Fellas,

I'm not sure what trim level Z to pick up. I hate Bose, and if I did end up getting a Touring or GT, I would for sure be replacing the head unit as well as the front and rear speakers. The sub I would probably keep, but, I am a novice in Z audio so I don't know how the amp/sub setup works.

What do you guys think? If I do pick up a base Z, can I install a Bose sub with an aftermarket amp and components? Or - at least the stock sub enclosure with an aftermarket sub, amp, etc. I want to preserve 100% of the trunk space which is why I'm asking about the stock sub enclosure.

Thanks.

 

friends dont let friends buy into the Hype that is bose.........stay away from bose.

bose = blose!

 

Replace it all! Pop open your the compartment the sub is in, your in for a good laugh!

 

You are shopping for a performance sports car and your primary concern is the audio system? Lets get serious.

 

bose=poop

 

Thanks for your contribution.

 

Haha, big ditto to that!!! If it don't make it go faster, turn better, or pop your eyeballs out when you stop, it ain't worth it.

 

What are both of you morons doing in the audio forum then? Nothing in here will make your car go faster, turn better or 'pop your eyeballs out when you stop'.

 

Well speakers can be pretty powerful and they have a chance of popping your eyeballs out. So they might be worth it then lol

 

Okay I had to do it.

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Hi tired,

I understand your question, and I’m disappointed reading some of the members’ responses on your thread since you present a good and legitimate question. As you stated, people who are only interested in running their Z on the track probably have little interest in CES, so like you, I wonder why they comment on the Audio-Video section of the Forum.

The OEM Clarion CES that comes in the Z is junk and begs for replacement. The Bose “upgrade” isn’t much better, so this should also be removed in favor of a decent CES. In fact the Bose “upgrade” is really a pain, because it is poor, but not as easily removed and replaced as is the junk Clarion CES. Nissan’s inclusion of these awful components is only because they need to provide a “radio” to sell cars. If you pull the Bose SubW and its miniature amplifier, you understand why its sound is so poor. The stock position for the front component speaker’s tweeter in the sail panel is a joke. That position provides harsh sound, is poorly positioned, and too small for a decent tweeter.

The first mod I did on my Z was replacing the H/U, front component speakers and rear coaxial speakers (many owners never bother with replacing the rear speakers). I’m also in your camp on rear/trunk space. I need this for cargo and am not willing to sacrifice this for CES components, so now I do not have a SubW-installation in place.

The advantage of your Z is you can do door pods, kicks, or even the stock door position for your front-midrange. You can fit high-quality tweeters in the A-Pillars (plenty of room there) or put them in the kick-position, or even in the doors or a door-pod.

You also have a great spot for your amp(s), in the large glove box behind the passenger seat or the large space behind the driver’s seat (where the Bose SubW is in car’s equipped this way).

I would suggest spending some time searching this Forum (Audio/Video) to see what our members have done when replacing the car’s OEM CES. You will see some very nice solutions as well as many variations. Most of us interested in car audio/video/digital solutions find the Z as an excellent palette for an elaborate CES installation.

Welcome to the Forum, and I’m a little disappointed that some of our members replies were not better. If you are willing to give us another chance, I'm sure we can do better.

--Spike

 

Spike,

Thank you for your time and for writing such an informative response. I have a basic idea for what I would like to accomplish. I'm no true audiophile, I just appreciate decent sound when listening to music. I also would like to keep things as stock-looking as possible.

With spacers, is it possible to install a set of components in the doors using the stock tweeter location and cover?

Thanks again.

 

yes but the tweeter sails have to be modified

 

I followed Zboater's setup below:

https://my350z.com/forum/audio-and-video/80720-sirius-pnp2-ipod-install-on-z-roadster.html

Also, did the Bose upgrade from Frankmusic:

Rear speaker recommend? http://www.350zmotoring.com/forums/g...recommend.html

Your HU should be SAT ready. Just use the PacNiss to get CD quality sound from Sirius.

 

The answer is YES, but here are some qualifications.

I installed components (Focal component speakers) in the front door position using spacers.

But, I did not install the Focal tweeters in the Sail Panel. Doing that results in very poor sound (I did this for a test, and it was harsh and awful). Instead, I installed the tweeters in the A-Pillar. This provides great sound in the Z from the tweeter and its high range.

Tweeters installed in the A-Pillar



With this said, the best sound is probably accomplished by installing the front component speakers in a kick-configuration (with midrange and tweeters inside the kicks). The next best way to do this is door-pods (and with this configuration, the tweeter can be put in the pod or somewhere in the door, or the tweeter in the A-Pillar location is a good choice).

If you go with the stock door position for the midrange, the best position for the tweeter is inside the A-Pillar.

--Spike

 

In the spirit of keeping things as 'bolt-on' as possible, do you think the stock tweeter location provides for acceptable sound?

 

^^ That question's answer is personal preference. I'm sure the Sail Panel is acceptable for some listeners, but it would not be my choice for a couple reasons.

1) It’s a poor position for sound staging.

2) You cannot fit a decently sized tweeter in the Sail Panel without doing some custom fabrication (And if it requires this effort, why not put the tweeter where it sounds better and where you can stage sound?).

--Spike

 

Sounds like you know your shizz Spike.
I agree with pretty much everything you said. A piller on just about any vehicle and almost any tweeter will be better than the sail panel.

One thing that was not touched on was the fact that all speakers are different. Focals make a great midbass and a nice crossover but their tweeters are not loved by all (like me). BUT, you may love them! Its all subjective. First thing to do is take your favorite non-MP3 cd to your local car audio shop and take a listen to some component sets. Only YOU can decide what sounds good and what does not sound good. Decide your budget and base you opinion on that.

Oh, and I have to re-iterate...Bose is the audio equivelent of brushing your teeth with an SOS pad while listening to Celine Dion under water. Avoid.