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You should ALWAYS bypass the Bose amp....here's why

327K views 721 replies 251 participants last post by  Cstout 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
A while ago, I posted that I was getting some serious static/noise from my JVC KDSH909. The problem was the Bose amp.

I had just hooked it up with the wiring harness and although the sound quality was better, there was noise. I bypassed the amp this weekend by just putting a jumper wire between the correct wires down at the amp's connector. The noise problem has completely gone away. I highly recommend bypassing the Bose amp. :thumbs up:
 
#556 ·
I figured out the problem. I bought a harness for my aftermarket head unit that integrates the bose system without the use of the Metra 70-1725 harness. My bose sub still works as well. You can get this harness from Crutchfield. There is no need to bypass the bose amp now. Everything sounds great, no problems at all.
 
#557 ·
Clarification needed please.

Here's the scoop...

I am replacing my stock Bose HU in my '02 Type-S with a basic CD receiver that also has iPod/iPhone capabilities, etc. I am not planning on upgrading the speakers...not going for true audiophile experience here.

Crutchfield says I need to order their $15 PAC SOEM line converter in order to use the existing amps from the Bose system. However in researching on the boards here I am now seeing reference to the Metra harness (70-1725 I believe) which appears to accomplish the same thing for less.

So I ask thee wise audio sages, which one do I need?? :dontknow:
 
#558 ·
The line converter is bulky and a pain to fine tune. The metra harness will let you use preamp outputs on your new head unit and improve reception. It is also very hard to install the line converter since there isn't much room behind the head unit. I have had both. The metra harness is better. I used to get static with the line converter when my headlights were on and I don't with the metra harness.

Edit: since the metra uses preamp output DO NOT bypass the stock amp
 
#561 ·
just make sure you power up the BLUE wire {this wire feeds your BOSE amp, so you can actually hear your deck..} on the metra harness with a corresponding
POWER CONTROL from your DECK, do not use the remote ANTENNA POWER wire from your deck.

as mentioned, match up your other wires with corresponding colored wires from your deck AND!

Connections:
white rca -> front left
grey rca -> front right
green rca -> rear left
purple rca -> rear right
 
#568 ·
short all the wires together to as follows:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26

1 | GRY/RED | Passenger's Door Speaker (-), Right tweeter (-)
2 | GRN/YEL | Passenger's Door Speaker (+), Right weeter (+)
3 | BLU/RED | Constant power
4 | ------- | Not Used
5 | BRN | Radio Switch
6 | LT GRN | Rear stereo amplifier - bass signal (+)
7 | RED | Audio unit - Right Rear (-)
8 | GRN | Audio unit - Right Front (-)
9 | BLK | Audio unit - Left Rear (-)
10 | BRN | Audio unit - Left Front (-)
11 | ------- | Not Used
12 | BLU/ WHT | Left Rear Speaker (+)
13 | BLU/BLK | Left Rear Speaker (-)

14 | BLU/YEL | Right Rear Speaker (-)
15 | PNK | Right Rear Speaker (+)
16 | BLK | Ground (G502)
17 | WHT/BLU | Shielding
18 | ------- | Not Used
19 | GRN/WHT | Rear Amplifier - bass signal (-)
20 | YEL | Audio Unit - Right Rear (+)
21 | ORN | Audio unit - Right Front (+)
22 | WHT | Audio unit - Left Rear (+)
23 | BLU | Audio unit - Left Front (+)
24 | ------- | Not Used
25 | LT GRN | Left Tweeter (-) drivers door speaker (-)
26 | GRN/BLK | Driver's Door Speaker (+), Left Tweeter (+)



When you short all the wires together you are basically bypassing the amp, so short all the speaker and tweeter connections except the wires for the sub (6, 19)

Now you have the amp only powering the sub, then connect your radio, and that is going to control the speakers and the aftermarket sub and amp.

I did this a while ago so just let me know if you have any questions or I missed anything
 
#569 ·
short all the wires together to as follows:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13
14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26

1 | GRY/RED | Passenger's Door Speaker (-), Right tweeter (-)
2 | GRN/YEL | Passenger's Door Speaker (+), Right weeter (+)
3 | BLU/RED | Constant power
4 | ------- | Not Used
5 | BRN | Radio Switch
6 | LT GRN | Rear stereo amplifier - bass signal (+)
7 | RED | Audio unit - Right Rear (-)
8 | GRN | Audio unit - Right Front (-)
9 | BLK | Audio unit - Left Rear (-)
10 | BRN | Audio unit - Left Front (-)
11 | ------- | Not Used
12 | BLU/ WHT | Left Rear Speaker (+)
13 | BLU/BLK | Left Rear Speaker (-)

14 | BLU/YEL | Right Rear Speaker (-)
15 | PNK | Right Rear Speaker (+)
16 | BLK | Ground (G502)
17 | WHT/BLU | Shielding
18 | ------- | Not Used
19 | GRN/WHT | Rear Amplifier - bass signal (-)
20 | YEL | Audio Unit - Right Rear (+)
21 | ORN | Audio unit - Right Front (+)
22 | WHT | Audio unit - Left Rear (+)
23 | BLU | Audio unit - Left Front (+)
24 | ------- | Not Used
25 | LT GRN | Left Tweeter (-) drivers door speaker (-)
26 | GRN/BLK | Driver's Door Speaker (+), Left Tweeter (+)



When you short all the wires together you are basically bypassing the amp, so short all the speaker and tweeter connections except the wires for the sub (6, 19)

Now you have the amp only powering the sub, then connect your radio, and that is going to control the speakers and the aftermarket sub and amp.

I did this a while ago so just let me know if you have any questions or I missed anything
 
#576 ·
you need the 70-1721 to do the bypass, with the 70-1725 there is no need to bypass as it integrates the hu with the bose useing the RCA outs.
 
#579 ·
If you do the bypass you will have no sub as its signal comes from the front amp
 
#582 ·
The harness with the RCA does not bypass the bose amp. That cable simply reduces the signal output by your radio that feeds the bose amp.

Speaker wire output from radio 50watt rms x 4 direct wire to speakers
RCA Front and rear speakers output only .2v (guessing) to external amplifier.

If you bypass the bose amp by cutting and routing the in and out speaker wires directly to the speakers you will need a regular honda harness because you will require radio power to power the speakers at that point.

So you have a few options.
1. Standard Honda harness that uses the 8 wires for speakers. and only connect behind the dash make no changes to bose amp under seat. This creates a very loud output level because your radio is sending strong signal to amp and amp then "AMPLIFIES" that signal and makes it louder. This worked in my 04 RSX Type S with no issues however anything over 5-8 on my radio volume level was too loud.
2. Honda Harness with RCA Inputs. Like i said before this method uses the Front and Rear RCA wires from aftermarket radio harness. Sends a low voltage input signal to the Bose amp. Configured this way you would be still using the bose amp to power the speakers. I found this method to have issues as with others in this post as i had bad static noise coming from the speakers. So i am currently on option 1.
3. This is what i'm going to do next. Use regular Honda Factory Harness and connect all wires normally. green to green white to white. Remove Bose amp from under passenger seat and cut wires and wire the ins and outs together. the wiring diagram for this is on page one of this listing. As with removing the Bose amp you might as well remove the bose sub as this will no longer work and is not set up to work with other radios. however it is possible and it has been done. This method is using 100% aftermarket radio power direct wiring to the speakers. This is the only true Bose bypass.
 
#583 ·
Okay so there's no point of me using the honda harness with the RCA that just arrived in the mail from crsx then. I am currently using the regular harness that wires everything normally. Reason I bought this Metra Amp Integration Harness (70-1725) was because people are saying this and that about static noises. Hence that i don't feel like rewiring again using Harness w/RCA method. By the way how does these 4 RCA's work? There's green, white, gray and purple. On my double din, there is a bunch of RCA but i have no idea which 4 RCA will go into.
 
#584 ·
Well it's easier for you to just try out your new plug and see if you like it. Purple is Right Rear Speaker Green is left rear Speaker. White is Front left and gray is front right. You may not even hear the noise as evidently as i usually listen to my music too loudly anyway and would only hear it when sitting still.
 
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