OMP

Hi.
Since I bought the car I have been doing mechanical work, but now that everything seems to work ok, I want the radio to work as it should.
It is the Bose unit that came in the 200 20V.
Anyhow, all speakers ( all of them ) distort and I only get scratch sounds from the speakers. Volume works, all functions work as do all displays ( the ones on the radio and in the IP).
I thought the radio was shot, but I gave it to a friend to testes on an RS2 and everything works beautifully. It sounds OK.
So, for what I have searched around the forum, I believe that ALL my speakers are kaput, is that right?
Is there any main amplifier ( this is my guess), located somewhere around the car?
I want to keep the Bose radio, so what should be the work to be done to have it working again?
Thanks

5000CDQturbo

I've redone all my speaker amps and the Bose system sounds great. If you want to do-it-yourself, its preaty cheap to do rebuild. Takes about an hour a amp card to replace the Capacitors. ( the Caps are the problem)You can buy new cards for around 50 US a piece . superdave

OMP

Hi.
Thanks a lot for the answer, but I don't really understand what these "cards" are about.

What is exactly a "card", "something" that goes into each one of the speakers?
Once I remove the speakers, which part is the "card".....And where can i find them?
Any picture to make up my mind what exactly should I change?

Thanks a lot
Regards

V8QinNJ

The Bose system uses one amp per speaker located directly at each speaker. The amp is about 3 inces square with one connector on the amp card (later model amps, early versions are solderred directly to the amp card) with two pigtails. one pigtail goes to the speaker, the other has a connector that connects to the cars wiring harnass.

The amps are prone to failure (electritc capacitor failure) there are several writeups and parts lists (as well as places to just have it repaired) floating around out there.

If you are comfortable with a soldering iron and de-solder braid you can repair the amp in about 15min for less than $5.00 per amp.

The speakers them selves are very low impedance (1 Ohm) so connecting them to ANYTHING other than one of these amps will most likely hurt the amp or head unit.

HTH.

OMP

Now I start to see.
Thanks a lot.

So first thing would be to remove the amp ( the 3 inch amp you talk about ) and buy a new one? And this would be the "only 1 omh amp"?

Is it easy to find? What kind of stores have them?
Except for the 1 Ohm limit, any other known characteristics?

Thanks
Regards

V8QinNJ

????

You can buy refurbished ones from a couple of places a quick search here a few weeks ago someone just did this and posted who they got them thru. They were in the North East if I recall correctly.

They are specificlly tuned to the car. So while one from a GM car (from the same era) would fit and drive the speaker, the connector to the car would certainly not. And it would not sound correct.

The amps are front / rear specific also. Take a look at the rears (easy access) and you see what you're looking for.

peejay81

HEY YOU SOUND KNOWLEGEABLE. MY FRONT SPEAKERS WORK, HOWEVER I CANNOT GET A PEEP OUT OF MY REAR SPEAKERS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS THE AMP. HOWEVER I CAN NOT FIND IT. I HAVE A 2001 A4 Q SEDAN. SYMPHONY SYSTEM. CAN YOU POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?
IN ADDITION I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS ONE AMP FOR THE REAR SPEAKERS AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT EACH SPEAKER HAS AN INDIVIDUAL AMP, HOWEVER I CAN ONLY LOCATE WHAT I THINK IS THE CAPACITORS.

HELP!

V8QinNJ

An 2001 A4 has one single amp. Which chances are the rear channel is dead. In the trunk, drivers side open the panel in there is where the amp is located.

peejay81

Is there a fuse on the AMP? And how can i fix the rear channel?

Explain like i am 5