ephilyawjr

I wont to get a little better sound than I am getting currently. The "Premium" BOSE stereo does not produce highs or lows. It plays loud enough in the mids though. I have read about 500 threads now and can't seem to find the answer.

Will I get a better sound replacing just the BOSE HU and can I connect it to the BOSE Speakers and SUB while running through the factory Amp. Is the wiring harness and installation kit all I need to install the new head unit.

I know that if I spend $5000 on a stereo it will sound better than just replacing the head unit. (As all threads I have read before this have concluded) - I just want something simple to clean it up a little. - I am not a perfectionist with my music, I just want it to sound at least as good as a Toyota Corola Stereo system.

2004 Z Roadster with the "Premium" BOSE stereo

TeesZ

we have a saying in the industry "No highs, low lows, it must be BOSE"

zand02max

iTrader: (22)

I'm actually happy with mine, mines an 05 Model. Bass is not all that, Highs are not all that, overall I am pleased!

isugoo

iTrader: (6)

you can onlyl replace headunit but i don't know it will really helps you sound quaility.

i have bose and i was runninig around to do some research. alpine shop was fine with my bose and eclipse shop was fine too. they wil use harness so they don't have to do rewiring kind of expensive work.

Shahrum

Just replacing the Bose headunit may make the sound better just because most aftermarket headunits, take Sony for instance, have built-in 7-channel equalizers to improve the quality. All you need is the wiring harness made for your year with premium Bose and you will have complete functionality of the factory amps and subwoofer.

TeesZ

not ALL vehicles have the EQ in the headunit. All of the Rockford systems in Nissan vehicles have the EQ built into the AMP, not the headunit. I do know that the non-bose system has EQ built into the head unit.

ephilyawjr

I am currently having the Sony 9905X installed in my car with XM today - For now I am keeping everything else factory, will respond to quality later on.

Ahsmo

iTrader: (13)

heh You wont be satisfied

slaponte

iTrader: (2)

For all my research, it seems the HU is the only acceptable part of the system, and the most brain dead is the amp, which is supposed to be the "smarter" part.

If you get a better HU, even with EQ, what you gained might be lost by going through the Bose amp. Also, you will have to get a LOC (Line Output Converter, see Audiolink) to make the new HU talk to the existing amp and speakers.

Sooo, I have seen the reverse. Keep the HU, use a LOC, and replace the AMP and speakers which are the WEAK part of the system.

It is my understanding that if you change the HU, even with the use of a LOC, and leave the amp and speakers stock, you will gain nothing at all.

TeesZ

3SIXTY

ephilyawjr

I finally replaced the BOSE HU - I left every thing else factory.

It is not perfect. BUT it is 500%+ better than the BOSE. I always noticed I had speaker holes in the door at the top where a Tweater would go. Now I know that there is actually a Tweater mounted in there and it sounds great.

The Mids sound okay and the Bass from the regular speakers sound great. My Sub does not work anymore though. But my door speakers produce more Bass than the Sub did when I had the BOSE HU.

It is not perfect. But it was cheap. I know I can spend $5000 and get better sound, But I can also Spend $125,000 and get a better car.


All in all I would say it was worth the trade up.

slaponte

iTrader: (2)

Can you explain more? You changed the HU. You are still using the OEM wiring into the original BOSE AMP? If so, how come you lost the sub? Did you use a LOC?

isugoo

iTrader: (6)

can you write up all the spec of systems
and some pics for all of poor bose users inlcude myself?

zrdude

Actually, that's "All highs, all lows, must me Bose." Bose are typically famouse for having no mids.

TeesZ

What do you in the industry? I would like to know where this info comes from.

Deceit

Bose systems are all mids. "No highs, no lows, must be Bose" is sure right

The best thing you can do for your Z is to rip out that damn Bose! Your ears will thank you

boma

iTrader: (2)

I bought a $50 radio from Wal-Mart that I put in my Civic, and it produces better high's and mid's than the bose......



Replacing a stock Head Unit will help you more than keeping it and replacing the speakers.

I'm pretty sure they will have to bypass the bose amp once you get an aftermarket HU.

zrdude

I work in audio product development for a major computer company. We work with many 3rd party speaker vendors. Bass is definitely not Bose's weak point, except for the skimpy sub provided as part of the system in the Z's. This must be where some people are getting the "saying" mixed up.

But I agree that overall the Bose system in our Z's doesn't live up to the Bose name with muddy/weak Bass and incredibly harsh highs with almost nothing in between. Our system does pretty well playing hard rock or heavy metal at high volume, but sucks at most other material... I wish they would have provided an eq option in our head unit so we could tweak the sound to our own personal preference.

Bose systems are typcially eq'd for the consumer who knows nothing about audio but has the money to spend, or the "wannabe audiophile." The average Joe thinks a system rocks when the bass thumps and high's are over hyped. Go into the Bose room in any Fry's--the bass will shatter you and the high's will render you permanently deaf in those frequencies... Bose excels in home theater systems, which don't need a lot of mids--the human voice resides there, but the center channel more than makes up for that by providing the most prominent mids on one speaker, with the other channels isolated away. Bose surround systems usually sound decent for 5.1 encoded music because of that reason. But their eq curve does not work for stereo based 2.1 systems or non 5.1 content.

Personally, I think the higher end Bose systems are fine for home theater use or just boppin' around, but the system in our Z is definitely not up to the Bose name...

boma

iTrader: (2)

IN other words............everyone change your head unit! LOL.

Jackdaw

You can replace the Bose HU and retain the Bose amps, speakers and sub with the PAC ROEM-NIS2 - about $40. It just plugs into the factory harness and you connect an ISO block to the other end. My HU with a digital equalizer does improve on the shortcomings of the Bose system.