adding subs to stock system

[bigballa]

I was wondering if anybody had added subs and an amp to their stock bose system and I was wondering how does it sound. I have been pondering the thought of tapping the rear speakers and adding two subs and an amp but I've talked to some people on car audio sites and I get mixed reactions. One guy told me that since its bose, they have a integrated system between the amps for each speakers and the deck and that if I went along with my plan I probably won't be able to hit any deeper than my bose speakers in the bass department. It'll just be louder cause of increased power. I just wanted to know if anybody else has done this. If it's not good then I'll get a new deck with the pre-outs and everything.
thanks.

[funnylittlman]

I have heard a 96 MAX with the bose system. My friend added a sub ( 1 12" with an amp) but he said that he conected through the back of the bose unit. I don't know how he did it, but he said that he got it done professionally. It sounds great, but like your friend said, I didn't hear any deep BOOM. Of course he wasn't playing a bass CD, but it sounded great to me. If it were me, I would change it out. The bose system has very tricky amps, and I wouldn't mess around with it too much.. Of course I'm not too good in that dept., but if you are I say go for it!

[MRMAXIMA]

whatever you do dont take the power (rca cables) from your 6x9s i did that with my moms older max with bose it sounded horrible your 6x9 loose their power.

[MAXSRB]

I thought about adding two 12s and a 600Watt amp running from my stock bose head unit. I heard its undadvisable to hook up to stock maxima bose systems because the stock head unit is a peice of #$@!. Should i throw in the extra money and get a deck too?

[soopermax02]

I have just finished putting in a great Aura Force 12" sub in my Maxima SE. In order to convert the output of the Bose headunit you need a Speaker to Low-level signal converter that you can purchase at Wal-Mart for about $13 (Scosche). It's a 4 channel converter and each channel has 2 seperate inputs for speaker-level or the level of Bose and Infinity Radios. (Obviously use the Bose/Infinity inputs). It also has two outputs, RCA or low-level wires.

I left the stock Bose subwoofer intact (two subs are better than one), and tapped into the rear two speakers. Be sure to get the correct phase of each speaker. You'll know if you need to switch the wires right away, as it will be out of phase with the existing subwoofer and you will not hear very much bass! So once you've tapped into the rear two speakers, and have fed them into the Scosche converter you're ready to connect the RCA outs of the converter to an amp. There are level adjustment potentiometers that you set on the converter. I find they work best at about 2/3, but change them for your specific needs. Tips for wiring an amp in the trunk: If you have an automatic (shame on you, you should have gotten the 6-speed stick for '02) you can run your power wire through the firewall where the clutch would normally be. I have an automatic (I should have gotten the 6-speed stick, yes) and this worked really great. You have plenty of room to bring in a nice thick power wire; away from any sensitive control wires where a current might be induced, and right near the lower runners that you can run the wire under. The trunk is capreted really good, and its difficult to find a good ground. I found the best place to use for a ground was in the compartment that the tire jack is in (a 10mm bolt).

The converter has a very high input impedance, and will not in the least affect the power being sent to the rear Bose speaker amplifiers. Some may say that these Speaker level to low-level converters add a lot of noise to the output you want to amplify; but this is typically not a problem in subwoofer applications. Any noise that is injected into the signal via the converter will be above the cutoff frequency of the subwoofer anyway (meaning it would never get amplified). And since the slew rate on a very low frequency audio signal is very low, any added distortion the converter injects makes very little change to the audio properties of the signal.

[soopermax02]

I have noticed no low frequency cutoff on the inputs to the rear speakers. I think that the Bose system in the '02 is redesigned from years prior, so this may not apply to pre-'02 maxes...

[97GLEMAX]

LIsten I also have added subs to my factory Bozo system and it does hit fine, The bass from the subs is ok once you buy the line-level converter. I thought I could live with the Bozo system but it just sounds awful at high volumes. I am in the process of taking out the whole system and putting in MB Quart separates with a PRemier deck. IT is going to sound unreal and blow away the BOZO system. Let me know how u make out.

[soopermax02]

It is definately lacking the ability to reproduce sounds at a very high volume level. It sounds great when low, but it just doesn't hit as hard as I thought an extra $900 option would. I would not have gotten it if I knew I'd still need a sub to get it where I wanted it. I've my sub in for over a week now and the line-converter works the best. I want to replace the Bose system entirely but I don't want to lose the functionality of the steering wheel controls (plus I paid so much to have it in the car, and then to just take it out...)

[bigballa]

I've been talking to people on a lot of other forums and the consensus is that it is better to add a deck that has the sub pre-out. According to the people I have talked they say that the whole bose sytem is a very integrated system between the speakers and the deck and by fooling around with any component of it you will through the whole thing out of whack. I have no doubt that it will sound okay at low volumes but when you really want to turn peoples heads I think that it will begin to distort and sound bad. Also I heard that it is tough to tap the wires from the rear speakers because of the built in amps.

[xHypex]

I threw together a page based on the old Max Faqs written by Russel Zotz.
http://bba01.bus.utexas.edu/Matthew.Quon/max/sub.htm

Hope that helps.
-hype

[bobo_80]

i have the 6 speaker bose system on my 99' max....and what i did was solder 2 wires each on the rear speakers.....it works fine for over a year now..!!...anda....i`m running Kenwood 2 ohm 300Watts......w/ two 4 ohm 500Watts Kenwood subs....man they pound...maybe the subs, they really REALLY pop your year drums when the frequency gets low....
and i put my ground wire on the screw where the rear tailights are...as for the positive...i drilled a hole beside the brake fluid is and on the battery.....and REMEMBER....the thicker the wires are the better!...
....i`ve tried...12 guage w/ a 8 guage.....mann.....what a world of difference....the 14guage just dont have the capacity for the power...
....and never join the wires series with the speakers or bridge them with 2 subs....mann....u`ll burn ur amp!......paralell is the way to go!...

[soopermax02]

Yeah, obviously a deck with preouts is best... But then you lose your steering wheel controls, and you now need to replace not only your headunit but all of your speakers as well! And to top it off you're left with a useless Bose stereo you paid $900 for.

This way you spend $20 at Wal-Mart, keep your steering wheel controls, and still get the bass you crave.

[soopermax02]

..and becasue the converter has such a high input impedance it does not in the least affect the quality of the existing Bose system.

[T2daMAXC]

Hey, I have a 99 Max and i added 2 12" subs to the stock bose system, and let me tell ya!!!:sun: GOOD STUFF!! In case you were wondering if it can be done, yes... u need a bose adapter and the sound is unbelievable!