1997QuattroA6

I was wondering if I am able to replace the bose factory radio with a new aftermarket one while still using all of the bose components.

Ive talked to people at best buy, circuit city and tweeter and I keep getting different answers. i'm assuming I could just run RCAs from the line-out to the line-in on the amp and use the Metra VW wiring harness that everyone says works with my car. TIA..

VIPSA

If i recall the amps don't have line-ins.U can use the speakers for sure.

Ken Clunk

I have yet to take it apart and look but...

An amp has to have line in. All amps have: a line in, speakers out, power,ground, and a remote. It may be that the line in's do not have RCA's but none the less they are still line ins that recieve the signal from the deck. You have to splice RCA's and connect them to the decks preouts. If you wire the amps directly to the deck speaker outs you will get distortion and possibly blow the speakers.

There are a two options: Run the bose amps to the decks preouts, or run new lines and bypass the amps.

Hopefully soon I will be able to do my own, I will take pics and give a full step by step.

Has anyone else done thiers??
I'm still wanting to know what deck everyone uses as well so let me know.

1997QuattroA6

ok..So One of my two options is to connect the deck to the amps(via linein lineout), will it sound ok, or will it distort and blow my speakers if it does then its not an option for me..Im trying to get around replacing all 6 of my speakers..

also how many amps are there? I only see one in my trunk??

thanks for the replies guys.

Ken Clunk

If you hook them up through the preouts then it will be just like how it sounds now, of course the deck has more control over sound as well.

Each door has an amp in it. You do not need to mess with the amp if you are wiring them to the preouts, just find the right wires that go to each channel in the front harness.

If you wire it through your speaker wires there would be a possibility that they blow out but more importantly the amp can break.

Provided that your deck has front and back preouts,not front and sub, this would be the best way to go.

CUBud

Have things changed from the older 100's? Is there no longer a common (shared) ground to the rears? I haven't even thought about touching my a6 or 90 for that matter, mainly because of the hours I spent trying to get the factory speakers to work with a new HU (just to have to replace them afterwards, pull fresh wire, etc., etc.). However, if I can use preouts from my HU I will definitely think about it.

Mark - Steve's bro'

I just bought a JVC receiver/CD for my Bose system in my '94 100s. The guy at the stereo place said I can use the preamp outs for the rear speakers, but I'm pretty certain there are amps for the front speakers as well (as someone mentioned). Here's the rub. The manual for the JVC says do NOT wire it with common grounds. My car seems to be wired with common grounds. Is that correct??

Has anyone successfully done this? I just got off the phone with Crutchfield and they have this adapter, but the guy has no litterature on audi's of this model. He suggested "getting on the internet and posting a question on one of those Audi owners groups..." ARGH. I feel like I'm getting nowhere. This can't be that hard!

That said, I have the Bentley's PDF for the bose system wiring diagram. Can I read it? Not a chance. Do I have a degree in Electronics? Yah. Why is this so confusing?

Anyone know the pinouts for the Bose head so I can figure out what the connector pin diagram means? "LF" "RF" -- obvious -- "Ub" "RC" "ENA" "CL" What the.?????

(Sorry to sound so frustrated , but I really am!)

CUBud

You don't need it because most likely the radio will not use them. They could be anything from the dimmer (dims with interior lights), remote control if applic., if the radio had the option to change volume based on vehicle speed, +, -, switched power, wiring to goto Audi branded cd changer, outputs to a telephone, etc. I found an old schematic that helped me through the process, but I cannot find it anywhere now. Chances are, you will only need power and switched power, and depending on your speakers you may end up pulling new wire.