factory radio in 2012 nismo horrible

Stevie Z · 05-21-2012, 07:20 PM

Just picked up brand new 2012 NISMO. I'm lovin the car with just 1 exception, the stock radio is horrible, and I'm no audiophile. I really like leaving my cars 100% factory stock but I don't think I can live with the radio. I'm wondering how difficult/ possible to install rear speakers like in the touring Z, is the nismo pre wired for rear speakers. Or does anybody know a very good installer in the NY,NJ,CT area who has experience with 370Z's. I might even replace the head unit with a stereo with DVD & NAV option in dash. Any recommendations on an Installer and/or new head unit would be greatly appreciated. Looking for someone who is exceptionally good, meticulous. Thanks.

DIGItonium · 05-21-2012, 09:26 PM

IMO, save your money and skip installing rear speakers. Use it on some good front components and a separate amp of at least 100Wx2 feeding the passive crossovers. My budget was $250 for the components and $120 for the amp... good deals lol.

The radio is the same as a Base Z. One thing I like about it is the fact that it is a standard DIN and barely requires an adapter kit for full face install.

kenchan · 05-21-2012, 09:55 PM

check in the audio section of this forum.

stereo was the first thing that i swapped out...within a few days. lol

Huck · 05-21-2012, 10:45 PM

Yeah it's kinda everyone's complaint. I threw a Pioneer HU in there along with a 12" sub and a kicker amp. I'm gonna be switching out the HU for a double din soon, and give the old one to my wife for her civic, then components and call it a day.

LakeShow · 05-22-2012, 01:16 AM

Yeah the Nismo audio is pretty bad for a 40k car. Many have replaced them on here.

SiXK · 05-22-2012, 09:32 AM

Whats amazing is that stock stereos have come so far from the units that were in cars in the 80's, when aftermarket car audio really started getting big, yet stock units still, almost universally, suck.

onzedge · 05-22-2012, 12:45 PM

My stereo does not suck.

kenchan · 05-22-2012, 12:53 PM

wow brings back memories....

UNKNOWN_370 · 05-22-2012, 01:11 PM

That is one of the 2013 upgrades for the NISMO Oh well.

Base radios suck to cuz its the same radio. We just pay 6k less to have a sucky radio.

UNKNOWN_370 · 05-22-2012, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onzedge

My stereo does not suck.

Hahahhaaa... 8 track was the HD-DVD of the 70's. After 7 years it was obsolete. Cassettes took over like Blu-Ray destroyed HD-DVD.

kenchan · 05-22-2012, 02:37 PM

like apple distroyed sony...

LiquidCrewZ · 05-22-2012, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenchan

check in the audio section of this forum.

stereo was the first thing that i swapped out...within a few days. lol

Swapped mine for a Pioneer nav touch screen system and he managed to use the original factory radio bezel. The factory radio was super lame. I really like my new one though.

chops · 05-22-2012, 10:31 PM

like others have said, throw down a few hundred on a new double din radio and a few hundred on a new set of component speakers (tweeter and mid speaker are seperate) and it will sound AMAZING. i have a nice set of components from a small (now defunct) company that puts out amazing sound driven by 100 watts each side and its music to my ears. no rear speakers wanted!

on that note, i rented a 2012 mustang to drive around over the weekend that had the "premium sound" package. that thing sounded worse than our stock speakers. oh man

Tribalpinoy91 · 05-22-2012, 10:39 PM

From what I picked up from the Audio sub-forum, you're better off leaving the speakers alone and upgrading the head-unit for better sound.

*Rein-forcing previous statements ^^

MacLean · 05-22-2012, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakeShow

Yeah the Nismo audio is pretty bad for a 40k car. Many have replaced them on here.

+1......

The Nismo is not pre-wired for rear speakers & it is not worth putting them in. If money is not too much of an issue and you can spend some moeny, then replace the factory HU & speakers. You would want to get a double din Kenwood, Pioneer, Alpine, or etc (whichever one fits your budget). Get a really good component speakers & a very good amp to push it. You can also get a couple subs if you like as well.

05-21-2012, 07:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Stevie Z Base Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: hudson valley,NY Posts: 28 Drives: 2012 370Z NISMO PW Rep Power: 15	factory radio in 2012 nismo horrible Just picked up brand new 2012 NISMO. I'm lovin the car with just 1 exception, the stock radio is horrible, and I'm no audiophile. I really like leaving my cars 100% factory stock but I don't think I can live with the radio. I'm wondering how difficult/ possible to install rear speakers like in the touring Z, is the nismo pre wired for rear speakers. Or does anybody know a very good installer in the NY,NJ,CT area who has experience with 370Z's. I might even replace the head unit with a stereo with DVD & NAV option in dash. Any recommendations on an Installer and/or new head unit would be greatly appreciated. Looking for someone who is exceptionally good, meticulous. Thanks.

05-21-2012, 09:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
DIGItonium A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Kansas Posts: 3,800 Drives: 09 Z34-TT 6MT Rep Power: 42	IMO, save your money and skip installing rear speakers. Use it on some good front components and a separate amp of at least 100Wx2 feeding the passive crossovers. My budget was $250 for the components and $120 for the amp... good deals lol. The radio is the same as a Base Z. One thing I like about it is the fact that it is a standard DIN and barely requires an adapter kit for full face install. __________________

05-21-2012, 10:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 41 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	Yeah it's kinda everyone's complaint. I threw a Pioneer HU in there along with a 12" sub and a kicker amp. I'm gonna be switching out the HU for a double din soon, and give the old one to my wife for her civic, then components and call it a day. __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

05-22-2012, 01:16 AM	#5 (permalink)
LakeShow A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: L.I., NY Posts: 5,307 Drives: Everything Rep Power: 25	Yeah the Nismo audio is pretty bad for a 40k car. Many have replaced them on here. __________________ \|2013 Audi S4\|Ibis White/Black\|S-Tronic P+\| \|2013 370z\|PearlWhite/Persimmon\|Touring/Sport/Nav\|F.I. CBE 18" CF\| \|Sold\|2011 370z\|Gun Metallic\|Touring/Sport/Nav\|

05-22-2012, 09:32 AM	#6 (permalink)
SiXK Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Orlando Posts: 352 Drives: 09 370Z / 91 300ZXTT Rep Power: 185	Whats amazing is that stock stereos have come so far from the units that were in cars in the 80's, when aftermarket car audio really started getting big, yet stock units still, almost universally, suck. __________________ Magnetic Black 2009 370Z / Pearl Yellow 1991 300ZXTT

05-21-2012, 09:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	check in the audio section of this forum. stereo was the first thing that i swapped out...within a few days. lol

05-22-2012, 12:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
onzedge A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Battle Lake MN Age: 63 Posts: 183,964 Drives: 370Z 240Z Rep Power: 2684736	My stereo does not suck. __________________ Koni\|Swift\|Michelin\|Motordyne\|Berk\|RJM Performance\|Gates\|SPL\|Motul\|Technafit\|Ate Super Blue\|Hawk Tommy Kaira\|Momo\|Optima\|Hella\|Hotchkis\|Red Line\|ZSpeed\|Stillen\|B&M\|H&R

05-22-2012, 12:53 PM	#8 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	wow brings back memories....

05-22-2012, 01:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
UNKNOWN_370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: ny'r livn in tx Posts: 8,687 Drives: well over 130m.p.h. Rep Power: 14857	That is one of the 2013 upgrades for the NISMO Oh well. Base radios suck to cuz its the same radio. We just pay 6k less to have a sucky radio. Last edited by UNKNOWN_370; 05-22-2012 at 01:13 PM.

05-22-2012, 02:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
kenchan A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: N/A Posts: 76,801 Drives: N/A Rep Power: 141520	like apple distroyed sony...

05-22-2012, 10:31 PM	#13 (permalink)
chops A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NA Posts: 1,732 Drives: NA Rep Power: 21	like others have said, throw down a few hundred on a new double din radio and a few hundred on a new set of component speakers (tweeter and mid speaker are seperate) and it will sound AMAZING. i have a nice set of components from a small (now defunct) company that puts out amazing sound driven by 100 watts each side and its music to my ears. no rear speakers wanted! on that note, i rented a 2012 mustang to drive around over the weekend that had the "premium sound" package. that thing sounded worse than our stock speakers. oh man

05-22-2012, 10:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
Tribalpinoy91 Track Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 607 Drives: 370z PW Rep Power: 13	From what I picked up from the Audio sub-forum, you're better off leaving the speakers alone and upgrading the head-unit for better sound. *Rein-forcing previous statements ^^

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