Bose head unit w aftermarket speakers/amp?

My aftermarket head unit (in my 95 SE when I bought it used) recently gave out. I'm thinking about finding an original factory cds/tape/radio and using it with my existing aftermarket amp and nice speakers. I know the output signal from the Bose is rather low - would that work with an aftermarke amp? Anyone know the Bose output level? Is there an adaptor/converter out there that would mate the Bose headunit with my MTX Thunder 5400 amp? I'd like the stock head unit for appearance and ease of use, big buttons etc.... Is this idea feasible? Is this a lousy idea? Any/all insights appreciated. TIA -- Bob

Reply to
BeeP
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The Bose HUs are crap (in terms of reliability). Just get another aftermarket HU and you won't regret it. Get a Bose today and you may have another non-working HU in a day, week, month, etc.

Cheers, Nirav

Reply to
njmodi

Best thing I ever did for my 92 SE, bought new, was to trash the bose system.

Reply to
bud smith

It's not about output, it's about expected ohms. Most aftermarket setups run with 8/4 ohm speakers. The Bose system had 0.5 ohm speakers. The Bose HU will put out plenty of wattage, but only if the speakers are correct. Otherwise there's too much resistance, and even at full volume, you won't get enough sound.

The reverse is also true. A friend of mine put an aftermarket HU in his '90 GXE without an adapter, and he couldn't turn the volume up past 1 without being blown out of the car. Even at 1 it was difficult to keep a conversation going.

Probably not. You can use an aftermarket HU with the Bose speakers/amps, but not the reverse.

Yes. Just buy a new HU. Besides, the original Bose was nice, but not that nice. I have an Alpine deck and it is vastly superior to the Bose in nearly every way.

Reply to
Bill G

To do it right, you really have to swap EVERYTHING out; HU, speakers, even the wiring they use for Bose systems needs to be replaced. It's not as expensive as you think; it can be done for well under a grand. Just don't skimp on the HU, and you can upgrade the other stuff as you go along.

Reply to
Rich

It can be done for much less than $1000. A decent HU is around $200, and each set of speakers will be $100 each. This is without an amp. You can spend less than that if you want to, but I went with an Alpine HU and Rockford Fosgates all around.

And you can use the existing wiring. You'll just have to make sure the ends go where they're supposed to. If you want to add an amp, you will need to do some re-wiring, both to the speakers and to the battery. In that case, I suggest not using the existing and put good stuff in.

You can buy non-Bose speaker housings for the front doors from the dealer. On my '91, it would allow me to go from 4" to 4"x6" in the fronts. Or you could do what I actually did, and that is make your own speaker housings for the front that permit a 6½" speaker. Significantly better sound than a

4"x6" can offer.

Bill G

. Just don't

Reply to
Bill G

You can mix and match Bose with non-bose. Look here;

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I bought the PD4 for my 98 Max SE, replaced my Bose HU but kept the bose amps/speakers. The PD4 interfaced between the 2. What is beautiful about the PD4 is that you keep the Bose sound and upgrade your HU. I put in a Clarion unit which gave me MP3 capability on the CD player. The Clarion was a way better quality unit than the OEM HU.

Do yourself a favor and don't replace everything. If you do remove the bose amp/speakers, you lose the Bose sound. Bose may have reliability issues, but the one huge advantage of the bose system is that the sound was tuned to your car. Once you replace the speakers and amps, you get more power etc and maybe larger frequency range, but the frequency balance is just gone.

CD

Reply to
Codifus

that is what they make equalizers and sound processors for. and you can tailor the sound to how you like it not how bose thinks you like it.

Reply to
sbb78247

But his speakers are 10 years old, and probably dried out. He may have had the Bose sound, but that's a long time for speakers. It may not be as balanced as the original, but the quality will be higher, and adding an amp/equalizer will allow him to tune it for that car.

Reply to
Bill G

Yes, if the speakers are 10 years old, then they are about done. If you can get exact replacements though, that may be a wise move.

Adding an amp only gets you more power which is simply higher SPLs. An equalizer would only be the beginning of what would be needed to begin achieve the Bose sound. From what I've observed, the Bose system has automatic and adjustable loudness, and the EQ for the front speakers is distinct from the EQ of the rear speakers. In order for an after market system to have all the acoustical adjustments in the bose system, you'd really have to spend at least $2500. You would get a more powerful system, a better quality system, and also, most importantly, a system with the acoustics tuneable to the car itself.

CD

Reply to
codifus

Factory look and big buttons notwithstanding...why bother? The Bose-"massaged" Clarion H/Us were/are anemic performers at best; they aren't worth the time of day if you want good sonic performance, even with the best aftermarket amps and speakers. Plus, at this point they're all a decade old with all the usual Nissan nasties that come with age and disintegrating solder connections.

I'd replace that dead aftermarket with another, if I were in your place. A lot more straightforward with what you have already, even if it doesn't have the factory-look, as if a Maxima would ever benefit from looking 'factory'.

Reply to
ihatespam

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