Sorry I do appreciate the input. I just find it hard to believe messing with the stock bose system wouldn't be recommended as others and myself believe it sucks. You also didn't mention any help, you just said what I am trying to do here wouldn't work, but not why it wouldn't work.

Just two last questions that are not subjective if you can help.

You said that JBL amp wouldn't be able to power the speakers? Am I not understanding how the wattage works? Seems like it would. It's 85W RMS x4 and the speakers are 75W, and 100W RMS. Both are 2 OHM rating.
Also other people on other forums had stated that simply replacing the HU significantly increased their audio quality. I don't see how this is possible as the BOSE speakers are powered by a dedicated amp and not the head unit.

The reason I am asking is because I might do this bit by bit. Right now the audio is actually trash because all I have is the radio which is not clear in my area, and I don't care to keep burning CD's. So the head unit has to go because it doesn't have AUX. Would replacing it increase the sound quality from the bose speakers?

 

The amp will work but if you increase sound level it will run hot.
You can keep any head unit and run separate amps you just need a channel line out converter

See: Audio Control
Lc2i

You might want to look at my BOSE system conversion so to say? lol I still run the Mazda stereo control but everything else BOSE is gone. While I wont say comparing it to the factory BOSE it is a contender for a catagory in stereo contests.
Mazda3 Things I like to do
https://www.mazdaforum.com/forum/maz...like-do-44018/

 

That's a nice build, but so far out of my price range. Can't really follow because I can't even afford 1 speaker in your build. From what I'm reading online that stock system in your car is one of the better bose systems made. The 2018 mazda 3's BOSE system is nothing comparable to what is in the 06 mazda 6. Entirely different systems. I wouldn't mess with a 2018 BOSE system myself, but again, the 2006 is crap.

Nice work though

 

Thanks I understand.... but you see that even I took carefull consideration over what to do with the BOSE system. It took a few thousand dollars and lots of fabrication not to mention several speaker changes and location trial and error to get it dialed in.

Here is another example more closer to a budget build improving on the factory HK BMW/MINI sound system
My 2002 Mini Cooper S Purchase new in 2002 and built the sound system in 2004 ( I still own this car)
Stereo
Pioneer AVD P6400CD head unit
HIFONICS BRUTUS 1200 SUB AMP
KICKER 4 CHANNEL 650rms
2 Sony Explode 1000watt amps
Custom Sub box with 2 8inch Sony Explode sub-woofers.
Rear section has 4 tweeter's 2 mids 2 woofers
Front area has 4 tweeters 2 mids and 2 woofers
2 Sherwood XN-1000 electronic x-overs.
Pyle DVD player in the glove box
Alpine XM with custom console panel





Sorry about the tiny picture but we all know about what photobucket did to use a few years ago with all our pictures!

 

Right but the audio equipment you installed is worth more than what I just paid for this car, by far. If I had a new car and the money I would do it professionally and done right.

 

Understood!

 

Also didn't know you could do that with the stock head unit. That's good to know.

Unfortunately the stock head unit doesn't have Bluetooth, and that's mainly where I play my music from. I know there's kits you can buy, but they are also around $200 which is more than a decent head unit that comes with bluetooth, navigation, apple car play, etc etc.
Just important to keep in mind I just bought this car for $2600. It is in about 9/10 shape with 90k miles so I got it for a low price, but the proposal I put together almost exceeds 30% of what I paid for it, and it will probably have to be left in the car if I ever sell it (Which I do plan on doing soon, getting a 335I next spring)

Anyway, on that note I'll let you know my findings hahaha. If it's a POS after I'm done then it is what it is, I'm going to wager it will sound a whole lot better though, we shall see.

Also I wouldn't say I'm tone deaf, I actually have been singing for some part of my life if that counts for anything lol. Have a good one.

 

Sorry I don't get into what a car is worth if you are modding it. You either buy a car for transportation or as a turn around for profit or you buy something to play around with and not worry about return investment when you sell it. That just IMHO the wrong way to think.

The other thing everyone's though on what something is worth and how well the condition is just that...their own personal thoughts. You say your car is a 9 out of 10.....hmm well I bought my Mazda new 2 years ago and I would say based on it is still a daily driver only to be a 9. I will never get what I have spent money into it and all the labor except for some having to do with the upholstery has been all me including fabrication of many things. What I am telling you is stop thinking about your car as an investment (it really is a bad one) and have fun with it. If it is not what you really wanted to spend time and money modding up to your personal taste then drive it and sell it make a few bucks and work to get what you really want.

My first car was totaled the second day I got my drivers license and the first day I drove it after working all summer fixing it up. My second hand me down was our family Station Wagon. For a high-school kid in the mid 70's ..... sucked! But I started racing at the track with it(I was doing low 12's in the 1/4 mile back them very very quick ) , became rather known as a competitive street racer and my career changed from aspirations of being a Paleontologist to becoming a Performance Parts engineer. LOL Life is funny that way.

Back on topic of stereo's.... in 1983 long before and what started the beginning of stereo contests or shows my 1982 Camaro had 36 speakers of which you could only see 4 and a complete sound system custom built form scratch! LOL My brother was a concert promoter so I got many back stage passes and even one guy sat in my car and I played "House of the Rising Sun" by Eric Burdon. The guy sitting listening to my sound system was Eric Burbon. LOL

Before my time but an original video.

You Tube

Almost everything street car I owned had some form of customization I did having to do with the sound system.

 

The sub-woofers in the picture are Dyaudio which back in the day were very high end speakers. The box was my 3rd attempt to find the best sound . Those little 8's hit hard and crisp running on there own adjustable Alphosonic sub-woofer amp. Everything including the wiring was done solely by me. There is a cover I also built for the electronics but I don't know where that picture is? This was really the beginning of super high end automotive aftermarket stereo installations so no one really had their act totally together even the manufactures of the equipment. Before this in the 70's most of us were happy with a pair of Jensen Triax II's in the rear deck and whatever we could find and fit in the front doors. LOL

I can also remember like you being on a budget and using Radio Shack Speakers for a few of my auto stereo projects. LOL Even so I read everything I could find on building stereo system mostly for home and self learned my way through trial and error. Most of my early stereo systems were not bad sounding in the end. But I did have to make a lot of compromises.
These days my taste in listening to music is more seasoned and I do not compromise unless it is just physically impossible to reasonably do something!

 

hey, I don’t know if you get notified of this response or not, but thought I’d update you.

Initially I still had the intention of upgrading (or downgrading as you’d say, haha) but I bought the Bluetooth module and was finally able to stream music from my phone, and after a bit of listening I was actually quite impressed with the system.

its very well balanced, and actually has quite a bit of bass which was impressive. Overall it impressed me enough to decide to leave it alone. However, It’s not as good as my 2003 330CI’s Kharmon system but it does have more bass.

it does lack some clarity on the highs, and lacks the bass from a 12” sub, but everything else was quite a bit better than my last custom system (cheap ****). It does a lot better job of separating the sounds which makes a huge difference.

so you are correct, I apologize. Overall it is better than my last system in most ways.

I wish I could upgrade just the speakers but I guess there’s no way without changing the amp, which requires a lot of other things too.