisfied than I already was.  This is what he told me (and I read back my notes to him to ensure I had it right):

1. There have been a number of complaints about the sound quality with this system - including several that Rhys himself has handled. In particular customers have complained that the sound quality is poor compared to previous Octavia model they've owned.
2. The problem is not a fault in my car (which I knew) - it's a design feature.  I was rather amused to hear a design failing being described as a "feature" but Rhys was skilled enough to say it without it sounding ridiculous.
3. The factory are aware of these concerns but have no plans - as far as SUK are aware - to issue any kind of firmware update for the Bolero unit.
4. The factory are taking this feedback as input to help them improve the design for future models.

This leaves me with several concerns about all this:

1. They seem to be admitting there's a problem but can't or won't do anything about it, and SUK can't even find out which of these it is.  If a software update were impossible for technical reasons, I would accept that replacing the Bolero unit in thousands of cars wouldn't be realistic but I don't know this and there seems to be no way for us, or even Skoda UK, to find this out.  If it's just that they have made a business decision not to do the update, then that's different.
2. Although SUK's Customer Services seem to be very helpful they are almost completely powerless even to get clear answers from the factory, let alone get problems fixed. 
3. They seem to be admitting that all is not well but are not willing to take responsibility for fixing it - or at least explaining why this is impossible.  As I pointed out, if this were a safety-related problem, they'd develop a fix and do a recall.  As it is, the only risk to them is damage to customer satisfaction and, although I feel that Customer Services care about this, it seems the factory don't.

I asked Rhys if there is any further escalation route I could use to pursue this and he suggested a referral to the Executive Department.  This resulted in a phone call later the same day from someone called Ian Watson.   He was sympathetic but also realistic, pointing out that overall they've had relatively few complaints about this - not enough to justify investing in developing and distributing an update (even if this is possible, which none of us know). 

 

So there we are:  not enough complaints to justify do anything about a problem that they know about.   It's probably the outcome I was expecting, but I'm still left disappointed with Skoda and wondering if I should really have bought VW as usual last year.

 

Thank you for the update. Since reading your post I have also written to SUK, I will let the forum know if I get a response.

Hi Alancha, I have been banned by my missus from using Brisky now (and for the sanctity of my marriage I am going to honour the ban haha) but I just had to reply to this.

As I mentioned some weeks ago I was due to receive a Mk7 GTD company car and said Id make a comparison.....well Ive had that car for a couple of weeks now and plain and simple the sound system is leaps and bounds better. Its a MIB1 CMS (so Bolero equivalent).

Loud, bassy and can be turned up really loud. It still does something to protect the system with music that is really OTT bass wise or I guess it deems the original signal to be overwhelming but its far less obvious.....you just get to a certain loudness and it doesnt get any louder...but its loud enough to be borderline uncomfortable anyway. None of this heavy cutting of bass or v heavily restricted output as on the O3.

In summary...no doubt the same technology....just way WAY better implemented on the Golf. As it happens the system in the Golf sounds v like that in the Mk2 Octavia which is praise enough.

Laughable that Skoda are not looking to offer some sort of fix for this as it will surely be as straightforward as some minor doctoring to the firmware.

The firmwares are effectively the same, so the issue is the speakers, or more precisely the crossover point between the mid/bass speaker and the tweeter.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

Would welcome some feedback on MIB2 Amundsens please. Are the new units just as restrictive as the MIB1's? Cheers.

Restrictive in what way? I've had an octy 3 for a week now and find the mib 2 amundsen to give much better sound quality than the bolero in my yeti did.

Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk

Hi Domhnall. Ok not so much restrictive as limited sound quality as per the thread. Most have been underwhelmed by the stock units performance, and TBH when test driving the VRS, I took for granted that it would come with a capable system, so didn't really pay it too much attention. I was fortunate to benefit from free Amundsen and with my car being built lat week, was looking for feedback on any MY16 Amundsens. Sounds like you're happy with yours?

Just to chime in, the MY16 Amundsen unit in my car subjectively sounds better than my Bolero in the 14 plate octy I had previously.

I don't have it overly loud, but it just sounds better too me. FM is the weakest, DAB sound better but is too unreliable for reception in my area at least. SD cards sounds pretty decent with 320kb MP3's.

Sure, it will never rival a decent sound system, and TBH if it did it would need a better source than 320kb MP3's, but I am convinced it sounds better than the last one.

 

Edit , I have boosted the bass and mid frequencies up 1 and 2 clicks respectively, IIRC the old one I had more boost on the bass.

Edited 14 July, 201510 yr by Mr Grump

Thanks Mr Grump, beginning to feel less worried. apologies if it seems I've hijacked the Bolero thread, but still think it's part of the same topic.

Also in our country dealer says that there had been some complaints about sound quality on Bolero but no new firmware is expected from Skoda. 

 

And his commet was that sound "is very individual" so I think they dont even bother to contact Skoda about it.

 

I have Bolero + Canton and Im definitely not happy with it, paid it almost 500 EUR. In previous car I had custom speakers and amp for less money and sound was better than Canton.

Also in our country dealer says that there had been some complaints about sound quality on Bolero but no new firmware is expected from Skoda. 

 

And his commet was that sound "is very individual" so I think they dont even bother to contact Skoda about it.

 

I have Bolero + Canton and Im definitely not happy with it, paid it almost 500 EUR. In previous car I had custom speakers and amp for less money and sound was better than Canton.

 

Yes - I think the argument that sound quality is subjective is an easy get out for them, which we shouldn't accept.  And to be fair, in my conversations with SUK yesterday, they didn't attempt to suggest this - the closest they got was the senior person who phoned me who told me that he considers himself an audiophile and woudn't even listen to music in the car with all the engine noise etc;  I suppose his implied point was that listening to music always sounds bad however good the system, so why worry about it.

 

Like Skodev said above, I assumed the vRS would come with a capable sound system and didn't check it before ordering the car but I think most of us consider the sound to be unacceptable in a car of this price range (actually any price range).

 

Although I don't think there's much chance anything will ever be done about this issue, the only way it will is if as many of us as possible complain.    There are probably many users who don't listen to music in the car - or perhaps only listen to the DAB radio, which seems to have a different and better sound.  Then there are others who have complained to their dealer but the complaint wasn't passed on to Skoda, and many more who aren't happy but haven't complained.  And then of course there will be many whose ear for music is so uncritical that they don't even notice.  But let's at least all of us who do care put in a complaint to Skoda - you can do it through their website or by phone.  It's very easy and the Skoda UK Customer Service people are very helpful and pleasant so there's really no reason not to.

Edited 14 July, 201510 yr by alancha

Yes - I think the argument that sound quality is subjective is an easy get out for them, which we shouldn't accept.  And to be fair, in my conversations with SUK yesterday, they didn't attempt to suggest this - the closest they got was the senior person who phoned me who told me that he considers himself an audiophile and woudn't even listen to music in the car with all the engine noise etc;  I suppose his implied point was that listening to music always sounds bad however good the system, so why worry about it.

 

Like Skodev said above, I assumed the vRS would come with a capable sound system and didn't check it before ordering the car but I think most of us consider the sound to be unacceptable in a car of this price range (actually any price range).

 

Although I don't think there's much chance anything will ever be done about this issue, the only way it will is if as many of us as possible complain.    There are probably many users who don't listen to music in the car - or perhaps only listen to the DAB radio, which seems to have a different and better sound.  Then there are others who have complained to their dealer but the complaint wasn't passed on to Skoda, and many more who aren't happy but haven't complained.  And then of course there will be many whose ear for music is so uncritical that they don't even notice.  But let's at least all of us who do care put in a complaint to Skoda - you can do it through their website or by phone.  It's very easy and the Skoda UK Customer Service people are very helpful and pleasant so there's really no reason not to.

 

I contacted SUK on-line yesterday and got a call-back today. SUK were understanding and logged the call, the SUK customer service number is 0333 0037504.

Hi Domhnall. Ok not so much restrictive as limited sound quality as per the thread. Most have been underwhelmed by the stock units performance, and TBH when test driving the VRS, I took for granted that it would come with a capable system, so didn't really pay it too much attention. I was fortunate to benefit from free Amundsen and with my car being built lat week, was looking for feedback on any MY16 Amundsens. Sounds like you're happy with yours?

Yeah very impressed indeed.

Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk

I keep following this thread with interest.

My car is a 15 plate VRS hatch and fitted with the Bolero and option Canton system, while it sounds ok it just seems to lack any real punch.

 

But I'm sort of confused as to what the real problem is, is it the soft/firm ware, the head unit itself or the speakers?

 

Obviously the Canton system has the 500+ watt amp so there should be plenty of power to play with, is it the speakers that can't handle it? Would it be worth changing them for a quality component speaker system with better matched tweeters and subs (via the crossovers)?

 

I know Canton is supposed to be a quality product, but to be honest I'm a little disappointed.

 

I did ask the question before I ordered my car as to whether I would be better off getting an aftermarket amp, sub and speakers fitted instead of the Canton, but I never got a definitive answer.

In hindsight maybe I should have.

 

Seeing as a couple of people have changed the capacitors to alter the x-over frequencies maybe the speaker option would be the cheapest and easiest to sort.