Hi all,

Wanted to share my experience with my audio upgrade.

2003 350z touring

Factory Bose headunit
Front speakers: Alpine SPX-137R 5.25" 2-way components
Rear speakers: Eclipse SE8365 6.5" 3-way
Amp: Alpine 4-channel V-power amp
Line out converter: Audiocontrol LC6 6-channel line-out converter

Now, the shop had my car for two complete days working on it, claiming they were having trouble getting around using the factory amp. In the beginning, they almost insisted on hooking up the new amp AFTER the factory amp. I told them I didn't want that amp being used at all... Also, they gave up trying to fit 6.5" speakers in the front and "upgraded" me to the 5.25" I have now.

Anyhow, the new system sounds almost as bad as the original system. Theres no hint of bass response in the speakers. The whole thing just sounds too bright. On the radio the speakers sound better--a more even sound with bass and treble. CD's sound bad as ever. My brother's factory Silverado sounds much better.

Anybody have any comments on why this might be sounding this horrible? I paid $1K for the upgrade and it definitely wasn't worth it. I'm thinking maybe they left the factory amp in the loop and that's the problem, but I'm not real experienced with this. Will be back at that shop in a week or so...

Thanks
texasGJ

 

Well I'll start by telling you it's very difficult to tell you what's up. Since opinions vary so widely on what sounds good, etc.. I would first look at the amp to make sure that you don't have a crossover on high pass. It could also be the factory amp if they left it hooked up. Last, get the 6.5's back. You want the maximum midbass you can get. They do fit, I have 7's in the door, if they say they can't do it you need a more motivated installer.

 

The factory HU (Bose) and its amp (Bose) have a built in equalizer that is tailored to the stock speakers. You need to eliminate these from your setup in order to make this sound good. You other option is a JL clean-sweep or somethign else that can read and reverse the eq settings. You are best off with a new head unit.

What was the labor charge that cost you $1000? That's very expensive.

 

First off, sounds like those guys dont know how to install an audio system. 6.5 will fit in the front doors. I installed 6.5 in the front and didnt take long at all, about 30min each. My comment would be to dump the whole factory system all to gether and go aftermarket system, if your going that way. It can be done but Its hard to mix the two if you have a bose system, I took out all my bose system, amp, headunit, all speakers except the tweets in the upper door.

I would switch your 5.25 from the front to the back, and your 6.5 to the front. Given the fact the rears are closer to the ears then the front. Then get a good head unit, the factory gives you only fader and balance. Aftermarket you can get many other functions like time corrections, EQ controlls.

Anyways this is my 2 cents. I hope this helps you.

 

If the speakers were wired out-of-phase they would sound bad on the music and even worse on the radio DJ's voice (mono). The high end would sound a bit better but the bass would be really weak.

+1 on the boze equalized system. They must tweak the heck out of it to get those speakers to sound good.

Lose your current shop if they took two days to install an amplifier and four speakers.

 

I couldnt agree more. Ive never even installed componet sets before and I just put in 6.5" alpine r types yesterday. Anyone that says that 6.5" speaks wont fit in the front are on drugs.

Loose the factory headunit. If you are spending that much money on a stereo you might as well do it right.

 

Get an aftermarket HU.

Untill recently I had stock speakers on a Pioneer 8600MP and it sounded good (lacking in bass). Now that I got my Mmats Components its much better.

Remember your speakers only play as good as the signal they get.

 

Those speakers will not make much bass. I would get the infinity basslink power woofer to help out there. Also, dump the Bose stock unit and get an aftermarket one if you truly want night and day improved sound.

 

You can check out my audio install here https://my350z.com/forum/audio-and-video/125174-pictures-of-my-audio-install.html
let me know what you think. I install EVERY thing myself, all of it encluding my performance upgrades. Well i take that back my boss did help with the exhaust install but that because i did it at his house. Anyways enjoy, and hope it gives you new ideas.

 

well i am gearing up to install a new head unit now...

i've started by replacing front and rear speakers out.. just to see if that will be enough to keep me happy. indeed, the speaker replacement make a huge difference, but the EQing from the bose amp was just horrid. ears hurt when turning up the music loud. theres just some weird mixing going on on the bose amp and/or bose head unit.

after installing a new head unit, i'll lose the sub temporarily but i'm hoping it'll sound much better and utilize the new speakers lil more optimally. actually, i;'m hoping the sound will smoothen out and not sound so harsh up top -- dunno --

 

i wish you luck on your install, and do lots of reseach on it, and it will help make things go smooth.

Happy Installs

 

just put some subs and that should make everything better

 

Loose the back speakers dude. Rear fill especially in a car our size ends up making some god awful racket and causes sound waves to clash. Your music will be much clearer with a set of nice front componets with the rears completely turned off. I would not buy (though it may be too late) any of the alpine componets. Like I said, I just put in a set of R types and Im not all that impressed with them. The S types sound even worse. Spend a good chunk of change on KILLER front componets. Good sound starts with good componets and a good reciever, most people dont realize this. They just stick the biggest loudest freaking subwoofer they can get their hands on, run from a direct line out from stock headunits and wind up with no clarity. Just big overbearing bass. A subwoofer should just add that low end punch and complete the picture. Remember that a big loud subwoofer will require an even bigger set of componets to get the highs and mids up over all that bass. When anyone is thinking of upgrading, I always say componets first, then build from there. Remember also that your equipment is only as good as your crossovers will allow them to be.

good luck bro.

 

First I'll say I didn't read this entire thread. However I did basically the same as you initially and kept the factory Bose HU. I added front's a sub and a 300/4 amp and the system sounded 1,000% better!

If your installer had trouble bypassing your factory amp and couldn't install 6.5" speakers then you need to find a new installer because they don't know what they're doing.

Did you replace your sub, reuse the factory or bypass all together? This is a key component and should be replaced (but not in the factory location). If you eliminated it and now have no sub then it is absolutely going to sound like **** because you're now pushing bass through your mid's and that will produce nothing but distortion not to mention potentially blow those new speakers.

I know you've spent time & money with this vendor but you really need to find someone who knows how to do the work.

And you don't need to eliminate your rears. I know what the "experts" say but It's not that big of a deal imo. I can't even hear my rears and when I fade them out completely notice very little difference in sound quality. Oh, and buy Focal speakers!

Good luck!

 

Get a better shop - when it comes to electrical I prefer to go with a recognized place - extra $ but less headache ( Circuit City for me in Miami) also loose the head uit - sorry its a pc of crap !!!!!

Good luck !!

 

For me, i dont trust any shop to touch my baby So i do it myself, been doing it since the 80's

 

Oh, and one other thing. You should add a "Bass ***" to control the bass with the stock HU. You'll not want to set the bass on the HU above +2 otherwise the same problem I mentioned before will occur & you may blow your mid's.


If you decide to replace the HU then the bass *** isn't required but may still be used.

 

I'm pretty much a neophyte when it comes to stereo stuff but I did basically what Tackett said replacing the head unit and front speakers first. I instantly realized I needed an amp as the pathetic 18W per channel of the new head unit just wasn't doing my new speakers justice.

I did however replace the back speakers as well since in my own testing having them really helps fill out the sound. I usually set my HU to about +2 Front to quite the back speakers down slightly and +1 Right to even out the sound and make the sound field a little more centered on me.

Here's how I determined I wanted to use, and hence replace, the back speakers:

Turn off the back speakers after getting your new head unit and see if you like the sound. Now slowly notch the fader back so you turn on the back speakers a little at a time till you get that little bit of fill and see if you like that. Now turn the fader so you are even back and front and see if you like that. I personally like somewhere closer to the near center with a bias towards the front.

Oh, this won't work with the stock system since the stock amp is already limiting the amount of power to the back speakers.

 

Examine all componants. If it says BOSE, replace it.

 

Thanks for the help everybody.

As far as my sub goes... I'm planning on adding a basslink soon in the factory location. I can't put it anywhere else since I need all the trunk space I can get. The Bose sub is hooked up now through the factory amp, while everything else goes through my new amp.

Surprisingly, my speakers are starting to actually sound better. I can't explain it. I've had my roommates check it out (they don't ride in the car often) and they can tell a difference too. I'm still going to the shop early next week--they're going to plug in a different head unit and let me hear the difference. Depending on how significant that difference is, I may be getting a new HU...