Options for 300ZX Audio

SFiorito · 07-05-2004, 11:59 AM

Hello everyone. I'm almost finished with my project. I'm just finishing up on my in-dash lilly fiberglassing project and then need to finish a couple things for mounting my MII. I'm not very experienced with car audio so please bear with me. I've got the factory Bose system in my '93 300ZX. Each speaker has an amp. Now, since I'm getting rid of my bose HU I was wondering what my options are for hooking up the soundcard output to the speakers. The harness has a +,- for each speaker. Do I need to get some sort of adapter or can I tap directly into those lines? Most of the posts I've read on here seem to be about just replacing the Bose HU with an aftermarket HU or upgrading to a single aftermarket amp. I was hoping to not have to buy new speakers and an amp right now. Thanks!

SFiorito · 07-06-2004, 03:02 PM

Bump... anyone? any ideas? did I not explain myself clearly? is this mic on???

vladilen · 07-06-2004, 04:52 PM

Why not relocate your HU to the glovebox or under the seat? That way all of your connections remain the same. I'm doing the same thing right now to my truck.

Onyx · 07-10-2004, 03:42 AM

your bose speakers/amplifiers aren't like normal everyday speakers. i don't know of any aftermarket head units that can hookup directly. you'll deffinately need an adapter of some sort if you want to use the factory bose equipment with an aftermarket head. check out www.soundgate.com, i'm almost positive they'll have what you need. though, if you ask me, if you're going to spend money it might as well be on new speakers and an amp. the factory bose stuff isn't nearly as good as quality aftermarket gear.

as far as getting sound out of your soundcard and into your stereo, it seems like the easiest way is by using a head with aux input. if your head doesn't have aux in, consider getting it into an amp.

Supermike · 07-10-2004, 04:42 AM

I am having this same problem with my Pathfinder. I am using a Clarion HU with the factory Bose system. Right now I am using a Peripheral Line Out Converter (LOC) which I bought at Circuit City, but I am getting alot of breakup when the volume is turned up and the volume level is not very high compared to what it was with the stock system. I have it tweaked as best I can, but it is nowere near the sound I want. (I have read) that the Bose speakers do not use a common ground - they require a balanced input where there is signal on the + and - or something like that.

I am probably going replace the LOC with the N-684V from davidnavone.com unless I find a better way - or just decide to bite the bullet and get a whole new set of speakers and Amps. I have been told that "if it's Bose, it goes" by several installers.

DJKhan85 · 07-11-2004, 01:09 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Supermike

I am having this same problem with my Pathfinder. I am using a Clarion HU with the factory Bose system. Right now I am using a Peripheral Line Out Converter (LOC) which I bought at Circuit City, but I am getting alot of breakup when the volume is turned up and the volume level is not very high compared to what it was with the stock system. I have it tweaked as best I can, but it is nowere near the sound I want. (I have read) that the Bose speakers do not use a common ground - they require a balanced input where there is signal on the + and - or something like that.

I am probably going replace the LOC with the N-684V from davidnavone.com unless I find a better way - or just decide to bite the bullet and get a whole new set of speakers and Amps. I have been told that "if it's Bose, it goes" by several installers.

Funny you said that. cause I'm doing that EXACT thing right now. I at least know that I need to be pushing out at least 3 more volts to my system from the service manual.

Supermike · 07-11-2004, 03:01 AM

DJKhan85, do you have the Bose system too? If so, care to share any info you have, or what you plan to use to adapt an aftermarket HU to it? I am still deciding on my next step. If I find something that works well I will post here as well.

DJKhan85 · 07-11-2004, 10:40 AM

Yeah I have the bose system as well. I have posted here about it as well. Look for a thread in the car audio section under "Softer Music". Well what I figured out with that My audigy 2 nx does output 2 volts rms. According to my Electronic Service Manual for my car, My stock headunit is supposed to output a 5 to 7 volt signal. So I'm hoping that jucing the voltage with that n-684v will help. If it doesn't I'm going to have to turn the audigy output to a balanced output and run it that way. That is of course the more expensive way. SO hopefully the N-684v will work.

As for the 300zx. Get yourself the wiring harness for the non bose 300zx system. Hook everything up normally and it should work. Thats what i did. Don't bother with a LOC they are uesless as I have found out. If you plan on going headunit less. You will run into the same problem that myself and supermike are having. It just won't sound like it did. You will need to juice the voltage up to your active speaker amps.

Supermike · 07-12-2004, 06:33 AM

I actually have a Clarion HU, and may try just getting rid of the LOC - I just don't wannt blow the Bose amps. I am thinking that the low volume may have to do with the unbalanced signal being sent to the Bose which wants a balanced signal. I may not understand it correctly, but it would seem that an unbalanced signal would have half the amplitude of a balanced signal and therefore have half the volume.

I have not seen a LOC that has anything to do with a balanced signal - they just drop the signal to the range that the factory system can deal with AFAIK.

DJKhan85 · 07-12-2004, 10:15 AM

That is true that the signal will have half the amplitude. When I did have my kenwood HU attached to the bose headunit I was not using any LOC or voltage increasing adapter. It sounded close to the stock system. But again it leads right back to the headunit sending out more votlage than what I got now. Get rid of the LOC and jsut hook your HU up normally. You can try to hook up the preamps of the headunit to the amp since I know that on some HU's you can switch the preamps between balanced and unbalanced modes. If you think about it. If you hook up the BOSE amp to the speaker level inputs of your HU, you will be amplifiing the signal twice. SO you should get louder music. The preamp outputs should give a cleaner signal to the amp. Keep me updated.

DJKhan85 · 07-12-2004, 08:43 PM

I recieved my N-684v today and man it does work incredibly. I got my stock sound back.

Supermike · 07-13-2004, 03:52 AM

DJKahn85- thanks, thats what I wanted to hear. Good to know you got the Audigy 2 NX sounding good now.

Thanks for the suggestion as well. I did some experimentation today and found that the problem with the break-up at higher volume was indeed the Peripheral Line Out Converter. I think that the cheap pots are to blame - the N-684v on the other hand looks like it probably uses beefy-er pots, hopefully with a good power rating. Hooked up the Bose system to the Clarion and it sounds as good as stock.- but I am worried about the risk of damaging the Bose system so I may get the N-684v. I s/w David Navone via email and that is what he recommended for my setup as well.

On the other hand, I borrowed some coax 5" Rockford Fosgate speakers and hooked them up - they put the Bose to shame. It sounded like the Bose speakers had a towel over them - I never really noticed till now - and now it bugs me. I may stop by the stereo place tomorrow and see what they can do for me, but if it looks like too much $$$, I will just spring for the N-684v (to protect the Bose amps).

The third option would be the pre-amps. In order to get to the pre-amp RCA, I would need to rip the system out for the 3rd time and with my in-dash install it would be a project (but each time I do it I get a little better at it

). I also need to search thru the manual to see if the Clarion has the ability to do a balanced output on the pre-amps.

DJKhan85 · 07-13-2004, 10:54 AM

As I too have found out. BOSE is a horrible in car system. Its great for stock. But a pair of cheap speakers will blow it outta the water. Until I have the time and money to rip out all 8 speakers and the amp and replace everything to my liking. The sound is fine. If BOSE didn't cut so many cornors they would be a very nice system. My conclusion is I am NEVER getting a BOSE system ever again.

I don't think that the headunit will damage your bose amp, but then again mine was only in for about a week then I replaced it.

I can't even begin to count how man times I've had to rip my install out by now. I hope you solve your problem. I'm really surprised not more people are having this problem.

Supermike · 07-14-2004, 02:08 AM

DJKahn85, I know you are all hooked up with the N-684v, but I read on another thread about the audiocontrol THREE.1, and how it is a good option for head-unitless installs. Looked at the specs and it sounds cool. Was considering the FOUR.1i for my truck, but for the price I could get a better set of speakers and an amp. Cool thing about the AudioControl tho is that it has the capability to send or receive a balanced signal (like the Bose wants).

compirate · 07-14-2004, 02:18 AM

http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/PICS/stereo/stereo.html

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