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General Bose Information

View what previous customers have said after their repair

Go to the section on your vehicle by selecting it below.

Some signs that the amps need rebuilt

• Low audio and no Bass from speakers or cut in & out. (in amp)

• Loud blast even with volume control turned down (in amp)

• Buzzing, popping, or ringing from speakers. (in amp)

• Fronts or rears not on at all (in amp)

• Temperature related problems, after warms up or cools down. (E-mail us with specifics)
• Static or speakers cut out when turn volume control. (in stereo)
• Speakers or channels that cut out over bumps or are totally out. (E-mail us with specifics)
• Temperature related problems, after warms up or cools down. (E-mail us with specifics)
• Speaker has ringing noise, pops, or low (no) sound. 

When we rebuild these amps, we rebuild  with upgraded parts. All repairs use upgraded "grade A" capacitors/components that meet or exceed military specs for longer life.

Questions we've responded to covering Bose with no or low sound.

Q: Is the Bose system worth fixing?
A: The system will sound great if rebuilt. The bass will come back, this system has plenty of bass sound, and the sound will be very clear and balanced. Everyone that has it done is pleasantly surprised as to how it sounds after the repair. 

Q: Shouldn't I just replace the system, it doesn't have to be factory? Does it?
A: Stereos, speakers, amps all need to be compatible for it to be done right. Repairing the part that is broken is a lot simpler. Make sure you understand how theft comes into play. See  Why is keeping it factory the best?.

Q: Why fix it, this system doesn't sound that good?
A: If you haven't owned the car for more than 5 years, you wouldn't of ever heard how good the system was when it was working like new.

Q: Is my amp behind the rear seat or at each speaker?
A: On a 1988-90 Legend LS, Infiniti, Maxima, GM,  you have the amps at each speaker, there isn't an amp behind the rear seat. If you go into the trunk and look behind the liner, where the rear speaker is. From below, you will see a black plastic round base of the speaker that is about 6" across or square plastic box beside the speaker. If it looks like that, then you have the amp at each speaker and it is not uncommon to have to rebuild all 4 of them.

Q: What needs to be sent in for repair?
A: The rear speakers are fragile to ship, the paper cone can tear if not properly packaged. If sending the cone in, cut cardboard the size of the top of the cone and tape it across the top in order to protect the cone. Or the best way that most people do that ship them in is take the 4 bolts off from the bottom of the rear speakers and just send the bottom piece which houses the amp, that's all we'll need for each of the rears. The fronts can ship as is without any cone concerns. On the Nissan  see if you can unplug the amp circuit board and just send it in. 

Below are some emails sent to others.

Subject: 1988-1993 Nissan's and Infiniti's (Bose system)

The Bose system usually (100%) needs the amps rebuilt at 8-10 years old. Most likely you are hearing a bad amp. There is an amp on each speaker. Many times, because of the expense of these things, it is an inexpensive way to check this by swapping equipment around a little and see where the problem goes. Many have purchased cones which are expensive and not returnable to find that the amp was the problem and the new cone does the same problem. In the rears many times someone can remove the amp from the bottom of the speakers and just swap sides, then if the problem stays there, it may be the cone. It still could be the stereo but at least you've eliminated the most often cause, the amp. Not all cars can be accessed from the trunk but many can. If yours can't then you may have to do it from the rear panel inside. If you swapped the amps and the problem goes to the other rear speaker, then you'll know it is time for amp rebuilds. I know it is time, but you need to know before you put money into it. One reason I say I know it is time is because it is not a mistake to rebuild these amps before they get real bad because they are shorting out and this can cause it to need to be replaced instead of repaired which will cost more then the early repair and preventive work. Another reason to do it early and do them all 4 is because the sound is not as full as it should be on a 1992 (for instance) and never will that be more obvious to you, then when you have the bad one repaired and reinstalled. It will be the loudest and the best sounding of them all and you will want them all to sound that good. Please be sure to understand our pricing and the discounted amount if doing them all at the same time, it saves you money and future hassles without having to get them done at different times. Check out the FAQ's for sending equipment in, remember to protect any speaker cones with cardboard taped a crossed them if your shipping the cones also. I hope this has given you some ideas and help to make it great again.

**********

Subject: 1988-1990 Acura Legend LS (Bose system)

You are right on target. The amps are hooked to the speakers, one in each front door and one on each of the rear speakers. You don't have to take the rear speakers out if you or your mechanic wants to almost lie in the trunk to disconnect the amp from bottom side. We only need the bottom round plastic piece off rear speaker, with the amp inside it. The fronts can be sent as a big housing that holds the speaker with amp inside. There are removal instructions on the site at: http://www.willmanselectronics.com/legend.htm near the bottom of the page. Please be sure to notice the important note if sending whole rear speaker cone with assembly (how to protect the cone. These speakers sound awesome once rebuilt.

*******

Subject: 1988-1990 Acura Legend LS (Bose system)

I am going to assume that this is the Legend LS model, which has the Bose speakers. If that is not true then the rest of what I say isn't right.
The Acura dealer here in Dallas used to sell 1 of the 4 speakers for 232.00, not sure of current price because we never buy them. We do repair the Bose speakers for alot of people that want to have them taken out or take them out themselves and send them in. It is common problem for the Bose to go out after 10 years, however they can be repaired and sound great and work good. You can't just replace them or Circuit City would of did that, you have to use Bose.

The door panels have to be taken loose at the bottom in order to get them out and the rears are a bit easier. Fronts are not simple to get out but it can be done, if mechanical and have some basic tools. There are removal tips at the website http://www.willmanselectronics.com/legend.htm

About the rears - you could actually remove just the bottom piece from the speaker and never remove the cone by unbolting the 4 1/4" bolts from below, inside the trunk. We only need that amp; I'd just leave it in the black plastic housing. Just be careful as you unplug it from the speaker not to pull too hard so it won't break - people have no problem doing this just know it could happen if you yank on it. If you do send it the whole rear speaker assembly, just tape cardboard a crossed it to protect the "expensive to replace" cone. Front speakers ship easy, they're tough.

Subject: 1991-1995 Acura Legend LS (Bose system)

Steven,
Yes, the amp is behind the back seat, you can see it from the trunk but not get it out that way. There are removal instructions on the site at:  http://www.willmanselectronics.com/legend.htm  The amp can be rebuilt to sound great.

 Subject: 1991-1995 Acura Legend LS (Bose system)
Legend Bose speakers torn

Torn speakers (physically damaged) do need to be replaced. Bad sounding speakers may be an amp problem. If the amp hasn't been worked on, then it is well time to have it rebuilt. We have been doing many of these from 91-93 Legends. The amp is behind the rear seat, see Acura page for help removing amp and also speakers. We help with repairs and provide no info on replacing with aftermarket equipment, someday we may. Most of the time, the speakers aren't torn and they don't usually need to be replaced. If your speakers  need to be replaced, then you may want to consider new amp and all 4 new speakers because the front speakers are over $75.00 each (without the installation) unless you can buy used,.

 Subject: 1991-1995 Acura Legend LS (Bose system) legend LS Bose Amp

Yes, you do need to keep factory on the speakers, however most of
>the time it's the amp that goes bad. Many Legend owners have bought high
>priced new speakers and installed them only to find out that they sound or
>no sound just like the older one. Have us check out the amp before buy
>speakers and if the amp is OK, we No Charge for the check out.

 Subject: 1991-1995 Acura Legend LS (Bose system)
Legend LS Amp

All of the amps need to be rebuilt after 6-8 years. When we get them it here, we verify that they are broken and doing just what you experience. In your case, we would make sure your rears are out before any rebuild was started. Once rebuilt, they sound great - like it was designed to. If broken and we rebuild it - we do the amps to all 4 speakers so it all is good. hope that helps.

Emails and info on the Bose speakers

1988-1992 Bose speaker systems

 Not only do we fix these kinds of problem, I think it is a mistake to do anything else but fix the Bose system. The ones we've done sound great and the customers are very pleased with the results. You will be impressed with what you've done when they're back in.

I know exactly the whining you hear and the pop. Basically, they are to the point that they will be self destructing if continue to turn them on. But, don't be fooled by that statement, they are repairable and will be fine. Many times we have repaired the scratchy volume control, most places will spray cleaner in it and it will seem repaired for a while but we are going to fix it right, so it stays fixed.

The only thing you need to do is get the speakers and radio out of the car to send in. There are tips on the Nissan Page of our website for you or your mechanic. We don't take rear speakers out. We just remove amp circuit board from box on side of speaker from inside the trunk; we just need the boards, The fronts ship as an assembly.

  True about the 1-Ohm speakers. I personally think it is a mistake to put another amp and speakers in it.

The young man that left here a few weeks ago after we had rebuilt his Bose amps had a smile on his face and he said "you weren't kidding when you said people are amazed at how good it will sound", he was glad.

It will be loud and clear with plenty of bass once rebuilt. We offer a great way to fix one or all 4, you will need all 4 rebuilt since 1989 model year. If you can have them taken out or take them out yourself and send them in we can do all of them for what the dealer will charge to do just one.

Tape cardboard across the speaker cone if not protected when shipping them. Sending just amp PCB's is OK too if they unplug, some of the 89's are hardwired to the speaker (or really just hardwired to the harness) some of them have a connector to the PCB amp board which makes it quicker. That info is in regard to the rears. Be sure to look over the Nissan Page on the website for removing tips.

Other than the amps going bad, the other thing we fix quite well and often is static in the volume control when turning it. If that is a problem, it will be amplified by the great working amps once they've been rebuilt. So, the stereo would have to be looked at and we could check out CD too for possible fix.

>Based on your description, the 4 speaker amps would need to be rebuilt. We do it all the time when the Bose speakers are 10 years old and they will sound great when done. Most people are amazed once rebuilt.

I'm going to assume it is the Bose system and all info here is based on that assumption.
The 4 speaker/amps in this car need rebuilt for it to sound awesome like the Bose did (when it was new) You should only have to turn the volume 1/4 for it to be loud. You can certainly rebuild just the passenger door speaker but they all need it and the rebuilt one will be the loudest after rebuilt. That fixes the whining and cutting out. It doesn't eliminate the possibility of the radio needing work but that is the main problem. This system is not well adaptable to others. You can't just put another stereo in, if you do, you'll need to rewire directly to new speakers. We rebuild them all the time and customers are amazed (when all 4 done).

  Below is feedback from various Bose repairs

Feedback from Previous Bose Customers

Additional feedback from various customers