A client from Finksburg, Maryland came to WSS Westminster Speed & Sound with their 2012 Nissan Juke. This Nissan Juke stereo system was the “high end” Rockford package. To say they were disappointed would be putting it mildly. When they put any type of modern music in the car the system sounded tinny and would distort at very low volumes. They were questioning if we could do upgrades to what Nissan calls their “Premium” sound system. Needless to say we put their fears to rest. We got a schematic for the Nissan system that showed us in technical terms how the factory system was laid out. We spent significant time sitting in the car with the client so we could hear the way the music was being presented. This gave us the opportunity to really understand what the client wanted the system to do better. This is one of the things that WSS Westminster Speed & Sound is proud of. We do not use a cookie cutter approach to car audio upgrades. We use a very detailed, personalized approach to maximize the satisfaction level for each client.
Client Wants More Bass Without Sacrificing Space
So what we learned from our time with this client was that they wanted more bass than the weak factory sub. They also wanted the system to be able to play louder without feeling strained or distorted. At the same time, the client did not want to give up much space in the Juke so the subwoofer had to be very compact. The final thing they wanted was for the full range speakers to sound warmer and more detailed.
Audiocontrol LC6i Is Key To Nissan Juke Stereo Upgrade
Now that we knew how Nissan had designed the system, and we had the golas of the client, and we heard the way it sounded, we knew how to proceed. In this vehicle we started with an Audiocontrol LC6i integration device. This piece allows us to get a full range musical signal from the factory deck. Nissan divides up the music coming out of the stereo system in a way to was going to negatively affect the sound if we left it alone. Using this device allowed us to pick the sounds that WE wanted each speaker to reproduce, which was going to dramatically improve the sound quality.
Arc and JL Audio Offer Great Products in Small Packages
From the LC6i the signal ran to an Arc Audio XDi805 amplifier. This amp sends 80 watts of clean power to each front and rear door speaker. This allows effortless sound at volume levels where the music becomes “fun” again. We were able to hide the amplifier so it did not take up any of the valuable trunk space, and we installed a bass level control knob in the front of the vehicle so the client could vary the amount of bass at any given time. This amp also sends 400 watts of power to the new compact JL Audio 10w3 subwoofer we installed in the cargo area. This particular subwoofer is extremely accurate and makes the top string on a bass guitar, or a kick drum sound like it has the same authority you experience in a live concert. The enclosure for the subwoofer is only the size of about two shoeboxes stacked on top of each other, so it fulfilled the requirement of saving as much trunk space as possible.
JL Audio Speakers Round Out Juke Audio Upgrade
To improve the sound of all the vocals we replaced the existing front speakers with a set of JL Audio TR650CSI component speakers. These were installed in the same locations as the Nissan speakers so it kept the vehicle looking original. We installed Hushmat damping material on the door skins behind the door panels. This eliminates any undesirable rattling or sound resonances that may now occur from the higher performance speakers we installed. Hushmat WaveBreaker was also installed inside the door itself to eliminate reflections which can cause distortion. JL Audio Tr600cxi speakers were installed in the rear speaker locations to improve the sound for anyone sitting in the backseat.
In the end, the client was very pleased with our personalize Nissan Juke stereo upgrade. Other than a small enclosure in the cargo area, every single item was completely hidden, so the vehicle looked stock, and kept the practical design capability Nissan designed into it. The client could now take their live concert experience with them anywhere they went with crystal clear sound and tight, accurate bass. We love it when a job comes together.
WSS Westminster Speed and Sound takes pride in listening to what our clients really want. And then delivering! To learn more, feel free to contact us and of course we invite you to stop in and let us show you what we are all about.