ctrain42

So I just bought the 1991 200TQ, comes with a good sounding Bose system. However, the good old tape deck somewhat hampers my ability to listen to good music, seeing as how I threw all my tapes out in the early nineties.

Anyway, I go to several car stereo stores and one of them was going off about how Bose built the system so that if you wanted to put a new deck in you would have to rewire all the damn speaker wires. Everything would have to basically be thrown out because of the Bose specifications. Is this legit? They said that the new deck would blow the current speakers because Bose speakers are 1 ohm and all other speakers are 4 ohms.

Seems strange to make something completely incompatible with everything else. The only recourse, apparently, was to buy a CD changer and put it in the trunk, which you could tune to using the current setup.

So, my question is: What is the deal with that?!?

The ctrain

-91 200TQ
-86 4000S (213K)

JSAudi100

They're right. The factory head unit provides a pre-amp signal to amplifiers attached to the speakers themselves. Wattage has to be reduced from the new head unit to keep from blowing the speakers. It is usually easiest to replace the whole system or add a cd changer if the factory head unit is in good working order. I opted to replace the whole system in my 100

DanA100

don't be surprised...they are using unique speakers and headunits. You don't want to mix them up with the "rest". Run new wires and put new speakers.

ARK

speaker/amp units. Make sure you wire the switched power to the Bose amps, to turn them on. Bose systems have many variation (GM versus Audi versus Infinity). The 1991 Audi / Bose set-up is easy to use with an aftermarket head unit. Some other Bose set-ups are somewhat more difficult, but a GOOD competent autosound dealer can do it. Most don't understand these systems and prefer to rip the whole thing out and sell you more equipment.