Changing factory speakers to bose speakers

[frenchsquared]

Like everyone said... if your going to upgrade then upgrade and don't get the Bose crap. There are many better products at a lower cost. Im sure my truck will be getting all Kicker stuff a few weeks after I get it home. 

[Marv88]

1 hour ago, a_salazar08 said:

Can you please share details of what you did here?

 

I'm interested in upgrading the dash speakers but unsure what will fit or options we have. The only direct swaps I can find are the 2.75" by a brand called Memphis. I think these speakers look just like the stock ones., paper cone and all.

Several companies are now making 2.75" mini mids but none I have tried can reach the upper frequencies like tweeters. I used some old Polk db tweeters/crossovers I had laying around and made some adapters to fit the tweeters in the stock location however any tweeter with a flush mounting option will easily fit with an adapter (template on the left in first picture and the black set are the adapters). I cut the 6x9 door speaker  wires behind the kick panel to get signal to the crossover and from the crossover to the 6x9's in the door. I then just ran a new wire from the crossover up to the tweeter in the dash by removing the side panel from the dash. 

 

I did it this way so I could low pass the 6x9's and have level adjustments of the tweeter to better match with the 6x9 however there are some aftermarket tweeters available that have inline crossovers and can just be connected directly to the factory mini mid wire if you don't care about low passing the 6x9's (be sure they are 4 ohm)

Edited April 17, 2018 by Marv88
Added info on tweeter level adjustment

[Marv88]

1 hour ago, Loco-diablo said:

I have to agree. I have a 2017 LT DC midnight edition with Bose. It's just ok. Not great.

My wife's factory Volvo system blows my Bose away for sound and clarity and it was standard on her Volvo.

I agree as Volvo (and some VW's I believe) use high end Dynaudio speakers and sound better than just about any factory system I have heard as well as any of the so called aftermarket oem plug n play "upgrade" systems 

[2018GMC]

If you are looking for more low end bass then add a under rear seat subwoofer. Or the newly released JL stealth box for under center console.

 

https://www.crutchfield.com/g_530/Custom-Subwoofer-Boxes.html?tp=113

 

[2018GMC]

I have the bose system. Is sounds good and is very balanced for a factory system.

However I want punchy bass. Bass I can feel but not obnoxious.

The Bose sub is under the factory center console and is a 5” sub.

The JL center console sub is a 10” low profile in custom box.

I am saving my pennies for this. I won’t loose any under rear seat storage and it will sound great with my bose door and dash speakers. They are plenty loud. Just lacking low end bass.

$600 JL sub stealth box subwoofer
$200-$350 300W - 500W mono amp for sub
$100 LCI2 Signal converter box
$50 amp wiring kit.

https://www.crutchfield.com/g_530/Custom-Subwoofer-Boxes.html?tp=113

[duquephart]

17 hours ago, a_salazar08 said:

I've heard that the stock Bose systems aren't that great and not worth the money. I just upgraded my door speakers to some Rockford Fosgate Power Series (6x9 in the front and 6.5 in the back). I spent a couple hundred dollars from crutchfield. They also offer products for scratch/dent as well as open box. My open box items were in 100% perfect condition and I saved a pretty penny!  

 

If you order from them, they will supply instructions, wires, and mounting brackets for free. The hardest part of the instillation is removing the door panel. Simple YouTube video will help you with this. The rest is just screws.

 

 

 

Included in cost. No such thing as free.

[ChristopherDB]

On the 6.2L, if you ditch the Bose speakers will you loose the noise cancelling?

 

I ripped apart my door panel today to install the side mirror cameras and those Bose speakers looked pretty cheap.

[duquephart]

Can the Bose system be improved upon with just door speakers? Will the Bose amp be enough or do better speakers require more mustard? I'm just looking for better/cleaner mids and highs. Suggestions welcomed. 

[duquephart]

Anyone gone from Bose to Infinity Reference?

[duquephart]

Anyone?

[Marv88]

On 8/2/2018 at 11:57 PM, duquephart said:

Can the Bose system be improved upon with just door speakers? Will the Bose amp be enough or do better speakers require more mustard? I'm just looking for better/cleaner mids and highs. Suggestions welcomed. 

Depends on what you consider "improved upon". If you just  change to a "better" mini mid in the dash you may get better midrange clarity but you still won't get much "sparkle" up top as all the aftermarket ones I have tried roll off pretty early and still needed a tweeter for my tastes. Also, the 6x9 in the door is a 2 ohm speaker and even if you replace those with a 2 ohm 6x9 you may not get the dash/door speakers to blend together without a way to adjust the levels/crossover points between them.

 

That said my neighbor just got a new dually with Bose and is mainly unhappy with the vocals/top end but doesn't want to just jump into a full system so we're gonna do a little experimenting  to see if we can improve upon the sound without having to add a processor and amplifier. To start with we will be installing a new mini mid in the dash with a tweeter in the sail panels on passive crossovers and if that doesn't suit him we will add new 2 ohm 6x9's in the doors. If all that still doesn't work out well we're going to be left with no choice but to add the processor along with an amplifier so we can have full control over tuning. 

[Nasty]

1 hour ago, Marv88 said:

Depends on what you consider "improved upon". If you just  change to a "better" mini mid in the dash you may get better midrange clarity but you still won't get much "sparkle" up top as all the aftermarket ones I have tried roll off pretty early and still needed a tweeter for my tastes. Also, the 6x9 in the door is a 2 ohm speaker and even if you replace those with a 2 ohm 6x9 you may not get the dash/door speakers to blend together without a way to adjust the levels/crossover points between them.

 

That said my neighbor just got a new dually with Bose and is mainly unhappy with the vocals/top end but doesn't want to just jump into a full system so we're gonna do a little experimenting  to see if we can improve upon the sound without having to add a processor and amplifier. To start with we will be installing a new mini mid in the dash with a tweeter in the sail panels on passive crossovers and if that doesn't suit him we will add new 2 ohm 6x9's in the doors. If all that still doesn't work out well we're going to be left with no choice but to add the processor along with an amplifier so we can have full control over tuning. 

Might as well go all out the first time instead of being unhappy 10 times

[Marv88]

 

31 minutes ago, Nasty said:

Might as well go all out the first time instead of being unhappy 10 times

Everybody has different listening tastes  (I see quite a few guys on this forum that are happy with their Bose system just st as it is) and he doesn't want to just go all out if he doesn't have to. In any case he's willing to pay for my time to start simple with the understanding it may cost more to fully reach his objectives so I just do what I am asked to do!

 

Edit: also with this approach we will not be going "backwards" to redo anything rather we'll just be progressing one step at a time since he's at least willing to start with really good quality speakers. 

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by Marv88

[Nasty]

6 minutes ago, Marv88 said:

 

Everybody has different listening tastes  (I see quite a few guys on this forum that are happy with their Bose system just st as it is) and he doesn't want to just go all out if he doesn't have to. In any case he's willing to pay for my time to start simple with the understanding it may cost more to fully reach his objectives so I just do what I am asked to do!

 

Edit: also with this approach we will not be going "backwards" to redo anything rather we'll just be progressing one step at a time since he's at least willing to start with really good quality speakers. 

 

I dont mean to sound like a dick, but when someone tells me "i love how my bose sounds" or something of the sort.  Its because they have never heard anything good which tells me they dont know what good sounds like

[Maxsuperdog]

I totally agree with Nasty. Bose systems are heavily EQ'd to work specifically with their speakers. In my opinion it's a total waste of time to install new speakers into a Bose system. They're still going to sound like Schiit. Installing an amp is relatively easy and decent ones can be had for not a lot of $$$. Might as well do it right the first time.