Hello,

this is the first time I'm posting on this forum, so forgive me if I have made any mistakes. I have read the audio sticky, but I can't seem to find what I need.

My bose head unit seems to have stopped working - just won't turn on. Rather than spending a ridiculous amount trying to get it fixed, I thought I would take it in to a store to get it replaced with an after market one. Apparently, bose makes this hell since they need to bypass the amp - this costs a lot of money too. I guess first of all, what do you think are my best options??

Second, I was thinking if I could just remove the head unit and wire an ipod (or similar) directly to the amp. Would this work? Or would I still need to bypass the amp? I am new to car audio (but am an electrical engineer), so I am not sure how they are commonly set up.

thank you,

Jai

 

there is an adapter the will allow you to use the amps that are on the bose.walmart $17. all the speaker wires pass thru this lil unit and bam music. most people on the board and myself would sugest getting new speakers but if you don't wanna spend the money this is an alternative.

 

An aftermarket headunit can easily be put into the Bose radios place. There are no adaptors needed except for the antenna, and a small pocket to fill the bottom portion of where the Bose would have been if your using the typical single din radio.

--Don

 

I was told by many audio places (maybe they were trying to rip me off) that I couldn't just pop in an after market unit (unless it was the same bose) since after market units have amplifiers already - therefore, I would have to bypass the amplifier which costs $$$. Is this not true?

Could you give me a name of a product so I could research it further?

I do'nt mind dropping $200-300 for a new deck if I can put one - but if it's too complicated and it requires a lot of labor, I figure it would be just as easy to use the amp/speakers that are there already.

 

anyone? I'm dying here!

 

Like Don' said, it can be done WITHOUT any adapters. All you need is the aftermarket wiring harness. You splice into the speaker wires (which are going into the bose amps) from the rca outs of the head unit. You're going to need to splice male connections to the wiring harness and plug them into the head unit. all done!.

 

ok, so let me see if I understand this correctly (like I said, I'm new, sorry )

My current setup is: Head unit -> Amplifier -> Speakers

You are saying all I have to do is: New Head unit -> Speakers ???

I do'nt need to run new wire or anything... just splice them? It seems a bit too simple - that or those stores were trying to seriously rip me off!

 

nope hehe NEW headunit / RCA's from NEW headunit -> Amps on bose speakers

 

and of course stores will try to rip you off, thats what they are in business for. you're simply taking the signal from the headunit and supplying it with the bose speakers. sadly, you will begin to get a popping sound because the amps will turn on and off between radio stations and when you remove cd's

 

this is the unit i mentioned.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-enRluUK...&avf=Y&search=
i guess you can use the method the others were say. but what if you wanna add a sub? if ya don't have front rca out pouts?

 

you could wire the output to an electronic crossover

 

ok, I think I'm getting this (slowly )

Using nismos14's method ... basically it should be a plug and play, no? I mean the speaker amps are wired directly to the head unit I currently have, so I should be able to just remove the head unit and splice on RCA connectors to connect to the new head unit, right? Won't there be a problem with the new head unit's amp being connected to another amp though? Or should I get something with preamp outs?

Using the connector that thekenone directed me too, it seems like a more 'proper' solution that really isn't any more difficult, correct? I should be able to splice on the RCA's for the new head unit and attach it to that box, and then the molex's on that box to my current speaker wires, correct?

IF I have these two methods down, I can alas make a decision

 

I did the same thing that Don(Pearl96Max) told you was possible when my Bose HU went out on me a few months back.. I recommend doing that because it was fairly cheap, since the $60 conertor WASN'T needed tp do the install.. But I think in time you would eventually wanna replace the speakers..

 

True - I will try just removing the head unit I have in there now this weekend, and maybe shop around for another head unit - something with preamp outs. I don't plan on going crazy, I just want my music back!! But in the future, if I decide to upgrade anything, with preamp outs, I should be able to theoretically remove the existing Bose speaker/amp combo's and put new stuff in. I just hope I understand all of this correctly

 

you can remove the bose, and use the headunits amp to power them, and skip the whole splicing rca's process

 

cool - thanks for your help guys, really appreciate it

 

ok, I'm so close to getting my HU out... how the hell do I remove the harness!!! I'm so impatient I am afraid I will break it if I try any more... I have attached a picture of it.

Harness

 

man this makes no sense... I plugged in the power cord again and put the head unit back in (since I can't get the damn harnesses off) for now.. and the Bose unit turns on. What the hell? But now there is no sound? The whole reason I was doing this is because I thought the head unit was bad and I could preserve the speakers.... but now the head unit is playing a CD, but there is no sound... possibility that the amps are gone too?

Then Ill be in serious ****.

 

there should be a couple of little tabs on those harnesses, push them in with a flat head screw driver, and pull at the same time