Bose replacement suggestions needed

[Larry Fritz]

I have a 98 Patriot with the Bose Lifestyle system installed. The main Bose unit stopped working a couple of years ago and I bought another on e-bay. Now it has stopped as well but for a different reason.

I would like to keep the existing speaker system in place and even the power amp if feasible.

I need suggestions for what to use for the main unit. Would like to buy one at some store and use only that part of the system. I am prepared to do whatever wiring changes are required up in the overhead cabinet to convert.

We mostly use it in conjunction with the TV so quality of sound is not a issue. Would like to stay under $300. Don't need super sound.

Has anyone converted and how did it work out?

[JimCasazze]

Larry
You might want to look in the BAC "Redecorating and Upgrade" forum under TV and Kitchen updates to find my solution.   My Bose system was out and I'm not a Bose fan anyway, so I decided to replace the system with a Yamaha home AV receiver.  I did this in conjunction with an HDTV upgrade, so it afforded me the extra space to place a receiver behind the TV.  As a bit of an audiophile anyway, I can't tell you how impressive this new system is working out.

I kept the Bose satellite speakers, but trashed everything else.  I installed a Yamaha RXV671 receiver, REL subwoofer, new Bluray player, Dish HD Satellite tuner (to replace DirecTV with my Tracstar SV360), new network router and a few other items to make everything work and play together nicely.

This weekend I am completing a dual cooling fan addition to the overhead cabinet (will post pictures soon) to keep all the gear running cooler.

In any case, you can easily find a home receiver for a couple of hundred dollars, rewire and add a nice sub for a total cost of 300-400, if you can find a place to put the receiver....

Jim

[Steve Jewell]

Larry
 
    If you do not want to upgade everthing and just want it to work again. Sent it to myboserepair.com. They are not much money to fix most of the time. I think Bose is on of the best choices for a small space. But then again the only opinion that matters is the one who is listening to it.

Steve J

[Joel Weiss]

Our Bose stopped working shortly after we took possession of our coach.  I recall Bose wanted something like $200 to repair the power amp which had failed and I decided that it was foolish to spend that kind of money and still have an analog sound system.  We had already installed an HDTV and an HD DirecTV receiver and wanted a digital sound system, also.

What we did was purchase a Sony "sound bar" system.  It consisted of a subwoofer combined with the control panel which happens to fit perfectly in the empty box that used to house the old TV.  The sound bar itself is small and I hung it beneath the overhead cabinets without interfering with access or headroom.  The center overhead cabinet holds a DirecTV DVR almost precisely and I was able to find a Blu-ray player small enough to put in the left cabinet.  The right one has the control system for the Winegard Trav'ler dish.  All the components are controlled with a Logitech programmable remote that has fiber optics for controlling devices that are stored in cabinets.

The soundbar system has something like 300-400 watts of power (more than is needed in an RV) and produces a true 3.1 sound with a simulated 5.1.  We find it quite acceptable.  I removed the small Bose speakers upfront and the ones in the kitchen ceiling are unused.  The only downside I discovered is that I hadn't realized that the dashboard radio played through the Bose system so I've lost the use of it.  But, since it had a tape deck and no iPod or XM inputs it was pretty useless to us anyway.

One additional advantage of removing the Bose control console from the center bay is that it freed up a wonderful "slot" that now houses my WiFi Ranger router and a Wilson cellular amplifier.  Ethernet cables for the Blu-ray and DirecTV receiver run from the console up to the overhead cabinets.  We had several additional 12V outlets installed on the side of the dashboard so everything can easily be powered, including a GPS.   Until such time as we decide to replace the dash radio, we have a small iPod dock also on the center console which provides speakers for the iPod as well as an XM tuner.

If anyone is interested in details of any aspect of this installation, let me know and I'll be glad to provide some pictures.