Piggybacking the Bose Amp / Upgrade Advice

[choodock]

Base Tahoe Upgrade to Bose/Pioneer HU, Advice Needed for adding Subs/Amp

Question: Would running speaker output wires from the Bose amp to the speaker output wires of the HU increase the watts and therefore the sound quality? Would the Pioneer HU and the Bose amp work in conjuction to increase my sound quality or would it be distorted? The HU should push 14 watts X 4 RMS and 50W X 4 max. I have read on here that the Bose amp pushes about 30W RMS to each channel.

Background: I have a 2004 Tahoe LS. It only had the base radio. I installed a Pioneer AVH-X5500BHS head unit and loved the increase in sound quality. I had also purchased a new console to replace my jump seat; the console came with the Bose sub and amp. I didn't bother with trying to wire up the Bose sub at first because I wanted to get the HU installed and door speakers replaced to see what my initial sound quality would be. (It's also easier to ask forgiveness for spending money when the wife can hear the improvement) A couple of weeks after installing the HU, the Axxess interface stopped working. I bypassed the interface to ensure the HU was fine and everything else works. I tried re-initializing the interface per instructions from tech support but still cannot get any power out of the stupid black box. I got tired of jacking with it and just slipped the factory radio back in. It's been about 6 months and now I have some free time to start all over. I plan to wire the radio in without an interface as I don't care about the chimes or the stereo playing after I turn the key off before I open the doors and my Tahoe does not have any special features.

Current System:
Pioneer AVH-X5500BHS
2 - Pioneer TS-A1685R 6-1/2" 4-Way speakers (175W Max, 60W RMS)
2 - Pioneer TS-A1674R 6-1/2" 3-Way speakers (150W Max, 35W RMS)

In Progress:
Wiring up Bose amp and Subwoofer and reinstalling Pioneer HU
(I've got the wiring figured out thanks to posters here, but just now have the time to finish it)

Wishlist (next 3 months):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271159938439?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
- Dual 10 inch downfire Sub Enclosure
2 - Pioneer TSSW251 Shallow Mount 10 Inch Subs
1 - Pionner GM-D8604 Amp

Any thoughts before I jump in too far?

 

[Yukongk]

Question: Would running speaker output wires from the Bose amp to the speaker output wires of the HU increase the watts and therefore the sound quality? Would the Pioneer HU and the Bose amp work in conjuction to increase my sound quality or would it be distorted? The HU should push 14 watts X 4 RMS and 50W X 4 max. I have read on here that the Bose amp pushes about 30W RMS to each channel.

NO. Don't do that. I would bypass the bose amp for a better amp. Get a 4 channel amp that provides at least 60W RMS per channel (better to have more power than less bc you can set your Gains accordingly) and fine tune your Gain so you aren't "clipping" the signal. This will allow you to get the best sound from your 6.5's. Not sure of the Bose wiring (I had a non-bose system), so you may have to run wire to each door.

 

[choodock]

NO. Don't do that. I would bypass the bose amp for a better amp. Get a 4 channel amp that provides at least 60W RMS per channel (better to have more power than less bc you can set your Gains accordingly) and fine tune your Gain so you aren't "clipping" the signal. This will allow you to get the best sound from your 6.5's. Not sure of the Bose wiring (I had a non-bose system), so you may have to run wire to each door.

I wasn't intending to add an amp for the 6.5's, just trying to make use of what I had, but now I am considering it.

I rather do one of the following related to my 6.5's:
1. Leave wired to my HU
2. Bypass the HU speaker outputs and wire the 6.5's to the Bose amp

The Bose amp will be fully functioning once I wire it up, but my initial plan was to only use the output for the Bose sub.

So, wiring the speakers to the HU and the Bose amp is a no-go?

 

[Yukongk]

My Disclaimer: I didn't have a Bose system, so I'm not 100% sure of the wiring scheme.

With that said, if you are going to hook up the Bose amp and don't want to be bothered re-wiring, then just use the Bose amp to power everything (all the extra labor of wiring them isn't worth hooking them to the HU, unless you go w an aftermarket amp). DO NOT try to power the doors with both the HU and Bose. I currently run the stock non-bose amp to my doors and installed a dedicated amp and sub bc stock is weak. Doors sound good, but I won't get the full sound from my Polk's until I get around to installing a 4 chan amp.

 

[choodock]

The Pioneer HU has 3 pre-amp outputs, so the front and rear channels are being run to the Bose amp and converting from RCA connectors to speaker wire to connect the low level speaker inputs to the Bose amp. I will be using the sub pre-amp output for the subs that I add later.

Im order to use the Bose amp to power the door speakers, I am going to have to run speaker wire from the Bose amp to the speaker wire in the adapter I am building (so as not to cut any factory wiring) and remove the speaker wire output pins from the Pioneer HU harness.

Currently, the speaker level outputs from the Pioneer HU power the door speakers.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Would it matter if I send a high level output (from the Pioneer HU) to the amp low level inputs? (That would save my front and rear pre-amp outputs for if I ever want to add an amp to power the door speakers)

 

[Yukongk]

I'm going to defer to someone that has a Bose system. Unfortunately, my knowledge is limited on the wiring scheme. I thought that an adapter at the HU would just make your door speakers work (aren't they already wired to the Bose amp from the factory?) and save you the headache of running wires. Sorry I can't help more.

 

[choodock]

I'm going to defer to someone that has a Bose system. Unfortunately, my knowledge is limited on the wiring scheme. I thought that an adapter at the HU would just make your door speakers work (aren't they already wired to the Bose amp from the factory?) and save you the headache of running wires. Sorry I can't help more.

Sorry for the confusion, but my Tahoe didn't have the Bose system from the factory. I replaced my jumpseat with a center console which had the Bose amp and sub.

 

[Yukongk]

Sorry for the confusion, but my Tahoe didn't have the Bose system from the factory. I replaced my jumpseat with a center console which had the Bose amp and sub.

Oh I see. Sorry I can't help you. Sounds like too much work for what it is. If it was my project, I'd just power the doors off of the HU if I couldn't purchase an aftermarket amp yet and leave a lot of slack so I can reroute the wires to an aftermarket amp when I could purchase it. Then I'd install the aftermarket the subs and amp when you are able to purchase them. Just my .02

What bothers me is that your Axxess adapter isn't working and that would save you a whole bunch of trouble until you are ready to purchase the rest of your gear. Is it under warranty?

 

[choodock]

I purchased the Axxess adapter off eBay and the seller has agreed to refund my money as soon as he receives the item back; boxing it up this weekend to return it. I had to send him my emails with tech support to prove I have had issues with it to get him to take it back. I'm hesitant to purchase another one because I have read about so many people having problems with them.

I contacted Bose customer service twice to get info on the amp specs. On the first call, they told me the specs were proprietary. So I called back and talked to a nice lady named Patty and told her that I had just bought a Tahoe with the Bose system and someone had replaced the nice Bose speakers with cheap ones from Wal-Mart and I needed to know the specs so I could order replacement speakers. She said that she could not give me detailed information because they don't evaluate their systems based upon conventional audio measurements (or something along those lines), but did say that the amplifier assembly is approximately 250 watts with approximately 50 watts going to the speakers.

I wish I knew exactly how to interpret this, as she said she could not provide any other information. So I guess I will assume that 200 watts goes to the sub and 50 watts total to the door speakers? Or she could have meant that 50 watts goes to each channel?

I guess I will leave my door speakers wired to my HU. I'd like to find some Bose door speakers and wire them up to the Bose amp to compare the sound quality. I had such big plans for this ride, but having to replace the transmission, water pump, belts and hoses, and battery the last few months drained my budget. I'm still much better off than driving the crappy Nissan Altima I was driving before this!

 

[Yukongk]

I purchased the Axxess adapter off eBay and the seller has agreed to refund my money as soon as he receives the item back; boxing it up this weekend to return it. I had to send him my emails with tech support to prove I have had issues with it to get him to take it back. I'm hesitant to purchase another one because I have read about so many people having problems with them.

I contacted Bose customer service twice to get info on the amp specs. On the first call, they told me the specs were proprietary. So I called back and talked to a nice lady named Patty and told her that I had just bought a Tahoe with the Bose system and someone had replaced the nice Bose speakers with cheap ones from Wal-Mart and I needed to know the specs so I could order replacement speakers. She said that she could not give me detailed information because they don't evaluate their systems based upon conventional audio measurements (or something along those lines), but did say that the amplifier assembly is approximately 250 watts with approximately 50 watts going to the speakers.

I wish I knew exactly how to interpret this, as she said she could not provide any other information. So I guess I will assume that 200 watts goes to the sub and 50 watts total to the door speakers? Or she could have meant that 50 watts goes to each channel?

I guess I will leave my door speakers wired to my HU. I'd like to find some Bose door speakers and wire them up to the Bose amp to compare the sound quality. I had such big plans for this ride, but having to replace the transmission, water pump, belts and hoses, and battery the last few months drained my budget. I'm still much better off than driving the crappy Nissan Altima I was driving before this!

The Bose system is never going to sound as good as an aftermarket system. I'd hate to see you throw money at it and deal w the headaches of installing it. If I were you, I would just leave the doors connected to the hu. You will get decent sound. Do a clean install for a sub/amp when you can. I'm sure you will love the sound. I currently run my door speakers off of the stock Yukon amp which isn't more powerful than an aftermarket hu. Sounds great. Someday I'll get around to installing an amp for the doors and achieve even better/cleaner sound.