Bose lux swap on 07 Tahoe

[EZYESS57]

I've been researching the Bose "luxury" upgrade for Chevrolet vehicles. However, I've only read of this option on 06 and lower year models. So, I'm wondering if it can be done on an 07 LTZ that has the Bose premium. Also, does it only involve the same basic process as 06 and lower. Lux amp for Premium amp, tie into CPU data line, & flash upgrade Denso headunit. Thanks in advance.

 

[Hardin Thicke]

The "luxury" option utilized a Bose 4085 amplifier, this amp is an old, obsolete design and has been superseded. It's been around for years. The major problem in doing what you prpose lies in the basic differences in the amps. The 4085 is a bus based amp. It utilizes the GM LAN to get instructions from the head unit to the amp. All of the intellengence is in the amp. Along with the music, the amp even handled the door and seatbelt chime. A couple of years ago, GM decided to save some money, and take the amp off the bus, giving control to the head unit. So the new amp is not a bus based amp. It's a dumb amp that receives line level signals from the head unit. The head unit manages things like treble and bass, fade, etc. and passes the signal onto the amp instead of the amp handling things as the 4085 amp did. Unfortunately, besides making things totally imcompatible, the head unit won't do environment settings like "stadium", "jazz club", or other front to rear delays.

 

[EZYESS57]

What has replaced the 4085 amp in the GMCs and Cadilliacs? I assume that the amp in these vehicles is a "smart" amp (4085 or newer) since my generic owner's manual (Tahoe/Yukon/Yukon Denali) discusses changing sound fields and multi-channel surrond sound or is this a functions of the different headunit plus the same "dumb" amp?

 

[Hardin Thicke]

The Tahoe uses an amp code named 8800, aka. Lugnut. The Escalade's use an amp known as the 6000. 6000 varients are used extensively in a large number vehicles. Some Caddy cars use a large Bose amp known as the 7000. This do-it-all amp is expensive and had been largely eclipsed by the less expensive 6000. Both the 6000 and 7000 receive their inputs via standard line-in's as opposed to a bus.

 

[EZYESS57]

O.K. I just ran across a post on another forum that was copied and pasted from you originally. After reading that post and your reply I should be able to replace my Tahoe 8800 series amp with a 6000 series amp. I should be able to use my same Denso headunit to provide the amp with the line level inputs that the 6000 series amp requires. It may require an entirely new wiring harness and will require removal of several interior components. What components need removing? Will the AudioPilot and CenterPoint options then be displayed on the Sound menu of my headunit or does something have to change on the headunit (flash upgrade. etc.)? And finally, is upgrading to the 6000 series amp going to provide me with comparable end results that an old premium to lux (4085) upgrade would provide (i.e. more power to subwoofer, better sound quality, etc.)? Thanks again!

 

[Hardin Thicke]

Those are questions that I don't know the answer to. Amps I know! I can tell you that the amp's connectors are 2 completely different animals, and yes, you will need a new wiring harness. From there...you're blazing a new trail. I wish you luck should you undertake it. It sounds like a major job.