Can I replace my non-Bose amp for a 225w bose amp in my TTR? Is it that simple? Spkrs are the same?
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No........>>>
Don't be mislead by the output ratings of the Bose amp....it's rated at 1 ohm or so. Speakers are proprietary also. This is not a good plan. Do a search on BOSE here and you'll read lots of rants.
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Yes.....>>>>
Bose speakers are a proprietary design and rated at between 1-2 ohms. The don't work with anything but a Bose amp, and No standard stereo gear or amps work with them. You're better off amping the output of your factory head and upgrading the speakers with some better ones....
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You have a 'Bose' amp, just not the most powerful one....
If you do not have the "Bose Upgrade", your front speakers are powered by the amp in the head unit.
These speakers are 4 ohms impeadance, and they suck just as easily as other cheap speakers.
The rear speakers, and the sub-woofer in the center console in the rear, are powered by the amp in the rear.
Untill I remove these speakers, I cannot tell you what ohm/impeadance rating they are.
Some would say they are matched to the "Bose" amp. OK, If so, then it is highly possible they are low-ohm speakers, like what has been posted, equivalent to say 1 ohm impeadance.
The difference then is in the speakers in the door.
If you have the base system in the 2000-01 TT, you have 4 ohm speakers in the doors, powered by the head unit.
If you have the "Bose Upgrade" , which include the more powerful amp, and the CD changer, you probably have a different set-up, and the speakers are different, that is, different impeadance.
BTW- This all changes if you have a 2002 TT. The amps are all rated differently. there are 3 combinations of power levels, and who knows what type of speaker combinations.
Front Speakers from my non "Bose Upgrade" TTR
<img src="http://people.mn.mediaone.net/jbipes/jpgs/4ohm.jpg">
<img src="http://people.mn.mediaone.net/jbipes/jpgs/fronts.jpg">
These speakers are 4 ohms impeadance, and they suck just as easily as other cheap speakers.
The rear speakers, and the sub-woofer in the center console in the rear, are powered by the amp in the rear.
Untill I remove these speakers, I cannot tell you what ohm/impeadance rating they are.
Some would say they are matched to the "Bose" amp. OK, If so, then it is highly possible they are low-ohm speakers, like what has been posted, equivalent to say 1 ohm impeadance.
The difference then is in the speakers in the door.
If you have the base system in the 2000-01 TT, you have 4 ohm speakers in the doors, powered by the head unit.
If you have the "Bose Upgrade" , which include the more powerful amp, and the CD changer, you probably have a different set-up, and the speakers are different, that is, different impeadance.
BTW- This all changes if you have a 2002 TT. The amps are all rated differently. there are 3 combinations of power levels, and who knows what type of speaker combinations.
Front Speakers from my non "Bose Upgrade" TTR
<img src="http://people.mn.mediaone.net/jbipes/jpgs/4ohm.jpg">
<img src="http://people.mn.mediaone.net/jbipes/jpgs/fronts.jpg">
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2000
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Actually... not quite true
I replaced a head unit used to power low ohm speakers before. I replaced it with an Alpine. The key is adding something that was described to me as a 'defeator.'
I'd have to tear apart my brother-in-law's Altima (used to be my car) if someone actually wanted to know how it all works.
The Altima started out with an 'upgrade' system. I replaced the headunit and couldn't turn the volume (0-20) past 4 without distorting. We threw in the defeator and tuned it for the system. When done, I had a kick butt system.
I'm not sure if it was Bose or not. I'm pretty sure it wasn't actually, but the logic was the same. Too much juice going to low-ohm speakers needed to be toned down a bit.
So, it can be done. I lucked out... my speakers were pretty good.
Another important factor... space. The Altima barely had enough room for the defeator to fit behind the headunit. I have no idea if the TT would have enough room for such a device.
Might have been an unorthodox method, but it worked pretty well actually.
I'd have to tear apart my brother-in-law's Altima (used to be my car) if someone actually wanted to know how it all works.
The Altima started out with an 'upgrade' system. I replaced the headunit and couldn't turn the volume (0-20) past 4 without distorting. We threw in the defeator and tuned it for the system. When done, I had a kick butt system.
I'm not sure if it was Bose or not. I'm pretty sure it wasn't actually, but the logic was the same. Too much juice going to low-ohm speakers needed to be toned down a bit.
So, it can be done. I lucked out... my speakers were pretty good.
Another important factor... space. The Altima barely had enough room for the defeator to fit behind the headunit. I have no idea if the TT would have enough room for such a device.
Might have been an unorthodox method, but it worked pretty well actually.
AudiWorld Uber User
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Yes....a simple attenuator, but.....>>
Tends to degrade things a bit cause you're putting more electronics in the path. An amplifier with variable output can be used too (same thing only integrated) Not sure the Bose speakers are worth doing this to though.....
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Senior Member
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I didn't want to replace the speakers (headunit was replacing a broken one)
I figured if I could spend $40 on the attenuator (cool word) instead of $$$ on new speakers I would be happy. Then I could do the speakers later. It turned out that the attenuator didn't add noticeable noise to the system. Actually, the replacement headunit eliminated noise, so in the end I had cleaner sound. 
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