Factory audio system questions.

[Lenk]

Unlike the Europeans who use digital signals, I think all the signals from the Nissan Headunit are "pre-out" 2-3 volts, even for the stock system. I think the stock system still uses a separate amp but do know for sure. If so shouldn't matter if you get the schematics for the headunit and the amp.

If this is the case it would be easy to install an amp without rewiring the speakers since you and both the base and the upgraded version would benefit greatly. The cost should be no more then $500-$600 for a decent amp and a amp wiring kit.

Good luck with you endeavors

 

[Mugzilla]

Update on my install endeavors:

Dash speakers are 2.5" diameter. You CAN install 2.75" diam speakers, if you move the clamp nuts outward. Swapping these out made a MONSTER amount of improvement in my Sport model audio quality. If I would have stopped here, I would have been fine with things.

Door speakers are 6.5". The "Nissan 6.5" spacer plate allows you to remove the stock paper cone 6.5"ers, but they are not the same thickness. So, there is a gap btw the speaker and the grill hole. I will be 3D printing a ring to take up the gap. Or, I'll find some foam I can cut in to a 5.8" diameter ring that I can stick on the metal to seal the gap. Replacing these speakers made a TINY improvement.

Back speakers are 3.5". Let me say that again; they are 3.5". (They are NOT 4.5".) They mount to the plastic panel. I installed 3.5" MB Quartz speakers. Once again, there is a gap. I COULD have cut the posts to make them shorter, and allow the speaker to press up against the panel. Swapping these speakers made a teeny, tiny improvement. They still sound anemic. It is almost as if there is an inline capacitor bass blocker.

While everything was ripped out to access the rear speakers, I pulled power wire down the right side, and tapped the rear speaker wire so I can use high level inputs for a possible future subwoofer.

I took piles of pictures, and plan to do a writeup. I'll reach out to the others who started this work so I can properly cite their work.

 

[Mr. Mac]

OK, after a ton of research, master plan for getting the Z's audio system up to snuff is just about complete. Only thing left to do is to find a proper 6x9 component midbass woofer since JL doesn't offer. Anyway, here's a peek at the plans for anyone interested. System will be fully active, 1.6KW total power, DSP corrected, filtered, and time aligned, fully Dynamat treated, completely hidden/stealth install, etc.

PS: That light green colored notch in bottom of enclosure aligns with the spare tire bump in floor pan that has a threaded hole in it. It's what the factory Bose spare tire subwoofer module uses to mount it. This way that factory bump doesn't need to be removed and will serve as a solid anchor point for this enclosure to be firmly secured to vehicle using a bolt/washer accessed inside enclosure through one of the subwoofer holes.

 

[Lenk]

OK, after a ton of research, master plan for getting the Z's audio system up to snuff is just about complete. Only thing left to do is to find a proper 6x9 component midbass woofer since JL doesn't offer. Anyway, here's a peek at the plans for anyone interested. System will be fully active, 1.6KW total power, DSP corrected, filtered, and time aligned, fully Dynamat treated, completely hidden/stealth install, etc.

View attachment 22204

My car is getting an sound system upgrade currently. I went with Match 10.2 amplifier (audio-tec fischer) and Morel speakers. Went with Match amplifier because of extremely small size. I previously used JL audio only but my retailer has indicated that quality of JL audio has gone way down over the last year. I have JL audio subwoofers in my movie room and they are incredible so I coveted their products previously.

Recently, however, I have heard rumblings about this. The dealer I am using had a vendor number of like 2 or 3 with JL audio, so I kinda believe them. The owner of JL audio was in his 70's and he sold to Garmin in 2023.

The match amp uses the same components and technology as HELIX which is extremely high end and made in Germany. I am using a Morel three way using a 6.5 inch round as opposed to a 6x9. Given your system I question whether you really need a 6x9 if you instead get a really good 6.5.

 

[Lenk]

P.S. You probably don't need a clean sweep. You can get a pre-out signal going into amp from the headunit. I can't post the schematic because it is copyrighted but you can go on nissan's tech info website and pull the schematic for the amp and head-unit for $25 1 day rental. It will tell you the pin-ins going into the amplifier from the head-unit and you can get a 5 volt pre-out signal. I have seen the pre-out signal attached directly to an RCA lead. You then attached it to the DSP built into the amplifier. Using the pre-out signal is no different then a rca out on a aftermarket headunit.

 

[Mr. Mac]

My car is getting an sound system upgrade currently. I went with Match 10.2 amplifier (audio-tec fischer) and Morel speakers. Went with Match amplifier because of extremely small size. I previously used JL audio only but my retailer has indicated that quality of JL audio has gone way down over the last year. I have JL audio subwoofers in my movie room and they are incredible so I coveted their products previously.

Recently, however, I have heard rumblings about this. The dealer I am using had a vendor number of like 2 or 3 with JL audio, so I kinda believe them. The owner of JL audio was in his 70's and he sold to Garmin in 2023.

The match amp uses the same components and technology as HELIX which is extremely high end and made in Germany. I am using a Morel three way using a 6.5 inch round as opposed to a 6x9. Given your system I question whether you really need a 6x9 if you instead get a really good 6.5.

Nice. Please let us know how the system turns out. Bet you're itching to get it.

Have heard same concerns about JL being able to remain a top player in the market now being owned by Garmin. We've all seen way too many times in the past what unfortunately happens when otherwise great companies who built reputations of manufacturing great products are acquired by bigger companies. Hope that's not JL's fate of course, but time will tell.

Funny you mentioned Morel because they are one of the few I've found that offers a true component 6"x9" woofer. Trying to stick with that since the Z's doors will accommodate that size/shape to maximize cone area up front where I want as much midbass kick as I can get for solid front soundstage. In fact the NISMO system already has crappy Bose 6"x9"s factory installed in doors. You're probably right though that a top shelf 6.5" will get the job done too.

What's your plans for tweeters up front? Any sub(s)? Are you by chance doing any sound damping treatments to doors, cargo area's floor pan, etc.?

P.S. You probably don't need a clean sweep. You can get a pre-out signal going into amp from the headunit. I can't post the schematic because it is copyrighted but you can go on nissan's tech info website and pull the schematic for the amp and head-unit for $25 1 day rental. It will tell you the pin-ins going into the amplifier from the head-unit and you can get a 5 volt pre-out signal. I have seen the pre-out signal attached directly to an RCA lead. You then attached it to the DSP built into the amplifier. Using the pre-out signal is no different then a rca out on a aftermarket headunit.

Oh wow! Haven't pulled the factory head yet to see what's going on back there, but that's fantastic news (Thanks!) about it having a proper pre-amp signal for output. Surprising news for sure, but that's great, and with a healthy 5V of signal it sounds like too. Definitely want to go that route if possible to skip DSP correction. Do you happen to know yet whether not tapping the audio signal outputs from where you're describing bypasses the automatic noise cancellation and/or the phony engine/exhaust sound that's artificially pumped into system? Or are you still having that have all that stuff turned off by your dealer's service center?

PS: Do you happen to have a link to where those official schematics can be acquired? Can't seem to find them on Nissan's website.

 

[Lenk]

Nice. Please let us know how the system turns out. Bet you're itching to get it.

Have heard same concerns about JL being able to remain a top player in the market now being owned by Garmin. We've all seen way too many times in the past what unfortunately happens when otherwise great companies who built reputations of manufacturing great products are acquired by bigger companies. Hope that's not JL's fate of course, but time will tell.

Funny you mentioned Morel because they are one of the few I've found that offers a true component 6"x9" woofer. Trying to stick with that since the Z's doors will accommodate that size/shape to maximize cone area up front where I want as much midbass kick as I can get for solid front soundstage. In fact the NISMO system already has crappy Bose 6"x9"s factory installed in doors. You're probably right though that a top shelf 6.5" will get the job done too.

What's your plans for tweeters up front? Any sub(s)? Are you by chance doing any sound damping treatments to doors, cargo area's floor pan, etc.?




Oh wow! Haven't pulled the factory head yet to see what's going on back there, but that's fantastic news (Thanks!) about it having a proper pre-amp signal for output. Surprising news for sure, but that's great, and with a healthy 5V of signal it sounds like too. Definitely want to go that route if possible to skip DSP correction. Do you happen to know yet whether not tapping the audio signal outputs from where you're describing bypasses the automatic noise cancellation and/or the phony engine/exhaust sound that's artificially pumped into system? Or are you still having that have all that stuff turned off by your dealer's service center?

PS: Do you happen to have a link to where those official schematics can be acquired? Can't seem to find them on Nissan's website.

I got the vehicle back today. It sounds really good. They removed the factory amp. All safety features still work, but the ANC and fake noise are disabled when you pull the Bose amp. The DSP is being done by the replacement Amp (for timing crossover) -no need for a separate "clean sweep." You do not need to remove the head unit the 5 volt pre-out signals go into the amp and you can tap into the wires go into the amp and then use the wires coming out of the amp to attach to the speaker out, so you do not need to run new speaker wires. The amp is in the rear near the factory sub. I highly recommend Morel.

Here is the website to pull tech docs including wiring schematics.

https://www.nissan-techinfo.com/

 

[Lenk]

You can drastically improve this system with a DSP amp new front component speakers and a sub that fits in the spare tire wheel well. I went with the Match Up 10 DSP amp that fit in the Bose Amp location and I found a Match Up spare tire two six inch subwoofer on Ebay for $300 and Morel front speakers. The entire setup cost me $2500 but the sound quality is absolutely amazing once tuned even with the stock rears. It is actually an easy install that does not require running new wires although a direct power line to the batter is recommended. Other European stereo companies such as Audison have similar amps that I believe are less expensive

 

[Mr. Mac]

Subwoofer Enclosure/Amplifier Rack test fitted with cardboard before fabrication.

Also believe I may have found the factory Bose amplifier in last photo hidden under crossbar area. Can anyone here confirm that's it? If so, can anyone here confirm which harness plug and specific pin positions are the Left/Right low-level preamplifier audio signals that go into it from factory head unit?

 

[Lenk]

That is the amplifier. I do not have the pin ins for the non-bose system.

For the bose system it is connector B13 coming into the amplifier and pins pins 1-4 1. Front L (+), 2. Front R (+), 3. Rear L (+), 4. Rear R (+), (Color All R) / 9. Front L (-), 10. Front (R)(-), 11. Rear L (-), 12. Rear R (-) (Color All L)

 

[Mr. Mac]

That is the amplifier. I do not have the pin ins for the non-bose system.

For the bose system it is connector B13 coming into the amplifier and pins pins 1-4 1. Front L (+), 2. Front R (+), 3. Rear L (+), 4. Rear R (+), (Color All R) / 9. Front L (-), 10. Front (R)(-), 11. Rear L (-), 12. Rear R (-) (Color All L)

Thanks for the info, Lenk. Much appreciated. Just what I needed as mine happens to be the Bose factory system (not for long though!)

 

[takemorepills]

P.S. You probably don't need a clean sweep. You can get a pre-out signal going into amp from the headunit. I can't post the schematic because it is copyrighted but you can go on nissan's tech info website and pull the schematic for the amp and head-unit for $25 1 day rental. It will tell you the pin-ins going into the amplifier from the head-unit and you can get a 5 volt pre-out signal. I have seen the pre-out signal attached directly to an RCA lead. You then attached it to the DSP built into the amplifier. Using the pre-out signal is no different then a rca out on a aftermarket headunit.

This is what I did with my Q60. Thankfully, the signal from the infotainment was very clean and not processed yet. The processing is done in the external Bose amplifier.

Glad to hear Nissan is still doing it that way.

BTW, can the rented FSM be printed to PDF or saved in any way?

 

[Mr. Mac]

For the bose system it is connector B13 coming into the amplifier and pins pins 1-4 1. Front L (+), 2. Front R (+), 3. Rear L (+), 4. Rear R (+), (Color All R) / 9. Front L (-), 10. Front (R)(-), 11. Rear L (-), 12. Rear R (-) (Color All L)

How did you go about tapping those pins? Did you acquire an aftermarket adapter plug that provides open wire leads and plugs directly into plug going to head unit side of factory harness? Or did you have to cut/splice into the factory wires to grab signal? Hopefully it's the former rather than the later. If so, can you share where you got the aftermarket adapter plug/leads?

BTW, what does "(Color All R)" and "(Color All L)" mean?

 

[ShearMe]

Following along to hopefully upgrade my Sport's audio. I just had the spare tire area carpeted to increase my luggage capacity, but havent been able to remove the foam in the smaller well. Anyone seen whats under there and if it could be a good spot to hide an amplifier?

 

[bpeckham]

Following along to hopefully upgrade my Sport's audio. I just had the spare tire area carpeted to increase my luggage capacity, but havent been able to remove the foam in the smaller well. Anyone seen whats under there and if it could be a good spot to hide an amplifier?

That's an awesome idea! How much did it cost, and what kind of shop did this (or did you DIY)?