Stock radio upgrade w/ aftermarket equipment 1st gen Rogue

Nissan Rogue forum - Includes Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Dualis as well.
Scooter71
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I totally agree, I would start with the head unit. First thing I did to my Rogue was rip that out, and I have the Bose system. Unforuntetly there is no cheap way of doing it right. You can buy the parts cheaper on line, and install it yourself, but if your looking for quality and clarity, there is no inexpensive way...sorry. And remeber, when adding amplifier's your chargeing system will take a beaten. I would upgrade your battery to an optimum yellow or red top. I would also add a 1.0f capicitor to the sub box/sub amp. It'll help take the load off the stock battery.


juztplayin12
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Thanks guys. I think i'll start with the 6x9 speakers in the front and probably the 6.5 in the back too. I will probably keep the stock deck (less attractive to thieves) Also I will probably just add one 12 inch sub in the back, to keep space, plus I don't need it THAT loud.

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minibus4
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Scooter71 wrote:And remeber, when adding amplifier's your chargeing system will take a beaten. I would upgrade your battery to an optimum yellow or red top. I would also add a 1.0f capicitor to the sub box/sub amp. It'll help take the load off the stock battery.

Definitely upgrade your battery, get the biggest battery size you can get. The battery pan allows for a bigger battery that is an inch longer than stock size :). I cant remember what size the bigger battery was but ill find out if you still want to know. When I was running with the stock battery and 2000rms for 2 12's, the car would jerk to the beat of the subs and would dim my headlights. Now with the bigger battery (Auto Zone equivalent or better to Optima's yellow top), the car runs much more smoother and I cant even notice any dimming of the lights. Next On my list is to get a 1f cap and a bluetooth obdII module so I can monitor the voltage(probably dont need it but its cool to have).

juztplayin12
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where did you put your 2 12's? i want to put them in the back, as im sure you did, but if thats the case can you still reach your spare tire if you need it? i have individual boxes for each sub and might have to screw them down so they stay in place, if I do that i wont be able to get to the tire unless i unscrew the box.

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minibus4
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I put mine in the trunk, against the rear seats. The 3.0 cu ft box weighs ~50 pounds so you dont need to secure it and there is no way that box is gonna move. I think as long as you have a box with felt on it and weights ~25 pounds or more then you dont need to worry about the boxes moving around as long as its practically designed. I guess I do not have direct access to my spare tire but all I need to do is push down one or 2 of the rear seats and move/push the subs on top of them so I can access the spare tire no problem. I have my amp mounted on top of the spare tire with double sided sticky tape and havent had any issues of over heating. Ive run them pretty hard for 2.5 hour long trips and had no signs of over heating. Again, if I need to get to my spare then all i have to do is lift the amp up (~15-20 pounds of upwards force) and its easy to get to. Image

Scooter71
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If your looking for good abount of bass, I would suggest using a class D sub amp. This will also help with the power. You don't want to fry your alternator. The space is kind of tricky, sub's need to breath...a lot. So the bigger the sub the bigger the box. The better it breath's the more power and debt you will get out if it. Sub freq is really a movement not a sound (sort of speaking) that's why your hair will move with the big ones. I have a dual ported/vented 3/4" sub box, with two Kicker Solo l7's dropped to 1 ohm, powered by a Kicker KX1200.1 sub amp. She hits hard, but it's heavy and takes up a lot of space. Thinking of selling it and going smaller.
These are them in my 03 Pontiac GTP
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juztplayin12
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yeah, i had one 12 in my altima coupe and that even took up alot of room. Thinking of sticking with that one 12 in the Rogue too. Its enough, i dont need it loud like i did 10 years ago (im gonna be 30) plus would rather have the space.

Scooter71
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juztplayin12 wrote:yeah, i had one 12 in my altima coupe and that even took up alot of room. Thinking of sticking with that one 12 in the Rogue too. Its enough, i dont need it loud like i did 10 years ago (im gonna be 30) plus would rather have the space.
You can never be too old for great quality, and clarity in music. If you ear can pick up the freq's it can make a world of difference. When I switched to the my Rogue in Spetember 2012 (I'm 40 by the way), I had the same tought's about spacing. Major reason why I have not installed "The Twins" into the Rogue. Trying to sell it actually. But I sure do miss the bumb!

juztplayin12
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i get you with the quality and clarity. Thus is why im putting in aftermarket 6 1/2's in the front. Clarity and loudness is just not there with stock package. Plus i have another box and 12 if one does not meet my needs, all i need is simple speaker wire (my amp is 1000watts) and i have 2 12's.

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rdub2k4
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Your sound is only as good as your source... the factory headunit can only do so much. By just changing out the stock headunit with a nice aftermarket one, you'll improve the sound quality in your car and have the ability to use a high-pass filter on the door speakers. An 80hz crossover would be sufficient.

I'm a major audio guy... and i do builds all the time. Let me know if you have any questions.

juztplayin12
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Im not going for all out. Just as of now my radio does not get ear blowing loud. It gets kind of loud and a bit muffled. All i want is to not be able to turn my radio all the way up. Im hoping new 6x9 3-ways will give me the loudness and clarity i want. Thanks.

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rdub2k4
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juztplayin12 wrote:Im not going for all out. Just as of now my radio does not get ear blowing loud. It gets kind of loud and a bit muffled. All i want is to not be able to turn my radio all the way up. Im hoping new 6x9 3-ways will give me the loudness and clarity i want. Thanks.
It won't... like I said, the stock stereo can only do so much.

We swapped the headunit in my 2012 Rogue to a Pioneer Avic D3, a 5 year old unit. Sound quality is much clearer and louder with the factory speakers.

juztplayin12
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Well I am not wanting to spend a couple hundred on audio. That head unit is about 500 bucks. Im hoping I can get close to what i want in 100. I have never switched out factory speakers in any car that i owned, because they have been pretty decent, so I dont know what to expect by doing so. But have read better speakers DO make a difference and im praying they do. As stated above, im not an audiophile, just wishing i do not want to turn the volume to max to get what i want. Thanks for the input.

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rdub2k4
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juztplayin12 wrote:Well I am not wanting to spend a couple hundred on audio. That head unit is about 500 bucks. Im hoping I can get close to what i want in 100. I have never switched out factory speakers in any car that i owned, because they have been pretty decent, so I dont know what to expect by doing so. But have read better speakers DO make a difference and im praying they do. As stated above, im not an audiophile, just wishing i do not want to turn the volume to max to get what i want. Thanks for the input.
I paid $250 for it 3 years ago....

Good luck. Just hope you're not buying cheap 3 ways... cheap speakers can sound just as bad as bad speakers. Personally, I wouldn't do a 3 way speaker anyways. You can get the sound you need with a tweeter and a woofer -- which is what comes factory in the 2012.

These will do just fine. http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_112 ... 6902R.html

The tweeter will still function in the dash. But if the highs still get "muddy", it's because of the limitations on the factory deck.

You can always get something simple like this:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_427 ... 400HD.html

juztplayin12
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the 6x9's i got aren't cheapos so im hoping they give me some sort of upgrade. And the unit you listed above would take out my screen for the backup camera. Actually i am quite fond of the LCD unit that came factory, just as long as it will push the higher quality speakers i bought. IF not i dont know what ill do, maybe get a small amp for the new speakers, but im hoping it doesnt come to that. Every review and forum ive seen says that changing the speakers first will impact the quality quite a bit.

juztplayin12
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Hey question on sub install. I have single box enclosures and not a big box for both subs. if i lay down the single box and subwoofer inside do i need to screw it down into the trunk? I don't know if it would be too light to just have laying back there, but i also dont want to screw it down if i dont have to encase i need to get to my spare tire. any info is appreciated. basically wanna know if a single sub and box will stay and is safe without screwing it down. thanks.

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minibus4
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How large is your box and what materials are you using? You should be good If the bottom of your box isnt some type of slick material and has some type of material that has a decent amount of friction such as felt/carpet or rubber. If youre still worried about the box sliding around and dont want to drill it into the floor then you can drill a strap onto the top of the box and secure it to the hook that the rear seats latch onto(make sure the seats can still latch after you have secured the strap. That way, all you have to do is to undo the strap from the fastener to get to the spare tire. Adding rubber feet can also be of benefit http://www.crutchfield.com/p_125F1692/R ... tml?tp=855 Take a picture of your box so we know what youre dealing with.
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Scooter71
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juztplayin12 wrote:Hey question on sub install. I have single box enclosures and not a big box for both subs. if i lay down the single box and subwoofer inside do i need to screw it down into the trunk? I don't know if it would be too light to just have laying back there, but i also dont want to screw it down if i dont have to encase i need to get to my spare tire. any info is appreciated. basically wanna know if a single sub and box will stay and is safe without screwing it down. thanks.
The size of the box will depend on what the subs are rated at RMS. The more power the more space/air it needs to move. I used velcro strips all along the bottom of my box and she never moved an inch.
I agree with the head unit, should be your first move. You don't need to spend a ton on it, but it deff needs to be after market. Makes the transfer of freq's much much cleaner. And it's easier to connect after market things to it...ie, back up camera, amps, wires for new speakers, nav...etc. Makes a world of difference, I would honestly hold off on the subs, and get the head unit. The sub wireing alone will run you around $200. For 1,000 watts you would be looking at 2-4 gauge wireing. I would recommend 0-1 gauge, but thats me. You have to look at wireing like a garden hose (fire fighters), the bigger it is then more flow of current. Seriously consider wiring up a capacitor.

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rdub2k4
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Wiring is cheap if you know where to get it. You can get a full amp kit from Knukonceptz.com relatively cheap. if their site isn't working they have their stuff on Amazon too.

i'm gonna cry wolf and assume you're not seeing 1000 watts RMS. That's a lot. For reference, I had a 1200 watt RMS amp help me hit 143db's in my Lancer. You're probably looking at peak wattage. 4 gauge should be fine.
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetai ... ID=KOL-AK4

Capacitors are a big no-no. They are pretty much worthless. If you see dimming with your lights or experience charging issues, do the Big 3 upgrade.
http://knowledge.sonicelectronix.com/ca ... grade.html

Size of the box actually depends on manufacturer recommended specifications, not necessarily how much power you're putting to them. My old sub was recommended between 1.5 cubic ft to 2.5 cubic ft per sub. So I built a box at 2 cubic ft @ 33hz. Didn't matter if I was putting 100 watts or 1000 watts to it.

There are plenty of options to attach a sub box. Velcro is one of them. Angle brackets with screws is another. Or just plain bolting it down.

juztplayin12
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can you guys recommend a head unit that will fit, still give me reverse camera, and is relatively affordable. less than 200? thanks.

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rdub2k4
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juztplayin12 wrote:can you guys recommend a head unit that will fit, still give me reverse camera, and is relatively affordable. less than 200? thanks.
I have a writeup for the reverse camera, how to wire it. Takes some finesse, some solder, an old RCA cable and a 12v to 5v transistor.

I like the JVC Units. Those or the Pioneers.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-JVC-KW-AV50 ... 1e769aae42

juztplayin12
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OK, i have decided to install my one 12inch subwoofer, 2 front 6x9's, and i got a new 4 channel amp to power all 3. I really didnt want to change the head unit so this give me some good sound. i will let everyone know after it is installed on Saturday. thanks.

Scooter71
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The subs I have were runing 750 watts RMS each, and I had them bridged to 1 ohm Kicker and the installer had recommended 0 gauge power and ground wires. So that's what I went with and 150 amp fuse inline. Every installer I know, inlcuded some of the guys who do SPL competition all use cap's, I don't quite see how they are no no's They do their job, their not really "worthless" or they wouldn't still sell them everywhere. They don't do much, I'll agree with that, but every little bit helps. My last amp was bench tested at 1420 watts RMS. I had over 3,000 watts coming out of all amps once all was said and done. I would not use a 4chnl amp to push a sub and 6x9's you can do damage to the sub's voicecoil. It's not the same rated poswer as a class D or a sub amp.
Good luck with the install, post up some pics when you get a chance.

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rdub2k4
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He can use the 4 channel just fine. Channel 1 to Front Left, Channel 2 to Front Right. Channels 3 and 4 bridged to sub. It's not amazing, but it works.

Caps are bandaids to a poor electrical system. If you need a cap, you have a problem. Headlights dimming? Poor charging. A cap isn't going to fix that. Beefing your charging system will.

I've been doing SPL for quite some time, and I got rid of my last cap in 2007. I had my last amp running at 0.5ohms bench tested at ~1850 watts RMS. XS power battery up front, 1/0 wire and big 3 upgrade. Voltage would drop to a 12.2 on big hits, never hit 11's.

My buddy ran 2 XS Power batteries in his Escalade, 1/0 wiring, big 3. And over 4000 watts RMS on 2 18's. Voltage was stable around 12.1 on big hits. It very rarely dipped into 11.9's.

What's in my car now? A Hifonics Brutus BXi606 running at 150RMS @ 4 ohms and an old school RF Punch HE 10". Just daily until I build my setup again. Still with my 1/0 wiring.

4 gauge is fine for him though.

Scooter71
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He can use whatever amp he would like, it's not my vehicle or my money wasted. I do things the correct way, and unfortunetly there is no inexpensive way around it. All the trophies in the world does not make a person a trained and licensed installer.

juztplayin12
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hey guys, its a planet audio 4 channel 1600 watt (max) amp, and yes 4 gauge wire. hoping its enough to push the sub and 2 6x9's. All im thinking is it will be BETTER than what it sounds like now. And by wanting to keep my stock headunit this gave me the least expensive option. As long as I get higer highs and some bass from the sub ill be happy. I don't need or want earth shattering bass, or competition highs and mids. thanks for so many responses.

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rdub2k4
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Scooter71 wrote:He can use whatever amp he would like, it's not my vehicle or my money wasted. I do things the correct way, and unfortunetly there is no inexpensive way around it. All the trophies in the world does not make a person a trained and licensed installer.

... he's doing it the correct way. He could even use a 5 channel if he wanted. As long as there's a dedicated channel for the sub it's fine, and it's a bridged 2 channel. Same as using a 3 channel. Rears don't need to be amplified anyways.

For the record, a few years back I was MECP certified and a licensed installer. I know what I'm doing ;)

@juztplayin12 -- Lemme know how it turns out, and post pics! i'm interested in hearing how the quality changes. I'm looking at adding a 10" to our Rogue.

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h4mm3r0g0d
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Hey everyone. I will be buying a 2010 rogue krom edition. I noticed it has the crappier radio and no USB port in the center console. My idea is to replace the radio with one from the SV edition and eventually add the back up camera and the GPS navigation. I would like to also replace the center console so I can have a USB port also. I use flash drives for all my music because its so much easier then an iPod. My. question is will this swap work and if I would be able to wire an amp to the SV radio for some Subs in the back. Any ideas or suggestions?
Last edited by Rogue One on Fri Feb 19, 2016 10:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Rogue One
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h4mm3r0g0d wrote:Hey everyone. I will be buying a 2010 rogue krom edition. I noticed it has the crappier radio and no USB port in the center console. My idea is to replace the radio with one from the SV edition and eventually add the back up camera and the GPS navigation. I would like to also replace the center console so I can have a USB port also. I use flash drives for all my music because its so much easier then an iPod. My. question is will this swap work and if I would be able to wire an amp to the SV radio for some Subs in the back. Any ideas or suggestions?
:welcome:
You shouldn't run into too many problems. I dunno if the Krom has the extra wiring already in place. Most of the Rogues have a USB port in the box under the center arm rest. I seem to recall someone doing a mod to add a USB port elsewhere, but for the moment were I saw it escapes me.

There's some interesting posts on stereo modding here: post6450428.html?hilit=speakers#p6450428

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h4mm3r0g0d
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Thanks Rogue one, I will look into it but I think the 2010 krom edition didn't come with the stock usb port. I know there wasn't a button on the radio in the picture. I haven't bought the car yet but plan to in the next day or so. its about an hour away so I'm doing it all in one shot to get it done. Luckly I have family in the junk yard business that can get me any stock part for reasonable prices. I will let you know what I find out. I'm planning on turning the 2010 Krom into a 2010 SV Krom custom. I plan to put the SV radio in, add the backup camera, gps navigation, custom leather seats and finally some subs in the back for my music.


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