I have a 2004 350Z roadster and am looking to upgrade the stock "premium" Bose system. Things that are important to know:

- My car audio knowledge is waaaaaay outdated. Treat me like the newbie that I am!

- Budget is $5k for all.

- I love good quality sound. I'm not planning on thumping down the street; I'm just looking for a nice, full, clean sound. That said, I like my music at a relatively high volume when I'm cruising up the California coast with the top down on a nice 72-degree day! (Besides a lame attempt at causing folks back east to be jealous of our never-changing weather, the clue to pick up on here is that I still need to be able to hear relatively clean music at highway speeds with the top down.) Will primarily be listening to adult/progressive rock-type stuff, with some occasional alternative rock and straight-ahead jazz. So think vocals and acoustic string instruments...

- I can't live without XM radio. I purchased the Alpine CDA-9820XM head unit for starters. I like this option, as the XM tuner is built right in - no need for a separate tuner (as you all know, space is at a premium in a Z!) I assume that the micro antenna that's now available will do the trick? Any suggestions for mounting?

- I want to more or less retain a stock look to the dash area. If I install the Alpine head unit, then I've got extra space for something else. Suggestions for what to fill it with? I'm sure there's a toy I'll need! Even if I do find something else to put in there, I imagine the whole area will need some sort of trim plate to fit the two units rather than the stock single, larger unit. Any suggestions for trim that would match the textured trim of the rest of the dash?

- Speakers - I'd like to use the stock locations for speakers, unless anyone can give me a good reason why I wouldn't want to. I'd appreciate your suggestions. I've seen several comments on Focals and MB Quartz in different threads. Any others to consider that have worked well for you? Also, given the small available space, how should I set this up? Replace tweeters in their stock locations, 3-ways in doors and behind seats? I don't recall if the Bose system has a sub... if it doesn't, where the heck can I put one? I value the VERY limited trunk space that the roadster has. Any suggestions for putting one in the existing space? (Keep in mind that I just want to round out the sound, not drive people on the streets batty with bass.)

- Amp(s)? Can I get away with one for the whole setup? Any models suggested? Location - under seats?

- Gotta have a navigation system for road trips. I don't have the dealer-installed navigation system, so the LCD screen area / mini compartment is available for use. I currently have a nice little Pocket PC that has GPS. What's the likelihood that I could drop in some sort of port in the compartment to dock my Pocket PC and hook that into the system? It'd be nice to be able to play mp3s and use the GPS function of the Pocket PC. Plus the PPC has internet connectivity already built in.

- I'm fickle about my music, and I'm lazy. The Bose system has a six-disk changer; I hate changing disks. If I'm not able to plug in my Pocket PC, is there a hard drive-type system out there that might be better suited? And speaking of hard drives...

- I'd love to have a pc in my Z. I'd want to use it for internet access, maybe for a passenger movie on a road trip, maybe for navigation. I've seen threads about hooking up an xbox; I'm not likely to use this for gaming. Ideally, actually, I would like to use my existing navigation software for my PPC (which also loads onto my desktop) and plug that in through some sort of LCD screen in the dash compartment (assuming I can't just find a way to plug in a PPC port in that spot). Also, could you use a pc hard drive to play mp3s through the system? Or would you need a special system designed for vehicles?

- While I'm asking for the world, could anyone recommend a good installer in the San Diego area?

Well, there's your canvas. I look forward to suggestions from all of the Z "artists" in here! I'll attach photos as I get started on this project. Thanks in advance!

 

Well, first off, I do not have a roadster, but I do listen to similar music: Rush, Tool, some older rock, some newer rock, and the 88.1 jazz station (it's 89.1 here). So what I'll do is, tell you the specifics of my system, and then perhaps give you suggestions as to what I'd do if I had your car instead of mine.

I have JL Audio XR 6.5" components in the doors, in the stock mounting locations and JL Audio TR series 6.5" 2-way coaxials in the back. These are powered by a JL 300/4 (75x4) amplifer. Under the strut tower bar (Track model coupe), I have a JL 10W7 subwoofer powered by a JL 500/1 amp. Both amps are in the stock sub area behind the driver's seat on a simple little aluminum amplifier rack that holds them very securely. The headunit is a Pioneer 9400mp (mp3 player, 13 band eq, bbe, and so forth). Total cost was ~$2800. This includes $500 for the fiberglass sub box, so figure $2300.

Observations: This system will play absolutely any kind of music and play it well (I haven't tested with rap. I deplore it), but it has great definition and power, without being obscenely loud outside of the car. Inside the car is another story.

Your application: You obviously cannot use the 10W7 in a roadster unless you're willing to give up half the trunk and probably not even hear it with the top down. Switch that out for another sub that will fit in the stock sub area behind the driver's seat. This also allows you to save a bit of money (and amperage) on the amplifier. Perhaps consider going to something like the JL 500/5 amp: It's 100x2 to the fronts, 25x2 to the rear, and 250x1 to the sub.

And before anyone starts in on the "don't get rear speakers" nonsense, I wholeheartedly recommend them for a roadster. The extra output is needed in a much noisier environment than a roofed car. Remember, every doubling of power or cone area is equivalent to about a 3dB increase in loudness.

As for mounting that amp, it's fairly large, so it would have to mounted in the trunk. You could mount it vertically with the heatsinks up, and it wouldn't take up much space at all.

I do not have a cd changer. But, I assume that the rear speaker area is similar to the coupes, and that the roadster has those weird little bins between the rear speakers? That is an excellent place for a cd changer. It's out of the way, and is easily reachable without having to get out of the car.

I don't know alot about the Pocket PC. But if it puts out an RCA audio signal, it shouldn't be too difficult to patch that into an auxilliary input on the headunit.

For an actual real PC: Get one of those tiny little cases that are about the size of a shoebox (they have them at Fry's electronics: www.outpost.com), mount it in the trunk or glovebox, and install a screen in the Nav compartment. I'd suggest a cordless trackball and cordless keyboard for it for obvious reasons. I don't know where, but it's possible to get a 12v to 12v power supply for a computer somewhere.

This forum thread has info on a very highly regarded installer in the San Diego area. I, personally, haven't gone there, so I'm hesitant to recommend, but judging by his work here, he's good.

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=18321

Hope this helps you out.

 

Hi, I have a 2004 SB Touring Roadster, no Nav, bose 6cd Head Unit.

I already have a dell axim3i pocket pc using a seidio mount and seidio sgr300 gps receiver. Its nice to have a ppc but its a real pain to use for a media center. Just my opinion.

I am going to install a full blown computer system with top of the line parts and a high quality sound system for around $2,000.

Read this thread :
https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....threadid=79213

You should visit www.mp3car.com also.

Good luck to ya.

 

I had the same delima as you when setting up audio in my SB Roadster... which I just kinda complete recently.

For speakers I have Focal components 165V2 polyglass which sounded good enough for me. Tweets fit perfect in stock location.
The Mid will require 1" riser (this will be the same for almost al speakers. There are higher end Focals like the poly kevlar and WS series but this sounded really good for me, and loud enough that my ears would handle.
I tried using no rear but it didnt sound as good. I added Focal Access line 165CA to the back and it was great. Full sound all around.

For amp.. I found a soundstream 6 Channel amp
5x65 RMS + 200RMS D-mono for sub, all in one package.
This was put in the rear passenger glove compartment with the bottom of the compartment cut out, but I still have the full size glove box.

Sub... The bose system does come with a sub behind the driver seat but it suck azz. The bose sub is also not standard 10" size so you cannot replace with another. Most sub does not sound good in free-air so I suggest making a box. I made a 10" sub box that fit the old bose location using half 3/4 MDF and half Fiberglass. Currently using an old POS audio bahn sub, but sound really good for now. I dont need more bass then vocal, and I can always repalce it with a better sub later.

Audio.. I use a pioneer p8600mp deck that plays mp3, this eliminate needs for changer. So just a single deck with an empty compartment below it for all my remotes.

Video.. I have a Liliput 7" LCD place in the nav box. No 2003 box replacement. I like the lid in the 2004 because it does block out the sun when my LCD is on. unless the sun is right behind me.
This require alot of cutting in the Navbox as well as the LCD cover.
The LCD face was removed using only the Raw LCD itself and the back with it circuit board. Everything closed up just like stock.

DVD.. I got a dvd player for ebay that does would do all DVD VCD mp3 format. even burn dvds.. most I've tried does not play burn DVD. This was place in passenger side small upper box. It fit inside the box where you can close the lid just like normal. The back had to be cut out because the lenght of the player..

For Navigation.. I just use a PDA with a holder right on the right side of the steering wheel. Which work really well for me.

I though about adding a Computer in the car before, but didnt think it was worth the trouble. Most of the time you wont be using it as a computer.. why wait for startup and shut down.

To be add.. a dts/digital decoder to get 4.1 suround sound.
I cannot got with 5.1 because I cannot find a place for center channel eventhough I have the extra amp channel to support it.
So instead get a decoder that will play in 4.1 which divert the center channel into the 2 front speakers.

I'll try to take some pics and post up my set up...

Goodluck

Forgot cost..
Deck $350
Amp $350
Focal 165V2 $200
Focal 165CA $100
Liliput 7"LCD with Tv tuner $180 - TV is kinda useless.. There are no audio output for TV sound.
Sub free.. old old..

Ofcourse I did not count shipping charge for the above.. but about 10-20 for each

Sub box was self build and cost probably $80 in part.. atmost.

Total < $1500

 

Thanks to all for your suggestions thus far! You're definitely helping me to narrow things down...