Hey Guys and Gals,

I've got the Bose stereo in my 8 and want to ad an equalizer, different speakers, an I pod / Aux input and perhaps more power.

I heard that Bose is proprietary and you cant just add parts.

Is this true... Ideas>??

Tx

 

Head on over to the "interior, audio, and electronics" section of this website. There is an insane amount of information over there on this very topic. If you still have questions after reading all the stickies at the top I'll be glad to do my best to answer them.

I replaced my entire Bose system (save the head unit). It's not *that* difficult to do but you really need to know what you're getting yourself into before you start buying stuff. At some point I would really like to replace the head unit but that's more fabrication work than I really want to do at this point. And the current aftermarket solutions for replacing the head unit are less than stellar (and very expensive).

 

I use an iRiver mp3 player with built-in EQ and an FM xmitter. No need to mess with the stereo that way.

 

The weird stuff in the Bose system is in the amp in the trunk. Replace the amp, put an equalizer in there, and put an aux input into the head unit and the system will do what you want. The head unit is actually very flat.

 

Here's what I have and it sounds great:

1. Auxmod Basic for $60. You don't have to completely remove the stereo, just pull it out about 6 inches to get access. Auxmod link - Auxmod
Stereo removal link - http://www.whatsmyip.org/ipodrx8/

2. Infinity Basslink which takes up little room in the trunk and only costs like $200 on ebay.

3. Harmon Kardon Drive + Play. $100 from Best Buy Drive+Play

I got terrible buzzing as is normal when your IPOD is powered through the car's electrical system so I installed a ground loop isolator, which did the trick. The problem with that is it really seemed to flatten the mid range and bass. After many hours of screwing around I found that I didn't need the ground loop isolator when I used a 90 watt cigarette lighter power inverter then plugged an AC to DC converter into that and then plugged the Harmon Kardon cigarette lighter plug into that AC to DC converter. All of that mess is in the trunk hidden behind the Infinity Basslink and power for the HK runs under the center console where the HK lives behind the ashtray. I installed the remote bass **** inside the ashtray too. Power for the Basslink comes from a line run straight from the battery.

4. Here's info on how to tap that trunk mounted Bose amp for line level input for the sub. Sub installation

The IPOD stays locked in the glovebox and while this all might sound like a mess, you can't see a single wire. For seven months I was using the CD player hack, but I really got disturbed by the pause in sound when the CD had to start back over at track 1.