Changing factory speakers to bose speakers

ftwhite · August 6, 2018

I replaced all the speakers in a 2018 LTZ except the center console sub. No amp upgrade yet. Speakers are Focal, so they are efficient, but the comments here about how Bose amp is tuned to the Bose speakers is very accurate in my opinion. The sound I get now, while much improved from a full range and deeper tighter low and mid perspective, it needs tuning in a bad way that the built in factory deck eq doesn't allow. It sounds good enough that I am not in a rush to rip out the interior and get a new amp installed and pull speaker wires (this is at least a $1000 investment as you really need a Nav-TV to get factory features (chime, ringer, etc) with a aftermarket amp). But I will be moving on to a JL Audio amp soon. The dash speakers are the hardest part. The mounting holes are hard to modify, and the Bose system/amp seems to over use this center channel. I put in Focal 3krx3 mids, and they sound good, but really highlighted the need to override the Bose amp processing.

I am not sure about the noise canceling. I assume the amp is still attempting it, but since NC is so frequency specific, I doubt if the Focal replacements are doing as good a job. I wonder if there is a way to retune the system, like with home theaters? That would be cool!

Marv88 · August 6, 2018

1 hour ago, Maxsuperdog said:

I totally agree with Nasty. Bose systems are heavily EQ'd to work specifically with their speakers. In my opinion it's a total waste of time to install new speakers into a Bose system. They're still going to sound like Schiit. Installing an amp is relatively easy and decent ones can be had for not a lot of $$$. Might as well do it right the first time.

Personally I don't like anything about the Bose system so I would rip the whole thing out to meet my objectives however that doesn't mean it's the "right" way for everyone. He just doesn't like the way the upper end sounds so if he gets away with just replacing mids/tweeters I say more power to him as he gets to save a bunch of dough and who am I to say what sounds good to him just because it may not sound the way I like it?

As mentioned above just replacing the speakers (even with really good ones) may not allow them to play to their full potential due to the amp processing and no ability to tune them yourself however not everyone needs to drop $850.00 just for the Nav Tv unit along with the dough for the rest of the gear needed to get what I consider the "full potential" from " better" speakers" if they are fine with the "upgrade" just adding speakers made.

ftwhite · August 6, 2018

BTW, if anyone wants my factory Bose speakers (2 x dash, 2 x 6x9 front, 2 x 6.5 rear), I'll take offers that include you paying shipping and packing. Just make it worth my time :-)

Jaychevy81 · August 6, 2018

I had the non Bose in my 15 and I did the kicker upgrade with all kicker speakers it sounded pretty good. My 18 has the Bose which sounds pretty good but lacked base. So I did the kicker sub and over all it sounds pretty good to me. I’m not going to enter into any sound competitions so I don’t see a need to go nuts.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jaychevy81 · August 6, 2018

Ya comfortable just doing something like door speakers not subs

Your not gonna be happy just doing door speakers the factory amp is not gonna push any aftermarket speaker.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BT3 · August 7, 2018

Any pics of the 3 inch speakers in the dash?

Where did you mount the tweeters?

thx

Marv88 · August 7, 2018

Another member let me know PAC released their Bose system interface at less than half what the NAV TV unit costs.

https://pac-audio.com/catalog/amppro-amplifier-interfaces/ap4-gm61

duquephart · August 7, 2018

The Crutchfield people tell me that there are aftermarket door speakers that will work well with the Bose system in these trucks (but not necessarily in all Bose system applications), and that the difference in sound will be noticeable. Maybe this is a case of what else are they going to say? Or, maybe they know what they are talking about?

Marv88 · August 7, 2018

47 minutes ago, duquephart said:

The Crutchfield people tell me that there are aftermarket door speakers that will work well with the Bose system in these trucks (but not necessarily in all Bose system applications), and that the difference in sound will be noticeable. Maybe this is a case of what else are they going to say? Or, maybe they know what they are talking about?

I'm pretty sure the difference in sound will be "noticeable" but the real question is will it be "better"...

duquephart · August 7, 2018

Just now, Marv88 said:

I'm pretty sure the difference in sound will be "noticeable" but the real question is will it be "better"...

And the answer to that question is ------------------------------------------------------------------

Marv88 · August 7, 2018

44 minutes ago, duquephart said:

And the answer to that question is ------------------------------------------------------------------

Sound is very subjective and everybody has different listening tastes so our opinions of what is "better" may be quite different. The only way to positively determine if you will like the sound beforehand is to listen to a Bose system truck someone has already upgraded with the exact speakers you are interested in otherwise it's still somewhat a shot in the dark when based on other people's opinions. IMO of course.

NAVY · May 24, 2019

I just got my 2018 Silverado 1500, Crew cab, Z71 with Bose speakers, brand new. The speakers are terrible man, go with a better option. I’m planing on swapping them out ASAP. They distort super bad, I am confused as to why Bose would even put their name on such a janky setup. Let me put it like this, when I replace my Bose speakers I would not even GIVE them too you lol! They belong in the trash and I wouldn’t give them to anyone that wants a good sounding stereo.

Jaychevy81 · May 24, 2019

I have Bose and I think it sounds pretty good don’t distort at all. I’m not saying it will win any competitions but it def sounds good.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Flcountryboy76 · June 15, 2019

i am not sure what you guys are talking about but..... i have a silverado with a nesa double din radio and i just recently discovered i had alpine's in the doors when i purchased it. i did exactly what the gentleman asked in this forum i went to a u pull it place and pulled bose speakers out of a nissan maxima ... yes there the same size..... and placed them directly into my doors of my silverado. now i did not have the clip style mount on the doors as comes stock due to the previous owner had aftermarket installed so mine were screwed in and the bose speakers were a perfect fit no drilling required. so you may have to drill bolt holes to mount them and your gonna have to look up the wiring and do a little cut and crimp/ soldering if you chose to solder i crimped mine in with the pos to pos and neg to neg. now why i did this was because my volume levels with the alpines i had to crank my stereo almost all the way up to listen comfortably. once the bose speakers were installed .OMG what a difference . at 1/2 volume my rear view mirror vibrates due to the bass and the clarity is off the charts. its a HUGE difference and sounds perfect. i even pulled the covers off a silverado that once had the bose speakers ( they were gone of course) and installed them in my silverado so my door panel covers now say bose on them . and with the covers and speakers and alli bought i spent a total of...... 25 bucks.... u pull it's are your best friends ... especially one that has set prices on parts no mater what is or where it came out of. So in my opinion i would definitely do it and if your wanting to go the full nine yards go for the center console that has a subwoofer in it as well ( paid 25 dollars for mine from same u pull it ) and get a amp and wire it up. you will be very pleased . Also ..... Chevrolet's come with bose in certain models so if you do it right and all it will up the value of your truck. Aftermarket speakers will drop the value sadly even if you spent 10 grand on a stereo system. so yes by all means do it. You will not regret it

Nasty · June 15, 2019

23 minutes ago, Flcountryboy76 said:

i am not sure what you guys are talking about but..... i have a silverado with a nesa double din radio and i just recently discovered i had alpine's in the doors when i purchased it. i did exactly what the gentleman asked in this forum i went to a u pull it place and pulled bose speakers out of a nissan maxima ... yes there the same size..... and placed them directly into my doors of my silverado. now i did not have the clip style mount on the doors as comes stock due to the previous owner had aftermarket installed so mine were screwed in and the bose speakers were a perfect fit no drilling required. so you may have to drill bolt holes to mount them and your gonna have to look up the wiring and do a little cut and crimp/ soldering if you chose to solder i crimped mine in with the pos to pos and neg to neg. now why i did this was because my volume levels with the alpines i had to crank my stereo almost all the way up to listen comfortably. once the bose speakers were installed .OMG what a difference . at 1/2 volume my rear view mirror vibrates due to the bass and the clarity is off the charts. its a HUGE difference and sounds perfect. i even pulled the covers off a silverado that once had the bose speakers ( they were gone of course) and installed them in my silverado so my door panel covers now say bose on them . and with the covers and speakers and alli bought i spent a total of...... 25 bucks.... u pull it's are your best friends ... especially one that has set prices on parts no mater what is or where it came out of. So in my opinion i would definitely do it and if your wanting to go the full nine yards go for the center console that has a subwoofer in it as well ( paid 25 dollars for mine from same u pull it ) and get a amp and wire it up. you will be very pleased . Also ..... Chevrolet's come with bose in certain models so if you do it right and all it will up the value of your truck. Aftermarket speakers will drop the value sadly even if you spent 10 grand on a stereo system. so yes by all means do it. You will not regret it

Im at about 7 grand on all my audio equipment right now and not even done buying yet. I have no intent to sell my truck as i dont really sell my vehicles.

Eventhough sound is subjective i can say the bose is not good. I have a 16 with Bose and a 16 without bose. Im doing the audio in my non bose truck. All i did first was test a set of speakers using stock everything else in my non Bose and it sounded 10 times better than my Bose truck.

Most people see bose and say wow this is aweome. Its a placebo affect to me. I have never heard a bose product i thought sounded good