Blose improvement on the cheap

[S7EED3]

Thanks for your help. It's good to know that the white is positive too.

[curlyface]

Just found this thread searching google on how to improve the bose system.

Only thing is I know nothing about sound systems, I actually only found out I had an sub in my MS3 last night after a passenger had dropped his keys under the seat.
I am about to purchase all the parts listed but does anyone have instructions on where they actually go? Tweeters, capacitors, etc. mean nothing to me I really have no clue where any of these parts go. Any help or a link to a place where I can find a blueprint so I can figure it out myself would be greatly appreciated!

[tddvrrn]

Originally Posted by curlyface Just found this thread searching google on how to improve the bose system. Only thing is I know nothing about sound systems, I actually only found out I had an sub in my MS3 last night after a passenger had dropped his keys under the seat. I am about to purchase all the parts listed but does anyone have instructions on where they actually go? Tweeters, capacitors, etc. mean nothing to me I really have no clue where any of these parts go. Any help or a link to a place where I can find a blueprint so I can figure it out myself would be greatly appreciated!

look at all the links in this thread. all the info you need will be there...

also, if you donate, the VIP section has the shop manual that will show how to remove inner door panels and such.

but really, those links above, coupled with the write up on 247 is all the info you need. stop being lazy and click on the links, take notes, and then, if you're still lost, post specific questions. nobody's going to hold your hand.

[curlyface]

The links in this thread are to parts, not to where to actually put them. I have searched on google and on here to find an install guide which actually shows where the parts go. All the pictures in the threads for the gen 1's are expired it seems. Was just wondering if anyone here had pics or a better guide to the actual install, that's all.

[tddvrrn]

Originally Posted by curlyface The links in this thread are to parts, not to where to actually put them. I have searched on google and on here to find an install guide which actually shows where the parts go. All the pictures in the threads for the gen 1's are expired it seems. Was just wondering if anyone here had pics or a better guide to the actual install, that's all.

fair enough. look here: www .mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123745169-Fixing-your-MAZDASPEED3-BOSE-Sound-System

you'll have to cut and paste then remove spaces, we're not supposed to link to 247...

that is the thread i used to do this. it links to other threads and is itself full of info. i never messed with car audio before doing this, so i read that thread and all the ones it links to numerous times until it made sense..

basically, you'll need to pull your inner door panels off. everything goes under them. just read that link above, it explains it well.

good luck.

[6262ms3]

Just an update, I re-uploaded the pics in the OP so that people don't have to go over to 247 to see them and double-checked the parts links to make sure they still work.

[mrQQ]

what minimum voltage cap is needed for this?

[6262ms3]

I've read that 100v is the lowest you should go.

[mrQQ]

So I've did this.

Well, something like this, anyway.

I found an old Infinity Reference 6500CS system lying around from my old Mazda 323F. First off, I've installed the tweeters. They were quite a bit bigger, and wouldn't get fixed in place, however, since MS6 tweeter housing comes with a tweeter cover help by two screws I've managed to lock them in place. I can't see their aiming, but it seems to be pretty good.

This did amazing job. The highs are clear and LOUD. If before I had highs running +2-4 all the time, now I have them at -2 and even at that they sound way better.

I've added 10uH 100v cap to make their living easier, that didn't change much, but should keep them safe.

Next thing, I've wanted to replace the mids with the Infinities, however, I forgot them at home However, i've soldiered on the 100uH inductors for the mids.... and this made my day

I actually have to turn down bass aswell - I had that running at +2, now I have it at -2-0. The sound is CLEAR, alive. Mudiness is gone. I can even fade it back to 0 now. I'm looking forward to putting in the mids.

Just in case anyone wonders, I've checked and:

Driver side tweeter positive wire is WHITE, negative is RED. Same goes for mids.
Passenger side tweeter positive wire is YELLOW, negative is BLUE. Same for mid.

For opening driver door there are 3 screws - one in the handle, one hidden under rubber mat in the grip, one under plastic door light cover at the bottom. Afterwards, you just pull the panel off. Carefully

Passenger side has 4 screws - handle, bottom near light, and two under plastic mirror peace. To take that out pry open at the bottom carefully, and it will pop out.

The Infinity's come with better crossovers, but I wonder if they are worth putting in..

[MazdaDon]

Hey guys,

I'm hoping to bring this thread back from the dead for a question because i'm just getting around to modding my Mazda where it counts. I am not a big sound guy but can easily justify hacking this Bose system up a bit to get it on par with most decent systems. I drive a Mazdaspeed 6 and believe its a near identical setup to the Bose system in the speed 3.

My question is regarding where to put the x-over... I see 6262ms3 implementing his x-over in what looks like the drivers side door mid range speaker. He mentioned woofers but i believe this is the mid range? I believe i have two woofers in the back above the rear seats, i think the mazdaspeed 3 has a single one though. What would you recommend i do to high pass my stock woofers in the back, and should i use the x-over you referenced in all my door speakers that aren't tweeters as well?

Thanks a lot for any information you can provide!

[Sebi97]

Just want to confirm, I need 2 of each of the parts listed? I have no clue how audio systems work but am willing to give this a shot for its low price point

[rcrisp223]

Long time lurker, first post.

I'm new to the Mazdaspeed platform but am very familiar with audio and car audio.

A capacitor is used a high pass filter. It allows only frequencies above its threshold (at a certain slope - 6db per octave in this scenario) to pass. So you put this on the positive side of the tweeter.

An inductor/coil is a low pass filter. It allows only frequencies below its threshold (at a certain slope - 6db per octave in this scenario) to pass. so you put this on the positive side of the mid/woofer.

Now you have a first order passive crossover on your speakers. There's a bit of a phase problem (90* out of phase) with first order circuits, but you probably won't really notice it.

A more efficient setup would involve two capacitors in series and two inductors in series, which would create a steeper slope (12db per octave) and result in 180* phase inversion that would be very easy to remedy - just swap the + and - wires going to the tweeter. But this is twice as many components and will cost at least twice as much and also will be a bigger package. Instead of going this route, it might be simpler to just invest in some after market speakers that already do it for you.

The OP's hack of the Bose system is clever and cost effective. Kudos.

[Jeff23spl]

To make a 12db crossover, you need to mix coil and cap per speaker...
High pass is a cap in serie with a coil paralleled with the speaker terminals.
Low pass is a coil in serie + a cap paralleled with the speaker...
(The parallel component usually include a resistor to remain in control at far end frequencies)

When you wire 2 coils in série, you just make a longer coil and sum the mH values and resistance loss. For 2 caps, you halve the capacitance but sum the isolation voltage....I

It could be a way to mix components to get required value when a single component cannot be found alone.

For the phase sequence, it is not as important once both speaker use the same type of crossover because it cancel the difference from each others. (Like wiring all speakers with reverse polarity will work as well as wiring all good but once just 1 isn't connected right, it cancel other speaker sinewave of the same range....)

[E.Murray]

Very useful stuff in here for things Mazda could have just as easily done. Funny how a couple bucks in the right place makes a notable difference, while a thousand to get some name brand part you don't understand can make things worse...