Minor upgrade to the Bose system

paauto · June 15, 2018

14 hours ago, SierraHD17 said:

Just finished up my Kicker install. Went well except that stupid grommet in the firewall... what a miserable thing that was. Otherwise the sub dropped right and hooked up fine. I used the instructions and was able to find the harness for the wires to tap into easy enough.

It sounds pretty good to me.. actually has bass coming from somewhere that is not the door speakers. My truck is an odd ball SLE double cab with the center console and UQA Bose premium system with the useless factory sub. I may do the door speakers in the future but for now this sounds plenty good to me! I have zero complaints.

That grommet is a PITA indeed. Actually, i think it's two grommets with a hollow center. I used a coat hanger to push wires through it.

So, how much room is there in the center console where the factory sub is located? Ideally I would put my new sub there. Haven't pulled the console apart yet to check.

SierraHD17 · June 15, 2018

Haven't touched my center console... no idea how much room it takes up. Where and how are you reading I took my console apart lol?. I have the same kicker as the rest of the thread. I had the top off the console once when I installed my cell booster but that really didnt show me anything.

The grommet is one piece. I pulled it out of the firewall about halfway around to finally get the wire through it using an awl. It's just an idiotic design.. no surprise lol.

Edited June 15, 2018 by SierraHD17

paauto · June 17, 2018

On 6/15/2018 at 3:59 PM, SierraHD17 said:

Haven't touched my center console... no idea how much room it takes up. Where and how are you reading I took my console apart lol?. I have the same kicker as the rest of the thread. I had the top off the console once when I installed my cell booster but that really didnt show me anything.

The grommet is one piece. I pulled it out of the firewall about halfway around to finally get the wire through it using an awl. It's just an idiotic design.. no surprise lol.

sorry, meant to ask the console question more generally to the group. yeah, that grommet is a pain. glad u pulled it out and did an autopsy. definitely dead space in the middle that makes it hard to navigate through.

pogrelis97 · August 20, 2018

On ‎6‎/‎2‎/‎2018 at 8:33 PM, Bish said:

It is definitely an improvement. Huge, no. No louder, just cleaner sound IMO. I'm also sure the dynamat (actually used Stinger Roadkill Expert) helps some but wouldn't venture to guess what percentage was speaker improvement and what percentage was sound deadener improvement.

Regarding how difficult, on a scale of 1-10 I would say a 3-4. Door panels come off really easy once you remove the proper bolts and use a pry tool to pop the clips. It goes back on even easier. The Crutchfield speaker wire adapters made it plug and play. The dash speakers were a little more difficult only because of access as the windshield stops you from using a lot of tools. All I did was watch some videos on how to remove the panels and gave it a shot. Mind you I consider myself very mechanically inclined. I have stripped the interior of my vehicles completely in the past to install stereo and sound proofing. Those days are gone for me now though

The sub was pretty easy too. Install was simple. the hardest part was running the wires to under the driver's dash and finding the proper wires to tap. Just followed the instructions. The sub was no more difficult to install than the door and dash speakers.

Did you have the button on the tweeters in or out? I cant figure out the difference. I installed mine last week and I'm not impressed, if I turn only the rear speakers on it sounds terrible, I have better sound out of my 5 1/2 wal mart door speakers in my 2006 ford ranger. Any ideas on what the problem is? I'm not sure if the front door speakers sound right but when I replace the dash speakers I'll turn them on by themselves and see.

Bish · August 20, 2018

Didn't know there was a button on the tweeters Only thing I can think of is you have them out of phase. IE, positive to negative. When I installed the rears there was the least amount of improvement of all the speakers sitting in the front seat. It was definitely a slight improvement though and not worse. Bear in mind I have a sub under the back seat too so that may make the rears sound better. However, I had the sub with the original speakers too.

pogrelis97 · August 20, 2018

With the adapters that crutchfield gives you I don't think you can wire them backwards but i'll check. I have a JL sub under the back seat but if I turn it off and just the rear speakers on it sounds awful.

MotionMan · August 25, 2018

I went with a Rockford Fosgate 10in and a RF 900 watt amp at 1 ohm all under the rear seat. 100 better. Next are crossovers to get the bass out of the doors, just a rattle trap.

Andy A Sr · April 20, 2020

Im currently waiting for my speakers from crutchfield to come. I bought the kappa 6x9 components for the front doors and kappa 6.5 2ways for the rear doors. $800 total shipped. It came with all the gm connector and spacers needed. I also got the kappa perfect 3.5 for dash( will need to modified to fit in dash) I will currently Be using the factory Bose amp while I save for a loop back harness and audio control lc4.800 all pre wired from https://lljcustoms.com/ $675 all plug and play from this company. You can find there you tube videos on there web site.

gearheadesw · April 21, 2020

I have the Infinity speakers installed in my DC, sound is MUCH better. Now looking for some more volume, not much, just more punch then what the stock stereo is giving. I am no audiophile, not looking for perfection, just more volume, don't like messing with stereo stuff any more, but am unwilling to take it to the shop. Got the speakers from Crutchfield, and have been looking for amps there, just don't know what I want or need.

Can someone hold my hand and recommend, and enlighten me on install, of an amplifier for this application, please?

Andy A Sr · April 21, 2020

Look up lc6.1200 on you tube with a kit from https://lljcustoms.com/ cost about $1200. Take the parts to a shop to have installed

gearheadesw · April 21, 2020

4 hours ago, Andy A Sr said:

Look up lc6.1200 on you tube with a kit from https://lljcustoms.com/ cost about $1200. Take the parts to a shop to have installed

Yikes, I was looking at some 4 channel, 75-100 watt amps for 3-500 bucks. I think that's a little out of my audio quality deaf ears to appreciate.

Andy A Sr · April 21, 2020

They do have the lc4:800 which is a 4 channel amp with harness for $675 all plug and play

gearheadesw · April 21, 2020

1 hour ago, Andy A Sr said:

They do have the lc4:800 which is a 4 channel amp with harness for $675 all plug and play

I like that, thanks.

gearheadesw · April 29, 2020

So I picked up a little 4 channel 400 watt amp. Then I went and looked how to install this amp into my truck...... looks like it's going to sit on the shelf for quite a while. What a pain in the ass.