I am scheduled to get my stereo installed on Wednesday. I was hoping everyone that has more experience in equipment could look or my list and see if everything i am getting is high quality.

I looked at 2 high end stereo shops, both recommended by people that were happy with their stereos that I knew. The low end in the shop I got it was stuff like Kenwood and Polk speakers. I like what I heard and I just decided to go for it. No extensive research really, maybe I could do better on price? I guess I could maybe do better but maybe not? I want some good sounds now. This shop had done a high end speaker set up for a 350Z on a guy that is on my350Z.com and has done 4 Z installs already. The shop's name is Streetnoyz in San Diego. The salesman mentioned the name of the 350Z.com guy that already got his installed but i did not write it down. I will call him tomorrow to get his name. I think this guy did something like a 4K system with McIntosh amps etc....


Here is a list on the set up I am getting:

1. Amp: Audison, Italian built, 60 watts for 4 speakers anmd 180 watts for subwoofer. The amp will be installed where the factory subwoofer for the Boise would be.

2. 6.5 " Focal speaker for front w/tweeters model # 165V. Seperates, not co-axials.

3. 6.5 rear speakers coaxials model # 165CA.

4. 10" Image dynamic model # 1DQ10D2V.2 subwooofer speaker to be inserted inside a custom built fiberglass enclosure to be molded into the rear driver side corner of the back of the Z.

I am keeping the factory head for now. I will listen to it as it is for now and see if i want to add a head unit in a couple of months. My goal is to keep the look as factory as possible. The stereo guy said they installed a sub where the Boise is but felt it is better to put it in the back for sound quality and said that if I do not like the looks/sound of sub in the back, he will buy it back from me and install it in factory location.

Well, is this stuff good or is there a red flag among this list I got? I can back out, no money has exchanged hands yet. I just want feedback, I figure there must be a lot of you that are really into this stuff and can give feedback.


Jeff

 

There have been at least one person on this board who had their install done their. I seem to remember they thought it was well done.

The parts sound pretty good to me, let's see what the professionals think.

 

Who is the person on this website that got their stereo installed at Streetnoyz in San Diego??? I would love to talk to you to get your feedback on their work.

thanks, Jeff

 

My Thoughts:

Sub: Great choice, one of my top 3 favorite subs.
Speakers: Very good choice and one of my top 5 favorite brand speakers. I'n not a fan of rear-fill in a car so I'd personally skip the rear coaxs but you obviously choose them cause you like rear speakers so go with it.
Amp: Not a huge fan but not a huge hater either. To me it's a good strong amp that's typically a little underratted.

 

those are good components that you have. Why don't u ditch the rear fill and put the money toward the front to upgrade to the 165k2 set?

 

How much more would 165k2 speakers cost about? Are they that much better?

 

How much more would 165k2 speakers cost about? Are they that much better? As with everyone, i want the best sound for the money.

 

The 165k2 will cost about $100 or so more. the tweeters are the same but the midrange is much better. handles more power also.

 

I can't really comment on the choices because I've never owned any of that stuff, but a couple of things to be aware of.

First, the installer said if you didn't like the install of the sub in the back "he would buy it back". I would clarify on what he will by back because the cost of any fiberglass enclosure is usually not cheap so while they might buy back the sub, they will probably not give you free labor for the time it took to build it. Just something to think about as this has happen to me before.

Now for keeping the stock headunit, I was in the same boat really wanting to keep the stock look. I did all the upgrades like this except for the headunit and wasn't completly satisfied. After adding a new headunit, the system was night and day. As much as I like the stock look if you are going to spend this much for the rest then don't go cheap on the source of the sound. You don't have to spend alot on a new headunit, but most stuff out there is better than the stock Clarion unit. I'd look at Alpine or Ecplise headunits.

my .02 cents.

 

What did they quote u for everything including equipment and labor?

 

Nizl, is who they are talking about. My installer looked at the pictures of his install and was really impressed with the job, and he's been installing for ~15 years. Here are the threads:
Nizl's 1st install page
Nizl's 2nd install page

 

As far as your list goes, the only thing I question is your amp. Its defintely not one of my top picks...everything else looks good.

Here is my latest dilemma...

I too, after alot of quality work and time am very dissatisfied with the stock HU. I really wanted to keep the stock look, and I never thought too highly of the metra kit, but some of the custom jobs I have seen don't look too much better...

So, I am now considering adding an ALpine 7995 source, and dumping every piece of crap Nissan/Bose had to offer in my Touring model--its all junk. I will play around a little more with some high cost line out converters and a line driver, but I am getting the feeling that the stock head unit may not work out for me.

My only problem with upgrading to a new head unit is losing my factory head unit/nav integration. I have been looking at Pioneer Premier and Alpine head units as a replacement, and they both have nice features, but adding an Alpine will be easier due to a built in muting curcuit wire. This feature should make it remotely simple to get the entire stereo to mute when the nav systems voice commands are being called out. I still have yet to determine where a seperate speaker for this function would be mounted, but it will be necessary if you want the nav voice. I may even have to add a small amp, since I read somewhere that the outputs from the nav system are low level, but I have a few things I will need to figure out first.

Trust me, I want to keep the factory head unit, but unless these high dollar line out convertors I just picked up don't work some miracles, then I will most likely be forced to dump the factory head, and replace it with something nice and a metra kit or custom mounting kit for the dash...