Why do I have a Bose amp?
 

As some of you know I've been trying to do some low budget upgrades (Polk front speakers and tweeters) to the 2010 base audio (non touring) system. So far so good. My question is why do I have a Bose amp on the floor just behind the seats? I've seen pics of the 2009 and didn't see an amp, is an amp normal in 2010? This has me wondering if I can somehow use the amp as the basis for additional upgrades.

For the most part, I've been frustrated in working with the stock unit, it won't take an integrated ipod and desperately needs more base. Even though I don't really have a budget for it I'm checking out new double din head units ($200-350) and an under seat sub ($225). I want to keep it looking stock-like and don't want a sub box because I need the luggage space for weekend trips. Want ipod interface and steering wheel controls retained. Should I consider HD Radio a must ,or is it no big deal?

So should I just kiss off the the stock stuff and move on. Looking for some real input here.

Not sure of the sound quality on this unit, but if you're looking for something that is very factory looking check out this unit made by Rosen..

Rosen UN1010-H11 Navigation receiver at Crutchfield.com

Looks like a pretty good deal from Crutchfield since theyre throwing in a rear view camera, ipod cable, dash kit, harness and antenna adapter and the steering wheel controls are built into the unit...

While I'm loving my recently installed Pioneer X920BT, If I could redo things and discovered this unit earlier I would probably have gone with this as I also wanted a very clean and factory looking head unit.

The Rosen looks very nice, kind of a budget buster. What your opinion on HD radio, is it worth it?

HD radio in my opinion is not worth it if you want good quality commercial free radio get sirius.

Did you buy the bose system? Does it say bose on the amp? Pictures may help

I have a 2010 base model and I know I don't have a amp.

No, I have the base HU with a single disc CD player and no SAT button. Sorry, I didn't take pictures of the amp when I installed the Dynamat, but it was about the size of a single din HU and it was mounted flat on the floor in a slide-in(?) bracket behind and and between the two seats. It was connected to a wiring harness and was clearly marked BOSE. And although the car is not equipped with rear speakers it appeared to have the harness and connectors for the rear speakers. The plastic interior panels in the hatch area do not appear to have any grills or openings for speakers. The Z is a third car for fun only so SAT radio fees and equipment aren't in the program at this time. HD isn't a big deal just wondering if I should get so as not to be left out of the "digital future".

Bose is really the top of the line. I have to say that it is worth the money. I tried another system and was greatly disappointed. Bose equipment is really clear and powerful. Have you guys tried other brands and found that you were happy with the results. My wife is not too happy about the cost of Bose :)

:rofl2::rofl2: Everyone has their own opinion but to call bose top of the line is a joke. A simple set of polk speakers and a decent alpine head unit can produce better sound than any crappy bose car system. I strongly disagree with calling anything bose top of the line and worth the insane price you pay for their stuff. Only thing they make anywhere good is headphones.

what he means to say is:

welcome to the forum :hello:

Indeed welcome

Bose isn't considered top of the line to audiophiles, but for the rest of us, it's pretty good..... and far from crappy. I guess it kind of depends on what you listen to. For me, the Bose is good enough. If I want to hear better audio comming from my car, I'll save up for a nice exhaust system. Just my $0.02

Tell him about your Martin Logans! :).

Oh wait, there isn't any ML model for cars, yet!

LOL no but their is image dynamics audison, morel, focal, and so on that can be great in a car.

Here is some more info on bose systems. http://www.the370z.com/audio-video/2...ems-hated.html

Just some background on ML. They make some of the worlds best speakers using electrostat panels to reproduce sound rather than tweeters. Very natural sound and very realistic.



http://i483.photobucket.com/albums/r...m/IMG_0721.jpg

Back to the subject, I am not sure if you have the bose system or not. I think you may. If you do than you will need a pac converter to integrate the new head unit to the bose system. The harness and antenna adapter are the same. You will need the dash kit IF you do not have a standard one in the base model and the radio is all one piece.

I'm very confused here. The OP has a 2010 Base 370Z with the Stock HU, but also has the Bose amp.. Very confused here.. the Base 370Z is not supposed to come with any of the Bose stuff...

If it cant hit the highs and it cant hit the lows, then it must be a Bose!

That is what I am trying to figure out.

DeEePiDDY has it right, I can't understand why a Bose amp is there when I have the basic-basic factory radio, is this normal? Secondly, does this offer me any opportunities for upgrades?

Not really like I said if you want to add a new head unit and have bose than you have to use a pac converter between the harnesses. If you ever want to put in new speakers you will have to run new speaker wire from your head unit to them to bypass the bose system. If you want to add a sub and have bose you have to use a LOC or what I recommend a MTX re-q to add the amp and sub.

I was going to get the morels but I found a used Dynaudio. Pretty satisfied!


Nice ML setup. I am ready to pull the trigger on some Martin Logan Purity, or Maggies. PM me your opinion on Maggies vs MLs. Don't want to hijack the thread, though I think the OP got the message regarding Bose/blows. :tiphat:

OP, Bose are OK. They appear to be popular due to strong company marketing. Obviously, this is just rumors and personal opinions.

Is the head unit even hooked up to the amp?

actually theres technical reasons y the Bose systems arent very good... its not an opinion is actually the way the system works.

For the moment let's put the discussion of a new HU on hold. If the Bose amp actually works and the mystery cables under the hatch trims are really for rear speakers and they are actually live, couldn't I use them as a convenient source to feed a low profile self powered sub under one of the seats? If so I'd be a step closer to my goal of an all new system without having to pop for the HU and the self powered sub at the same time. And yes, when I eventually do get a new HU I'll probably just eliminate the Bose amp.

You should read about some of the bose owners and what they have to do to add things. Even if it is a low output it is still being processed threw bose and that cuts anything it sees as a threat to its speakers out. That is a big down fall for bose anytime you want to add amps to a bose system you need to use a JL clean sweep or more preferred a mtx re-q or re-q5. So you would need them to clean the signal before sending them to a new amp. I would still like to see a picture of your head unit. If it is a base than that is what you have.

I haven't tried posting pics yet, but I've got a 2010 base model with the A7 and sport package. That's it. I've seen many pictures of the HU on this site and mine looks like all of the others-doesn't have a SAT button, no Bose labeling on the HU and no aux inputs in the console. It does have a front mounted aux audio only input jack for ipod/mp3 player.

Than you have stock and base model no bose.

I agree, just keep wondering about that Bose amp lurking behind and between the seats.

Maybe there was a HU swap at the dealer...someone wanted the Bose deck and you didn't?

Highly doubt it either swap is a lot of work and would not be cheap.

just a dumb thought maybe when the car was on the line the build sheet said
one thing and the workers did another and just covered it up.....

i mean the bose amp is there............

Who knows, I sure don't. I'll be pulling the hatch trims off in the next few days to install Luxury Liner over the existing Dyanamat Extreme and I'll get some pics and see if the thing is functional.

The Bose system in my 370Z sounds just fine. Of course I keep it under 120 decibels unlike the soon-to-be-hearing-impaired. :rolleyes:

disclaimer: I have some high-frequency hearing loss due to years of being in rock bands. You have been warned, suckas.

Fix'd

I got it! I got it!
You must have the Bose active noise cancellation prototype that went missing during recent test trials! It uses the rear speakers to inject noise 180 degrees out of phase with the intolerable road noise coming from the hatch area, to create Lexus-like luxury silence, without the weight of sound deadening materials and sound absorbing foams! Just like the Bose headsets worn by airplane pilots and well-to-do frequent flyers!
Oh, wait... if it was doing that, you wouldn't be ripping out your entire interior to install heavy sound-deadening materials and sound absorbing foam.




never mind....


:shakes head:

It wouldn't be the first time i've seen something like this in other brands...it all depends how the system is done, the 6 disc may have out put power that the bose amp converts. Which would mean the single that was in this car would get converted the same way...
As for would "not be cheap" talk to someone thats been around cars more then 5 years and you will find that companies do all sorts of odd things on the line, and at dealers to make the sale...I've personally seen ENGINES that should have not been in cars that were in them, pre-EFI days.

:rofl2::rofl2: I know your talking abotu someone else I have 6 almost 7 years now. :bowrofl:

With the number of cars I have seen I doubt any company is going to throw in something bose with a stock base head unit.

Its a base system do upgrades like you would with a regular base model you will not have problems.

WOW 6 or 7 whole years!!
I'm telling you strange things happen...

Your probably right but I have only seen hack job installs that others have done that I have had to fix.

Which have nothing to do with what MAY have happend at the factory or at the dealer. I have seen factory screw ups, it does happen.
The best was one of my installers at one of my stores found a HAMMER wedged in an engine bay of a new Cayanne.