Replacing the Bose
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,204
Likes: 4
From: Midland Georgia
St. Jude Donor '06
Replacing the Bose
Need some tips on this install. Not much traffic from C4 owners over in the Audio section.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/audi...ject-prep.html
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/audi...ject-prep.html
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
I believe to make it work using the Bose ECM and Bose speakers you will need an adapter cable, if one is made. It is probably easier, and in my opinion better, to replace the old dried out speakers and their troublesome amplifiers. When doing this you will need new wires from the new radio to the new speakers.
I just put a new radio, speakers, wire, and amp in my C4 and the sound is great. Plus the new radio plays AM, FM and HD FM, Pandora, plus CDs and it also works from an Ipod or a flash drive. I bought an 8 GB flash drive, loaded 65 CDs on it and have used just 4.3 GB.
I just put a new radio, speakers, wire, and amp in my C4 and the sound is great. Plus the new radio plays AM, FM and HD FM, Pandora, plus CDs and it also works from an Ipod or a flash drive. I bought an 8 GB flash drive, loaded 65 CDs on it and have used just 4.3 GB.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
The radio is a Kenwood KDX x596. I bought it from Dennis at Double D Mods for $ 150.00. I also bought the Hybrid Audio Mirus 6.5 inch and 5.25 inch speakers from Dennis and an Alpine amp from Crutchfield. The amp is 45 watts per channel with 4 channels. The good thing about it is that it is about 7 inches long and about 2 inches square so it fits just about anywhere you want it.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: St Petersburg, FL
I replaced all of the Bose components in my 1992. I removed the head unit, CDM unit, and all speakers and amps. I ran new wiring, installed 6.5" speakers in the rear, 4x6 speakers up front, and an Alpine head unit.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Johnstown Penna
Not that I have done this job, but I don't see the point in running new wires... with the bose system, there still needs to be an audio signal going to the bose amps along with power. So, why can't you figure out which wires are the audio signal and use them for speaker leads? The audio signal has to start at the source (bose head unit or aftermarket) and it has to have a positive and negative regardless if it is line level or speaker level.
Like I said, I haven't done this job before, I am speculating, but all audio signals follow the same principle. If I decide to go aftermarket in my 95, I will probably do away with all the bose system and put speakers in also. So if I do that, I most certainly will figure out how to use existing wiring and if I have to make my own adapters, I will. I am pretty good with this type of thing... if I do figure out how to accomplish a full aftermarket audio swap using the existing wiring, I will write up how it is done
Like I said, I haven't done this job before, I am speculating, but all audio signals follow the same principle. If I decide to go aftermarket in my 95, I will probably do away with all the bose system and put speakers in also. So if I do that, I most certainly will figure out how to use existing wiring and if I have to make my own adapters, I will. I am pretty good with this type of thing... if I do figure out how to accomplish a full aftermarket audio swap using the existing wiring, I will write up how it is done
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,181
Likes: 286
From: Puyallup Washington
The speaker wires in the Bose system carry unamplified signals to the amps at each speaker. When a standard radio is installed the speaker wires carry an amplified signal to each speaker, which requires a heavier wire to carry the stronger signal.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: St Petersburg, FL
You don't have to run new speaker wires all the way to the speakers. The Bose speaker wires are ground shielded and this is located where the speaker wires pass by the passenger kick panel area. I actually just removed the ground shield and spliced in new wire from there, up under the passenger side dash (by where I removed the CDM Unit) and to the Alpine head unit.
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 0
From: St Petersburg, FL
The speaker wire used for the Bose system is actually 18 gauge, which is what GM uses for all vehicles. 18 gauge is sufficient for running good quality speakers off of a nice aftermarket head unit. If you decide to run a seperate amplifier, you may want to step up to a 16 gauge wire.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Johnstown Penna
Guys... we are talking about an audio signal... you can run an amplified audio signal on a strand of copper wire... we are talking about millivolts here... you can use 42 gauge wire for an audio signal and you will lose absolutely nothing, nor cause any damage. Millivolts... One of my other lifelong passions is building and repairing guitars and old tube amplifiers... 100 plus watt tube amp usually has 22 gauge wire for the speaker leads... guitars I use 28 or smaller inside because it is easier to use small gauge wires in a control cavity... again, audio signals... Millivolts. Active guitar pickups have one or two nine volt batteries in them to run a preamp... amplified signal, no difference in wire gauge... if the wires In the car are already shielded (I assume there is some sort of RCA type cable to send the audio signal to the bose amps so the shield would make the whole thing quieter). Again, I haven't performed this job, but I do know a thing or two about audio signals, and I know you don't need wire heavier than GM put in there, so the statement above about needing heavier wire because the signal is amplified is simply wrong.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 855
Likes: 36
From: Crystal Springs MS
[QUOTE=jtownc4;1582056009]Guys... we are talking about an audio signal... you can run an amplified audio signal on a strand of copper wire... we are talking about millivolts here... you can use 42 gauge wire for an audio signal and you will lose absolutely nothing, nor cause any damage. Millivolts... One of my other lifelong passions is building and repairing guitars and old tube amplifiers... 100 plus watt tube amp usually has 22 gauge wire for the speaker leads... guitars I use 28 or smaller inside because it is easier to use small gauge wires in a control cavity... again, audio signals... Millivolts. Active guitar pickups have one or two nine volt batteries in them to run a preamp... amplified signal, no difference in wire gauge... if the wires In the car are already shielded (I assume there is some sort of RCA type cable to send the audio signal to the bose amps so the shield would make the whole thing quieter). Again, I haven't performed this job, but I do know a thing or two about audio signals, and I know you don't need wire heavier than GM put in there, so the statement above about needing heavier wire because the signal is amplified is simply wrong.[/QUOTE]
Stop, take a deep breath, brush up on your Ohms Law, and please re-read that last statement...
Stop, take a deep breath, brush up on your Ohms Law, and please re-read that last statement...
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Johnstown Penna
[QUOTE=Phat98;1582064052]
I will do that. I have no electrical training whatsoever... but I can read a schematic... everything I have built works just fine, and more importantly, exactly how I intended it to work. I know I don't have to run any new speaker wires in my corvette if I choose to put an aftermarket head unit in it. How I need to go about that I will determine when the time comes. Guess I won't bother to share.
Guys... we are talking about an audio signal... you can run an amplified audio signal on a strand of copper wire... we are talking about millivolts here... you can use 42 gauge wire for an audio signal and you will lose absolutely nothing, nor cause any damage. Millivolts... One of my other lifelong passions is building and repairing guitars and old tube amplifiers... 100 plus watt tube amp usually has 22 gauge wire for the speaker leads... guitars I use 28 or smaller inside because it is easier to use small gauge wires in a control cavity... again, audio signals... Millivolts. Active guitar pickups have one or two nine volt batteries in them to run a preamp... amplified signal, no difference in wire gauge... if the wires In the car are already shielded (I assume there is some sort of RCA type cable to send the audio signal to the bose amps so the shield would make the whole thing quieter). Again, I haven't performed this job, but I do know a thing or two about audio signals, and I know you don't need wire heavier than GM put in there, so the statement above about needing heavier wire because the signal is amplified is simply wrong.[/QUOTE]
Stop, take a deep breath, brush up on your Ohms Law, and please re-read that last statement...
Stop, take a deep breath, brush up on your Ohms Law, and please re-read that last statement...
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 216
Likes: 4
From: Shrub Oak NY
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable
The above link is to a very interesting write up on speaker wire sizing. There is a wire table in the beginning. If you read on there is a lot of great information about how companies like Monster Cable have created an entire industry selling wire that is often completely unnecessary. Jtownc4,I also play guitar and modify my own guitars and amplifiers. I came across the speaker wire link above when agonizing over what wire to use to connect to some speakers at home.
The above link is to a very interesting write up on speaker wire sizing. There is a wire table in the beginning. If you read on there is a lot of great information about how companies like Monster Cable have created an entire industry selling wire that is often completely unnecessary. Jtownc4,I also play guitar and modify my own guitars and amplifiers. I came across the speaker wire link above when agonizing over what wire to use to connect to some speakers at home.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: genoa il
ditch all the bose junk. google corvette speaker adapter plates, if its a door speaker car. they replace the bose door box with a plate the same basic dimensions of the box. run new wires, 16 guage will be fine unless you plan on pushing huge power. youll have the doors gutted to get the bose out, might as well put sound deadener in them. same company also makes plates for the rear. if i recall it was less then 15 bucks per pair.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: genoa il