My Bose stereo seems to have bit the dust today. The last couple weeks when listening to the radio it would make a cackle/static sound now and then which I thought must just be the antenna. But this morning it totally went out. Now the display still shows with stations coming in, but I don't get any sound from all 4 speakers. Just get a little sputter sound when you turn it on or switch stations.

What do you all think is the problem with it? I just read up on amps causing trouble and how you can replace the capacitors. But I find it unlikely all 4 amps would go at the same time. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

out puts on bose headunit sounds like its blown, find a replacment unit, try the classifieds.

 

Do you think it could be just a relay that goes to the amps? Read this thread and there's a mention of a Bose amp relay that could go out. Not sure which relay it is, noticed there's quite a few relays to the side of the fuse panel.

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....hreadid=144898

 

I recently put to rest all of my bose woes by simply going to sound track and buying a head. It was the hardest thing to get real information about what the best option was etc because everybody wants to rip you off. So I just bought a CD player which rocks cuz tapes are a little bit of a pain, just a little bit.

So all you need is the stereo you want, a cheap wiring harnes (which takes your bose cables and converts them to your new setup). soldering is recommended and make sure you aren't color blind because you have to match wire colors. and regarding hardware, most stereos seem to go well with japanese cars. mine was an alpine and i got to keep my cup holders and all. You also need to switch the wires at your speakers, which involves unplugging the wires going to the little black boxes and plugging them directly into the speakers, also known as bypassing the amps.

Now the reason I am sharing this information with you is because I did all this work soldering the wires. They even convinced me to buy this stupid little pocket which i had no need for, and in the end because i did not know about the amp bypassing and how easy it was, i let them do it for 80 bucks and it was a total waste of a fine morning better spent terrorising other motorists (i'm kidding). trust me, anyone can do it.

Be aware that, yes I am sacrificing my fantastic quality bose sound for another stereo. but it works all the time, it plays CDs (and MP3s), and it still sets off car alarms because bose speakers kick ***.
but if i found a bose CD player that would work for less than 200 bucks, i'd be all over that.

Sorry if it's a little long winded, it's therapy.

 

I have a Bose head unit with cassette deck not being used if needed...
I did have three amps go pretty much close to each other...

I replaced everything, head unit and speakers...

 

i replaced mine, pioneer DEH-P760MP - pioneer speakers....however the speakers sound like crap so im rippin them out, adding and external amp, 6.5 component setup and new higher power 6 by 9's....THEN comes the bass if i decide i want to add the weight of a box in the rear

 

Can anyone tell me the location of the relay that goes to the Bose amps? Want to make sure it's not just that.

the flesh, so you're saying you can wire directly to the Bose speakers? I thought they were some unusually high or low impedance speakers that required a converter?

JD, thanks for the HU offer, I'll likely just go with an aftermarket one if that's the problem though, I'll get back to you though if not.

What can you fit for speakers in the front if I replace them? Seems I recall reading that they are some odd size. Would 6.5s or 6x9s fit in up front?

 

Just read a post and Matt Blehm says the speakers are not compatible with an aftermarket head unit, so I don't see how "the flesh's" setup works. Apparently you need some kind of an adapter.

 

it's called shortened HU life span

 

Think you're right there internetautomar. I tested one of the bose speakers without an amp directly off another of my car's head units and it sounded like total crap. Also found one of the crappy bose speakers was blown too. I was pretty shocked to see how crappy the bose speakers actually are. I'm going to replace all the speakers and head unit.

I also hooked up a multimeter to the power wires going to the amps and they showed 12v, so it must have been the head unit. I'm wondering though, will those wires still be hot with an aftermarket head unit? Or is there some remote wire that activates them? I've always been told not to run speaker wire and power wire together.

 

there is an "extra" wire that needs to be hooked up to the antennae trip wire. I did that on mine, and now it provides the power for my amp. Just don't try running a big amp off of it. I'm running a "little" amp rated at 22.5 watts per channel but according to tests it actually puts out closer to 300

 

Let me know if you still have it. Couldn't figure out how to get your e-mail or PM. Thanks.

 

just get rid of your bose and replace it with an aftermarket system. Bose sucks and is terribly overrated. I know because I am an audiophile, and I used to have the Bose setup with my 92SE when I first got it. Not long after I got the car, one of the speakers popped. I went ahead and changed all the speakers and added some aftermarket amps, and sound was great.

 

It all depends on what kind of sound you like. Some people like relatively decent quality sound, with a stock Bose system in good order, or some average aftermarket stuff, you'll have this kind of sound with a reasonable investment, and be happy. But, for audiophiles like myself, or ElVito, you'll definitely appreciate upgrades. Anyhow, it seems like enough stuff isn't working for you that replacing everything will be the best route. So, just replace stuff to a level that you want. If you want something that works reliably and produced half decent sound, get some average brand coaxial speakers front and rear, with a comparable head unit, with the features you want, rated to the level of power those speakers need. If you want high end, you'll need to do some more research, but typically you'll be looking at things like component speakers with crossovers, new wiring all around, independant amps, etc. Sound quality isn't just about high power and loud bass. Good wiring to reduce degridation, efficiency of the speakers with proper frequency seperation to promote that efficiency, and proper well ballanced amplification all come into play. A bit of a rant, but what's with the popular definitition of high end car audio anyhow? You watch some TV show like "Overhaulin'" or the like, and they put in some Sony Xplode coaxial speakers, some big subs, and it's high end? Give me a break.

You're right about running speaker and power wires seperately. Part of this is due to interference of the speaker signals by the power. Also, if you developed a short somewhere, and put higher amperage 12 volts through a speaker, it could damage the speaker, or go back and damage the amp. It's also referring to when you have amp power running long distances through thick wire. But, keep in mind that the factory wiring for the head unit, has all these wires loomed together

 

bringing this thread back to life..... i have a problem with no sound coming out also........ but the radio appears to be on and everything..... btw i have an aftermarket HU w/ the pac oem1....is it the headunit? or the amp.?

 

take a speaker out and put a DMM to the wires. see is it getting any signal.

 

Any way to put component speakers in? The car audio guy at best buy, said 4X6 speakers in the front and 6X9 for the back.

 

4x6 in the fron will fit the stock bose brackets.. i have 6" in my doors...i just cut the bracket with a dremel..works great... i think somebody on the .org fabricates those

 

do you have bose? if not, the fronts are indeed 4x6. james92se on here makes some mdf baffles that will allow you to fit 6.5s instead. simple bolt on mod, and plus his work is great.

 

I have a GXE that had the non-bose system. My deck and rear speakers were stolen Why? I don't know. Is there anything special i should know about putting a new aftermarket headunit and speakers in?