Is Best Buy bs'n me about my car amplifier?

[rnmcd]

I have a factory installed Delco/Bose Silver Series stereo in my 1991 Caprice Classic. The amplifier is in bad shape--it emits a high pitch squeal anytime the stereo is on.

I went into Best Buy to see if I could find an amplifier to replace mine. Basically they told me that it can't be done due to the way the amp is wired. They said I need to get a new receiver and wire it to bypass the amplifer.

Did BB bs me?

 

[Vette73]

Yea the head unit and amp are pretty much wired together. I am sure there is a way to hook a aftermarket amp up to your head unit, but it would cost more then its worth, let alone the headaches that will come if you have any problems.

Best thing is to get a new head unit with a decent built in amp and run that. Just take out the old amp/head unit and be done.

 

[kami333]

Can't say for sure but many factory systems use properitary wiring systems so you may need to get the reciever replaced too.

 

[Nerdwannabe]

I believe they are telling the truth. From my understanding, Bose system has the amp mounted with the speaker, so there is no actual "amp" to replace. If you decide to swtich the system, you would have to change the deck and get some adaptor to work with the bose system.

 

[rnmcd]

can I just bypass the existing amp by wiring my receiver to the speakers?

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: rnmcd
can I just bypass the existing amp by wiring my receiver to the speakers?

The factory reciever you have probable does not have any true amp built into it. So I would have to say no.

Again, the best and probable cheapest thing to do is get a aftermarket deck and just use its built in amp.

 

[EyeMWing]

www.crutchfield.com
they may not be the cheapest, but they know wtf they're talking about on a per-car basis. Call them, ask around a bit.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Bose uses built-in "amplifier," so if it toasts then you're SOL. Listen to the other guys :thumbsup:

 

[Yzzim]

My roommate knows a little about cars and said that some of the Bose systems use their own frequency or something. He said that if you want to upgrade your speakers and amp, you need to re-wire the entire car when you buy them. Such a PITA, but it can be done.

 

[PoPPeR]

they're probably not BSing you, they just don't know any better.

 

[KC5AV]

If you bypass the factory amp, you will get no sound out of the speakers. Your best option is to replace the whole thing. You can get a decent head unit for not a lot of money, and a new set of speakers won't put you out too much, either (if you decide to replace them).

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Yzzim
My roommate knows a little about cars and said that some of the Bose systems use their own frequency or something. He said that if you want to upgrade your speakers and amp, you need to re-wire the entire car when you buy them. Such a PITA, but it can be done.

Bose systems run different impedance then standard. Standard car audio systems run 4 ohm speakers (home audio runs 8). Bose systems typically run 2 or 6 ohm. Usually when dealing with a Bose system you have to rip out the whole thing and replace everything. A lot of the time you even have to rewire the speakers.

 

[Shawn]

It really depends on the way the factory head unit is wired to the amp. Chances are though they are right.

 

[TerryMathews]

I've got more than a little experience with this - just replaced a Bose system in a 1991 Corvette.

For a change, the Best Buy guys aren't BSing you - nothing they sell will replace a Bose amp. I know there are replacement Bose amps available for Corvettes, dunno about Caprice. For Vettes, the amps are $150/speaker new. Or you can send them off to be reworked. Since your car is going to have a total of four of those bad boys, and they are fairly failure prone, just rip out the whole stock system and replace. It'll be cheaper in the long run, and sound better too.

 

[hugobomber]

i have no idea about car audio, but why would they turn down an opportunity to make money?

 

[PCMarine]

Bose = Blows

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Yzzim
My roommate knows a little about cars and said that some of the Bose systems use their own frequency or something. He said that if you want to upgrade your speakers and amp, you need to re-wire the entire car when you buy them. Such a PITA, but it can be done.

Bose systems run different impedance then standard. Standard car audio systems run 4 ohm speakers (home audio runs 8). Bose systems typically run 2 or 6 ohm. Usually when dealing with a Bose system you have to rip out the whole thing and replace everything. A lot of the time you even have to rewire the speakers.

Just because of a different impedance?

 

[ElFenix]

bose :thumbsdown:

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Yzzim
My roommate knows a little about cars and said that some of the Bose systems use their own frequency or something. He said that if you want to upgrade your speakers and amp, you need to re-wire the entire car when you buy them. Such a PITA, but it can be done.

Bose systems run different impedance then standard. Standard car audio systems run 4 ohm speakers (home audio runs 8). Bose systems typically run 2 or 6 ohm. Usually when dealing with a Bose system you have to rip out the whole thing and replace everything. A lot of the time you even have to rewire the speakers.

Just because of a different impedance?

Not just because of it, but the amplifier/Hu interface is totally proprietary. If you look in Crutchfield there are adapters out there; they just tend to run about $100 as a minimum.

 

[oogabooga]

My car had a stock system/amp setup. I replaced the headunit, and am using the stock amps, which apparently will blow out the speakers (not that it matters, they sound like ass already). I would just replace the whole setup -

replacing your amp can be done, but it's a pain in the ass with the wiring (i wouldn't unless you like doing that kind of stuff, know what you're doing, and have some free time).

Remember what they say about bose = "No High, No Low, it must be bose"

 

[TerryMathews]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Yzzim
My roommate knows a little about cars and said that some of the Bose systems use their own frequency or something. He said that if you want to upgrade your speakers and amp, you need to re-wire the entire car when you buy them. Such a PITA, but it can be done.

Bose systems run different impedance then standard. Standard car audio systems run 4 ohm speakers (home audio runs 8). Bose systems typically run 2 or 6 ohm. Usually when dealing with a Bose system you have to rip out the whole thing and replace everything. A lot of the time you even have to rewire the speakers.

Just because of a different impedance?

Sort of. A Bose system of this generation throws a line-level signal + power line to each speaker box. The HU doesn't have an internal amplifier. Each speaker setup is only 1 ohm of resistance vs. an industry standard of 4 ohm. It's as incompatible with aftermarket stuff as you can get.

 

[rnmcd]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Bose uses built-in "amplifier," so if it toasts then you're SOL. Listen to the other guys :thumbsup:

I know very little about car audio systems but I'm sure that my amp is a stand-alone unit that is mounted in my trunk.

 

[NutBucket]

Here is the adapter Crutchfield says you need to install a new HU in your car. It still will utilize the factory amp. So to bypass the factor amp would require some rewiring.

 

[C'DaleRider]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
My car had a stock system/amp setup. I replaced the headunit, and am using the stock amps, which apparently will blow out the speakers (not that it matters, they sound like ass already). I would just replace the whole setup -

replacing your amp can be done, but it's a pain in the ass with the wiring (i wouldn't unless you like doing that kind of stuff, know what you're doing, and have some free time).

Remember what they say about bose = "No Highs, No Lows, it must be bose"

There, fixed it for you. The Bose saying rhymes.

 

[thomsbrain]

Originally posted by: Nerdwannabe
I believe they are telling the truth. From my understanding, Bose system has the amp mounted with the speaker, so there is no actual "amp" to replace. If you decide to swtich the system, you would have to change the deck and get some adaptor to work with the bose system.

this is the way it was in the Nisaan 300ZX i helped a friend work on. each speaker has an individual amplifier located right next to the speaker. stupidest idea in the known universe. to switch out the headunit, each speaker had to be manually rewired to bypass the amp (and of course this left line-level cabling to function as speaker wire since we were too lazy to rewire the whole car). Bose sucks for car audio.