Is it possible to change just the speakers in the CLS without any extra additions? Also, does anyone know what the output is on the factory amp?

 

Well, I just had a look at the Helms. The problem is they don't say what the impedance of the speakers are. In most of the Bose systems the speakers are 1 or 2 ohm speakers, so If you replace the speakers, you will get better sound, but less output. You will probably need to add an EQ and booster amps for the speakers you want to replace. I like MB Quartz speakers (whatever).

Try asking one of the guys who has already done the conversion to measure the resistance of the OEM speakers. If they are 1 or 2 ohm, you will need a power booster amp to get the same volume as the original speakers.


Useful Equation:

Power from speaker:

Power = V^2 / R

where V = voltage going to speaker
where R = resistance/impedance of speaker

So, if the Bose speakers are 2 ohms (as a lot were)

Power = 10^2 / 2 = 100 / 2 = 50 Watts

Any good car radio with a "bridge" amp will get the 10 volts from a 12-13 volt car system.

So, if you want to replace the speakers with some 4 ohm speakers that sound great, you will need to get a power amp with about 50 watts a channel into 4 ohms.

I don't know if this particular Bose system has a built in eq designed to adjust the acoustic response to each speaker (the old ones did).

You will probably want to put in an equalizer for best quality. Speakers like JBL or MB Quart will sound much brighter than the stock speakers, so you may have to equalize the system to get the best sound quality.

Ask one of the guys how much power they are using with the replacement speakers they used.

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2001 Satin Silver Cl-S w/ NAVI

• Mud Guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1S Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition rims (~48lbs lighter)
• (pre-SSR wheels time) --Gtech 1/8th tank 40F ~=6.1
• Zaino magic
• Sways, headers, CAI comming soon

[This message has been edited by EricL (edited 03-24-2001).]

 

The cose deck has very little power. How it works is by sending signal to the Bose amp. The speakers that are used with those amps are very low impeiance I believe .5 OHMs. If you just change out the speakers you will not get much volume and it will sound very scratchy. If you want to change out the speakers what you should do is get a dose adapter( can be found at most car fi shops) and run that from the deck to a aftermarket amp (powered eqs are crap) and then from that to the new speakers. Trust me on this I did high end car fi for a retailer for 10 years.

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01 3.2 CLS Non-Navi
San Marino Red
Tinted 35% all the way

 

The Bose "head" units include custom equalization and signal processing. If you just replace the speakers with new ones, and don't re-equalize (to compensate) there is a very good chance that the frequency response will not be as good as the original. I used to design and build analog and audio amplifiers and other audio components, so your comment about EQs negates anything you have just said. Hmmm... cose = Bose deck and dose = Bose amp?

Heck, maybe, it is time for some "No Doze".


1. I talked to a number of sound people with regarding my exploding Bose speakers in my old Maxima, and the impedance was quoted at 1-2 ohms. If you found some .5 ohm jobs, you found some rather unique ones! (BTW -- sometimes speakers can have low resistance and high impedance. Did you use an ohm meter, or did you do a frequency sweep?)

2. There is nothing wrong with a powered eq (equalizer). There are passive and active equalizers made for commercial, home, and auto stereo. They make good equalizers and bad equalizers. A good one will have low distortion, good frequency response, low noise, and other relevant specs (I hope I don't have to get into TID, and other stuff).

The old Bose (NOT dose and not cose) systems had an acoustic labyrinth with a built in power amp. The units in the current 2001 Acura CL-S, have a separate amplifier. So, someone can get at the line level if they really want, or they can just get at the current speaker outputs and pad the level down and get some proper booster amps.

Best advise, find some on the board -- there seem to be a few guys here who already have done this, and ask them what components they chose.

BTW1 -- If you think powered EQs are crap, then why does nearly every professional recording studio has one? On the other hand, if your talking about idiots who adjust adjacent bands (on a 3rd octave equalizer) to +9db, then -9db, then +9db, sure it sounds like a comb filter. But any idiot can screw up just about any thing (good or bad). Makes me wonder...


BTW2 -- look under www.google.com with the keywords "Bose Acura". You will find a bunch of links to people who work with these systems.

Finally, go to the following link:

http://www.bose.com/products/auto/faq.html

The Bose system is designed with custom filters (equalizers etc) designed for the speakers in the car. So, if you change the head unit OR if someone changes the speakers, they are going to change the "frequency response" of the "system". This means that someone will get the best results by re-equalizing the system (unless they are very lucky).

I replaced a Bose sytem with an Alpine CD and MB Quartz speakers, etc. So, I know what it was like to live with the change and what was good and what was bad...


------------------
2001 Satin Silver Cl-S w/ NAVI

• Mud Guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1S Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition rims (~48lbs lighter)
• (pre-SSR wheels time) --Gtech 1/8th tank 40F ~=6.1
• Zaino magic
• Sways, headers, CAI comming soon

[This message has been edited by EricL (edited 03-24-2001).]

 

Simple answers:

-- NO (change just the speakers = low volume
and different frequency response)

Not so simple answer:

-- The output of the factory amp depends on the impedance of the speakers it is driving.
If it like any other Bose system, you will need booster amps.




------------------
2001 Satin Silver Cl-S w/ NAVI

• Mud Guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1S Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition rims (~48lbs lighter)
• (pre-SSR wheels time) --Gtech 1/8th tank 40F ~=6.1
• Zaino magic
• Sways, headers, CAI comming soon

 

Thanks for the info...

As always there is a great amount of knowledge on this board.

 

Eric,

I don't believe that he was putting down booster, or powered EQ's for the entire Audio industry. He simply means cheap booster EQ's for the car. In the '70s and '80s, many people put booster EQs in to supplement their stereos. In today's world of car audio, it's nearly a cardinal sin to put in a booster EQ, not to mention hard to find one outside of a swap meet or Wal-Mart (nothing bad toward Wally world intended, I shop there all the time).

Very few people go the high level, or speaker level input route anymore whenever possible. Most aftermarket stereos have low level outputs, or "RCA/AMP jacks".

I do not doubt your knowledge in the least, and you are correct when you say that there are bad amps and good amps. But the general product that consists of an integrated EQ and amp, are generally not very good in the car audio world, even though they were considered so at one time.

The question remains whether or not the low level coming from the Bose head unit is a standard "clean" output, meaning with no equalization. Hopefully all of the EQ circuitry is in the amp. This would allow one to simply solder some high quality "RCA" style ends to the low level at the head unit, and proceed to the amp/EQ combo of his/her choice. It would also be nice if the low level was powered by at least 2 VDC, which would greatly help signal clarity.

Paul

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2001 White CL Type S noNAV
#21985

[This message has been edited by Harvey Jr (edited 04-07-2001).]

 

I did a speaker revamp of my 2001 CL.. Replaced the Fronts with 6.5 Q Mb quarts and rears replaced by 6x9 mb quarts. Powred by factory head unit which is accutally made by Pioneer. Also running 2 amps for speakers and bass.. 2400 PPI for the bass and 4800 PPI for the mids and highs.. ******Word of cation when replacing the front speakers make sure the resuse the monts or put housing over the speakers. Other wise you will get water in your car during rain storms.. If you need to take your cl apart let me know.. I have had mine in pieces..

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01- Acura CL silver 3.2-s
20% tint 35%front window
MB quart speakers PPI amps.

 

YO SIGS21,

Did you have any clearance problem when you replaced the 6x9's? It appears that the torsion bars for the trunklid barely clear the stock 6x9 magnets. Post here or direct to TEFye@AOL.com
Thanks

 

According to Bose, the signal out of the back of the unit is clean, but you'll need a line output converter to get the voltage up to an acceptable level etc. The SoundGate LOCB and AudioLink PD4 have both been recommended to me in the past for this application.

There are other posts here about LOCs, so I'll point you at those for further information.

- Brian