WHAT'S UP GUYZ... I REALLY LIKE MY BOSE HEAD UNIT AND THE BOSE SPEAKERS BUT I WANTED A LITTLE MORE BASE OUT OF IT. I WAS WONDERING IF I COULD JUST ADD SUBS TO IT WITH AN AMP AND IF I DID THIS HOW WOULD IT SOUND...OR IS THERE ANY OTHER OPTION THAT WILL GIVE ME MORE BASE OUT OF MY STOCK BOSE SYSTEM? PLEASE HELP....THANX

 

Yes you can add more bass. What you need to do is get an amp, subwoofer, and wires. The stock head unit doesn't have rcas on the back so you need to get the left and right channel from the rear leaft and right speakers. You then run these lines to a box which will convert the ohms from .45(bose) to 4ohms(amp). Then you simply run two rcas to your amp and your done. Just hook up your amp to power and ground and connect the sub with some speaker wire. O also you need to hook up a wire that connects to the head unit to tell the amp to turn on with the head unit otherwise it will always be on. Have fun.

 

I am going tommorow to a audio shop about 2 hours from here that I am getting a great deal on stuff.... I am getting kicker solobarics l7 (the square subs) put in w/ kenwood amps powering.. I have the bose system, and so I will let you know. I know that everything is pre-amped for the bose, so there might be some stuff that has to be done besides just adding the amp and subs.. I'll let you know tommorow.

 

IIRC, the Bose has amps built into each speaker. If you are taking the signal from the speaker wires (before it reaches the speaker/amp) it will not be amplified. I have a cable spliced into the speaker wire going to a line level converter. From there, RCA's can be plugged directly into the amp and you're good to go.

 

It's not too bad. Wasn't too hard. My friend has the Bose and subs, sounds pretty good with his setup.
K

 

ANY BODY HAS ANY IDEA HOW TO DO THIS? I WANTED TO DO THIS MYSELF TO SAVE SOME MONEY AND SPEND THAT EXTRA MONEY ON GETTING BETTER SUBS....THANX FOR ALL YOUR HELP...

 

dont get the square subs. then you have to make a custom box = $$$ get round ones and buy a pre-fab box. as for saving cash...hi/low converter.

 

You need a high/low converter to get the signal off of the rear speaker.

 

I'd suggest you just take the wires from the rear deck speakers, plug em into an amp, and then buy a pair of subs and build your own box (Wood glue, and 3/4" MDF.. You'll need something to trace out the circles with, and a little jigsaw, or a router with a circle tool for the holes) ... Glue the box up, screw it tight, let it dry, and kapoof, instant $40 buck savings from the pre-fab boxes (and it usually results in a better box quality as well).

The amp is going to require you to run a power cable to it though, getting that through the firewall can be a pain, but other than that, the rest should be easy. The stock bass on the bose system was surprisingly good imo. I found the addition of a sub turned me into a basshead a little much, but if you keep the crossover low (75-), it will still be a good addition to the system

 

ive had one jl 12 inch w6 with the bose that sounded beautiful, great full bass. Then i upgraded to three 12 inch w 6's it was too much wattage of bass for the bose, it sounded boomey. Get two name brand subs and one amp,you wont be dissapointed.

 

i used to use a q-logic single sub box with a 12JLwo, i now have the same speaker in a JL audio powerwedge box and it sounds 3x better. i couldnt believe it. get a good box to get full potential from your system. do it right the first time and save money in the long run.
just my two cents.

 

hmmm, is there a really good brand out there for the rca box (high/low converter)? so you splice the rear spreaker wires? why not at the front?

 

I would get a converter with level controls, but the amp you have probabily has gain controls already. Anyway, you tap off the rear speakers because it is a lot easier. They are right there...they are visable so you don't have to take stuff apart to get to them and you only need a few feet of RCA wire.

 

does anyone know of a namebrand? i don't wanna buy a crappy one. i have zapco amps and will run the wires from the front. i don't want any visible wires hanging.

 

I think that a company makes a unit that plugs into the Bose factory harness that gives you rca jacks directly from the head unit. No line inputs.

Anyone remember the company?

 

http://www.linkmeup.com/
This is what i found in a post from way back. I haven't tried it yet though but i will when i install my box.

 

I got my stuff today, and I have a friend that is going to try and hook it up tommorow. I got a kicker solobaric l7 10" square sub in a custom Kicker rep built ported box that will shove - I am just wondering, is there anything special I need to do, I have heard all the different talk on here.

Can I just splice the rear speaker wires into my amp and let it roll? or do I need this other garbage, like the harnesses and stuff.... ? Thanks!

 

I still have the stock BOSE head unit and speakers with 3 12" JLW0, XTant 1001D & cap. I had the guys at HiFi Buys here in Atlanta just do the install and build the box. I supplied the equipment. The installer ran the signal off the rear deck speakers and did a nice job with the power/ground wires. The box fits just snug under the rear deck speakers and looks good. Loud as hell! Good luck...

 

<img src="http://www.geocities.com/ericdwong/woofers.JPG">

I have the stock Bose headunit on my car. The signal that is going from the Bose headunit to the Bose speaker/amps are +5 volt balanced line. Fortunately for me, I discovered that AudioControl components are able to accept a balanced line signal. So, I tapped off of the 4 signals using 2 AudioControl EQX EQ/crossover units. From there, the fronts are fed by an amp and MB Quart component speakers. The rear of the car has Soundstream SPL SPL60 speakers, and 2 15" Kicker XPL woofers. For more info on audiocontrol products go to http://www.audiocontrol.com.

 

Me and my dad spent 2 hours trying to figure out how to hook the sub up and actually have bass comeing out of my sub.. We ended up hooking the wire directly into the amp inthe back right speaker(each rear speaker has its own amp built into it) and then ran the other wires...after that i about blew my head off while i was in the trunk. Now i have a Sony CDX-M600 and it has its own level(bass treable, fade etc. and an added one called SUB... it has its own low line out plug so iu can plug my sub directly into the CD player i love it i suggest it. keep s you from haveing to get out every time and turn the amp down with out adjusting your own presets in the audio levels all you have to do is turn down the sub and i can do it from my CD player. Just an Idea man. hope it helps.

 

I belive the company that makes that converter for the line connector from the head unit is http://www.linkmeup.com/

I am getting confused, if I use a line converter to tap into my rear speakers, do I tap into the speaker wires after they are amplified or before?

Also, by tapping in with this line converter, will it draw extra power from the amp and possibly blow the bose amp?

Thanks,

Lefty

 

Check out this web site for BOSE conversion kits.

http://www.linkmeup.com./index.html

 

Yeah, that's the stuff I'm using to change my bose head unit. It's a bit pricey, but they seem to be the only ones that grab the clean signal from your head unit, before its amplified, and send it to the subwoofer. For the subwoofer application, you need the PD-2. I've got the PD4 for my head unit swap. Just waiting for my head unit now . . . .

DW

 

I had soo much trouble with my bose and subs (I've run sony's, earthquake, JL, Kicker solobaric l7's, and kicker XPL's) it gave me big headaches because of the stupid signal bose puts out..

I picked up a Audiocontrol Overdrive unit, and all is well. You have to get the line level converter to make it RCA's before they go into the overdrive unit, then you just set the line level whatever you want it to be.. sounds 1000x better.

Still not perfect as I would like with a new headunit, but I like BOSE's sound from the speakers so much I'm not going to make the huge investment to replace the whole system, etc.. that PD thing looks like it would work too, I'd like to try one, but I definately suggest a Overdrive unit.

 

I had soo much trouble with my bose and subs (I've run sony's, earthquake, JL, Kicker solobaric l7's, and kicker XPL's) it gave me big headaches because of the stupid signal bose puts out..

I picked up a Audiocontrol Overdrive unit, and all is well. You have to get the line level converter to make it RCA's before they go into the overdrive unit, then you just set the line level whatever you want it to be.. sounds 1000x better.

Still not perfect as I would like with a new headunit, but I like BOSE's sound from the speakers so much I'm not going to make the huge investment to replace the whole system, etc.. that PD thing looks like it would work too, I'd like to try one, but I definately suggest a Overdrive unit.