1993 Infiniti J30 Stereo Upgrade

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Here's the thing. The factory BOSE stereo only puts out a low-voltage, non-powered signal. Each of the speakers, four in a 93 for example, are independently amped. This means then, if your intentions are to replace the deck, or possibly upgrade to an in-dash monitor like I have, you MUST replace the speakers. For one, they sound like absolute junk from the factory. The other reason is that the signal is being "double-amplified." A double-amplified signal will make the BOSE speakers sound even worse, almost like they are nearly blown. Wiring in the new deck. You say you have a 93 J30. Forst of all, to keep the stock harness in-tack, you must purchase a harness adapter. This adapter can be bought at a major electronics store or at Crutchfield. Now, you will not find any listings for a "1993 Infiniti J30." The installers will tell you it must be hard-wired in. This is not the case. Purchase a wiring harness adapter for a "NISSAN" of the same year. It should have the same connections. Then, you are gonna have to purchase a "double-DIN" pocket. This will fill the space left when you put a DIN-sized deck in a space where a double-DIN was originally. Not a big deal to install, just use the factory mounting brackets and screws.Next, wiring up the speakers. You do NOT have to "re-wire" the entire vehicle if you do not feel comfortable. If you are not putting an enormous amount of wattage through the speakers, then the factory wiring should work. I actually wired my stereo initially this way before I decided to gut the entire system and re-wire everything. I do not suggest it unless you are very patient and know what you are doing.

Speaker Sizes for a 93 J30: 6x9's in the rear deck. I would go with quality here, either a higher-end Rockford, Clarion, or even 4-way Pioneer's. If you can afford it, I would run MB Quartz if possible. They are absolutely the BEST high wattage speakers on the market. Front door speakers: I do not know the "actual size," but I would almost suggest a set of component speaker. Component, in case you are not familiar, means that the woofer and the tweeter are separate. Therefore, you can mount the tweeter higher up on the windshield pillar and the woofer where the factory speaker was located. Sound will be much improved and it will look cooler, too. To mount this woofer, I cut the original black plastic container that held the factory speaker and amp combination. It works great.

Any other Questions regarding a J30??? Let me know.

JON

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Quote »(from gdude45)... looks like i'm going to have to swap the whole system out if i want a better setup. my interest isn't in volume (although i do want to be able to crank it a little), but primarly in quality with respect to clarity, precision and crispness. do you have an opinion on the pioneer fh-p4100 head unit and matching speakers[/quote]J30onDubz, he will be using headunit power from his Pioneer deck. He will not have enough power to do any of those speakers justice. It will be money wasted if he goes out and drops $300 on some MB Quarts.

oh and...Quote »The other reason is that the signal is being "double-amplified." A double-amplified signal will make the BOSE speakers sound even worse, almost like they are nearly blown.[/quote]This is wrong. You must of messed something up if that happened to you. Here is a website to help you out J30onDubz http://www.ping.be/~ping4093/rega2/

noobie for sure.

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

YES. The signal out of a BOSE stereo is non-amplified. The amplification comes from the individual amps adjacent to each of the speakers. If you put an amplified source in it's place, without replacing speakers, or disconnecting the amps, it won't work. To tell you the truth, my J hits harder than probably most of the cars on the road. I never "screwed up" on any installation I have ever done. This guide link that you posted is for an install in a non-amplified, or non-BOSE, installation. BOSE stereos are different than the traditional installs. Thanks

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Im so glad that your J hits so hard.

In factory amplified systems (BOSE), replacing a radio is not just a matter of connecting up the speaker or RCA leads from a new radio to the factory wiring. You have that right. OEM manufacturers use a variety of audio designs, which with few exceptions are not directly compatible with aftermarket receivers or CD players.

Without the proper type of interface between the new receiver or CD player, and the factory system, audio performance will suffer, and damage could occur to the new receiver or factory amp. This means that all you have to do to add a new deck to the Bose system is to use a factory match installation harness and interface. I put that website (Car Audio for Dummies) in there so you could brush up on some basics. If you would like to know about integration devices for Bose audio systems go here: http://www.soundgate.com

Post by **j30t** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

JON where did you get instructions for installing speakers in a j30 and also what type of speakers did you get to replace the bose? are audiobahn quality speakers for the price?

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

It only makes sense that the amps have to go when replacing the stock BOSE deck. I talked with a few other people that had done this prior to doing it in my car. I replaced the factory speakers with 6x9's in the back (MB Quartz) and a set of 5 1/4 component's in the front door and pillar (also MB Q). You don't have to go with that high end of a speaker, seeing as how you'd be running them off of a deck putting out between 17 and 22 watts RMS. You could go to Best Buy or a store like this and get either a set of Rockford or Kenwood's. I like these for reasonably-priced speakers. AudioBahn makes some good amps, but I have yet to actually hear AudioBahn speakers. i would assume, however, that they'd sound pretty good.

ThanksJon

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

hey dubs, where do you go to school

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Winona State University in Minnesota

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

is that close to the University of Minnesota?

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

120 miles south of U of M

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

We have a meet at U of M in the spring. What city is it in or around?

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

U of Minnesota is in Minneapolis/St. Paul. St. Paul is the capital of Minnesota. The Mall of America is +/- 20 miles away.

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Thanks man.

Post by **NY94J30** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

What size speakers can be fit in the doors of a J w/ little fabrication, i.e. just an adapter plate

I think Diamond said 6.5s will fit.

Do 6.5s have more surface area than 5x7s?

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

In theory, either 5x7's or 6 1/2's would work. It all depends on how much fabrication you are intending on doing. Like I said, I have a set of 5 1/4 components, and they sound amazing. I would only assume that moving up to a 6 1/2 woofer would increase the low-level response and sound.

Regarding surface area, I am not sure. You are probably, however, more likely to find a 5x7 that sounds good to your ear.

Jon

Post by **gdude45** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

hello;

appreciate all the info. very helpful. as always, i do have a couple of more questions as i get into this more.

1) are the A/C controls attached to the head unit in the '93 J30. if so, does this preclude the installation of a new head unit. if not, how do i reconnect the A/C controls.

2) if answer to 1) is no do you feel that the fh-p4100 pioneer head unit in conjunction with either pioneer ts-d speakers or infinity reference speakers will be better than the factory unit. will it be somewhat better, a lot better or WOW, I Can't Believe It better.

3) i have also seen a pioneer fh-p8800 head unit. how does this one compare to the 4100 unit.

mucho thanx.

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Answer to question #1: Yes, the Heat/AC control unit is bolted directly to the factory BOSE unit. However, this unit does not hinder the installation of an upgraded car stereo.In regards to the Pioneer question: to tell you the truth, I do not know much about Pioneer decks and their according model numbers. Honestly, I am one to believe that there are MANY othe companies out there that offer a better product at a comprable price. Pioneer is more of a "beginner" product line. If you can afford better, then I would definately suggest doing so. As an intro line, however, Pioneer offers a very good product for the money. Remember, sound quality is always going to be the key. Remember to listen to the speakers you are interested in purchasing in a vehicle prior to buying them and intalling them in your vehicle.

JonCheck this page out for greater detail for BOSE stereo removal.http://carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalI ... stereo.htm

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

J30onDubs: Pioneer a Beginner line? Are you crazy? The last time I checked, a $900 headunit does not belong in a beginner line. For a beginner line, i would say Jensen.

If you are not familiar with it, don't talk about it.

The 8800 is Pioneer's best double-din headunit. It retails for $900.00. This unit is designed to be the head of larger and more elaborate externally amplified systems. The 4400 retails for around $400 or so. The added expense for the 8800 will give you a marginal sound quality increase over the 4400 and is not worth spending the additional money unless you plan on installing higher end amplifiers and high end speakers. For your application, the 4400 is best. Unless you just like the look of the 8800 better.

Post by **J30onDubz** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

You are over-rating Jensen. That company should NOT even be claiming themselves as a car stereo manufacturer. You are right, though, Pioneer is not necessarily a "beginner line." It does, however, have products in its line that are quite comprable to that of Jensen.If one was to talk about quality, ever think of Nakamichi or Eclipse?? These units offer a much better quality of sound, and also, cost much more than most units on the market.I have been doing some research myself, and now I feel that the Pioneer 8800 is a very high quality double din deck. But who really wants a "double-din" deck?? Why not put in an in-dash monitor or something along that line?? Mobile video is the new thing, so why blow your whole load buying car audio?? Get something that you like and incorporate it into a complete mobile video combination.

ThanksJon

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Well ya have to understand that there is a market for all of this car audio stuff. Jensen isnt even the low end. You could go to a flea market and find JDL or Rockwood equipment. These brands are complete crap. I have seen amplifiers made by these guys and they take large amplifier a chassis and then put a chip amp (like those found in headunits) and install them into these large looking amps. They are heavy because there is a large metal bar bolted to the inside of the heatsink. They will advertise 1000watts on the front, but then you will only see a 5 or 10 amp fuse. This is hilarious, but people actually buy this crap. Jensen is basically the first line of the "real" car audio equipment. It is sold at major retail chains such as Wal-Mart or Best Buy. Nakamichi and Eclipse make great equipment. There are, however, even higher end companies such as McIntosh.Different people have different tastes, thats why they make so many configurations for car audio. The double din units by Pioneer incorporate a CDplayer as well as a tape deck. The display fills out the entire opening instead of using a little pocket underneath. Video isn't for everybody. For the driver, unless the monitor is used for GPS navigation, I find that it is an annoyance to have a dvd playing while I drive. I imagine then if I put monitors in my headrests, that I would become a taxi for the rest of my buddies.

Website · Post by **diamondj30** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

i know a few competitors that run pioneer,heads.no anything about pioneer odr system.my friend has 3 probubly 12,000 new for all 3.by the way he is a iasca world champ.there is nothing wrong w/pioneer.i love a nak too.i hate pioneer home equipment .it sucks.ya thats right.

Post by **Simmsled** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Yea diamond...ODR is incredible. I am not a fan of Pioneer's home equipment, but I do like the Pioneer Elite line of home equipment. I would never choose it over Denon or Rotel though. I like to listen to high end home equipment before I audition new car equipment or tune in someones system. Does anybody else do this and what do you do it with???

Post by **Woodmister** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

I love my HT

Im only 17 so its good for me

http://www.audioreview.com/GALPhoto_59068crx.aspx

Website · Post by **diamondj30** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

i like denon,oh i have a denon cd player in house.before tuning i like to listen on studio head phones.then try to match it.if you look at my front doors on my site it will give you a idea of how i modified it.the baffle is 3/4 mdf.those are 8s in the doors in boxes i made.just use a six inch speak.that size baffle will hold 2 6.5s and the window will still rool down,but door panel has to be modified.my baffle is accually fiberglassed for moisture reasons.use round speaks up front and 6-9 in back.the round speaker will image better.use back just for like midbass support,or just turn it down a little.mb quarts arent to efficient,without amp,but the infiniti speak are.without a amp your system should sound much better than stock.like wow.

Post by **gdude45** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

OK. this is what i have decided to go with.

JVC KD-SH909 head unit. i have decided to forgo the cassette unit and spend my money on a quality head unit. normally i don't care much for jvc, but this unit blew me away. sounded far better than comparable units from panasonic, pioneer and eclipse that i was able to listen to.

Pioneer TS-D speakers.5x7 with separate tweeters for the front.6x9 for the back.

what do you think. should be a significant upgrade over the factory unit ... better be at the price i'm paying. thanx.

Post by **carlos_knology** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

Hey guys, I have a 95 Infiniti J30 and want to replace the Bose head unit. As someone suggested. I went to crutchfield and selected my car as a 95 maxima (same exact bose head unit) since nothing comes up for the J30.

When I select a head unit, they recommend I purchase an adapter that will let me use the existing Bose speakers (with the bose amps).

The description for this adapter is "OEM Amplifier Integration 94-up Nissan/Infiniti Lets you integrate a high-powered aftermarket receiver into select 1994-up Nissans with premium factory systems • MOSFET 45 Compatible - Adapter requires adjustment of 4 level controls to match the output of the aftermarket radio to the input of the factory amp(s). "

I'm guessing that this thing is wired between the new head unit and the factory harness.

Have any of you gone this route to simply replace the head unit?

Carlos

Post by **gdude45** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

carlos;

where did you find out that info. i would be curious to know if my 93 J30 is the same as a 93 maxima. i would think that the connector should be rather generic. that would be useful to know. thanx.

Post by **carlos_knology** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

gdude45 wrote:carlos;

where did you find out that info. i would be curious to know if my 93 J30 is the same as a 93 maxima. i would think that the connector should be rather generic. that would be useful to know. thanx.

A friend of mine has a 95 maxima and our head units are identical. Also, if you go to

http://www.carstereohelp.com/nissanBoseMax.htm

you can look at images of the maxima head units for the different years. In the case of my '95, they are the same.

Carlos

Post by **gdude45** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

is the '95 maxima a six-speaker system with the tweeters mounted in the "A" frame.

Post by **carlos_knology** » Wed Feb 12, 2003 8:30 am

gdude45 wrote:is the '95 maxima a six-speaker system with the tweeters mounted in the "A" frame.

Gdude, I posted a question in the maxima forums (http://www.maxima.org) asking that specific question. I'm not sure.

I saw another post where you were wanting to add tweeters to your setup. Doesn't the '93 J30 have the a-pillar tweeters already?

I'm looking at a schematic of the Bose system for my '95 J30 and it looks like the a-pillar tweeters are piggy-backed off the front speaker harnesses. Again, not knowing about the '93 I don't know if this applies to you.

For my car, as long as the front speakers are getting sound, so will the tweeters. I guess the solution depends on whether or not your car has the a-pillar tweeters or if you're wanting to replace the existing tweeters (if any) with something else.

Carlos

1993 Infiniti J30 Stereo Upgrade

stereo upgrade

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