Factory System Details

Venom · 03-19-2005, 05:00 AM

Hi All, This was a post at another forum that I had made. It was done about 2 weeks ago. Thought it may be of some use here.

Just got finished with phase 1 of the audio / video system in my Titan.

First I completely checked out the stock Rockford system. The head unit is a Clarion name but made by Panasonic. The amplifier also says Clarion, but then says Made in USA by Rockford Corp. The speakers say Clarion and Nissan. The 8" woofer is a Rockford Fosgate dual voice coil woofer complete with logo, but obviously a custom design for the Titan. The woofer box says Clairion. Each channel runs at 2 ohms including the woofer, except the center channel which is 4 ohms.

I decided to leave the speakers in and see how they sounded. I installed a Kenwood KVT-915 DVD and a MTX Thunder 895 5- Channel amplifier.

The 915 has an external center channel amplifier
The 895 has 4 channels for the front and rear and 1 channel for the subs, it has no problems running at 2 ohms.

The 895 fits perfectly under the passenger seat. The out board amp and dsp / tv tuner processor for the 915 was installed under the front center console / seat.
For those that have the front bench seat / console: If you remove the seat / console you will see a plastic drink holder with a tray. Almost like those cheap consoles you see in Pep Boys. I modified that small console and it fits the hideaway unit for the 915 like a glove. Be careful under that little console is the air bag sensor.

I tapped into the speaker wires at the Rockford amp.

I have to say now that I am done and have adjusted the crossover points of the factory speakers I am fairly impressed.

Once you set the sub at 60hz or below you can get some decent bass. Not like a 12" but better than any single 8" i have heard. It is impressive. If it sounded like this in the first place I may have left the system in. I take that back,the system would come out, the tuner is absolutely crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The front door spekers are excellent. The give great low and mid bass with exceptional volume levels. The front tweeters ( they call them tweeters ) are really 2'speakers ( i'm guessing on the size ) with a cap on them. The sound quality is good , but I think those will come out in favor of some decent tweeters.
The center channel is a similar 2" speaker with a cap on it. Not to impressive but it works well enough for center channel.
The rear door speakers are not that great. thay do not have the range or volume capabilitie as the front do. They are a candidate for replacement. The rear tweeters are just that- tweeters. They are fine.

Overall with the system adjusted it sounds very impressive. Tomorrow I will play with the parametric eq and fine tune it a bit more.

Next steps:

Install the dual diversity tv antennas,
Kenwood 4100 navigation system
Kenwood sirrius tuner
Rear overhead video system

and last change those few speakers i mentioned.

Venom · 03-19-2005, 05:06 AM

Finished my install today.

The Kenwood KNA-DV4100 Navigation unit had to be custom mounted in the dash as it was not a din size. I like the video screen up high, so I mounted the KVT-915DVD on top of the nav unit. If I had put the nav unit on top they would both fit with no mods to the rear of the dash opening. Mounting it the way I did , I had to push in the rear support bar about 1/4" on the right side.

The hideaway Sirius unit is in the dash behind the pop out drink holder. There was plenty of room there.

Under the passenger seat is an MTX 895 5-channel Amplifier.

Here are some photos:

GBPTITANFAN · 03-20-2005, 01:41 PM

Very nice. How much will all of this end up costing you?

heath22 · 03-20-2005, 05:03 PM

Looks good, I like the setup. Do you have any reception troubles at all with the SAT antenna on the dash? How did you mount it to keep it from moving around?

I've been trying to figure out how I was gonna get my antenna into the truck and I think you solved that for me....thanks!!

coolvette · 03-20-2005, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heath22

Looks good, I like the setup. Do you have any reception troubles at all with the SAT antenna on the dash? How did you mount it to keep it from moving around?

I've been trying to figure out how I was gonna get my antenna into the truck and I think you solved that for me....thanks!!

That may not be his satalite antenna, it should be his nav antenna.
I put a sat antenna on my dash for a while, it worked okay. Outside is the way to go. But try it inside first, may work better for you.
Try some double side tape for mounting to the dash.

coolvette · 03-20-2005, 05:50 PM

Oh yea, Great install. You do all the work yourself? Looks nice and clean, not a butcher job at all.
Should of had you do my system.

Venom · 03-20-2005, 07:17 PM

Coolvette is right that is the Nav antenna. It is on the dash with a thin piece of double stick tape.

The Sirius ant is on the roof as pictured below. Outside is definitely the way to go. The Sirius signal is nowhere as strong as the GPS signal for the Nav unit.

The Nav antenna is about half the size of the Sirius antenna ( and I have the small one!) but it never ever loses a GPS signal. The Sirius goes in and out plenty. ( Trees, overpasses, etc......)

Yes I did all the work myself. I dont like the look of the wire on the nav antenna. They made that one dificult to work with. I'll think of something.

Total cost so far:
KVT-915DVD $1635.00
KNA-DV4100 $768.00
MTX Thunder 895 $319.00
Sirius SIR-KEN1 $99.00
Michrophone system for KNA-DV4100 $62.00
Wires Cables and Connectors $150.00
Pac Steering Wheel Controls adaptor $69.00 ( Installing in the next couple days.)

heath22 · 03-21-2005, 07:05 AM

So I take it that you had to remove your headliner to run the antenna wire down and into the cab to the HU. How hard is that. I've done alot of car audio but nothing where I had to run a wire from the outside to the inside. When I had my Xterra I just ran it in through the hatch, down the weatherstripping and under the carpet and it was done. On this Titan it looks a little more involved and I don't to make an "uh-oh" on my brand new truck. I guess I'm being a little gun shy....

Venom · 03-21-2005, 07:25 AM

It was actually pretty easy. If you look at the headliner in the rear you will see 2 plstic caps towards the middle.

Pop these caps off and up inside you will see the nuts that hold the brake light assembly to the outside of the vehicle.
Take off the nuts and the brake light will lift off.

Put your Sirius antenna on the roof, its magnetic.
Then run the pigtail to the spot where the weather strip is located against the body of the truck.
There are 2 large holes to run the wire into the cab.

Now put your brake light back on and the weather strip will form around the antenna wire. Put the nuts back on.

Tuck the wire under the edge of the headliner all the way to either side and then run the wire under the panels wherever it needs to go.

It is a little tricky running it under the headliner. If you pull on the headliner to hard, then one of the clips will pop out. It is a ***** to get them back in. I popped 2 out and it took me 30 minutes to get them back in. The whole Sirus intall took 45 minutes including putting the clips back in.

Venom · 03-25-2005, 12:34 AM

Wrapped up the audio portion of my install today.

Added a Pac-SW1-X and a MTX EBC. Now just waiting on a 15" drop down LCD screen. Then the electronics will be done.

rcantu · 03-25-2005, 01:30 AM

looks good. did you use a dash kit to mount the 2 din units?

thanks

Venom · 03-25-2005, 12:02 PM

I used the factory brackets off the stock radio. Along with the dash bezel from Courtesy.
Since the lower unit was not a din I made some aluminum spacers that also offset the mounting holes correctly.
Then I made a custom face plate out of ABS.

titanj0hnny · 03-25-2005, 12:48 PM

Hey Venom, since I have no clue with regards to mobile audio... can you still use your steering wheel controls for your new head unit? What'dya think about MB Quart component speakers. I just bought some and am having them installed in a few days... the guy at the store I bought them from swore up and down that they were pretty damn good speakers...

THITITAN04 · 03-25-2005, 01:15 PM

Can I get an explanation on how to get the stock sub to sound better???

Venom · 03-25-2005, 06:03 PM

I am using my sterring wheel controls. You will need a PAC SW1-X adaptor it is really like a programable remote. If you can use a remote control with your after market head unit then chances are this unit will work. Go to the PAC web site for a list of radios that will not work. The install is detailed but fairly easy. The wires are all there in the dash where the radio is. The hardest thing is finding a good place to mount the remote eye that will send the signals to your radio. Some radios can have it mounted right on the dash kit. But my Kenwood had to have it in the overhead console.

AS far as MB Quart they have always been very good performers. I have never heard anything bad.