Replacing original 996 stereo with modern av media player

Hi chaps, I’m thinking of replacing my stereo in my 996 to a modern double din media player. Ive seen videos on removal of the stereo and installation doesn’t appear too tricky with the enclosures. However i have factory bose, does this complicate things or can I simply plug and play a pioneer CarPlay media player to the Bose amp? Cheers

Welcome Nash! What year is your car, and what head unit does it have? If it is MY2003-on, then the Bose system uses the MOST (fibre optic) bus to transmit control and sound signals between the head unit, amplifier, telephone, and CD changer. In that case you have 3 options: 1) Bypass the amplifier, and connect the speaker outputs from the new head unit directly to the speakers. Not ideal, as the Bose speakers are a different impedance to the majority of car speakers. 2) Replace the amplifier with a conventional wired amplifier - again you have the speaker issue. 3) Use an adapter which converts the audio outputs from the new head unit to fibre optic signals, which connects to the Bose amp. There are a few on the market now, with prices from about £150 to £500. Connects2 make one which seems to do the trick, and isn't a ridiculous price. If it is a MY2002 Bose system it is an analogue system, and the Bose amp amplifies the speaker outputs from the head unit, making it a bit easier to fit an aftermarket head unit.

This seems to be the most common retrofit cradle made 'specifically' for the 996. From my experience it's anything but, the only section I used was the plastic surround and even then I had to trim the rear edge off of it quite significantly to make it fit. That considered, it's not particuarly hard to make it physically fit, it's just irritating that something supposedly made for purpose still requires adaption. I'm thinking of going the other way and doing away with the radio completely as I've decided I'm fed up with technology in cars! If I do go down this route I may potentially have a 6 month old Sony XAV-AX100 CarPlay stereo going, and perhaps we could come to some arrangement regarding the Porsche dash cradle as you'll need to cut yours up and I'll need one complete to go the other way? Just a thought.... gve me a shout if it's of any interest.

Thanks gents! I have a 04 model and to be honest I want to try and keep the Bose intact so will probably look at the costs of options 3. @giraffeinbath I will dm you later, not particularly keen on that headunit but let’s see! Thanks again

Hello Richard! Thanks for taking the time to highlight the options. For option 3 would this be suitable? https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F171852389343 Thanks Nash

No, that's the adapter for the pre-MOST Harman Amplifier (M490) This was the one I was thinking about: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171274306802 However, this looks a simpler unit, and although it says 997, I can't see why it wouldn't work with a 996 Bose amp: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172788664193 An interesting article here: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/996/396710-install-aftermarket-head-unit-most-car-without-removing-factory-amp.html

Thanks Richard, I’ve seen a youtube video that suggests the rca adapter will work Well. can you help me understand what this would be used for? https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192677939775 Could this be something similar to the connect2 device? regards

No, that one won't work. It is a by-pass for the amplifier, so you make a direct connection from the head unit to the speakers.

Don't do it, it will no longer be a Porsche. What's it do anyway, that thing?