Final answer - yes, the outputs of a Delco-Bose head unit are line level input level (RCA jacks) for standard aftermarket amplifiers and are very clean.

So I was looking through my diagrams and it looks like for the Delco-Bose head unit, it sent low level shielded audio to each speaker that had its own amp. I am thinking I could probably use this as a direct input for an aftermarket amp. Has anyone tried this?

 

I think you need a converter.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Scosche-F...-FAI-3/1863065

 

works great and sounds great-Bose output level is really low though,you will need amps with quite a bit of gain though.I use an '84 vette Delco Bose with '80s vintage aftermarket amps.

 

Thanks

 

So I ended up buying a nice modified Delco Bose from John in RI and I believe it works (he tested it on a bench delco bose system before shipping) but I cant get any noticeable sound out even when I've connected it to a phono input on an older receiver. How low is this signal?

Is it pre-amp or even less than that?

I have a vintage Punch 75HD with adjustable gain but I don't want to put the head unit in until I've figured out how to get it to output to aftermarket amps. Hoping to verify on a bench.

 

Also, it's the green/blueish color display (not orange).

 

blue VFD would be '85-up using the Blaupunkt tape transport t Next couple days,i'll check a Bose and see if they can be (barely) heard hooked directly to small headphones.Bose head I am using in my car is a little odd:~made early in 1984,it is old enough to have the orange LED,but just new enough to have the Blaupunkt with music search-I have never seen another one like it .

 

So here's my wiring to two RCA jacks. I tried it into a stereo receiver with the CD inputs. No sound. I also tried it with this signal booster. No sound. Maybe my wiring wrong? Please note that I have move wires/plug pins around and since I've cut the wires and hooked them to RCA jacks, the colors of the wires are no longer relevant. I've studied the wiring diagrams for 84 C4 corvette Delco Bose (which is what it says on my head unit) so I moved the wires to those spots.
However, based on 8t2 z-chev's note, it can't be an 84.

 

Here's pick of my head unit on and working on John's bench with a Delco-Bose system.

 

 

August 1986 date on that radio-looks nice BTW I tried a Bose driving a small speaker and it could be clearly heard with volume at about half.If no output,the aux jack would be prime suspect.

 

Thanks! Radio is very clean. John found nothing wrong with it except for a strange "scrubbing out" of the Delco-Bose emblem on the face. Don't know if I can get a replacement. As for audio, I tried using a cassette and the radio also with no output. I suspect I am using the wrong connections or I am not hooking everything up.

Do my connections on the white connector look correct for the front speaker outputs?

 

Here's the back of my head unit with what I am using for connections. I do not know what the orange and brown wires are for.

UPDATE 11-06-18: I will update pic soon but for now the orange wire is +12V constant, the brown wire is "Headlight on". The +12V radio-on antenna output is what is labeled "Ignition (+)" and an accessory +12V source goes to "Battery (+)" positions on the back of the Delco-Bose unit. "Night Illumination" comes from the dimmer circuit.

UPDATED DIAGRAM (This should be correct):

 

Radio wiring from the Manual

 

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You should delete/remove the last 3 images that you linked to in this thread....... not needed/applicable and will only confuse. ( wrong wire colors, wrong connectors, ect )
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The factory PINK wire that is screwed to the back of the head unit is an extra wire that you do not need. Pretty sure it's another "switched accessory" power output.

The factory ORANGE wire is Radio 'constant' power.
The factory BROWN wire it the headlight 'switched' voltage
*** You need to splice these into the dash harness.

Here is a picture of the factory Corvette BOSE Radio Speaker Plugs: Pretty sure the plugs were the same in the 85-thru 89 range for Corvette.



I have never tried to connect a BOSE radio to anything other than a "normal" Delco factory Head-Unit. I've used a signal converter to install a Delco EQ Head-unit with BOSE Speakers/AMPs in my 95Z, my 91 S10 Blazer Sport, my 84 Berlinetta, + countless times on the bench. Each and every time a factory GM BOSE Speaker/AMP set-up was connected. In the picture above you can see the Peripheral Interface/Converter that I prefer; there are others that will work fine too.

I am currently working on a BOSE "LUX" upgrade in my 05 Trailblazer. (that truck had BOSE, but not LUX BOSE) While it's not similar to your situation here,..... while learning about the Trailblazer BOSE system I have seen others that describe using an aftermarket AMP in their trucks with BOSE. I never investigated that possibility so I don't have more to add, just that I've seen references to this topic while scrounging the web for the info I needed for my BOSE LUX conversion. I've never done what you are trying to do, so I just don't know how to guide you forward.

 

Thanks very much John! I did not have the Orange and Brown connected at all and I suspect that could be my problem. I will remove the previous posts showing wiring that is not applicable to the Delco-Bose. I will keep going until I figure it out.

 

 

Verified. It works great. No signal booster needed. Will post pics once its up and running. I will seek to add a switch so that I can leave my Bluetooth audio connected to the aux but can switch over to the radio and cassette as needed. Thanks again for all the help!

 

cool you got it sorted out what are your plans for the rest of the system? On my setup,I had a pair of 6x9" woofers in stock location with ~100w amp and front outputs to a ~60w amp driving 6" woofers in lower door,little 18x18 amp running 1"dome tweeters in upper door.Installed this in 1993 and new needs rebuilt after starting to fall apart this year:front woofers need refoam,rear woofers have bad foam and magnet slipped on one and F'ed the voice coil,so had to replace those,and 1 dome tweeter fell apart behind,but I think I may be able to repair it(Morel brand,made in England)

 

So were you able to use this to power aftermarket amps and speakers? I have a complete working BOSE system after having all my amps repaired but it's still late 80's tech. Modern small amps and speakers would probably be an improvement.

 

Conclusion. Got everything fired up last weekend. System works great! Sound is excellent. Very cool to use the Delco-Bose with aftermarket amp.

 

Nice work!

 

Just want to follow up here. I got the aux outs working and John in RI set me up with an Aux-in. BUT, I had to abandon a bluetooth input. There is too much noise in the audio signals when bluetooth is connected and streaming. I tried filters, twisted pair Cat5, and tinfoil shielding. Bluetooth induces a harmonic on the audio signals when using the Delco-Bose head unit. I think it goes in through the Delco-Bose head unit. They just aren't designed for it. The cheap, aftermarket pioneer that came with the car did not have this problem. I decided to retain the Delco-Bose and just use an aux-in. I have to have my phone connected but the sound is clean and its cool to have an 80s head unit in there.

UPDATE:

I'm retrying this. I bought some magnetic cable chokes (those bulgy plastic weights on the ends of cables) and it did kick down the noise quite a bit. Then I'm pretty sure I discovered that the noise is coming from my bluetooth audio device itself, that it may not be induced noise. I will keep updating.

Last Update: Well it was the bluetooth audio unit. Bought a new one and the sound is perfect.

 

Hi, i just found this old thread and i would like to ask, did you connect the aftermarket amplifier to the low level line input (RCA connectors) or the high level input?
If low level, did you connect the signal to a common minus or ground shield?

I have bought Delco Bose cd player (Camaro 1996)
and like to put it my 87 Iroc. Unit has low level floating audio outputs with grounded cables.
Aftermarket amp has common minus connected to ground.

What is correct method to connect this to work?
I have found a lot of discussions about this, but I haven't yet found any certainty about the connection, or whether this really needs a converter in between.

B.r.
Jari