affenage

Sorry, I tried to search, but I can't nail down the right terms to get the answer I want. Can someone please tell me if the Mazda 6 is available WITHOUT a Bose system?
The reason I ask is that I am wondering if the PIE interface will not work with the Bose but only with the stock RX8 system. (which is why they would state it does not work with the Mazda 6 if the Mazda 6 is only available with a Bose system) They are careful to say that it works with "Mazda factory radios" which I take to mean "not the Bose ones"

bureau13

I'm pretty sure from a head unit perspective the Bose and non-Bose are the same. There may be some parts placed on the Bose that are left off of the other one, but I don't know....at any rate, I wouldn't call the Bose "non-factory."

Did you get any confirmation that the PIE thing won't work with the 6? I'd find it easier to believe that it was just accidentally omitted from the list of supported cars.

jds

affenage

http://www.discountcarstereo.com/sea...eEnd=&txtSale=

Scroll down a bit and you should find it. Thisvendor flat out states "notcompatible with Mazda 6".

Omicron

We have a Mazda 6S in addition to my RX-8, and it definitely is available without the Bose system. Ours has it, but I remember trying to decide to get it or not. And in fact, now that I have it, I can tell you it's pretty damn good - better than the Bose in the '8.

affenage

I know and I agree - the night I took home my 8, the salesman drove me back from my home to the dealership in his 6 (so that I could drop off my SUV and come back and p/u the 8) His stereo was amazing - I asked him if it was stock and he said it was the Bose system. Like night and day with ours, sad to say. My Dad had a great sounding Bose in his Maxima as well - so I was really really disappointed to hear the one in the 8.
I'm hoping that with an added external amp, a sub and swapping out two internal speakers for infinity kappa's that the sound quality will sound high end. It's a shame to have to throw so much more money into it!

almost forgot - so what differences do you see in the mechanics of the two systems- do the head units function similarly?

bureau13

Oops, you're right...I had just seen the web page that didn't list the 6 among the supported models. Very strange...

jds

OverLOAD

The main difference between the bose and non-bose head units, are that the non-bose HU has an integrated powered 4-channel amplifier, and the bose only has 4 low-level outputs (ie. no built in amplifier).

In terms of tapping off of the system, it definately easier to deal with low-level outputs, in terms of substituting them with another signal. High-level signals would need their own separate matched amp.

The story is the same for the rX-8 & the Mazda6.

Regards,

OverLOAD