m5zealot

Hello,

I was hoping someone can chime in if they have ever replaced the door speakers on their Bose system. I'm in the process off ordering a full Alpine head unit, 5 channel amp/ Focal component drivers for my SL this summer. I budgeted about $3,000.00 for just the parts. I have been researching this for over a 6 months and have run into some conflicting information from what seems to be reliable sources. I need to know the exact sizes for the door woofers and mids. I'm trying to order some Focal drivers to just drop in the holes but again some conflicting info. I'm away from home for a few weeks and can't just pull a door card to measure them myself! The vendor I'm buying the speakers from of course has no reference guide for an SL55 so he's waiting on me to tell him which sizes I need to purchase. (FYI, I used to install high end systems when I was a teenager back in the 80's so I know I can do this myself)

Source one is from "what's inside" article that seems pretty accurate since the writer included part #'s is below. He listed the woofer to be 5.25 " and mids 3". I realize he didn't mention the other 2" fill speakers mounted below the dash of each footwell.

Bose Mercedes R230 SL-Class Audio System (2003-2012)

1. Dash (Center Fill speaker)
   1. 230 820 16 02 x1 (2003-2008)
2. Doors
   1. 230 820 09 02 (door speaker assembly) x2 (2003-2007, ?2007-2011?)
      1. 3″ speaker + 5.25″ speaker
3. Footwell Subwoofer x1, right
   1. A2308201802 (2003-2007? 2004)
   2. A2308200502
4. Under roll bar grill, at side seat belt (Rear Fill speakers)
   1. A2308200702 x2

Now this diagram seems to have come from an official Mercedes source: It list the woofers as roughly 6.5 " (16.5 cm) and mids 3.5" (9 cm) after converting from metric values. Which measurements are correct? The size difference is significant. I don't want to use adapters/brackets either. I just want to screw the new speakers right in with no mods to the door. Thanks so much for you help. I'm going to forgo replacing all 4 fill speakers as they system I have designed won't need them. I'm also making a custom subwoofer box to replace the one in the footwell. If you're curious, I will do a full write up of the project when I get started.

57staff

The fill speakers are in the rear deck, not below the dash in the footwells.

m5zealot

There are two 2” inch speakers under the dash mounted downwards into the footwells. They have the same green colored wires (mono) as the back fill speakers.

I was always confused when I saw two extra speakers pictured on Ebay auctions for Bose systems out of R230’s I’ve seen them when I changed out my cabin air filters on passenger side and checking fuses on drivers side. If they are not fill speakers then not sure what their function would be. They put out “fill” sound not actual music. So they are physically installed on my car.

bobterry99

The speaker in the driver footwell and the one under the passenger-side dash are wired to the Tele Aid system and are not part of the Bose audio.

As far as I can tell sound only comes from the rear when the ambient sound options are activated from COMAND. When playing music I can not discern sound coming from the center-dash speaker under any circumstance.

m5zealot

Got it! Glad to know more about this system. Now if someone please chime in on speaker sizes at the doors? Thanks.

Frederick NL

I don’t think someone’s going to dismantle his door for you. Perhaps you can ask an eBay seller (if any) to post a pic of a unit, with a measuring tape, because you would have to know very specifically what exactly you are specifying, when quoting inches/cm’s.

Frederick NL

Interesting. I have always wondered about that one. During a 3 week holiday trip I’ve come to appreciate the comand NTG1 system (Bose). Apart from being reliable and sturdy, it’s cd play is not as tiring as some pimped up systems can turn out to be. And I did wonder what the center speaker contributes. The small rear speakers do add a little ‘space’, noticeable when you switch of ‘surround’. Goes to show subtlety does the trick.

m5zealot

I don't expect anyone to do that. I have seen many members who have replaced there speakers in many threads but, no one responds or remembers. No worried. I'll be home this week to measure them myself and post up in here in case anyone else needs to know.

m5zealot

I was totally fine with my Bose system. (Back in the 80's I had a BMW M5 that I put together myself and often won at car stereo war events!) However, after getting a new GLC63s w/ the top end Burmester and my other half has a new Range Rover SVR, I have become envious and wanting a more modern system! Also burning my own CD's for the Bose system is getting old. Don't even asked me how my 6 year old nephew ridicules me for not having Bluetooth in his favorite fast car! My system will have all the modern tech and at least another 700 watts of power. FYI, I bought an Alpine ILX-259 with a 9" floating screen. It will fit the whole left by the Command w/ no obstruction to vents or cup holders. Here is system installed in a buddy's car in Sweden!

55fanatic

Edit: didn’t read the post, was connected by google images.

what was involved in this install?

m5zealot

This install required the entire ancient Command System to be deleted. I reviewed easier and less expensive ways to upgrade but since I’m keeping this car forever I took the plunged. The installation of the head unit required fabricating my own chassis mount. I replaced the door woofers, mid and tweeters with Focal Utopia equivalents except for tweeters. I mounted those on the a pillars in billet aluminum pods. I’m running two Alpine 5 channels amps. At the rear I have 6.5 Morel mods and tweeter mounted on the rear panel. One 10 inch sub in the spare tire well and kept the Bose woofer in the passenger footwell running 50 watts to it. It took me about 2 months of weekends to complete. The system rivals and surpasses the $4,500 Burmester system in my C63s. I have tons of pics in my Instagram account @number63productions. I’ll try to post some here soon.

foxifox

Hi, Please tell me the part number for the Bose speaker cover located on the top left of the instrument panel (driver's side).
Hi, I need cover Bose audio tweeter speakers on dashboard Mercedes benz sl500 r230. Where can you order this? Do they have a catalog number?