Bose cabling customization

[Rhio Barnhart]

A friend has an older Bose Lifestyle 5.1 system. The CD changer/tuner
unit had problems, she sent it in to Bose and it was unusable when
returned.

She would like to get another brand 5.1 tuner and continue to use the
Bose speakers, 5 minis and an Accoustimas sub-woofer unit, which are
actually OK.

The problem is that the cable from the original Bose tuner to the
Accoustimas unit has a proprietary multipin DIN type connector on the
tuner end. I have been unable to find an adapter for this particular
plug. A call to Bose informed me that there was nothing made and I was
basically out of luck. There are a number of Bose adapters on the
market, but nothing for this particular cable that I can find.

I could probably cut the cable and solder something up, if I had the pin
assignments for the Bose cable.

This leads to two questions:

Is there actually an adapter, sold by the secret underground audio cable
company, for this situation?

Has anyone ever done this customization successfully who cold give me
some pointers?

Many thanks,
RHB

--
******************************* * * *
Rhio H. Barnhart * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Head of the Music Department Library
Systems Manager for Music* * * * * * * *
University of California, Davis, CA * *
*
*******************************

[Richard Crowley]

"Rhio Barnhart" wrote ...
>A friend has an older Bose Lifestyle 5.1 system. The CD changer/tuner
> unit had problems, she sent it in to Bose and it was unusable when
> returned.
>
> She would like to get another brand 5.1 tuner and continue to use the
> Bose speakers, 5 minis and an Accoustimas sub-woofer unit, which are
> actually OK.

That is a controversial issue. Bose does not enjoy a
positive reputation in this neighborhood (rec.audio.tech)

> The problem is that the cable from the original Bose tuner to the
> Accoustimas unit has a proprietary multipin DIN type connector on the
> tuner end. I have been unable to find an adapter for this particular
> plug. A call to Bose informed me that there was nothing made and I was
> basically out of luck. There are a number of Bose adapters on the
> market, but nothing for this particular cable that I can find.
>
> I could probably cut the cable and solder something up, if I had the pin
> assignments for the Bose cable.

Does the wall power cord go to the subwoofer box, or
to the table-top control unit? Where do the satellite
speakers attach?

Chances are that Bose put the power supply and/or
the power amps in the "subwoofer box" with some
sort of highly-proprietary interconnection scheme.
It is not likely that any documentation has been
published as they like the $$$ from people sending
the stuff back to the mother-ship for "service.

> This leads to two questions:
>
> Is there actually an adapter, sold by the secret underground audio cable
> company, for this situation?

I would bet against it. Hacking those mass-produced,
plastic consumer things is not considered to be worth
the effort to most people qualified to do it.

> Has anyone ever done this customization successfully who cold give me
> some pointers?

You might get lucky. Some people customize toasters.

OTOH, recommend considering replacing the Bose stuff
with something reputable.

[GregS]

In article >, "Richard Crowley" > wrote:
>"Rhio Barnhart" wrote ...
>>A friend has an older Bose Lifestyle 5.1 system. The CD changer/tuner
>> unit had problems, she sent it in to Bose and it was unusable when
>> returned.
>>
>> She would like to get another brand 5.1 tuner and continue to use the
>> Bose speakers, 5 minis and an Accoustimas sub-woofer unit, which are
>> actually OK.
>
>That is a controversial issue. Bose does not enjoy a
>positive reputation in this neighborhood (rec.audio.tech)
>
>> The problem is that the cable from the original Bose tuner to the
>> Accoustimas unit has a proprietary multipin DIN type connector on the
>> tuner end. I have been unable to find an adapter for this particular
>> plug. A call to Bose informed me that there was nothing made and I was
>> basically out of luck. There are a number of Bose adapters on the
>> market, but nothing for this particular cable that I can find.
>>
>> I could probably cut the cable and solder something up, if I had the pin
>> assignments for the Bose cable.
>
>Does the wall power cord go to the subwoofer box, or
>to the table-top control unit? Where do the satellite
>speakers attach?
>
>Chances are that Bose put the power supply and/or
>the power amps in the "subwoofer box" with some
>sort of highly-proprietary interconnection scheme.
>It is not likely that any documentation has been
>published as they like the $$$ from people sending
>the stuff back to the mother-ship for "service.
>
>> This leads to two questions:
>>
>> Is there actually an adapter, sold by the secret underground audio cable
>> company, for this situation?
>
>I would bet against it. Hacking those mass-produced,
>plastic consumer things is not considered to be worth
>the effort to most people qualified to do it.
>
>> Has anyone ever done this customization successfully who cold give me
>> some pointers?
>
>You might get lucky. Some people customize toasters.
>
>OTOH, recommend considering replacing the Bose stuff
>with something reputable.

If they need to stay with the small speakers, then answer back the questions
Richard asked.

greg