So this is my story: 2008 350 roadster. Keeping the factory Bose system, I bought a ser of JL C2-500 coaxials for the rear and had them installed, man what a difference. Then I got a set of JL C3-600 components for the front and had them installed hoping for the same result. Turn radio on and the sound is worse than the stock Blowse, to the point that my rear speakers overpower the front! Everything else is stock. Any ideas?

 

Your fronts were 1 ohm stock (bose) ... New speakers are 4 ohm... More resistance = less power. Get them off the Bose amp... Find the speaker leads in the harness up in the dash on either side, cut the wires loose and wire the side that is going into the doors straight back to the powered front outputs of your aftermarket radio (grey and white leads)... If you still ha e a stock Bose radio your only options are to replace it with aftermarket or buy an aftermarket amp and adapt your Bose radio to it (radio is cheaper)

 

^ This. The bose system in the Z is such that you either keep it "as is" or get rid of it all together. Too much of a hassle trying to make it work with aftermarket components.

 

Thanks I really appreciate the info. I'm one of those goofy guys that is intent on keeping the Bose for aesthetic and stealth reasons.
So, technically I could keep the Bose HU, rework it through an amp and route to my door speakers. Would I then be able to keep the Bose sub or just get a 5 channel amp, replace the sub and still keep the HU?

 

Its a curse! Love the car, hate the Bose!

 

The Bose system uses 2 amps... One for the sub and a 4 channel under the trunk floor for eveything else... Replacing the one under the trunk floor will allow for the stock sub to be retained, but all other speakers will have to be replaced (if they haven't yet) if you intend to do that AND keep the stock radio, be aware there will be some research and surgery involved as the stock setup does not use "rca plugs" like aftermarket does. I also HIGHLY recommend you do not use the power wires in the stock Bose harness for the amp, but run your own instead.

 

Thanks rebelscum! I'll walk into my local installer with this info under my sleeve to gauge how much the installer knows about the Z's Bose system before they even touch it!

Yes. All 4 speakers have been replaced (JL Audio). I'll be picking up a 4 channel amp to feed front and rear and leave the stock sub as is.... For now. I'll update progress, thanks again!

 

Well gentlemen the deed has been done! Did the stealth install as follows:

.- kept the head unit
.- installed a converter for the Bose HU leads (not the cheap kind either)
.-installed a JL XD400/4 driving JL C3-650 in the front and JL C2-550 in the rear
.- added an auxiliary point in the center console

The shop did an excellent clean install and nobody knows what I've got under the convertible top, unless they hear it that is.

Thanks for for all your spot on advice guys! Much appreciated!

 

Very cool, it's a PITA to work good parts into the factory setup like that but the end result is always sweet.

 

It definitely was! The shop guys had to remove the entire trunk plastic assembly to get to the BOSE amp. Total cost for those that want to get an idea is as follows:
JL XD/400 $350 at the shop
JL C3-600 convertible component $230 ebay
JL C2-550 coaxials $100 local shop
LC2i audio control line converter $90
auxiliary point $100
labor $250

a little pricey for a system that has no Bluetooth or other amenities, but since my main objectives were to have clean tight sound and a stealth configuration, mission has been accomplished. Love the stock look!

 

Your equalization's never going to be neutral. But if it sounds good to you, then great

The only way to erase the Bose "problems" if you're using a factory head unit is to install a JL-Audio Signal Summing Interface and a JL-Audio Cleansweep and then hook the amps up to that. The problem with this set-up is that you need to use a separate volume control, and you're always going to have a little bit of hiss coming out of the speakers unless you wire in a power switch to the aftermarket amps.

How do I know this? Because I did it and it sounded pretty good. After a while though, I got sick of having my amps on and speakers hissing all the time, even when the stereo was turned off, so I got rid of the Cleansweep/factory Bose amps/wiring, etc. and went with a pure, no-Bose system. In the end, the only true solution for getting clean, neutral sound out of your factory Bose headunit is to install the JL Cleansweep and Signal Summing Interface, but ultimately, it's a lot of work and doesn't give you premium sound. A new headunit, quality wiring, amps, speakers and Dynamat Extreme (all aftermarket) are the only way to fly. Now the car sounds almost as good as my $6000 home audiophile sound system.