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Out with the Bose, in with the new

November 14, 2010, 12:37:45 am

I'm in the process of removing the Bose 321 system from our coach and replacing it with updated electronics. 

Removing the Bose subwoofer cable was not easy.  In fact, it would be almost impossible to do so and keep it in one piece.  It is actually made up of at least two Bose SW cables joined together.  The second photo shown below shows how the cable is wrapped with electrical tape as it passes from the stereo cabinet above the driver's seat down to exit in the left front wheel well.  I just cut as much of the cable out as possible to make room for the a standard subwoofer cable.  From its exit in the wheel well the Bose SW cable runs to the center line of the coach and then back through cable track to an area adjacent to the bay that holds our Joey bed.  From that bay it runs up under the kitchen counter to the compartment that held the Bose subwoofer.  I plan to use the same cable course.  I'm replacing the Bose unit with a Mirage MM-6 8" square subwoofer.  It is the only one I could find that would fit in the 9" opening for the Bose unit (see photo below).  It uses a standard subwoofer cable.  I have yet to run the cable, but it should be doable with about 35' of cable.

The front speakers will either be from Orb Audio or Mirage.  Both should be able to be mounted where the old Bose units were (under the front cabinets, above the windshield).  They should be a lot lighter.  I pulled the Bose speaker cable (4 wire rather than 2) and replaced it with standard 2 conductor speaker wire.  This was not a big job once I figured out how to get the bottom of the front cabinets out.  Foretravel certainly uses a lot of screws in this area, but they were relatively easy to remove.  Once that was done, replacing the cables was a piece of cake.

More to follow.

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Re: Out with the Bose, in with the new

Reply #1 – November 14, 2010, 09:31:11 am

This explains why we have not seen you here for a few days.  Nice description, George.

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Re: Out with the Bose, in with the new

Reply #2 – November 27, 2010, 06:30:21 pm

Yes, I have been busy.  The Bose conversion is finally done.  I ran the new subwoofer cable as described above.  Other than a couple of scuffed knuckles, everything went according to plan.  It was fairly easy to use the old Bose cable to pull the new subwoofer cable through.  I used a 50 foot cable, but a 35 foot probably would have worked.  Better safe than sorry.  Securing the Mirage subwoofer in the old Bose subwoofer cabinet involved a simple wooden frame around its base and a bungee.  See the attached photos.

I ended up using the the Orb Audio speakers.  They only weigh about a pound and although their sound is not as good as the Mirage Nanosats, they were also easier to mount.  Also, the Mirages weigh about twice as much.  The Orbs sound fine in the coach....to me, much clearer than the old Bose speakers.  See the attached photos.

I used a Yamaho receiver primarily because it fits in the overhead cabinets (about 13" deep).  To my ears it provides excellent sound.

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Re: Out with the Bose, in with the new

Reply #3 – November 27, 2010, 07:29:17 pm

Job well done, George.

Innovative and professional.

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Re: Out with the Bose, in with the new

Reply #4 – February 14, 2011, 04:26:53 pm

Update....  The subwoofer installation did not work very well.  With the subwoofer in the cabinet (as the Bose subwoofer was originally installed....see photo above) the low frequency sound produced by the speaker caused the thin cabinet woodwork to vibrate.  Not good.  This may have been a problem with the original subwoofer too.  We ended up moving the new subwoofer out of the cabinet and under the recliner.  Good sound, no cabinet vibration and its almost out of sight.

George

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