Bose amp repair: A DIY quest

Post by **rrack** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

AutoGator.com and a few other internet salvage yards want $150 each for used, unknown condition front assemblies!

I sent an e-mail to that carstereohelp.com. Hopefully, he'll get back to me tomorrow with a decent price. I also sent an email to Joe at Scottsdale just for grins. I know it's probably outrageous. I'm also gonna check around the net for other possible repair places or maybe used parts.

I'm not going to go through an aftermarket rewire adventure. I merely want the darn thing to make some decent music as it had been without any trouble for 12 years now. I've installed several elaborate stereo systems over the years and only had one amp go out...and it was in a boat. duh. If Bose is so great, why can't they design an amp that lasts longer than the speakers?

Just found this:

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/DIY/bose_rr.htm

Post by **Rex** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

FYI, the bose amps on each speaker run at about 1.5 ohm. That's probably a contributing factor.

Post by **louiegz** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

I was wondering. I don't know much about car stereos. Is it possible, with the stock head unit, to use aftermarket speakers routed threw an aftermarket amp? I'm just making this suggestion just incase it wasn't cost effective to find replacement Bose speakers to replace them. I can imagine that they must be expensive to repair. Just might be as good to put a pair of quality 9x6 speakers in the back and a small amp to power them. Is this an option?

Post by **Rex** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

There are adapters made to allow you to use either an after market HU with the factory speakers/amps or the stock HU with after market speakers.

Post by **Jesda** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

You can indeed send the signal from the factory HU to aftermarket amps, then to aftermarket speakers. I asked a few custom audio shops the same question a couple years ago.

-Jesda

Post by **Jeff Williams** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

I have always found Crutchfield a valuable source, for audio information.

http://www.crutchfield.com

FYI:

I now have Sony X-plode 6x9 2-way speakers, utilizing the factory Bose amps, in the rear deck. The frequency responce is amazing, for a cheap $50 pair of speakers. I can make the highs ear-splitting, and the lows vibrate the rear-view-mirror.

Everybody has told me it wouldn't work, and it wouldn't sound good, but my real-world experience has been great.

1 year in the 1990 Honda Accord, with some RF 100 watt amps, then 1 year in the 1993 Honda Accord SE, and 2 years in the 1994 Q-45. Both the 1993 Honda, and the Q45 systems are/were Bose, and both sounded much better.

I bought the cheapest Sony's I could find. The frequency response is like 30 Hz to 20 kHz. I thought the ohms wer 2 to 8, but I can not find any proof of that.

No buzz, no pops, no hiss. Just clear music.

I now have to run the sound about 60% to the rear, and put the lows at about 80%, with the highs at about 40%, to get the needed power to the rears, but it is a nice even sound, in the car. If I put the highs at 50%, it will make my ears bleed.

Post by **rrack** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

for what it's worth...

Thoroughly did my homework...spoke with some guys that repair these bricks...they told me that when they rebuild these amps, all they do is replace all of the capacitors. If they haven't burst or leaked they dry up. This is due to the inability to get rid of the heat. There are no heat fins and nowhere for the heat to escape the enclosure. They are literally cooked. The louder you listen=more heat=shorter life. The rears usually have a shorter life than the fronts due to their position in the rear deck...heat rises and that's the hottest point above the fuel tank.

Anywho...off to the parts n gizmos shop tomorrow...if it works...i may make an offer to take a gander at some members amps for a screamin' deal...

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

That would be good because my soldering SKILLZ are marginal at best.....

Basically Ive never done it!

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Just saw this in the general chat

http://www.nissaninfiniticlub....75130

Might be worht a shot.. if I picked up a few capacitors they could (and should) be easily able to do this for me, and probably pretty cheap...

Post by **texasoil** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

I sent Elwesso an email with half a dozen web links to shops that rework the Bose amps. $50-75 per amp. If the thing still squeals, most likely failed capacitor(s). If its dead, probably fried the SCR chips too. Parts are cheap and included in above rework costs.

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

I forgot about that email..... Heres the information:

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/DIY/bose_rr.htm read this site first gives detailshttp://boserepair.com/vehicle.htm $75http://www.willmanselectronics.com/infiniti.ht ... SA...&rd=1

I was mistaken in part. All the electrolytic capacitors on the board are suspect and should be replaced. Get the specs off them and get new parts from radio shack. Or send it to one of the $75/amp places listed above.

Thanks again texasoil!!!

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Bump... Rrack have you tried this yet????

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Any update??

Post by **Q45Viper** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

http://www.carstereohelp.com Just do it! I just got my two fronts back from them, they sound great! Under $100 for the two completely reconditioned and rebuilt and guranteed. Removal instructions on their website, print out the shipping label and instructions, they then call you with an estimate before starting, about a one week turnaround. Forget Bose, forget more used speakers out of other cars, forget aftermarket, forget fixing it yourself. I pursued all those alternatives and got nowhere until someone here posted the above link.

Post by **texasoil** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Glad to hear good feedback about carstereohelp.com

Post by **Q45tech** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

The amber stuff is an antivibration glue. All capactitors have a max temp rating and a life rating hours at such and such temperature. The early Boses failed in 3-5 years as opposed to a 6 year warrranty. What we are seeing now is just the real rated life of the capacitors being exceeded.

Had they chosen MIL SPEC satellite grade capacitors at $20 each instead of 10 cent automotive grade units the units would start failing 10 years from now. Simple economics on cars which only have 10 year legal lives. You build to the warranty and price point.

Very few people would have paid $2,000 more for an optional audio system with a 20 year guaranteed life......instead of the 6 year life they were getting for free [inside regular warranty].

You should hear the Lexus folks whine when their systems fail and the replacemt cost $1200 for the amplifier [no one repairs them].

"Class D amplifiers" are more like switching invertors than true audio Amplifers.........search on Google. Very efficient and large currents to drive 1 ohm speakers.......

Post by **Jeff Williams** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

HEY WES!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...38646

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Bid placed!!!

Post by **maxnix** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

I assure you the I30 amplifiers have a different frequency equalization curve than the Q45 amplifiers.

So, unless you are changing you ride to an I30.....

Post by **ddrumman** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Wes,Around the 25th or 26th of July you posted some websites regarding the Bose repairs.They were the ones that Texasoil and I had pointed out. Actually the only one "I" had sugessted was the carstereohelp place.

Anyway, somewhere there it talks about what Brian is saying.

I'd go back and read on that stuff before this auction is finished.Regardless though, $.99 is not a bad deal at all.

D.

Post by **Rex** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

maxnix wrote:I assure you the I30 amplifiers have a different frequency equalization curve than the Q45 amplifiers.

So, unless you are changing you ride to an I30.....

Valid point, but it would be better than a "dead/dying" amp that can cause damage to the speaker.

Post by **maxnix** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Rex wrote:Valid point, but it would be better than a "dead/dying" amp that can cause damage to the speaker.

But not as good as a refurbished one! Why waste one's money?

Post by **Rex** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

The possibility of getting 2 amps for less than $20 shipped, is nearly free in comparison to having his refurb'ed. The real question is are the speaker cones already dry rotted? If so, all this amp talk is a mute (pun intended) point.

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

Thats what Im thinking... its at $0.99 right now, if it stays below my bid I will live with the different equalization...

Its simple.. Which would you do, 90% as good for 1/5 of the money, or 100% good for a lot of money... I would assume commercial real estate pays well so you dont have to worry about that, but I can tell you that my job in the golf industry doesnt pay well.....

Plus, I figure the I30 is almost the same as the Q...

Besides Brian, with my discordant and obnoxious bass notes it doesnt matter since all i hear is rumbles!!!

Post by **Q45tech** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 6:04 am

A secret is the front amps can be used in the rear if you don't mind a little extra BASS response due to larger area of rear speaker and front tuned enclosure requires more Bass Equalization.

I did this to fix the passenger rear from some spares I had. I was quite pleased with the sound improvement from just one swap.

Don't have a clue how 2 amp swaps would sound but since Bass is summed on Right channel R = R+L ?

Bose amp repair: A DIY quest

Nissan Forums

Infiniti Forums

Datsun Forums

Technical Forums

Classifieds / Marketplace

Nissan Motorsports

General Forums