1992 Audio Compatibility
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
1992 Audio Compatibility
Hi all,
This is my first post but I have learned a great deal from everyone on this site. One day, hopefully, I'll be able to help others as many of you have helped me. Anyway, I inherited a '92 convertible from my uncle. He had the stereo head unit replaced 3 years ago with a JVC KW-R935BTS. Everything operates fine but the stereo doesn't get very loud. I'm assuming that's because the JVC is 4 ohms and the rest of the Bose system is 1 ohm. Would my best bet be to replace the speakers with something compatible withe the JVC and go directly from the head unit to the speakers bypassing the amps? If so, would I be able to cut the speaker wires going to the amp and splice them to the new speakers? I have installed car stereos and speakers before but it has always been more straight forward than this so I'm trying to figure if I can do it or I need to go to a pro. Thanks for your help!
This is my first post but I have learned a great deal from everyone on this site. One day, hopefully, I'll be able to help others as many of you have helped me. Anyway, I inherited a '92 convertible from my uncle. He had the stereo head unit replaced 3 years ago with a JVC KW-R935BTS. Everything operates fine but the stereo doesn't get very loud. I'm assuming that's because the JVC is 4 ohms and the rest of the Bose system is 1 ohm. Would my best bet be to replace the speakers with something compatible withe the JVC and go directly from the head unit to the speakers bypassing the amps? If so, would I be able to cut the speaker wires going to the amp and splice them to the new speakers? I have installed car stereos and speakers before but it has always been more straight forward than this so I'm trying to figure if I can do it or I need to go to a pro. Thanks for your help!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 257
Likes: 114
A bit more information is needed. Is the unit the Bose or Bose Gold? When it was installed, did your uncle use a Metra Wiring Harness adapter or did he splice the wires to the controller? The Metra harness is designed to bypass the control unit and allow an aftermarket head unit to function properly with the Bose amp/speaker setup. So if he cut the connector and/or the wires, you might have a real headache getting things to work properly, no matter what head unit you use.
It's also my understanding (and I could be wrong about this) that the stock Bose speakers will not work without the factory amps. If you're keeping the old system in place and just swapping a head unit, the stock wiring should be fine. If you're ripping everything out, then definitely replace the wiring across the board.
Just so you know, the design of this car's interior does NOT lend itself to good acoustics, so there's really only so much you can do to make it sound good without going into considerable expense.
It's also my understanding (and I could be wrong about this) that the stock Bose speakers will not work without the factory amps. If you're keeping the old system in place and just swapping a head unit, the stock wiring should be fine. If you're ripping everything out, then definitely replace the wiring across the board.
Just so you know, the design of this car's interior does NOT lend itself to good acoustics, so there's really only so much you can do to make it sound good without going into considerable expense.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
Thanks for the response. I believe it was the Bose Gold system. My uncle didn't do the new head unit install. He took it to a pro shop. I have the receipt and there is a charge on there for a harness so I'm thinking that they went the correct route. I'm going to check out the rear speakers and see if everything is still going through the Bose amps. It may just be a matter of the amps getting refurbished. The audio sounds good at a moderate volume but you have to crank the head unit all the way up to get it over the engine and then everything distorts.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,076
Likes: 281
From: Dyersburg TN
The Bose system uses 4 amps installed at each speaker and does have a different ohm usage then aftermarket. A shop should know that and have used the correct adaptors. Also the Bose unit has a 2nd part inside the dash, I wonder how the installer connected the speakers. If you don't plan to go back to OEM just put some aftermarket speakers that match your head unit. I just did that because current project had missing radio when purchased. I don't use the radio much I prefer to listen to the V8 station instead.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 22
Likes: 1
Hahaha. Understood. If I get aftermarket speakers though do I need to run new wires directly to the head unit or can I just cut the wires before they hit the amp and splice wire to the aftermarket speakers?
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 32
Likes: 11
From: Charlotte, NC
Assuming the shop is using the Metra harness, all the speaker wires run to the factory radio unit (which for 92, is located to the right of the driver's knees? On the 96 it's behind the passenger, I would double check elsewhere online or in the FSM for your car). Could you use the factory wires to run new speakers? Sure, but you'd have to cut both sides and likely find somewhere to wire an amp in, then extend the factory wires to the amp (assuming you don't use the onboard one in the JVC). Personally, if you got an amp with the speakers, I would just use the factory wires as fishing line to pull new speaker cable through. If you end up using the built-in JVC amp and don't mind chopping some factory wiring, I would use whatever factory wiring is already in the car. Sure, you might lose some fidelity, but that's nothing compared to the losses from the built-in amp.
