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Rocky
06-23-2003, 05:13 AM
I wan to put a box in my trunk. I was looking at:

12" JL 12W0 subwoofer in a JL PowerEdge spec sealed box.
JVC KS-AX4700 250w RMS bridged, 560w Max

Is it possible to use this with the stock bose set up?

CTOWN-BENZ
06-23-2003, 05:18 AM
I installed a sub with my Bose system in my 2000 C-280. I tapped off the two rear deck speakers and ran them to the HIGH level input on the power amplifier. I grabbed the REMOTE ON off of the existing bose amplifier to turn on the amp. The color of the cable I used for the REMOTE ON was blue/white located next to the +12v and GND wires on the connector.

The two rear deck speakers, at least on my car, were already crossed over for low frequency


-B-

Rocky
06-23-2003, 05:20 AM
Thanks man..so you bascially by passed the whole bose amp? you not using it?

CTOWN-BENZ
06-23-2003, 05:39 AM
No, I did not bypass the amp at all. I just paralleled off of the two rear deck speakers to feed my new amplifier. As for the REMOTE ON, I just spliced into the REMOTE ON going to the Bose amplifier to turn on the new amplifier.

The only thing the new amplifier is powering is my sub. The Bose system is still completly intact. I just wanted some extra low end.

-B-

Rocky
06-23-2003, 06:30 AM
Thanks C-Town, that's exactly what I want to do. Just add some low bass.

Does anyone have a wiring diagram of the stock AMP?

nokia8860
06-23-2003, 08:03 AM
kameraguy showed us his beat this past weekend. I thunk he is running a sub w/ amp along with his stock stuff.

kameraguy
06-23-2003, 08:08 AM
Actually in my case the bose amp is out of the pic completely. I'm using the stock speakers, but with a new 5 ch amp for all speakers + the sub.

nokia8860
06-23-2003, 08:34 AM
Originally posted by kameraguy
Actually in my case the bose amp is out of the pic completely. I'm using the stock speakers, but with a new 5 ch amp for all speakers + the sub.

So how does it sound, stock speakers, running from a higher wattage amp?

kameraguy
06-23-2003, 09:29 AM
I find the stock speakers are quite good with the newer amp. As you recall nokia, when you installed my first Alpine HU, there was an increase in sound quality....most likely from the HU. Now that i'm using a new Alpine HU and amp, I notice a further increase in sound quality.

The mids and highs are much more clear, and the bass is of course more defined (read: actually there).

I think the HU made the most significant increase in sound quality, and the higher-power amp is able to drive the stock speakers better than the bose.

I'm by no means a car audiophile, and acknowledge my setup is not fancy and quite budget compared to other folk. But for me, it was a huge improvement over the OEM bose setup.

I think adding a sub to an existing OEM setup would be fine too. After a while I got used to and actually enjoyed the Bose system. I think it's alright. It is a decent all-around system. For classical and easy listening it sounds fine. For pop and rock, the much needed bass is probably the only complaint I had.

pnsji
06-23-2003, 09:33 AM
Originally posted by Rocky
Thanks C-Town, that's exactly what I want to do. Just add some low bass.

Does anyone have a wiring diagram of the stock AMP?

You do not need a wiring diagram from a stock amp.

to run a subwoofer you need couples things:
1. The sound signal (tap from rear deck speakers as high level input).
2. Remote turn on lead (you can tap from the bose amplifier remote turn on - blue/white or antenna turn on lead-blue )
3. Power wire (just get from the battery right away).

JRE320
06-23-2003, 12:28 PM
I got almost the same set up like Kameraguy. I'm still using all my stock speakers with a 4ch Kicker amp and a 2ch Kicker amp to ran my 2 10"JL sub open box. I've interchanged then with my 2 12" MTX sub and as Kam said no fancy quite budget compaired to other folks. If u are not in need of your trunk space then I guess you can customized you entire trunk with some nice blue lights. ;) :)

ricerokets4life
07-22-2004, 03:20 PM
nvm

unHookt
12-18-2004, 08:10 PM
exactly what I want to do. I've been reading that there's no way to add an upgraded HU without rewiring the car and adding new speakers. Is this all BS? Apparently the Bose speakers are running on lower impedence (2 ohms?) vs. "normal" systems?

for those of you who have added subs to the stock system, do you find it to improve things overall? I've also read that adding subs to a stock bose system ruins the sound, since the whole thing was "custom designed" for the car interior and because those 2 speakers on the rear deck are already subs anyway.

what do you all think?

KenzBenz
12-19-2004, 12:05 AM
Originally posted by pnsji
You do not need a wiring diagram from a stock amp.

to run a subwoofer you need couples things:
1. The sound signal (tap from rear deck speakers as high level input).
2. Remote turn on lead (you can tap from the bose amplifier remote turn on - blue/white or antenna turn on lead-blue )
3. Power wire (just get from the battery right away).

can you explain step 1? do you run 2 wires from each of the deck speakers or just 2 wires from one of the deck speakers for a signal?

miniman78
12-20-2004, 11:44 AM
Originally posted by KenzBenz
can you explain step 1? do you run 2 wires from each of the deck speakers or just 2 wires from one of the deck speakers for a signal?

miniman78
12-20-2004, 11:47 AM
yo where you get those rims from are they from delisi2322 get back to me

unHookt
12-20-2004, 09:09 PM
any clarification on that step?

KenzBenz
12-23-2004, 09:11 PM
anyone? and how do you convert to high level input? like make the wires into rca ends?

unHookt
12-24-2004, 11:08 AM
i'm pretty sure you can use a converter for the rca's

still wondering which speaker(s) to tap for the subs and where to tap it/them. Can this be done at the amp?

KenzBenz
12-24-2004, 01:07 PM
hey unhookt, i think maybe you can just tape into the stock wiring harness by the deck. i think theres a left and right rear speaker wire, + and -. so get rca ends and tap into those. im going to try that today maybe.

unHookt
12-25-2004, 04:53 PM
any luck?

KenzBenz
12-25-2004, 06:52 PM
well i gave up at the moment because i didnt have my aftermarket harness with me to compare to, to see which wires were the rear deck speakers...oh does anyone know which wires are for the rear speakers?

unHookt
12-25-2004, 08:42 PM
http://www.club202.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=19298

KenzBenz
12-26-2004, 09:09 PM
in the diagram in B, these are for the speakers on the door, so where are the ones for the rear deck speakers?

pnsji
12-26-2004, 11:04 PM
you need a converter
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-6mhIdG54Auf/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=101PL2&search=level+converter

KenzBenz
12-27-2004, 01:50 PM
yea i just bought one today, was trying to save 25 bucks and just buy some rca ends at radio shack but its raining, its far, and im too lazy.

KenzBenz
12-27-2004, 03:25 PM
got it to work, sounds pretty good, do you guys know what the adjustments are on the hi lo converter, theres 2 dial things you can mess with, what do those do?

pnsji
12-28-2004, 05:58 AM
Originally posted by KenzBenz
got it to work, sounds pretty good, do you guys know what the adjustments are on the hi lo converter, theres 2 dial things you can mess with, what do those do?
It adjust the level of the output. So let's say at the lowest setting, the output is at 1 volts, if you crank it up, you can have to 4 volts. of course you need to set it to fit your amp.

KenzBenz
12-28-2004, 09:44 AM
Originally posted by pnsji
It adjust the level of the output. So let's say at the lowest setting, the output is at 1 volts, if you crank it up, you can have to 4 volts. of course you need to set it to fit your amp.

i see, thanks =) another question, more volts = cleaner sound correct?

pnsji
12-28-2004, 10:13 AM
Originally posted by KenzBenz
more volts = cleaner sound correct?

NO. Depends on the sensitivity of your amp.

unHookt
12-28-2004, 10:17 AM
ken- any noticeable rattles etc? Are you hearing a noticeable improvement over the Bose system? Also, did you disconnect the stock woofers on the rear deck or are you running a sub in addition to those?

thanks!

97Brabus
12-28-2004, 04:41 PM
My opinion on this whole scenario is to:

a) if you are gonna do it, do it right and replace all interior speakers and pull out the bose amp. (remember you are running 2 ohm speakers with a 4 ohm amp)
b) avoid using a low level converter at all cost. Those things generally suck and overheat amplifiers
c) though interior volume levels are lower (i.e. interior speakers sound better/louder with the bose deck or entirely swapped system) swap your deck for an aftermarket one, use adapters from the deck to the low level leads to the bose amp and run rca's to your sub. You can get away with rca to speaker line converters (this is not a low level adapter) or go with the fancy neovo adapters made especially to tap to a bose system. For this option you are using the bose amp and only tapping the remote on wire (blue/white one.)

I went with option C recommended/installed by the #1 installer in the Northwest, Innovative Audio (famous for work on cars of Gary Payton, Jay Buhner, A-Rod, etc.) They broke it down to me like that and makes sense though my electrician skills are elementary

or you could go with option D and send Bose an email tell them they screwed up your plans to get noticed on the Blvd. :cool:

KenzBenz
12-30-2004, 02:16 PM
Using the converter is decent but definitely not as clean with my aftermarket HU(in the repair shop right now) but it works. unhookt, with the extra bass from the sub, it did rattle but i just folded up some paper and stuck it in some areas. no more rattle unless i turn the bass up. i didnt unhook the stock rear speakers. In my opinion the bose interior speakers are not bad, you just need to give it some power because when i used my aftermarket deck with the built in amp the speakers were very clean and crisp. Compare that to the stock amp the sound is muffled or not clear.

97Brabus
12-30-2004, 03:17 PM
Yep, I noticed a loss in clarity running my stock interior speakers from the HU power. Mostly that can be attributed to the impedence differences. I would suspect that it's not as bad for the Bose amp, interior speakers, or HU because of the low wattage coming out of the deck and going into the Bose amp, but it's not ideal and doesn't sound as good as running a fully compatible match of input signal and amp to speaker impedence rating.

Maybe I should look for an aftermarket amp that can run all interior speakers at 2ohms without bridging. Bah....stereo schmereo....I think I'll spend the money elsewhere. :D

pnsji
12-30-2004, 04:31 PM
My friend is running OEM head unit with Converter and he place 2nd in the IASCA Sound Quality competition. He can't replace the OEm head unit since it controls the climate control as well. In the end, it all depends on your converter and setting.

KenzBenz
12-30-2004, 06:20 PM
i guess its not really the HU that affects the sound then its what amp and speakers you use and the settings. If you have a 4 ch amp, how do you wire that to your stock speakers?

pnsji
12-30-2004, 07:19 PM
HU definitely play a big role since it is the source of the signal. However, given the stock speaker and stock amp, using converter or not might not be noticeable. For my friend's case, he uses a really good converter.

Given a 4 channels amp, you can buy a pair of passive crossover, so the 2 Front channel will go to the crossover, and then each crossover will split the sound, for tweeter and mids. The 2 rear channel will just connect to the rear door speakers.

Eiknujrac
02-27-2005, 02:23 PM
Ok, I hate to bring up an old thread, but ive searched and haven't found anything.

I need to tap into the two rear deck subs on my 1998 C280, is this possible to do at the connector of the Bose amp in the trunk? If so, what wire colors are they.

I've seen the wiring diagram posted on this site (and in this topic) but it says nothing about the two rear subs, just the front and rear speakers.

Thanks in advance.

97Brabus
03-02-2005, 07:21 AM
If you are tapping for signal I wouldn't use the sub leads (from the amp to the sub...well...actually woofer) because the signal is weak on that channel versus the rear deck main speakers. If you're using it for lowpass x-over integrated into the bose amp I would just tap the main speakers and use an external x-over or the one built into the amp. I've got an MTX x-over I am not using that takes line level inputs if you are interested in making a deal on it...

If you go with your original plan, just trace the colors from the rear deck woofers. If you can't see the wires from inside the trunk, pop out your first aid kit and you will see them. Be careful pulling it out though as you might rip the rear deck...

You may also want to clarify what you are attempting to do exactly to get advice that might help more.

unHookt
04-21-2005, 02:38 PM
just dropped an infinity basslink into my trunk. securely mounted, the trunk rattles a lot. gonna have to do some isolation I suppose...

still, the bass is a lot better, though not as good as the same sub sounded in my old acura integra. I guess the trunk is sealed too well...

any ideas of what I can do to get more bass into the cabin? I was thinking of pulling one of the stock woofers and leaving the space empty but getting those rear deck speakers out is a b*tch!

pnsji
04-21-2005, 03:41 PM
Try to remove the rear deck speaker. to remove them, you need to remove the rear deck.

unHookt
04-22-2005, 12:39 PM
removing those is a real pain. is there a tutorial somewhere on this site or elsewhere?

pnsji
04-22-2005, 01:41 PM
Originally posted by unHookt
removing those is a real pain. is there a tutorial somewhere on this site or elsewhere?
yes. do a search.