DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Also, to watch movies without hooking up the parking brake, I just ground the wire?

mark350z07

That is correct, ground it. I have the DDX770 and it hook up the same. By grounding it, it will play video all the time instead of only when in park or park brake set.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

I got it working, I didnt connect the amp turn on cable. I assumed I didnt need it since I thought it was only for aftermarket amps and not those crappy Bose amps.

This is seriously the best unit Ive ever had, and for the price I think its more than a bargain. I love how auxiliary is through the back so theres no cables cluttering up the front, even though I probably wont use it since bluetooth works great. Everything works perfect; bluetooth streaming, Pandora, DVD w/o parking brake, aux, and attaching a thumb drive to the USB extension.

Only thing is, rear speakers dont produce sound and the sub thumps, but very low. Just enough to add light bass. Any input on this?? Im assuming the sub issue is due to the Metra harness, but im not sure about rear speakers. Keep in mind I connected 2 speakers through RCA pre outs, and 2 I cut off RCA pre outs and connected directly.
Ill double check the wiring when I get the rear view camera in. Ill also probably replace them while im there since I might have to lift the rear panels.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Pics



Pandora streaming through bluetooth from Galaxy S3



Threw on some Polks 6.5" that I had laying around. Treble is much better, although the bass went down.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Does the reverse light wire go somewhere in the front?

I installed the rear view camera yesterday but didnt run the purple wire since I had no wire on hand, ill do it this sunday. Is there a wire I can connect it to up front? Maybe one that sends the current to the reverse lights?

I dont mind running it back there but I dont want to have a ton of wires going to the back./

350xhilaration

Thanks guys for posting in this thread. It will be an easy reference for me when I eventually get a rear camera.!!

Update on my streaming issue - the problem is definitely in my phone. I have figure it out, though. I can stream BT, but to get the sound working with the full spectrum of sound, I have to initiate a phone call, then hang up. Whatever is going on where the radio switches from streaming audio to streaming voice and back resolves the issue I was having.

I'm also glad (not really, cause I think it should) to see the pictures with Pandora streaming do not include album art. Mine does't show the album art, but on different website's videos of this unit, there is album art when streaming Pandora.

Sorry DarkCreep I can't help with your wire questions. You're farther ahead than me with this unit!

Keep posting pics/info.

Thanks!

dcains

iTrader: (15)

Why are you even suggesting that? The only wire that needs to run from the camera directly to the head unit is the video signal wire. For power and ground to the camera, hook the power up to the back-up light power and ground the camera to whatever good ground you can find back there. In that scenario, the camera automatically comes on with the back-up lights, and when the head unit senses the incoming camera signal the screen switches to camera view.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Bluetooth works great but sometimes its finicky for me. My S3 sometimes connects, sometimes it doesnt. When it does it works perfect; I click Pandora on my radio and it starts streaming beautifully. Other times I click Pandora and it says "disconnected" until I manually start it from my phone. Then after I do that, sometimes it doesnt show artist info on the display, just plays through speakers. These issues dont happen everytime but they arent uncommon. Its pretty annoying having to restart my phone or turn my car off and then on to get the BT working. Thats my only downfall with the unit, everything else is great.

My major thing right now is I cant get sound out of the rear speakers with bluetooth. Radio, CD, DVDs, and auxiliary work perfect and pump sound through all 4 speakers, but as soon as I do Pandora or BT music streaming, only the 2 front speakers and sub work. It sounds good and loud, but sometimes I want to roll the windows down and having sound from only the front doesnt sound as well as Id like.

Anyone have input on this? Im going to try to connect another Android phone, and then an iPhone to see if that issue is with the unit or with my Galaxy S3 itself.

I did that and I get no video from the camera so I figured I had to connect that purple wire coming out the back of the radio. Are you sure you didnt use that wire??

Right now I have it like this
RCA from HU ---> RCA on rear view camera
Red and black cables from camera ---> spliced into the power and ground of the passenger reverse light.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

Hows your guys 470 holding up??

dcains

iTrader: (15)

Mine's been perfect, and never had any issues with getting music files, or Pandora/SiriusXM to the headunit. But, I use the Kenwood adapter cable to connect and charge my iPhone 5. Never tried an Android device with it.

DarkCreep

iTrader: (1)

@dcains, can you choose what song you want to listen to with iPhone? I have mine paired with an S3 and I could skip songs, but cant choose a different artist.

dcains

iTrader: (15)

Sure. You can search/sort by artist, album, song title, etc., just as in iTunes.

350xhilaration

Mine is working well.

It's time to replace the sub and the rest of the speakers, I think.

I'm thinking either a single or possibly dual 10" box under the strut bar and some mediocre replacement 6.5" speakers.

So, question would be, do I go with a 4 channel amp and drive everything (2 channels for "fronts" and 2 for the sub) or do I go with 2 separate amps?

OR, do I power all of the front speakers with the DDX470 and just get a small amp for the sub(s)?

I have about $500 to spend on this. Doable?

dcains

iTrader: (15)

I don't think there's any way to do sub(s), door/rear speakers, and amp(s) for $500. I'd run the door/rear speakers (you can get all 4 good ones for ~$150) from DDX470, and run a single 10" sub and mono amp for $350+/-. If you want to add a 4-channel amp later, if needed, it's an easy upgrade.

350xhilaration

I know these aren't the highest quality pieces, but I'm not going for a serious audio system. Those days are long behind me. I'm just looking for an upgrade over the Bose system on a budget.

I just priced for $395 the following:

• Kenwood 5 channel amp for $199
• Wiring kit (with purch of amp) for $37.49
• Sony 6.5" components for $54.99
• Sony 6.5" 3-way for $46.99
• Alpine 10" sub for $54.95

I can either build a suitable box for the sub and tuck it in the stock sub location or get an under-strut box for $75-$100.

I considered driving the doors and rears off the DDX470 and getting a sub amp and a single 10", but that's a lot of interior panel removal to do it that way to eventually tear apart and do again.

I'm not dead set on any of the listed components of this system. I just did some quick browsing and added stuff to the cart based on sizes & features. There are plenty of options for speakers, amps and subs that come in around the same price.

Feel free to chime in on experience (good or bad) with any of the listed components.

dcains

iTrader: (15)

This is very similar (some of the model #'s have changed) to what I initially did in my '08, with the Kenwood DDX516:

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DXI6...o-DXi651s.html

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DXI6...o-DXi6500.html

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_136JX25...-1.html?tp=115

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_13610W0...-4.html?tp=111

Just under $500 for the pieces above (cheaper if you shop around, especially on Amazon), and I spent another $40-50 building this box:







This system sounds great, IMO, one of the better stealthy systems I've ever heard. The bass is clean and tight, the DDX470 drives the full-range speakers very well, and the system will provide more volume than one would ever need, unless you're in one of those silly contests. The design and build quality of the sub box is important, though, and the box I made is of the ideal internal volume, and it's very solid - it feels like a solid block of concrete if you rap your knuckles on it, and there is no rattling at any volume level.

I recently changed the DDX516 to the DDX470, and while the sound is pretty much the same, I like the extra features the DDX470 has that work with my iPhone. Before that I added a JL 4-channel amp, hidden under the glove box, but honestly it wasn't necessary, and the difference in sound quality is negligible. The DDX470 internal amp is actually very capable.

Honestly, I'm not personally familiar with the components you referenced, but I'm guessing the quality of the stuff I used is generally better, especially the amp/sub part of the system.

As for installation, the door panels only need to be partially removed (literally a 3-minute task), and I gutted the OEM speakers and used the frames as spacers for the new ones. I will grant you that pulling all the rear panels is a pain in the @ss, but not so bad once you see how it all comes apart. and while you're doing that, why not install a rear-view camera, too:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141074834094...S:3160&vxp=mtr

350xhilaration

dcains, can you share the dimensions of that box or if you have the dimensions of the space the box fits in after removing the sub and panel, could you pass those along?

I'm still on the fence on what parts to install. I'm not convinced I want to run the fronts and rears off the DDX470. I know I'm on a budget, but I do want balanced mids and highs to go along with the sub. I really hate bass heavy systems and don't want the sub overpowering everything else or having to drop the "gain" of the sub amp to balance out the lower powered fronts/rears off the DDX470.

The guy at SonicElectronix sent me a shopping list of a bunch of NVX stuff that totaled $500. Seems like their house brand and I'm not sold on it. I found what looks to be a nice Sony amp, sony components, sony coax, an alpine S-series sub, and a kenwood mono amp for $500.

dcains

iTrader: (15)

As I said, I can't speak from personal experience about any of the parts you mentioned, but I can tell you that the DDX470 does do a very good job driving 4 smaller speakers, especially with a sub/amp added. That's because the internal amp doesn't have to produce any low frequency energy, so there's plenty of power for the smaller speakers. Add to that the fact that not running the smaller speakers as full-range speakers, because the sub is now handling the low frequencies, takes a lot of stress off them, and they'll sound better.

As for the sub "overpowering everything", that shouldn't happen, either. The JL amp has its own remote level control, and the DDX470 has adjustments for the crossover frequency and sub volume level. As small as the interior of the Z is, and with the sub in a proper box mounted in the compartment behind the seats, a single 10" sub does a very good job. My system is very well-balanced and accurate, with no rattles or other issues. The system is easy to tune, and while it took a few weeks of listening and fiddling with the settings, I haven't made any gross changes in a few years, and I stll think it sounds great.

I made the box from 3/4" MDF (which Lowe's was happy to cut for me), and it's 18" x 12.5" x 6.5". That's about the biggest which will fit without being a complex shape, and the internal volume is very close to the recommended ideal volume for the JL sub I used. Just a bit small, but adding fiberfill increases the effective volume. The box must be airtight, and should be acoustically dead, so I added two internal braces and wrapped it with FatMat. The pieces are screwed together and all the seams are caulked.

350xhilaration

Thanks for providing the info and not being an internet jerk. You've got me leaning toward using the DDX470 to drive the 6.5s and getting a sub amp.

So, now to some other questions regarding the connections between/among the different parts.

I have the Bose system that I want to completely bypass. Right now I have a harness adapter for use with the DDX470 and factory Bose speakers/amp.

If not using a 4 or 5 channel amp, how does one connect the DDX470 to the new 6.5" speakers? Do I run new wires from the HU directly to each of the 4 speakers? That, to me, seems like the only sure way to know there are no other Bose "things" in between the HU and speakers.

For the sub amp, it seems straightforward. From the HU, run the RCAs back to the amp location. Run power and ground to the amp, then speaker wires from the amp to the sub box.

I'm assuming those box dimensions were taken from the outside of the box.

I see you have a ratchet strap holding the box in place, what are you securing the backside of the strap to? Is there something already in place behind the sub box or did you have to make something?

dcains

iTrader: (15)

Those are outside dimensions for the box. There is a vertical crossmember between those 2 rear compartments, and the strap goes around that. When I first posted a pic of that setup a few years ago, I caught some heat for using a strap to fasten the box, but hell if I care. It holds the box securely, with no movement or vibrations, and it saved me from drilling into any body panels and struggling to reach the screws.

You'll have to ask someone else about that Bose wiring, but you want to find the end of the speaker wires downstream of any amp, whether it's inside or outside the head unit. I don't know if there is an adapter made for that, but I'd call or email Crutchfield, as they know their stuff. With the non-Bose you simply crimp one end of the adapter to the harness supplied with the Kenwood (maybe a dozen connections), and then plug the other end of the adapter into the harnesses on the car. The car's wiring remains unmolested.

You're correct about wiring the sub/amp. You need a short set of speaker cables between the amp and sub, and also a set of RCA cables and an amp turn-on wire between the amp and headunit. You can ground the amp in the rear compartment, but probably want to run an amp power wire directly from the battery:

http://liljerk.morpheus.net/350Z/firewall/