How to install an aftermarket amp, NON_BOSE

[son777]

I have searched high and low, and need an answer quickly. How do I install an aftermarket amp with a 2008 M35 Base NON BOSE speaker system? If you can show me where there are directions and point and laugh and say search, fine, but I have and cannot find it.

[CGinev]

Didn't realize they came in non Bose in 08. If it's truly not factory amplified, you can use a simple line level converter tapped into the factory speaker wires.

[EniGmA1987]

omg really? use search duh! thats what its there for! oh wait, no one can find anything when using search on this site... nevermind then :P lol ok but now a serious answer:


All speakers have to be amplifier, the amplifier would just be in the head unit. Basic car is always non-bose, tech package gives basic Bose system and advanced tech gives the high end Bose sound system.
The easiest way to do what you want is what CGinev said. You are going to disconnect the wires from your speakers, add a line output converter, and then send that signal into a new aftermarket amp. If you are trying to get a new amp for all your speakers then you will want to get multiple 2 channel amps, or a 4 channel amp (maybe more even). Take the line output signal (from LOC) from the left bottom speaker, and go to channel 1 of the amp. Do the same thing to the left front tweeter but go to channel 2. Now do the same thing for the right side speakers but use channels 3 and 4. Now in the back of the car you will want to have another amp and do the exact same thing as the front.
Does the base system come with a sub? If so then get a Re-Q device, which is basically an advanced LOC that makes the bass louder for you. Take the signal from the Re-Q and go into a mono amp (preferably a few hundred watts). If you do not have a sub in the base system, you will have to do some more advanced stuff. For this, instead of the signal from the left front speaker being sent into a LOC and then to the amp, it will instead need to go into an LOC and then a signal splitter. This can be done cheaply (but not as good of quality) with a simple slitter, one signal in and two signals out. The proper way would be to go into an active signal splitter, such as a distribution amp or other electronically balanced signal splitter. This way maintains the proper impedance of the line signal and doesnt split the voltage in half. Now take one end of the split signal and go to channel 1 of your amp, the second line of the newly split signal will go into a crossover unit. This crossover will be set at a certain frequency that will change depending on how large your sub is, where the sub is located, and the actual subwoofer's mechanical characteristics. Take the output of the crossover and then go into a mono channel amp.

Now that all audio signals have been re-routed to new amplifiers we need to get the new amplified signal back to your speakers.
Take the channel 1 output from the front amp, and connect the wires to the left front woofer.
Take the channel 2 output from the front amp, and connect the wires to the left front tweeter
Do the same for the right side with channel 3 and 4.
And with the rear amp you will do the same thing as the front.
For the subwoofer, take the output from the monoblock amp with the subwoofer signal and connect it to your sub.


If you are going through all this trouble to replace amps to get quality power to your speakers, you should also replace your speakers as that will greatly help the sound as well. I *think* the front door woofers are 6.5" and the front tweeters are 1", but I am not positive that I remember that right. Stock sub should be a 10" shallow mount sub.

[son777]

I appreciate it, I did replace all four speakers with some nice Image Dynamics, it does not have a sub, I think I am going to print what you just wrote and give it to a stereo shop and just turn the car in tomorrow.

[sunoco]

I appreciate it, I did replace all four speakers with some nice Image Dynamics, it does not have a sub, I think I am going to print what you just wrote and give it to a stereo shop and just turn the car in tomorrow.

Dude. Dude. If you have to take that to them for them to figure it out, I would DEF consider using a different shop.....

[Partysan7]

Hey...so first of , everything can be done with some $$$. If you are doing it yourself then good luck. If you are taking it to an audio shop ( a good one ) they`ll know what to do, but basically like CGinev said they`ll tap into the speaker wire first running them to an aftermarket amp of your choice and then from amp to the speakers. Amp have to powered ( from the battery) good shops do a clean job running them/hiding them. If you are getting a ported sub you should get an extra amp just for the sub.. But that all depends on how much you willin to spend. If you go with good quality equipment ( amp/s, wires, speakers etc. ) at the end of the day you`ll blow the BOSE TECH And BOSE ADVANCED TECH AWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY !!!!! I dont think that you are really missing out on anything with the factory premeium sound if you are doing an upgrade ... if I could recommend some brands: Rockford Fosgate, Focal,Polk Audio, CANTON ( German quality ), Boston Accoustics ... check out some shop and see what they have..

[EniGmA1987]

Some people will probably come in here soon saying how line output converters will not give best sound, and how you need to take the line out from the head unit prior to amp and all that. Technically thats true, but you cant do that. The stock amp is used for things like voice commands, navigation, and I heard somewhere that XM ties into it as well for something or other. So you must keep the factory amp and take the audio signals with LOCs.


The advanced tech Bose system sounds really amazing if used as it was design. When you put crappy quality audio through it (iPod, FM, many CDs) it sounds terrible because it reproduces the crap it takes in. If you get a high quality CD or quality DVD audio disk then the system is just amazing. Have you ever played The Matrix on an advanced tech Bose system in our cars? OMG.
So the one thing you will be missing by not having the advanced tech package is the studio surround processing, all you have is stereo. Which is perfectly fine and after you did all this stuff you could get it sounding really really nice. But to say the advanced tech Bose system sucks is not true at all. It does what it was designed for very well.

[Partysan7]

I never said it sucked , the guy most likely wants a better sound in his car for " music ". He probably doesnt want to watch Matrix movie on a 7"/8" screen with cool audio effects when you could do that home laying down on couch on a 50" screen BD quality.I just think that in the advanced tech you pay so much more for not so much, and BOSE isnt leading company in sound .

[CGinev]

That's what I thought...they come with some sort of Bose system regardless. You will need to use a re-q at the very least. Word of advice, don't bring instructions to a stereo shop. I HATE when people do that to me.

[Lefort76]

Hello, Is this Alpine PXE-H660 a good option to upgrade sound system on M37? I want some base and maybe replace factory speakers. Thanks.