bozzchem

I plan to install this unit within the next couple of weeks.

I'd like some feedback concerning my plan of attack. I will be using a Bosch or Radio Shack 275-248 relay to provide the remote power to the AC THREE.1 and the two amplifiers.

Here is the wiring plan I have devised:

A3 GRN/RED - Remote power to relay
A2 WHT/RED - Power supply for relay
A20 BLK - Ground for relay

A5/A15 (Rt rear +/-) and A6/A16 (Lf rear +/-) -- I plan to cut them as close to the speakers as possible. I'll cap the end coming from the HU and splice the speaker wire from the amp to the speaker side.

A7/A17 (Rt front +/-) and A8/A18 (Lf front +/-) -- I plan to cut them after the HU and feed to the AC THREE.1. I will either run the speaker wires from the amp to the other end or cap it and find a spot closer to the speakers themselves.

All that said, what do I need to do about the EQ? Can I just unplug the EQ connector from the HU, unplug the stock woofer amp connector, and forget about them?? OR, do I still need to do the EQ bypass?

Suggestions, comments, etc. will be greatly appreciated. I've never ran across a system like this Bose POS before.

Thanks.

bozzchem

Another question.

Do you think I'd be better off using a LOC rather than speaker level inputs? I'm not sure if the line driver functionality of the unit operates with the speaker level input or just the low level input.

TopGum

You should check with Bfor3. He is the pioneer on this one.

bozzchem

The only problem is BFOR3 had his installed for him. I plan to do mine myself. If the farkin Bose EQ wasn't there, I wouldn't even need to ask these questions.

All I want to know is what will happen if I remove the EQ connector from the HU and the power connector from the stock amp?

I'm going to call AudioControl tomorrow and see if they have some insight.

My four Polk DX6's came in today so I have to get cooking.

I'd still appreciate any feedback anyone can offer. I know many of you have quite a bit of experience with this insane Bose setup.

Thanks.

randomwalk101

You can ask Iggy or SB for more info on how to bypass the stock EQ. They have done the EQ bypass (EQ). Just do a search and you'll even find a diagram of the bypass. BTW, I would imagine that you just do the bypass according to the diagram and hook up the stock output to your AC Three.1 and go from there..

bozzchem

I was hoping Iggy or Southbound would read my questions and respond by now. I don't see a need to do an EQ bypass with what I want to do. I should be able to feed the THREE.1 and leave the Blose crap hanging in the wind.

Like I said, I wouldn't even be asking this question with a typical stock system. All I want to know is what will happen when I disconnect the Blose BS.

Southbound was my greatest hope on this. He has looked at the schematics for the THREE.1 as well as poring over the BS Bose inflicted on us.

I don't see the need for bypassing the stock EQ!!! That's what I'm trying to do!! I want to disconnect it and the stock amp. I just want to feed the THREE.1 a good signal so it will feed my amps.

JC, this is getting way too complicated. Looks like I'll have to figure it out with my FLUKE.

Sigh.

bozzchem

One thing that puzzles me?? I know there are professional installers who visit this board...why are they so lax to answer questions like this?

Do they fear the fact that they'll lose $$$ ????

This is such a simple question for those familiar with this system. Oh well, I guess I'll have to figure it out for myself. Don't worry, once I do, I won't keep you guys in the dark.

randomwalk101

Relax dude..give them time...but do understand that they don't have to right? They provide you with good info by the "goodwill"...you make it sounds like they are mandated answer you or some sh*t.

AcuraX2

I would think you could just unhook the eq and be done with it. It would be alot like replacing the head unit, which I have done. I think it would work just fine. I do know that the stock speakers sound horrible with my new head unit so, the eq does help things on those but, I am replacing them anyway.

Just my .02.

Brewboy

My suggestion would be to unplug the Bose speakers and wrap up the plug and leave it in your doors, assuming your running new speaker wire from your amps. Leave the EQ and other wiring alone. Don't cut the existing wires just tap into the pre-eq'd signal (L,R,C) from the HU and run it to your 3.1. You'll lose fader but should regain it on the 3.1. Make a nice soldered tap, not those cheap plastic tap thingies. I think this is the easiest way to bypass the EQ and you won't get the engine whine.

Southbound

bozz,
relax...
Unfortunately I also have to work for a living. I went out of my way to give you detailed instructions on soldering techniques and didn't see any response either. We're all here to help... sometimes we're just not always available.

Randomwalk gave you most of the answers that you need to know.

I know that you would prefer NOT to bypass the factory EQ, but it's really not that hard to do, if you follow Iggy's solution that he and I worked out....

TO DIRECTLY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION...

NO! YOU CAN'T SIMPLY UNPLUG THE FACTORY EQ AND LEAVE IT HANGING IN THE BREEZE!

Again, Acura/Blose didn't make things easy...

The factory headunit AND EQ AND power amp input wires are ALL IN THE SAME BLACK HARNESS WITH THE SAME SINGLE CONNECTOR attached to the headunit.

So it is physically IMPOSSIBLE to simply disconnect the EQ connector! THERE IS NO SINGLE EQ CONNECTOR ON THE BACK OF THE HEADUNIT... Even if you did it at the EQ box, you would still have to loop back some wires to the headunit on the unplugged connector. The connector on the back of the headunit is relatively easy to get to... the EQ box is MORE difficult. Therefore, you're only option is to cut and splice some wires in the BLACK harness from the headunit. When you cut and splice these wires to feed your new amp, you will at the same time accomplish the BYPASS OF THE EQ in the same routine process. JUST DON'T "TAP" wires... YOU NEED TO CUT AND SPLICE to get the EQ to "hang in the breeze". Then you need to tie together some of the EQ input and output leads since it doesn't really remain stable "hanging in the breeze". Strange effects on the bass output have been observed without proper termination of the cut EQ wires.

The stock Power amp is INSIDE of the headunit... So you can't simply disconnect the power wire to the power amp without disconnecting power to the overall headunit and CD player as well...

The SECOND BLUE connector on the headunit feeds the SPEAKER OUTS.

Iggy has posted schematics on this board that I am looking at to give you this information. They are also the same schematics that I used to figure out the best technique for the EQ bypass. I have also had my center console and dash apart to get at the back of the headunit harness assy. So I have seen all of the BLOSE CRAP in person.

It's not simple to do what you are proposing... but it's also already been done by many memebers on this board. You can accomplish what you want in the end... it will just take you a bit more cutting and splicing.

The GOOD news is that you don't have to re-invent the wheel here... all of the info that you should need to know, is in the archives here on this forum. We've all been through this issue more than once on the board... DON'T GET TOO FRAZZLED...

Good luck!
Southbound

Southbound

I also just re-read brewboy's suggestion... (thanks brewboy!) It is also a route that you could take. As long as you "tap" the "pre-eq" line outs from the head unit you should be fine. As he mentioned, just disconnect the stock speaker wires and tape them off. The stock head unit AND EQ would now be functioning but it wouldn't be feeding any speakers. HOWEVER, the tricky EQ termination routine wouldn't be interferred with and as brewboy stated, you shouldn't run into any anomalies or engine whine, etc. The input impedance of the 3.1 is 20Kohms, so that shouldn't load the line output of the headunit.

The only issue in this method is the loss of the fader, but as brewboy also stated, you should gain that back in the 3.1...

If you don't plan to use the speaker outs to feed your new amp, then I would probably go this route...

BUT AGAIN, running LINE LEVEL signals this far from the output of the 3.1 at the front of the car to the NEW rear amps, could cause some engine/electrical noise. USE VERY GOOD RCA DOUBLE SHIELDED CABLES AND RUN THEM DOWN THE CENTER OF THE CAR.

Otherwise, follow my cut and splice (EQ bypass) method in the post above, and use the low impedance speaker line outs to feed your NEW rear amps. In this case, you are actually replacing the STOCK EQ with the NEW 3.1 EQ... It may take trial and error to see which method provides the best sound and LEAST noise...

sorry about that, but one of those two methods will work... Good Luck!
Southbound

bozzchem

My apologies to all for my previous post. Impatience + beer = a$$hole.

Southbound

No prob... When you want your tunes... YOU WANT THEM NOW!

Good luck!
SB

bozzchem

Thanks for understanding :o

Yes, you're right, when you want your tunes...you wan't your tunes NOW.

I've got the equipment and the know how, for any system other than this freakin Bose system.

I don't know what the hell I was thinking of when I figured I'd just use the speaker outs from the HU. OBVIOUSLY if they're on their way to the speakers....THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN EQ'D!!!

Iggy

Bozzchem,
I too have been on the road. I really hate these 7day stints. Having read all the responses so far, I am kind of leaning towards Brewboys idea. I would have done that in the first place, but I really wanted ALL HU functions. Namely fader control.

The 3.1 takes care of all that so the cleanest(if that's even possible with this a$$ setup) signal would probably be, once again, Brewboys method.

Keep in mind, If you want to bypass the stock EQ, use my method, I have absolutely no external noise whatsoever.

When I first learned of the 3.1 I was very interested but quickly realized that I have no place to put it(navi). Oh well.

Cheers,
Iggy

bozzchem

I just traded for the 2003 TL-S and went from a system with 300W/each to a pair of 12" IDQ subs, and 60W/each to a set of Pioneer Premier comps front and Pioneer 6x8's rear - to a high and mighty Bose system......

This POS Bose system that came with my $30,000 car isn't worth putting in a Yugo, IMHO.

It looks like the EQ bypass is a definite must. I just got my power back today (killer ice storm here in North Carolina!) so I just shot an email to AudioControl to see if they have any suggestions for adding the THREE.1 to a Bose system. I'm also looking at the PIE PDC-LOC converter since it's only $30 and claims to interface directly with the Bose audio out while bypassing the EQ at the same time. We'll see..............

I sent Bose a congratulatory email concerning the excellence of their Honda/Acura system. It went something like this:

So, here I now have the following to be installed:
1) AudioControl THREE.1 EQ
2) US Acoustics USX 4065 (4x65W) amp
3) Polk DX6 (Front and Rear) (Fronts may end up for sale if I feel the need to go back to comps)
4) US Acoustics 2200F (2x300W) amp
5) 12" IDQ (two in sealed box)
6) Triple shielded interconnects (3 sets)
7) Distribution blocks for power and ground
8) Blah, Blah, Blah

Now you should start to see the cause for my impatience...I hope. This is on top of the painted TL-S body kit sitting in the garage waiting to be installed as well.

It's very hard to set aside the required time to do all of this properly when I have the cutest 10 month old girl in the USA who requires my attention as well.

I really will try not to ask questions that have already been asked once I pull the dash apart...but I may end up doing so. Sometimes it's easier than spending 45 minutes reading through posts after doing a search.

I plan to document both my body kit install as well as my audio system install via digital camera/camcorder.

Hopefully, this will help me as well as any others who wish to tackle these projects. This is not to say that those who have already done so haven't done a killer job!! They have! The way I see it, since a picture is worth a thousand words - the more pictures...the less words.

Cheers!

bozzchem

I'm also thinking Brewboy's method is the best way to go. The THREE.1 should take care of any inherent noise due to it's built in noise reduction circuitry.

I won't need fader or volume control from the HU since the THREE.1 provides both. I'll lose the steering wheel control, but sh!t happens.

I just PM'd Brewboy for more info. I'm not sure which wires are the pre-eq'd L and R channel that I could tap into. I HATE this farcking Bose POS!!! This is so frustrating!!!!!!!

My other BIG concern is how to get NEW speaker wires into the doors without drilling. I haven't looked yet but most of the new cars today use plugs on each side rather than the old style where you could "sneak" a set of wires through.

If I can "sneak" a set of wires through, Brewboy's option will probably be the way I wish to proceed.

It would probably be lest costly for both my time and hair follicles to just buy an aftermarket HU and the install kit created by gimmesomesugar and forget about dealing with this whole Bose issue.

BUT, it's nice to have a killer stereo hidden behind the stealth install of a stock HU. Very few people break into a car to steal the stock HU. If I go the aftermarket route, then I have to get an alarm, better insurance rates, AAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHH.

Whew, I feel better now.

StreetEffectz

Bozz, snaking the wire through isn't as hard as you may think. I have done it a million times, so sure it's easier for me, but it's not so bad.....

Take a wire hanger and slide it down through the boot between the door and the car....tape your wire to the hanger...tape it with electrical tape, and pull it through....if it doesn't go through easy, some liquid soap will work wonders