Just got some general questions as to fixing and upgrading stock stuff.

I never know what to get my brother for X-Mass and this year his wife let me on to some info.

He needs to replace his rear speakers and wants somthing to hook his iPod up to in the car.

First off he has a 01 Nissan Altima and secondly it's a work car and he's driving it untill the wheels fall off.

He doesn't want a new head unit and has stressed this.

I did some searching and it seems ReAx has some good info on stuff. I have the basics as to the specs I need to look for in the speakers.

Q1: What would it sound like and would it be fine to put aftermarket speakers in the rear only or should all 4 (front and rear) be replaced?

Second question is the iPod hook-up. I don't think the stock HU has a AUX jack. I would get him a iTrip FM transmitter or somthing like that but I would like to get something that he wouldn't have to fiddle with to get the correct chanel in as he drives around the state (I have to deal with that an it's getting to be a PITA). I see Crutchfield has something like this but at a cost of about $140. I stopped in Best Buy and all they have is the FM transmitters. I'd have to have them install somthing more direct. They won't let me just buy a more dirrect unit for me to install (so a salesman told me. Install was closed).

Any thought on adding a AUX input or somthing inline with the radio antenna?
Any products come to mind?

Thank you

 

1) it will effect the sound stage if you put great speakers in the back and have marginal factory speakers up front. If your handy, you can move the fronts to the rear and put good speakers in the front. Just watch the power handling, if you try to drive 100watt speakers off a 50watt head unit, it will sound half as loud. Look for speakers that use near the power the head unit produces unless you want to add an amp as well.

2)There are FM modulators that interrupt the Antenna wire. these are pretty good about cutting out interference, but you still might have to change freqs if your close to a tower.

The nicest method, if he has changer controls, is to use an interface like PIE, PAC, Peripheral or Axxess. All of those are going to be in the $125-200 range, but they often let you control the ipod through the radio's controls (and if he has steering wheel controls, they will work too.)

 

Thank you for the info.

Never thought of moving the good fronts to the rear and I think his car might allow that (size wise).

I just need to figure out the stock radio output power.

I don't think he has changer controls. Just a basic AM/FM/CD radio. And in all honesty I would buy him a new $200 HU with iPod cable and controls before getting the $120-$200 interface thing. I'm going to ask him and let him try my iTrip (FM transmitter) to see which way he wants to go. And I have to crank the volume to max at time to get a decent level of sound out of my iPod at times when using the iTrip.

 

It might say on the head unit, if not figure 35-55 watts.

 

You can get used to having speakers in the back... maybe it ain't normal, but it isn't really wrong. Add a 2 or 4 channel amp (4 channel amp would let you add a sub later...), and just run the Ipod directly into the amp inputs using a 1/8" to phono cable. That's what I mostly used in the Mustang and in my truck, except the source was a Discman (later an MP3 player). Wire up a power switch to the "remote on" terminal on the amp, and maybe an inline volume control (potentiometer) between the 1/8" plug and amp. Upgrade the head unit later, or not. I haven't had a radio in my truck yet in the 5 years I've driven it.

 

If your just using it for the one source you can tune the amp's gain, but volume will be critical to keep distortion down. You don't need the pot though, the gain control should take care of it.

Your right though, there is nothing wrong with imaging from the rear, it's just backwards from the consensus. The idea being that the sound stage is set so the louder sounds are in front and softer should be behind the listener. Basically so you are on the stage facing the crowd.

 

About 10-15 watts RMS per channel.