RE: Replacement for '98 GLX BOSE head unit?

[Tim Irwin <timi@Interlinq.com>]

Here we go again (this question is on about a 2-3 month cycle)...

See
http://www.panix.com/~aqn/GTI_VR6/gti_vr6/library/RadioampCDchangerspeakersF
UBAantennae_index.html
username: driver
password: hired
for several discussions about stereos.

First let me get this straight, do you actually have a Bose Amp hanging from
your back deck? If not, then you don't have the Bose system at all, and your
dealer would have to do quite a bit of wiring along with replacing several,
if not all, of the speakers (which my dealer refused to do when I griped
about not getting the Bose system).

In either case, if you are running a "Premium" (non-Bose) head unit, that
alone should tell you that nothing special is required to run the Bose
system (assuming you have it). I installed a Blaupunkt Sydney (7-series)
from Continental Imports (http://continentalimports.com/) in place of my
Premium system with a minimum of hassle. If I wasn't using the CD-changer,
it would have been nearly "plug and play," with the CD-Changer, I had to
splice a couple of wires.

I personally went with the Blau over the Kenwood for two main reasons. The
Blau looks very stock (plastic and display color match), and I didn't know
how long the MASK faceplate would reliably flip (5k times 10k times?) as it
seemed like a somewhat complex mechanism (anyone have any experience here).
I figured in the 7 years I owned the car, it would have to flip somewhere
around 10000 times. The Blau uses a removeable smartcard for security. Not
as convienent as the MASK, but much more so than a faceplate.

My only complaint about it is that the magazine random mode for the
CD-changer does one entire disc randomly, then randomly selects another disc
rather than random tracks selected from the entire set of available discs.

Make sure to read the postings about avoiding the "K" wire when wiring the
stereo. The stock stereos tie into the OBD-II system and an improperly wired
aftermarket stereo can fry a diagnostic computer. My dealer grilled me on
the wiring of my aftermarket stereo before they would connect the computer,
and warned me that I would be liable if it was done incorrectly.

Also, be sure to get a "powered antenna adapter" from whoever you order from
if you want AM reception.

You'll probably also have to have the dealer pull the stock radio. They
seemed to be the only ones with the right "key."

Tim Irwin
'98 GLX
Blau. Sydney, A071 changer

-----Original Message-----
From: Willie Anderson [mailto:willie.anderson@analog.com]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 1999 6:13 AM
To: Jetta GLX List
Subject: Replacement for '98 GLX BOSE head unit?


Greetings, GLX ListFolk,

My recently acquired '98 GLX has a "normal" pre-98 stereo head unit
in it - the OEM BOSE unit has been ordered by the dealer that sold
me the car and will be installed as soon as it arrives.  If it ever
arrives.  It is back-ordered, whatever that means in this situation.

I've been waiting for this unit for about two months, and I'm tired
of waiting.  However, I don't really want to replace the entire
stereo system, just the head unit (no flames, please, about the BOSE
speaker/amp system).  But I'm getting mixed messages regarding just
what kind of head unit with work with the BOSE amp.

Crutchfield claims that there is no adapter for their products to
the 96-98 BOSE system, so that I'm SOL for this particular car. 
When I called up Soundgate (www.soundgate.com), who makes adapters
for Crutchfield and others, they claim that the 96-98 BOSE system
doesn't need an adapter since the BOSE amp uses normal speaker
voltages as input.

I'm really thinking that I'd like to get one of those Kenwood MASK
systems (hides itself when powered off - cool) that has more than 6
FM presets and shows the new ASCII messages which are embedded in FM
broadcasts, which is something that the 98 BOSE head does not have
(I gather, from reading the BOSE manual that came with the car). 
But I can't get consensus on whether it or any other aftermarket
head unit would work with the BOSE.

Help, Mr. Wizard!  Who is right?  Who has the authoritative
information?  Thanks in advance for any help,
-- 
Willie Anderson