[fearturtle03]

I just bought a 2004 Mazda 6s with BOSE system. I plan to transfer my old system into the car, but am curious as to why so many people are trying to install an aftermarket sub and amp into the BOSE system. Keeping the stock CD player will limit your options as far as getting good sound for your car, like keeping the BOSE speakers in the door. So, I am wondering why people have the adveristy to replacing the stock HU with something aftermarket? Even some low-scale pioneer or JVC will blow a BOSE system out of the water.


On an install note I had a few questions from people who have done installs on their 6s with BOSE. I am looking to put in my 2 JL10', 2 amps, and 4 JL speakers with Alpine HU. Now where does the factory BOSE system run their power wires? Hoping I could just snake along with them so I would not have to do any drilling of holes through the firewall... Also I have a Sirius and IPOD box that I will need to mount somewhere. Does anyone have any places they may suggest that they have used(room under seat?). And where have people mounted their IPODs in the car?

Thanks

Already planning mods to the car and will not have it for another week, ah well.

 

[skeurton]

personally, i went the route of adding a sub to my bose system simply because it was super easy (tapping into bose sub) and improved the sound a great deal. at the time i couldn't afford a full upgrade, so this is what i did. then i upgraded the speakers, and finally the headunit. cost was the deciding factor in my case, as replacing the headunit also requires the purchase of the metra kit, which isn't exactly cheap.

to answer your question about the bose system, everything is run underneath the front passenger seat. you'll find the bose amp and all the connections. there is a sticky in this forum that gives you the wiring diagrams. this is where i tapped into all the speaker wires instead of running new wires through the doors. as far as giving your amps some juice, you're definitely going to want to run a new pwoer wire through the firewall. it was not necessary for me to "drill" through it. instead, i ran it through the existing wire grommet where a huge bundle of wires passes through the firewall.

good luck with everything!

 

[ryceboi]

some people, like me, like the stock look of the dash. you'd have to modify the center console to get a din/double din HU. im planning to install an equalizer to balance out the signals before it hits a new aftermarket amp. you'll get the same effect of an aftermarket HU without losing the stock look and functionality.

 

[jrodhotrod]

I just bought a 2004 Mazda 6s with BOSE system. I plan to transfer my old system into the car, but am curious as to why so many people are trying to install an aftermarket sub and amp into the BOSE system. Keeping the stock CD player will limit your options as far as getting good sound for your car, like keeping the BOSE speakers in the door. So, I am wondering why people have the adveristy to replacing the stock HU with something aftermarket? Even some low-scale pioneer or JVC will blow a BOSE system out of the water.


On an install note I had a few questions from people who have done installs on their 6s with BOSE. I am looking to put in my 2 JL10', 2 amps, and 4 JL speakers with Alpine HU. Now where does the factory BOSE system run their power wires? Hoping I could just snake along with them so I would not have to do any drilling of holes through the firewall... Also I have a Sirius and IPOD box that I will need to mount somewhere. Does anyone have any places they may suggest that they have used(room under seat?). And where have people mounted their IPODs in the car?

Thanks

Already planning mods to the car and will not have it for another week, ah well.


[/b]

Also, you said in my other thread...

Hey this post is just what I was looking for. I am going to transfer my old system, (2 amps, 4 JL speakers, 2 JL10'' subs) into my 2004 6s when I get in next week. I was trying to figure out how to do the speaker and amp part and you made it very clear. This BOSE shit is a pain in the ass. Anyways with dealing with the Sub and Amp, will you just do an install like is posted everywhere else on this site, with tapping into the BOSE sub that is already in the trunk? Or did you have other plans on how to hook up the Sub and Amp.

I also have an Alpine 9815 and am not sure what I am going to do with it. I wanted to trasnfer it into the 6s, but since I have an IPOD i feel the MP3 part is taken care of, plus I will not have to buy Metra kit. But will I be sacrficing SQ or anything else by not switching out to my Alpine? I guess the install may be a bit easier since it comes with 3 RCA pre-outs already? Please let me know what you think, you seem to be the master when it comes to this. Thanks alot. Cannot wait to get my 6s.

[/b]

Here is how I am going to do it...

I created RCA Pre-Outs from head unit, Those are being fed into a Rockford 3Sixty.2 signal processor as a pre-amp/eq/crossover and from there it has dedicated outputs for front/rear/sub to my amps.

If you do not have a signal processor between your amps and the headunit you may or may not be happy with the level of adjustability in the stock headunit. The big thing you get with your Alpine deck is a finer EQ and processing than you get with the stock deck. Because you have a 2004 the Metra kit is an option for you. It all depends on what you want.

DO NOT tap into the BOSE sub signal in the trunk. You won't be happy with the results. If you choose to just tap into the wiring harness and bypass your BOSE amp grab signal off the rear channel for your sub. You can then either pull new speaker wire to your doors or just tap into the wires at the Bose amp connector for the wires that go to the doors.

If you try to replace the door speakers you will need to be sure they are powered. As I recall all JL door speakers are 4ohms. The BOSE amp is set-up for 2ohm speakers and has some nasty EQ in it. So if you plan on replacing your door speakers plan on installing the alpine headunit and using that to power them or installing an amplifier for your door speakers in addition to the amp for your sub.

I think I have rambled long enough, but should have touched on everything.

 

[fearturtle03]

Thanks alot. I think when I get the car next week I may just tap onto the BOSE and add my subs and amp. I guess I can wait a month for my birthday and hopefully get the Metra kit and add the Alpine plus eclipse amp and door speakers. It seems most people choose to tap into the wire for door speakers instead of running new wires. It looks much easier I am sure, but are you losing anything in SQ? And since I am putting in an aftermarket 4-channel amp, could it be easier to just new wires anyways?

 

[jrodhotrod]

Running new wires is never really easier.

And since your amp isn't pushing more than 50 watts RMS it isn't really necessary to run new wires.

The rule of thumb I have been told is once you start throwing over 65-75 watts RMS at door speakers is when it really becomes a good idea to pull new wire.

 

[fearturtle03]

Running new wires is never really easier.

And since your amp isn't pushing more than 50 watts RMS it isn't really necessary to run new wires.

The rule of thumb I have been told is once you start throwing over 65-75 watts RMS at door speakers is when it really becomes a good idea to pull new wire.
[/b]

Since I am just replacing it right where the BOSE amp was none of that wire running will be an issue (i hope...)