Well I speak from experience...(kind of). Before my CS, I had a MB CLK with "Bose"(still in the garage, being neglected these days). When I looked around for headunits, I got the same old "OH, it's a very complicated process where you have to "bypass" the amp plus all the other crap about the 2 ohm speakers and stuff. It was just the way this guy was explaining it to me, just made me feel like I would be taking one in the rear if I gave him my business. So I thought about it....the MB HU has copper leads coming out of it just like the aftermarket unit. If you use the Bose amp, you don't have to worry about resistors because the amp is what regulates that. SO...I gave it a shot. Hooked up the HU just as I would normally except for 1 exception. I gave power to switch on the Bose amp (this is how I knew to do this for the ASK amp when I installed the D3). Guess what? It still works today! It's been YEARS since I've done this and not even a blown speaker or fuse at that! So if the PCM and CDR-24 are interchangeable between Bose and Non-bose systems (with programming via PIWIS) why shouldn't this be true for the Porsche Bose system as well? As long as there is a signal going to the 8 +/- leads that will eventually be converted by the Bose amp which is switched on? Why should it be any different than a non Bose system?
***That's probably why the unit PCM needs to be reprogrammed when changing it from a Bose to a Non-bose system. The lead to power the ASK amp and the lead to power the Bose amp are on the same plug but different location. I bet you can take a Bose PCM and move it into a Non-bose car and just jump the wire!(without any other programming with PIWIS) Thats probably why people get no sound and/or "No amplifier present" error before getting their units reprogrammed!!!!
TresX I've done what you speak of on a Bose ML... here's the kicker, the Bose amplifier in the Porsche does not get any copper signal, the ONLY input on the whole thing is fiber optic.
Now, there is plenty of copper to tap into after the amplifier, meaning you can retain speakers with resistors. The speakers aren't 2-ohm, some aftermarket amplifiers actually are stable down 2-ohms, from the different service techs I've talked to I've heard they are either 3 ohms, or an odd number lower than 2.
As of now... no headunits will connect to our Bose amplifier.
- Suneet
That makes no sense....you have 8 copper leads coming out of your PCM that are connected to your Bose amplifier (somehow)! Who cares how it is done "behind-the scenes" as you say! The connector that plugs into your PCM is copper! Just connect the 8 +/- leads from the HU there and forget about it!
TresX, the plug of copper speaker wires doesn't exist on headunits made for Bose. Those wires don't exist in a Bose car. In a Bose cars, there are NO speaker cables until after the amplifier.
The only connection between the Bose amplifier and a cdr-24 or PCM is the fiber optic MOST cable. Trust me... I can take the headunit out and take pictures if you want.
When you took your cdr-24 or PCM out, you had 5 plugs, one for antenna, one for fiber, one with copper lines for CAN-BUS wake up and illumination, one for copper line-level signals (the 8 leads you speak of), one for power.
When I take out my headunit, i have four plugs. Bose cars do not have the speaker wires going to\coming from the headunit.
- Suneet
Really? Well then...I guess I'm not on to something....LOL It was a fun thought though! But the PCM with No sound thing I'm still *kinda* sure of
Edit: Well actually....probably not. But that was a fun thought too!
Have you looked behind your headunit since....
nevermind....
