Bose speakers are popular among music lovers because they are great-sounding speakers. However, can any brand receiver, sub/bass module work well with Bose speakers such as Bose Lifestyle cube speakers? Maybe you have old bose speakers and a new receiver. Bose speakers are generally only compatible with Bose receivers, but there are ways to use a bose speaker with other brand receivers. Read on for professional advice on how you can use your Bose speakers with other receivers.
You can use Bose speakers with other receivers by converting the special Bose speaker plug into a standard one to allow you to use regular speaker cables.
Read on to find out more about how you can do this.
How are Bose Speakers Designed-Why Does that Matter?
If you have a Bose receiver and Bose speakers, you can install them quickly due to their unique design. The speakers come with special preinstalled speaker cables terminating in proprietary plugs compatible with Bose receivers.
The special plugs can make your work easy if you are hooking up to a Bose audio system. At the same time, the plugs can make hooking up the speaker to other receivers almost impossible.
Many owners of other receivers have been asking us whether they can use them with other Bose speakers. The answer is, ‘Yes.”
You can use Bose speakers with other receivers provided you can find a way to convert the special Bose speaker plug into a standard one to allow you to use standard speaker cables. The unique design will not limit you from using these high-value speakers with your receiver of choice after converting it.
Of course, we use “of choice” to mean Bose receivers and others that meet the required specifications like impedance.
How Can I Use Bose Speakers with Other Receivers?
As already mentioned, you need to convert the Bose speaker plug to standard speaker cables. Use a Bose speaker adapter to do that. A good example is the Bose AC-2 Bare Speaker Wire Adapter/Connector.
Let’s see how you can use the adapter to make Bose speakers compatible with other receivers.
Step 1: Insert the special plug into the adapter’s matching jack.
Step 2: Remove a half-inch insulation from the two strands on the speaker wire’s one end.
Step 3: Plug your speaker wire into the Bose speaker adapter. Ensure the wires enter inside the hole below the red terminal on the adapter securely. Do this by lifting the red spring clip until you get adequate space to insert the red wire. Once you are done, release the spring clip to hold it firmly.
Step 4: Repeat the same process above to connect the remaining wire to the adapter. Unlike in the above step, in this case, ensure the wire goes to the black terminal.
Step 5: Turn to the opposite end of the wire and remove a half-inch insulation from the two strands. Connect the wires to the set of terminals on the receiver’s back. If you are installing several speakers, repeat the process until you are done.
Step 6: Go to the speaker control system and press the corresponding speaker buttons. Adjust the volume accordingly and start using your Bose speakers with the receiver.
This process might appear difficult. However, once you do it practically once or twice, you’ll find that’s not the case, and takes a few minutes to complete.
Note: You should turn off the receiver or amp when connecting Bose speakers to the Bose speaker adapter for safety reasons.
Expert Tips on Matching Bose Speakers to Receivers
Matching Bose speakers with receivers is easy. Nonetheless, a few impediments can get in the way of an optimum-performance connection. We shall look at the major ways to eliminate them in this section.
Remember that Bose speakers have varied capacities, impedance, and power requirements. The above steps won’t guarantee you optimum performance if you don’t bear this in mind and match the speakers with suitable receivers.
On Impedance
Most of today’s receivers are compatible with Bose speakers. However, before connecting them, you should study the impedance, referring to the speaker’s resistance to current flow. In most cases, this measurement ranges between four and eight ohms.
If your Bose speaker has a low impedance, for example, four ohms, it can strain your receiver’s power supply. Remember that a speaker with low impedance requires power that a receiver with higher impedance might not supply.
What can happen if this is the case? Most modern receivers have protection circuits and thermal fuses. So, they can shut down in case of an overload to protect your speakers. In some instances, your speakers can get damaged. It’s safe to purchase a suitable receiver and Bose speaker than ignore and be sorry later.
On Speaker Sensitivity
Speaker sensitivity is another critical thing to have in mind when planning to use Bose speakers with other receivers. It refers to the speaker’s ability to turn electrical signals from the amp into sound. Speakers with high sensitivity (decibels or dB) are more efficient than others.
If you choose a Bose speaker with 90 dB and above, you will get the best quality sound whether using Bose receivers or other receivers. So, you should purchase Bose speakers with a high sensitivity rating.
While doing this, it’s worthwhile to have your receiver’s impedance in mind. The two go hand-in-hand. If you want to connect 6-ohms Bose speakers into an 8-ohm receiver, bear in mind that you’ll be putting far too much ”load” for your system to manage.
How Should I Match Bose Speakers with Other Receivers?
Since mismatching Bose speakers and receivers could damage them, you need to follow the best practices. Remember, our aim is to ensure you get optimum performance whether you have Bose receivers or not.
When matching a receiver with Bose speakers, ensure you power the speakers with a little more than they need. By little, we mean approximately 10% more. It will not hurt your audio system.
Bose speakers and many other modern ones are perfectly designed to handle power fluctuation. However, under-powering speakers can be disastrous, as we have seen. The excess supply will give the amp/receiver an easy time driving the speakers at maximum capacity. In the end, you’ll get a rich, dynamic sound from the receivers and speakers.
Best Stereo Receivers for Bose Speakers
Now there are some receivers that can work with Bose speakers directly outside the box. Here are some examples:
Can You Hook Up Bose Speakers To Any Receiver?
Most definitely, it is very possible to use your Bose speaker on any receiver. With that being said, it is important to note that you will need to purchase a Bose Speaker adapter to properly convert the plugs.
The function of the Bose speaker adapters is to ensure that Bose speakers can easily link up with other receivers without any problem.
Can I Use My Bose Lifestyle 28 Speakers With Another Receiver?
The lifestyle speaker series by Bose offers the Lifestyle system (with the speakers and receivers built together), it also possesses its own receiver, which is the Acoustimass module. The lifestyle system is not designed to separate the speakers from the rest of the system. Your speakers need the feed from the Acoustimass module.
Can I Use Bose Acoustimass To Work With Any Receiver?
The specifications outlined in the manual clearly show that the Bose Acoustimass system is compatible with A/V receivers and amplifiers rated from 10-200 watts per channel, as well as those rated from 4 ohms to 8 ohms. Those amplifier ratings represent a very wide range, this shows that the Bose system can be used with entry-level receivers.
Can You Use A Bose Subwoofer With Another Receiver?
Definitely, but you will need to get some custom-built bypass cables, this ensures that you can connect both the subwoofer and satellite (surround) speakers to the receiver directly. This is an effective method to connect your Bose Subwoofer with any other Receiver.
Wrapping Up
You can use Bose speakers with other receivers if you use a Bose speaker adapter. However, you must keep in mind specifications such as impedance and speaker sensitivity.
In short, to ensure quality performance, you should match the right receiver of your choice with the right Bose speakers.
Norvan Martin is the founder of BoomSpeaker.com. He is a professional Electronics Engineer and is passionate about home theater systems and AV electronics. BoomSpeaker was created as an online hub to share his knowledge and experiences as it relates to home theaters and home audio electronics.
My email: admin@boomspeaker.com
Connect on Pinterest and Linkedin