Subwoofer Upgrade to Bose Touring Stereo
 

I’m not exactly pleased with the Bose Stereo included in the Touring package, but I don’t really want to replace the entire system. What I’m planning to do is install an IPod adaptor and an HD Radio tuner. I would also like to replace the subwoofer with something that has some more kick to it, but I don’t want to take up any trunk space. Is there anything on the market that directly replaces the bose sub? It would be great to be able to unplug it, remove it and put something better in its place.

Any ideas on this?

Any and all help will be most appreciated.

~Rob

i would get a better HU with more eq control and use the speakers you got.

Rob, you might try calling a few manufacturers directly after taking some dimensions of the Bose sub? Just a thought...good luck.

You are not going to be able to just change out the sub on the bose model. The bose amp is not strong enough to power a real sub. Also even if you did replace the sub, the bose system is still going to restrict the power going to it just as it does with the stock one. Your best bet is to replace the entire system or use a mtx re-q and install a new amp and a new sub. Or replace the head unit and when you do that you are going to have to replace the rest of the stuff.

I used to be big in to car audio. I sold most of my old equipment on eBay before I sold my last car, but I kept the three amps (Phoenix Gold M50 and two M25s). I don't have an issue installing one of the amps and a new sub, but I really don't want to change out the head unit. I will lose the steering wheel controls and the bluetooth connection.

Is it possible to just replace the stock amp and sub, but keep the OEM head unit?

As of right now there are no aftermarket wiring harnesses to integrate a new head unit in with the bose system. Also most of today's head units have built in blue tooth and there is a adapter so you can still use your streering wheel controls. I still say go with the base model and get an aftermarket head unit with the blue tooth and buy the streetlight wheel kit. I recommend the kenwood 6140 just a great unit also has biul in garmin gps.

I already have the 370z with the Touring package, so there's no going back now. I was hoping to do a cost effective upgrade and not have to take apart to much of the interior of the car. I guess that's out the window now.

^^ You got it sorry to give you the bad news. A lot of use try to warn people about the head aches with the bose system before they buy.

Well honestly I would have gotten it anyway. I like the touring package because of the power/heated seats, sport pedals and the other creature comforts. I'm sure some manufacturer will eventually come out with something to replace the sub and amp.

You can do a high output speaker level to RCA converter from the stock Bose subwoofer wires. I recommend using converterd from Soundgate. They are a bit costly but they are the best and they have one that will work for your needs. The unit is the LOC42

I like them because they are transformerless unlike the cheap ones. This unit will take 85watts input per channel.

LOC42 - SoundGate.com

I used one in my Landrover to add a subwoofer to the factory Harmon Kardon ICE system. I kept the factory deck and speakers as they were 3-ways in the doors and they sounded great for a stock system but I just wanted a sub for some bottom end.

Ok, that's part of the solution. Now I need to find something to replace the stock sub without to many modifications. Does anyone make something that will fit in it's place?

The stock sub is a 2 ohm load and probably only putting out 50 watts, by putting a new one in it would not only have to be 2 ohms but be very efficient. And you still have the problem of the bose system clipping the power to whatever sub because it still thinks it is the stock one and that is how bose makes there stuff. It is made for when you turn up the volume certain freq are cut and that will still be done so your new sub will not be able to work to it's full potential.

So it looks like I'm pretty much stuck with it. My choices are deal with it, or totally replace it. If it weren't for the cost, the steering wheel controls and the bluetooth, I would be fine with replacing it.

I'm going to go over to the local audio shop next week and talk to them. They do high end work, so I'll see what they have to say.

Where are you in Maryland?

I live about 20 minutes north of Annapolis.

Wait a second here..!!

I have a 370Z Touring.. So this means that I cannot replace ONLY my head unit and keep the stock Bose speakers, amp, and subwoofer..??

Am I understanding this correctly..?? If so, WHY..??

The head unit has a pre output that goes to the bose amp. When you take your stock bose head unit amp you need a adapter that can plu into your pre outs and than connect to the harness that goes to the bose amp. Some say well I will jsut bypass the amp. But it is not that simple the bose speakers are 2 ohms so you would blow your new head units built in amp if you hook them up to it. Because the head unit can only support 4 ohm speakers. That is why as of right now if you want to change anything in the bose system you have to change it all. Also even if you did just change the head unit with an adapter the bose system will still analyze and fade out the frequency that it thinks will distort the speakers. Even if you change those speakers to aftermarket the system still thinks they are bose.

Holy crap!

So, the thing is, I already bought a new head unit and the PAC SWI-JACK for the steering wheel controllers. I also bought the Metra dash kit and the two Scosche wire harnesses (antenna and the other one, NAA2B and NN04B).

I won't be able to get this running as easy as I thought then... I really, REALLY, don't want to spend more money on this.. I have no actual need for changing the stock speakers and subwoofer, I like how they sound...

Is there ANY way I can get around this..??

In a word NO. As I said you will blow your head unit if you hook up your head unit to your bose speakers. The only way would be to get the bose wiring harness which from what I have just looked at they do not have one out. Ya this is why people hate bose or try to stay away from it a big PITA You will either have to replace the head unit and the speakers and run new wire or wait and see and hope that the bose harness comes out soon.

Or you can keep the head unit, and use a JL clean sweep and integrate that into eh bose system than use new aftermarket amps and new speakers. That is your other choice.

This is what I am talking about. This is NOT the one for the 370z but you get the idea. The rca plugs into the back fo the head unit and the other side into your stock bose wiring. That is what is NOT available right now. "that I know of who knows you could buy it and try it the worst that would happen is that you can not use it"

Metra 70-7551 Bose AMP Wire Harness, Car Stereo Kits, Audio Wiring Harnesses, Installation Equipment, Electronics, Accessories & Adapters

Also this is the dash kit.

http://www.autosoundcentral.com/Metr..._p/997607b.htm

I already bought the Metra Dash Kit... The Metra Bose amp wire harness is available for the 350Z from the link that you provided, so hopefully they will make one for the 370Z soon as well..??

What do you mean with a JL clean sweep..?? Not familiar with this..

Yes hopefully so they will make one I was just showing you what I was talking about. The jl clean sweep allows you to add aftermarket amps to your stock system. It is a factory integration device but that would have you use the stock head unit and have to splice wires and such.

Here's my 2 cents from what i remember from my audio install on my volvo...

My Volvo c30 had the premium sound system by dynaudio with 10 surround sound speaker. i wanted to just add a sub for more bass but some dealers said no u cant do it we must change ur splits also bla bla... But i went to a good installer and they explained what they could do so that i can use my normal speakers powered by the stock amp and still add a sub was to:

1) add a splitter to the current harness to they could tap into the sound i think its like the jl clean sweep. i cant remember the name but it wasn't expensive. Then what we did was put bass blockers on the stock speakers so they had no bass. They then connected the sub and to a separate small Rockford amp i had and voila they sorted it.

I had full use of stock HU and the sound was amazing and i pumped it all the time and not 1 problem to the stock speakers as they were still only running on the stock amp.

im planning on getting them to do an install on my 370z as well but just add one 10" or two 8" Rockford Subs.

The thing with the volvo is it probably didn't have the bose system. Probably an infinity or hardon/kardon system which is much easier than the bose. But yes you still have to use the JL clean sweep and have everything work in the bose system only it will probably sound different because of the bose eq.

FYI

Volvo has forged an alliance with Dynaudio..............

I'm really pissed about this. I really don't want to lose the XM radio, controls on the steering wheel and the bluetooth (also controls on the steering wheel). All I wanted to do to this system was upgrade the sub for a little more bass, add in an HD radio adaptor and an Ipod adaptor. I'm still planning to install the two adaptors, but I guess the sub will have to remain as is.

It just pisses me off that my Grilfriend's Sentra Special Edition has a Rockford system (stock) that has a lot more punch to it.

I've said this before and I'll say it again: Bose is way over rated and over priced.

:iagree:

What the guy I did work for today did was buy the base model and had a shop install the leather seats as if they came stock. Saved a ton of money and still was able to install a nice system. Bose nope just needs to get out of car audio and even home audio.


You can add a sub but you will not be able to use the bose amp or anything. What you will have to do is buy a MTX RE-Q install that into the bose sub amp than install a new amp and install your new sub.

Bigaudiofanat makes a great suggestion. I had the Re-Q in my Titan running off the stock stereo (didn't want to replace the HU and lose BT and steering wheel controls either) and it worked great. I had 2 10" subs and it sounded great compared to the stock subs in that truck.

Well there is more to the Touring package then just the leather seats. Heated and power seats, the trunk cover, homelink, bluetooth with steering wheel controls, auto dimming rear view mirror and a few other little things I can't think of right this sec.

I will have to look more in to the MTX RE-Q, but at least I already have an after market amp that I'm not using. I can use that with out any additional cost.

I'm researching the same issue, Spartan. I want to keep the Bose unit, steering controls, blutooth, etc. but replace the speakers and subs. Using the info BigAudio offered, I found this article about factory sound processors that helped me understand (I'm pretty clueless with audio): Factory Sound Processors... they'll upgrade your sound and let you keep your factory stereo.

Basically says the same stuff that BigAudio was saying with some product recommendations... they also mention the MTX Re-Q.

I'm sorta thinking along the same lines. Keeping the head unit, and replace amp and speakers, adding in a JL 500/5 and a sub. I'm not sure I understand the difference between the MTX re-Q and the cleansweep. It looks like the MTX is just going to balance the levels and provide a good sub signal, and the cleansweep does that with some EQ.

JL clean sweep used for speaker amp on the bose system

MTX Re-Q used for the sub amp on the bose system you need both.

Confused. There is a plug for an iPod on the Bose unit already, no? There's one on mine!

:ugh2:

Did some more reading on these. Does the stock Bose head unit have a 5 channel output, or just 4?

It seems the proper way to set this up is to plug the head unit into the Re-Q, with the sub output going to the sub amp, the 4 line level then into the clean sweep, and the output of that to the speaker amp. Right?

It would be nice if the clean sweep also provided the function of the Re-Q, creating a proper sub signal.

Also, is there going to be a big drop off in sound quality by using the head unit volume control, rather than the clean sweep master volume control? One of the reasons for keeping the stock head unit is to have all the controls and such work like stock. I was hoping to get a Z with the touring options and NAV, hard drive and so on.

The bose has 5 outputs 4 for speakers but you only will need 2 for the front speakers and a sub out or low freq output.

The sub output should go threw a re-q because if not the output from the head unit will vary as your turn up the volume because of the possessor built in for alternating the frequency's.

You will not have drop off IF you install the jl and re-q. If you do not and just install the amps and run the wires from the bose to tha amps it will alternate every time you turn up the volume.

Trust me their really is no easier way than either to install them or rip everything out and start fresh. Also even if you pull your still out and install new you can have an aux input and control your head unit using the pac control box.

So you reccomend only using 6.5 components in the front, and a sub? Are there no rear speakers in the Z?

Wish there was somebody like you in Dallas. I'd just drop off the car and a check and not have to worry about this stuff.

LOL I know what you mean.:tup:

But the bose system does have rear speakers do I recommend using them NO. Nor to replace them. I mean you could but their so small that they really do not need to be their. Nor do they need to be their in the first place.

370zsteve:
If you have navigation, you'll have an Ipod jack. If you don't have nav, you don't have one.

I am still not sure one would need both an re-q and a clean sweep when thinking about keeping the stock head unit. Wouldnt we only need the re-q for both the bass response as well as the line live to pre amp outputs??