Ok this is what I noticed when I hooked up my Altec Lansing 6x9s to the factory stereo. When I turned the volume up, the bass was much greater at lower volumes but as I turned it up, the voice and background music over powered the bass to the point where there was no bass at all. When I turned the volume back down the bass came back. When I replaced the factory stereo with a Clarion HU, the same thing happened. I had the separate amp for the gain unplugged when I first hooked up the Altecs to the factory stereo and when the Clarion was put in. Is there a crossover from the factory HU somewhere in the car for the factory 6x9s so that when the gain is increased so that the speakers dont get blown. Thanks

What model do you have? SE SSE or SSEi?

A 1992 SSEi.

I got a 1992 SSEi and just bought a stereo system that puts out 100 db. I also heard the SSEi has Bose...is that true?...and am i at risk of blowing the '92 stock speakers?

The SSEi normally has the Bose system. But, I have seen them without. I have Bose in my Riviera and I am currently running stock speakers. I put in a high end stereo and had no problem with the stock speakers. Now, does your car have the slider just below the stereo itself? If it does, the car has an internal amp that if you want the bass to always be there you may have to bypass the amp itself. You can get the bypass pigtail at a local Best Buy or Circuit City (if the Circuit Citys around you havent closed. As they have here in KCMO.) Good luck!

Ya I have the gain slider. The audio sounds really nice if I get a good radio signal (CD player not working, my reason for the upgrade) so I'm pretty sure I got the Bose. I bought my stereo at Circuit City with installation so I just gotta take it into them. Now...if they didn't bypass the internal amp, then would I loose the base, or do I just have to turn the gain up to get base because I'd be okay with still having a functioning gain.

I think the gain slider becomes obsolete after an aftermarket stereo install. I do know, after I had done a stereo in the past in an SSEi and after I installed the stereo the gain slider didnt work.