Upgrading Subwoofer only (to current amp)
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 162
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2006 S430 AMG
Upgrading Subwoofer only (to current amp)
I have a Bose system in my 2006 S430 and would like simply hook up my Kenwood KFC-W3012 Subwoofer to the current amp. I'm a bit worried about Ohms and wiring though. My speaker is 4ohms.
Some of the research I've done seem to say that there might be 2 subwoofers or 1 in the rear deck. Also, I'm a bit confused, some say the woofer is 1 ohm and some say 4 ohms. I would simply like to run a wire from the current speaker to my box if possible.
I'm also curious about the current amp output to that subwoofer (or 2)
Some of the research I've done seem to say that there might be 2 subwoofers or 1 in the rear deck. Also, I'm a bit confused, some say the woofer is 1 ohm and some say 4 ohms. I would simply like to run a wire from the current speaker to my box if possible.
I'm also curious about the current amp output to that subwoofer (or 2)
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 405
Likes: 12
From: Sacramento, CA
W204 C300 2010
I researched this a few years back and replaced my subwoofer...
a. Only one sub centered in the rear deck, the woofer is mounted facing down.
b, All speakers in the Bose System are rated at 1 ohm. Later I found that many OEMs use 1 ohm speakers like Harley Davidson and Chyrsler
What I did and observations...
I ultimately used a dual voice coil subwoofer rated at 2 ohms per voice coil and connected them in parallel to produce an 1 ohm load. Unfortunately, doing this requires the sub to need more power than the stock amp can supply. There was no real change in deep bass.
I then added an aftermarket 2 channel amp using the subwoofer speaker wires at the input to the amp (speaker-level-input) then the outputs to woofer. It is louder and has more bass, but was not worth the effort but left everythiing in place and has been that way for about 4 years.
I think the Bose subwoofer cut-off frequency is the problem and the components I cobbled together do not work well in this frequency range. I was going to try the speaker wires fthat power the rear door speakers and do a parallel connection with the amp/woofer setup using the built-in subwoofer crossover to see if anything changed. This would allow me to have more frequency range to start with and then use the amp crossover adjust for the sub.
Again, I am no expert and do not claim to be anything like that, just an experimenter. it is possile that due to the nature of the Bose system itself, the "aftermarket" bass sounds you seek are not possible without some sort of sound processor that can restore the full range of sound from the stock system.
a. Only one sub centered in the rear deck, the woofer is mounted facing down.
b, All speakers in the Bose System are rated at 1 ohm. Later I found that many OEMs use 1 ohm speakers like Harley Davidson and Chyrsler
What I did and observations...
I ultimately used a dual voice coil subwoofer rated at 2 ohms per voice coil and connected them in parallel to produce an 1 ohm load. Unfortunately, doing this requires the sub to need more power than the stock amp can supply. There was no real change in deep bass.
I then added an aftermarket 2 channel amp using the subwoofer speaker wires at the input to the amp (speaker-level-input) then the outputs to woofer. It is louder and has more bass, but was not worth the effort but left everythiing in place and has been that way for about 4 years.
I think the Bose subwoofer cut-off frequency is the problem and the components I cobbled together do not work well in this frequency range. I was going to try the speaker wires fthat power the rear door speakers and do a parallel connection with the amp/woofer setup using the built-in subwoofer crossover to see if anything changed. This would allow me to have more frequency range to start with and then use the amp crossover adjust for the sub.
Again, I am no expert and do not claim to be anything like that, just an experimenter. it is possile that due to the nature of the Bose system itself, the "aftermarket" bass sounds you seek are not possible without some sort of sound processor that can restore the full range of sound from the stock system.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 604
Likes: 16
From: Atlanta, GA
2001 S500 (W220) / 2007 GL450 (X164)
I researched this a few years back and replaced my subwoofer...
a. Only one sub centered in the rear deck, the woofer is mounted facing down.
b, All speakers in the Bose System are rated at 1 ohm. Later I found that many OEMs use 1 ohm speakers like Harley Davidson and Chyrsler
What I did and observations...
I ultimately used a dual voice coil subwoofer rated at 2 ohms per voice coil and connected them in parallel to produce an 1 ohm load. Unfortunately, doing this requires the sub to need more power than the stock amp can supply. There was no real change in deep bass.
I then added an aftermarket 2 channel amp using the subwoofer speaker wires at the input to the amp (speaker-level-input) then the outputs to woofer. It is louder and has more bass, but was not worth the effort but left everythiing in place and has been that way for about 4 years.
I think the Bose subwoofer cut-off frequency is the problem and the components I cobbled together do not work well in this frequency range. I was going to try the speaker wires fthat power the rear door speakers and do a parallel connection with the amp/woofer setup using the built-in subwoofer crossover to see if anything changed. This would allow me to have more frequency range to start with and then use the amp crossover adjust for the sub.
Again, I am no expert and do not claim to be anything like that, just an experimenter. it is possile that due to the nature of the Bose system itself, the "aftermarket" bass sounds you seek are not possible without some sort of sound processor that can restore the full range of sound from the stock system.
a. Only one sub centered in the rear deck, the woofer is mounted facing down.
b, All speakers in the Bose System are rated at 1 ohm. Later I found that many OEMs use 1 ohm speakers like Harley Davidson and Chyrsler
What I did and observations...
I ultimately used a dual voice coil subwoofer rated at 2 ohms per voice coil and connected them in parallel to produce an 1 ohm load. Unfortunately, doing this requires the sub to need more power than the stock amp can supply. There was no real change in deep bass.
I then added an aftermarket 2 channel amp using the subwoofer speaker wires at the input to the amp (speaker-level-input) then the outputs to woofer. It is louder and has more bass, but was not worth the effort but left everythiing in place and has been that way for about 4 years.
I think the Bose subwoofer cut-off frequency is the problem and the components I cobbled together do not work well in this frequency range. I was going to try the speaker wires fthat power the rear door speakers and do a parallel connection with the amp/woofer setup using the built-in subwoofer crossover to see if anything changed. This would allow me to have more frequency range to start with and then use the amp crossover adjust for the sub.
Again, I am no expert and do not claim to be anything like that, just an experimenter. it is possile that due to the nature of the Bose system itself, the "aftermarket" bass sounds you seek are not possible without some sort of sound processor that can restore the full range of sound from the stock system.
