# Mazda stock Bose system



## angryquaker (Aug 15, 2010)

Hi, newb here, first post, and I feel totally unworthy after reading some of the stuff you guys are talking about. But anyway, I'll go ahead and get it off my chest. My wife got a 2005 Mazda 6 with a stock Bose system. It's a nice little car. I have a 1995 conversion van with a Franken-crap system in it that I slapped together with stuff I could afford at the time, a Sony head, couple 300w off-brand amps, couple old school JBL 12s, some Pioneer 2- and 3-ways here and there. Nothing to write home about, compared to the stuff you guys talk about here. Anyway, mine sounds so much better in most areas of the van than hers does in her car. I was just amazed at how...not so good her Bose stuff sounds, as I've always thought they make a pretty decent rig. I have set of Bose speakers in the house for my computer setup, they sound great. Is Bose typically this bad in a car? Can it be replaced? It looks like it's built into the dash as part of the console. I don't think she really gives a hoot, but it embarrasses me for her to be cruising around in that sporty little car, with the rotten sounding system in it (that she thinks is awesome, because it says Bose on the display and the door panels). 

TIA,
AQ


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## GouRiki (Apr 9, 2010)

I have an 04' Mazda 6 sport with the stock Bose...

The general consensus with most audiophiles and the stock Bose on the 6 is... it sucks and was a waste of money for the option. I have seen not just one but a couple of threads where a 6 owner with Bose not only completely replaces the Bose system but straight up throws it in the trash.

While I do agree with this, I don't believe it is that terrible. It certainly isn't the worst thing but it definitely was not worth the price as an option. After using other Bose products, I find that they sound good and work well at first but they degrade fairly quickly.

I am one of those 6 owners who will replace the stock Bose system because it is not good for me, but other people who know nothing about audio or have already lost some of their hearing won't bother with it and just say it's good.

I hate it sooo much when people say ''oh It's Bose, it's f'n awesome''.

A couple months ago I sat in a friend's RSX that had the stock bose system and I never want to hear that again.


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## jmhinkle (Dec 24, 2009)

Little searching on mazda6club and you'd see that the head unit actually works quite well if you want to replace the rest of the crap in the car and not deal with the ugly metra kit. I don't remember the specifics for the regular 6 Bose, but the Speed6 Bose has a completely flat 2v output on all the channels. I think the regular 6 Bose is the same. The non Bose has some eq'ing in the rear channels of the radio IIRC. With the Bose HU, you don't need a LOC converter or any special eq'ing if you don't want. Just convert the outputs of the radio to RCA plugs and you are good to go for hooking up to good amps and speakers. It makes a world of difference in the sound. With some wise shopping you will get away with a great sounding system for fairly low money.


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## craracer05 (Jun 23, 2010)

I would recommend a stock head unit and either a MTX ReQ or rockford 360.2.


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## GouRiki (Apr 9, 2010)

jmhinkle said:


> but the Speed6 Bose has a completely flat 2v output on all the channels. I think the regular 6 Bose is the same.


Yes it is.


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## kvndoom (Nov 13, 2009)

GouRiki said:


> I have an 04' Mazda 6 sport with the stock Bose...
> 
> The general consensus with most audiophiles and the stock Bose on the 6 is... it sucks and was a waste of money for the option. I have seen not just one but a couple of threads where a 6 owner with Bose not only completely replaces the Bose system but straight up throws it in the trash.


I am one such person. I threw all the blose **** out of the 6 I had into the dump. I have kept most of the stuff out of the Speed3, even though I don't know why...

The good things about the setup is line-level outputs from the stock deck, and easily tapped-into wires to get a signal. I have never had my deck out of the dash. The cabling that goes to the blose amp under the seat has signals for all 4 channels, wires for all 4 speakers, and a 12V turn-on remote, all in one place. There are diagrams online on which wires do what.

Bose is like Monster Cable. They stopped innovating long ago and now just sell a familiar brand name to people who don't know better.


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## pentavolvo (Nov 12, 2008)

kvndoom said:


> I am one such person. I threw all the blose **** out of the 6 I had into the dump. I have kept most of the stuff out of the Speed3, even though I don't know why...
> 
> The good things about the setup is line-level outputs from the stock deck, and easily tapped-into wires to get a signal. I have never had my deck out of the dash. The cabling that goes to the blose amp under the seat has signals for all 4 channels, wires for all 4 speakers, and a 12V turn-on remote, all in one place. There are diagrams online on which wires do what.
> 
> Bose is like Monster Cable. They stopped innovating long ago and now just sell a familiar brand name to people who don't know better.


done a number of mazda bose cars and left stock radio and you get flat outputs. last mazda speed 3 i did we kept completely plug and play found a harness to plug in where oem amp harness was and used harness plugs in door so it can be brought back to stock at a later time. used the new kenwood xr-5s amp and it fit under drivers seat. we are glassing sub in under the trunk floot (may lift floot an inch or so) when its done you wont even know its not stock from outside


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## nittanylion64 (Oct 3, 2007)

Using the 360.2 Right now in my Speed6 and love it. This is the second 6 we have bought with the Bose. They both sucked. After dynamat and the new system the Speed6 now sounds as good as it looks and performs. Mazda6club and 6crew both have great resources for changing out the system.


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