GMT900 Bose Premium Amp to Luxury Amp Upgrade

[Reebok59]

As you may already know, the UQS system is a 9 channel 5.1 surround sound system. Where the UQA is a 6 channel system. The 4th plug on the amp (J4) is for the surround sound channel inputs to the amp. The inputs come from the Radio and the RSA (rear seat audio) Module. You need to reference the Light Duty C/K Truck Electrical diagrams for more information.

Hope this helps,
Scott

 

[The Raven]

I'm in the process of performing this upgrade - got the Lux amp and Y91 console harness. I believe I have a bad amp but I thought i'd toss this up in here just to see if anyone has any other insight. I'm only getting sound from the front left speakers. As for wiring, I cut the center wires just downstream of the big connector in the Y91 harness, as suggested, and just left C10-C12 blank because Nav is self-contained in my Pioneer NEX HU. I'm using the iDataLink Maestro which auto-detects input impedance on the amp, so there's no reprogramming needed (that's done through iDataLink's weblink interface - I just select the vehicle that my Lux amp and harness came from and it flashes the Maestro accordingly), and it seems that's working fine because the amp powers up and does play audio. It's just only in the front left speakers. So what do you guys think - bad amp? Or something else?

 

[Reebok59]

Sounds like a bad amp. When I was troubleshooting my bad amp I found using a test speaker with probes helpful. Test each output channel directly off the amp and if you confirm some working and some not, then it is a bad amp. Good luck.

 

[The Raven]

Sounds like a bad amp. When I was troubleshooting my bad amp I found using a test speaker with probes helpful. Test each output channel directly off the amp and if you confirm some working and some not, then it is a bad amp. Good luck.

Did you end up with partial output from your bad amp? Or nothing at all?

 

[Reebok59]

Yes, only front, no rear.

 

[The Raven]

Well that's re-assuring then. Perhaps it's something with the design of the amp that makes the rear channels die first.

 

[The Raven]

So i'm still waiting for my replacement amp (due tomorrow) however I wanted to add a finding to this base of knowledge.

The seemingly widely held belief that the Luxury system doesn't vary preamp voltage but allows the amp to control volume internally is incorrect. It works exactly like the Premium amp, 5.1 amp, and pretty much every single other amp since the beginning of amps - by modulating preamp voltage.

While I was testing the preamps yesterday I noted that preamp voltage does indeed vary with volume change on the head unit. That means that when you turn up volume on the head unit, preamp voltage increases and as a result, amplified voltage does too - resulting in an increase in volume.

I was suspicious of this claim from the start since the only other way that the HU could prompt the amp to change volume was through the GMLAN, and theres only a low-speed (GMLS) link between the two devices. Trying to communicate volume changes over GMLS would be terribly laggy and buggy. Furthermore, iDataLink has only ONE firmware that covers all "external amplifier" systems on all Tahoes and Yukons, regardless of trim, from 2007-2010. That same firmware works on both Premium and Luxury systems. The only difference between the scenarios is the presence or absence of wires - premium has no GMLAN to the amp, so obviously it can't be used for volume control, but both systems have the same (front, at least) preamp links.

It does appear however that there is a significant difference in the preamp used in both amps. If the Luxury amp is indeed a major leap in quality then it's likely that it has a much more sensitive preamp. That would also explain why plugging a premium system HU into a lux amp could fry the amp.

 

[The Raven]

I hate when people post that they're about to do an upgrade and then never post how it went so this is just an update to close out my project:

I'm bailing on this upgrade. Despite three attempts I have been unable to source a working Lux amp. I ordered (a brand new) 15937318 the first time, and received a hubcap. So I started the return process and immediately ordered another (salvage) 15937318. That one was bad (only one channel functional). So I started the return process and ordered 20808897. I received the sub (at least they got close right?). I'm tired of having my truck apart waiting for parts to arrive, and i'm tired of working on the truck. That's all i've been doing all year. So I just put it all back together and said F-it. I'm probably just going to go the aftermarket route - collect all the parts over the winter and then tackle a complete system install in the spring.

So anyway thanks for all the info and assistance.

 

[Reebok59]

Adding a few files here for Indoe385 who is trying to identify wiring where someone cut his wiring harness.

 

[sabbath]

I’m looking to buy a 2012-14 Tahoe. I’m seeing one listed with a Bose Centerpoint 10-speaker. Is this the Luxury Bose? What do I look for to know that I have the Lux or the better Bose setup?
Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kbuskill]

I’m looking to buy a 2012-14 Tahoe. I’m seeing one listed with a Bose Centerpoint 10-speaker. Is this the Luxury Bose? What do I look for to know that I have the Lux or the better Bose setup?
Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes... center speaker in the dash is the obvious give away that it is the LUX Bose amp.

Also you can look for RPO code Y91 in the glove box.

 

[chaingun427]

I apologize for necroing a 7 month dead thread, but I'm coming from a bit further out on my setup.

I have a base model around system, I'm going aftermarket for the head unit, but I like the idea of having an oem well packaged solution that retains all the factory crap.

Anyways, is there any programming necessary to get the amp to turn on, aside from the head unit? I'm assuming nothing with with bcm since the premium amp doesn't have a gmlan connection. I havent hooked it up to any inputs or anything yet, but I assumed that when connected to power and Lan I'd get some sound from the door chime to confirm its powering on.

The amp works fine in its donor denali if I plug it back in there, so I'm sure the amp is good

 

[kbuskill]

I apologize for necroing a 7 month dead thread, but I'm coming from a bit further out on my setup.

I have a base model around system, I'm going aftermarket for the head unit, but I like the idea of having an oem well packaged solution that retains all the factory crap.

Anyways, is there any programming necessary to get the amp to turn on, aside from the head unit? I'm assuming nothing with with bcm since the premium amp doesn't have a gmlan connection. I havent hooked it up to any inputs or anything yet, but I assumed that when connected to power and Lan I'd get some sound from the door chime to confirm its powering on.

The amp works fine in its donor denali if I plug it back in there, so I'm sure the amp is good

So to clarify, you have a non-Bose truck, correct?

And you are trying to install the (standard) premium Bose amp or the Luxury amp?

I assume the Luxury amp since you mentioned it coming from a Denali, but wanted to verify.

I know on the standard Bose amp the door chimes and turn signal sounds are built into the factory head unit.

 

[chaingun427]

"luxury" amp from an 08 denali. That's part of the reason i'm trying this. I know that the amp will power on entirely without a headunit present, and generate the chimes in the denali without a head unit. I assumed it'd pick up the same GMlan messages in the non bose trucks but maybe not. I'm fixing to go out and put power to the amp through the harness for the first time, and reprogram my maestro RR just to see what happens

 

[kbuskill]

"luxury" amp from an 08 denali. That's part of the reason i'm trying this. I know that the amp will power on entirely without a headunit present, and generate the chimes in the denali without a head unit. I assumed it'd pick up the same GMlan messages in the non bose trucks but maybe not. I'm fixing to go out and put power to the amp through the harness for the first time, and reprogram my maestro RR just to see what happens

I would think it would too but can't say for sure.

How are you wiring up the Luxury amp since your truck didn't come with a harness for an Amp in the console?

 

[chaingun427]

I would think it would too but can't say for sure.

How are you wiring up the Luxury amp since your truck didn't come with a harness for an Amp in the console?

Access to all data, gt150/280 pins, and a couple miles of wire lol

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[kbuskill]

Access to all data, gt150/280 pins, and a couple miles of wire lol

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

So you built your own stand alone harness? That's pretty cool

 

[chaingun427]

So you built your own stand alone harness? That's pretty cool

Ls swap standalone and integrated harnesses lol

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Doubeleive]

Access to all data, gt150/280 pins, and a couple miles of wire lol

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

if you wired it properly then you program the maestro for bose and it will send the digital signal to turn on the bose amp

***also there is a glitch with the meastro and bose if you set the maestro to keep the headunit on while cranking it may not send the digital signal to turn the amp back on, by default that option is off but just heads up

 

[chaingun427]

if you wired it properly then you program the maestro for bose and it will send the digital signal to turn on the bose amp

That's what I was hoping for awesome

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk