If you unplug the bose wire the system won't run with the bose EQ setting. You may also see DTC errors if the car is coded for bose and the wire isn't connected.
Why do you want to disconnect it?
That's pretty standard for the Bose system in the A3/S3, which is particularly poor. Woolly sound, quite a bit of bass but horrible bass. Easiest upgrade you can do is pull the HU and snip the Bose EQ wire on the back. This is an earth on the HU that puts the HU into the "no highs, no lows, it must be Bose" flat EQ setting. Disconnecting this wire will give you back a smiley face EQ and you'll get a far more responsive Bass & Treble control. The wire you should snip is detailed on the top of the HU:
But for a huge improvement add a proper sub and disconnect the tupperware unit. This will allow you to run the HU on minus Bass settings which dramatically improves the sound from the cabin speakers as well as providing proper clean punchy bass.
Courtesy of JohnS3, this image shows where the wire lives in standdard set up, and where it needs to move to in Bose set up:
This is at the back of the head unit. Are you saying that if you have fitted an after market RNS-E and have bose, then this wire needs to be moved to benefit from the bose system?
You can change some of the GALA settings when in engineering mode on the RNSe. Before you change anything though write down the original values!
It's in engineering mode, nothing to do with VCDS.
Bose uses AudioPilot, not GALA. GALA was the old system. It has nothing to do with the Bose EQ wire, which simply controls the HU's EQ. You can set the GALA setting via VAGCOM/VCDS:
Channel 8 is what you are looking for:
000 - GALA off
001 - level 1
002 - level 2
003 - level 3
004 - level 4
005 - level 5
255 - GALA via external microphone (Bose AudioPilot)
Is there anyone here that lives close to south east london that has the radio removal keys? i want to get my symphony out and try the bose disconnecting to see the difference.
To me, as a new BOSE user, I find the thing that ruins it is a lack of midrange adjustment (I have the AMI/Nav screen). Sorry but how can a premium sound system only have bass and treble adjustment?! I like the power and punch but it's either too tinny or too flat.
What car / year / HU have you got as I have bass, mid and treble adjustment on mine??