Bose system in '98 Acura 3.5 RL

[SlimFlem]

I am looking for some specs on the Bose system that comes in the '98 Acura 3.5 RL. I would like to find out what sort of amplifier it has, if I can upgrade the amp, can I upgrade the speakers, what kind of speakers it has, what sorts of outputs the Bose headunit has, etc. I don't want to remove the Bose headunit because I don't want to ruin the factory look.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

slimflem@yahoo.com

[Unregistered]

The factory Bose system is about 300 watts RMS. In some cases (vehicle dependent) the amplifiers are part of the speakers, I can't say for certain on this model. In any case, all Bose systems use low impedance speakers and simply replacing them with high quality aftermarket speakers is not recomended. The factory amps will not like it, and the system will sound worse. You can replace the amplifiers and speakers together, which will be an improvement if they are very high quality. I would suggest going to a very reputable shop that has worked on this type of vehicle before (ask a lot of questions and make sure they guarantee their work and the sound). Plan on spending a descent amount of money, because high powered, low quality equipment will not sound better than the OEM system, I guarantee you. You will probably need to spend at least $1,200-$2,000, installation include, for a nice upgrade. Remember, exceptional labor will result in years of musical enjoyment and no broken parts. Trying to save $50-$100, will result in a dissaster. Trust me, I've been an installer for 17 years. Good Luck!!!!!

[SlimFlem]

Thanks for the info. After having the dealer replace the amp, the system sounds much, much better. Apparently, the amp had become faulty and was sending popping/clicking sounds through most of the speakers. The new amp solved all those problems. I also found out this year RL has one amplifier located between the backseat and the trunk wall. The back seat has to be removed to get to the amp. But yes, other RL year models (not sure which ones) have an amplifier per speaker.

I don't think it's worth it to go through all the hassle of upgrading the stereo since it also sounds like I'd have to also replace the Bose-integrated head-unit. This I don't want to do. The car has 8 speakers anyway...that's plenty.

thanks.