Y33 Audio 2025

[fontana dan]

Lots of talks in other circles about BOSE audio, double DIN units, but not a whole lot going on here at the Q45 Forum.
I recently replaced the factory head unit in my 1997 Q45 base with a double DIN Kenwood DPX 395MBT. Comes with bluetooth, 3.5mm jack, USB, 3 channel RCA output at 5v, and NO touch screen. Fits perfectly in the factory radio bracket. Maybe a bit of dremel action on the Kenwood bezel if youre a perfectionist.

Interfaced this head unit to factory BOSE amp with Metra 70-7551. This allows the use of your factory amp and door speakers with an aftermarket head unit. Just have to splice in the "amp on" signal wire.

If someone responds to this thread I'll include pics of my install.
SAFETY MOMENT: I had one of the 2 amps for the 6.5" speakers in the rear deck short to ground and start on fire, and blowing the main audio fuse (15a) under the hood.
Lessons learned
1) use proper sized fuzes for all of your components
2) replacing a 2ohm speaker with a 4ohm speaker, with an amp designed for a 2ohm speaker may cause your amp to overheat and catch on fire...

[Q451990]

That looks like it would look almost factory in a Y33! You should absolutely post pictures of your new setup.

Talk to me more about the 2 ohm 4 ohm fire deal. I vaguely remember some sort of line level converter was needed - but I never went aftermarket and now I don't see anything out there. I wish I could figure out how to get a screen mounted higher in the dash - but I don't see any way of doing it without major butchering.

[fontana dan]

The 2ohm vs 4ohm ordeal happened because I didn't match speakers' impedance to what the amplifier was designed for. What I understand is the factory Bose system uses all 2 ohm speakers. When I replaced the rear deck speakers with 4ohm units, the stock amplifiers were barely able to drive them for whatever reason. One of them eventually failed and shorted to ground.

I'm not sure how Line-level converter would play with the stock bose system. I'm under the impression that all signals coming out of the back of the stock head unit are low-voltage preamp signals for the Bose amps. The audio setup is probably a little bit different in the G50 as well. Not sure if it uses a double DIN.

This is what the head unit looks in my car. It's still a work in progress.

[Q451990]

That looks awesome! The display is a great match for the climate control. I'd be tempted to change the button bulbs on the climate to the same color for a perfect match at night. First gen was double din as well. Thanks for the explanation on the 2 vs 4 ohm issue. My memory is that the line level out of the factory receivers is different than the typical line out on aftermarket head units - but maybe I'm mis-remembering that?

[98_Q45]

I did the same, the first time I brought mine. I had to upgrade the radio because the volume knob on the original would go VERY LOUD when I tried to turn it down. I replaced with the BOSS brand from Amazon, with the dvd player, and I used an interference box and the special harness for Nissan with Bose. Super easy fix.

BOSS radios are fairly reliable, but I’ve brought like 4-5 units between both my Maxima and Q. One died randomly one day, another developed a drain on the battery after a couple years. Some didn’t fit very well in the dash.

But I’ve had 2 units now for over 3 years and both are working great still. They’re affordable to replace so if the warranty runs out, no big deal. But it’s not going to be Kenwood quality obviously.

I wanted to do the same to my Cadillac, but it involves a $200 kit, to sync the chimes. Plus I don’t think it would work with the 6 disc CD changer. But the stock radio I would hold onto, if I could.

[fontana dan]

@98_Q45 my stock radio volume knob was doing the same thing. Its a pretty annoying feature lol. I mostly got tired of not having an aux-input to the stereo. I got the Kenwood from crutchfield for under $200 shipped so I think its well worth it.

I've got the interior mostly put back together now, finally to see the finished product.
I did something a little bit extra as well. I removed the two 6.5"s from the rear deck, installed a 1500W monoblock amplifier in place, and ran a 1/0 gauge cable directly from battery positive all the way through the vehicle and into the amp. I got a Skar ZVX 12" subwoofer with a custom ported box off of facebook marketplace and sat that in the trunk. Its kind of crazy.
The only last piece of the install is figuring out a way to secure the 100lb loaded subwoofer box in the trunk, and easily removable so I can take it out and actually use the trunk haha.