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Would you use the head unit to power all of the speakers or make use of the existing Bose amps?
Use the Bose amps to power the Bose system. The Bose amp has built in crossovers that are specific to the Bose system in your car.
Also, I did exactly this when I first got my car. The first thing I did was replace the head unit. You will be pleasantly surprised how much better everything sounds with a new head unit. So, if you are on a budget, start with a new head unit and as long as you are keeping the Bose woofers in the car, than power everything through the Bose amp.
And just an FYI, the Bose woofers in a 2012 don't have their own amps. There is only one amp in the later C6's that powers all the speakers and that's the one in the passenger footwell. Earlier C6's had separate built in amps for the woofers but I forgot what year they switched over to one single amp.
You think that Bose amp is better than the DSP & crossover in the Kenwood head unit?
No need to mess with the crossovers in the Kenwood as the Bose amp will take care of it for all the speakers. You can experiment with it if you chose as it won't hurt anything. As far as the DSP functions of the Kenwood, yes you will still have to set the EQ and mess with some of the tuning features to get the best sound possible, but somethings like time alignment and crossovers will be handled by the Bose amp.
One more suggestion, when you do the head unit make sure to add a backup camera also. Very easy to do your self. I consider an aftermarket head unit with a back up camera a must-do mod for C6 owners. Brings the car right into modern day.
One more suggestion, when you do the head unit make sure to add a backup camera also. Very easy to do your self. I consider an aftermarket head unit with a back up camera a must-do mod for C6 owners. Brings the car right into modern day.
I have a backup camera. plan was to upgrade and run them through the Kenwood deck.
My rear view mirror needed replacing so I bought one of the units that is a dashcam with a rear view camera. It displays through a monitor that looks like the rear view mirror.
I remember a few years ago there was a company that would help you hack into the factory navigation unit to add a back up camera. I thought maybe you had one of those since backup camera was never a factory option for a C6.
I replaced my head unit with a kenwood unit with bluetooth, installed front and rear view cameras and the microphone. Sound system is soooooo much better with the new head unit once you adjust the equalizer. Louder and much clearer! I did have a issue that plagued me for 8 months tho. I was Going back and forth with crutchfield trying to figure it out. Was the damn antenna cable that would backfeed the radio with alternator noise when the car was heat soaked. No idea at all why but pulled out the antenna lead, bose's system is garbage so without the 5 volts on the antenna to amplify the reception the aftermarket head unit will not get good am/FM reception.
Also, The HU X-over settings, while better than nothing, will send that signal to all amps associated with that channel. I need to research that HU a bit more before I can advise much further...
The head unit xover points can be set independently for front/rear/sub. I had the older version and it was really nice. It allowed me to do a bandpass xover (along with the amp crossover to my 10" midbass.
It was even easier when all you had was a Kraco 8 track and a pair of Base 48's on top of the rear deck lid.
I'm really dating myself with that comment
The head unit xover points can be set independently for front/rear/sub. I had the older version and it was really nice. It allowed me to do a bandpass xover (along with the amp crossover to my 10" midbass.
Understood...but you still don't want to send a filtered signal to the amp if you're using the amp filters. Better to use one or the other...not both.
