A customer from Baltimore, Maryland, came to WSS Westminster Speed & Sound with his 2011 Nissan Rogue, looking to upgrade his electronics. His Nissan was the base model, so it lacked Bluetooth and any integration for his iPhone. As is customary with all of our customers, we went out to the vehicle to look it over together and listen to the audio system. After that, we came back inside and went over his goals and desires for the upgrades. He wanted to improve the sound quality and output capability of the system, but was not sure it would fit within his budget.
We went into our sound room together and listened to some different speaker, amplifier and subwoofer combinations. Based on his preferences, we worked up a two-stage upgrade path. The first stage would be a new head unit in the dash with Bluetooth and smartphone integration, along with a set of good front speakers. The second stage would add a subwoofer in the cargo area along with an amplifier to power the subwoofer and front speakers. After reviewing his options, he decided to do both stages at the same time, so we made an appointment to do the work.
Technology And Sound Quality Upgrade With Sony Radio
His Nissan Rogue only had an aux input port, so he had very limited options for controlling his music. We selected a Sony MEX-GS610BT in-dash unit because it gave him two USB ports, Bluetooth for hands-free phone calls and wireless music streaming. As you can see in the pictures, we flush-mounted one of the USB ports on the front of the dash, giving him a convenient spot to plug in his iPhone. The Sony radio works well with the Siri voice control on an iPhone, so using it while driving is very convenient. We also like the quality of the preamp section on the 610BT – it outputs a very strong, clean signal to the amplifier, improving the sound quality.
Audison Speakers Give This Rogue A Big Sound Upgrade
When it came time to pick front speakers, we chose the Audison APK165 component set. Audison designed these speakers specifically to be very efficient, so reasonably sized amplifiers will get them jamming. We installed the 6.5” woofer on the front doors in the original location and the 1” tweeters on angled mounts in the sail panels near the top of the door panel. The advantage of using the angled mounts for the tweeter is better positioning, which helps to bring the sound stage up higher and steers it toward the center of the interior. The result is less bias from the door closest to the occupant, meaning the driver hears sound from more than just the driver’s door, and the passenger hears sound from more than just the passenger door. It is a very simple but effective upgrade.
Stunning Low End Performance From Tiny JL Audio Subwoofer Enclosure
When it came time for bass, we went to JL Audio and its 10TW3 10” subwoofer in the tiny, briefcase-sized enclosure. We gave the customer extra speaker wire so he could move it around in the trunk when carrying larger, bulkier items. It is truly amazing the amount of output that is produced from this tiny package!
Compact JL Audio Amplifier Powers Entire Nissan Rogue Audio Upgrade
For the amplifier, we went back to JL Audio and chose the XD500/3V2. It supplies more than 75 watts of clean power in each front door and more than 300 watts to the subwoofer. It is a very compact design –if you look closely at the pictures, you can see it hidden underneath the front driver’s seat. The amplifier is so compact that we had to slide the seat all the way forward just so you could see it in the photo.
Rear Speaker Option Keeps Passengers Happy, When Needed
We left the rear factory Nissan speakers intact. They are powered by the rear channels on the Sony head unit, so, if rear passengers want music, it can be added for them. Under normal circumstances, with only people in the front seat, the sound gets faded to the front and subwoofer only, as the rear speakers do not add anything to the music.
Quick Service And Happy Clients, The WSS Westminster Speed & Sound Way!
WSS Westminster Speed & Sound was able to complete this installation in under a day, so the customer came back that evening to pick up his vehicle. When we went out to the vehicle to show it to him and go over the operation of the unit, he was extremely pleased with how well everything was integrated into his Nissan. When we turned it on for the first time and cranked it up, he was grinning from ear to ear. He was amazed at the sound quality improvement and the ability to play his music at concert sound levels without straining. We knew he was going to be spending more time in his vehicle from now on, just listening to his music.
If you own a vehicle and are unhappy with the sound quality, or just want the ability to integrate your smartphone, we invite you to stop by and see us. We will work with you one on one to design and install the best solution for your unique needs. You also can contact WSS Westminster Speed & Sound here for more information about any of our products and services.
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