Well maybe not all of it, just yet.....

When I got my 2000 Max it sounded great. About 2 months ago bass was excessive and audio was slightly distorted. I would also loose bass for two weeks at a time, and then it would just come back. This happened about 3 times within 9 months.

I sent the Bass unit to be repaid, but its still heavy at times. My Bose CD Player is ok, but occasionally skips. What worries me is the bass is too heavy, and the distorted audio. The Bose speakers aren't blown out, so I'd like to keep them.

I don't need a whole system that will break home windows with the bass. I don't need super loud music. If anything I'd like to keep the bose speakers, if possible. I was on Crutchfield.com and they had a sweet looking Sony CD unit for $170 and can also play my Creative Zen MP3 player directly, w/o that FM transmitter crap.

Do the sound issues I'm having, could that be because of the Bose HU? If I put in the sony, will that require taking out the whole HU, or just the Bose CD player? Maybe the amp needs to be repaired/replaced?

Very subjective question, but If I wanted to take everything out (sub/speakers/amp/HU) how much would that run? Very good sound, not anything super high end, mind you. Cost if done at a shop?

Opinion?

 

hmmm can a mod throw this into the audio forum? Yes, the whole radio will be replaced...Bose is terrible anyway. Get a Pioneer over the Sony, and yes you can run stock Blose speakers off an aftermarket h/u ( but I don't recommend it). A shop's price is very subjective...go to New Jersey and get it done right via Pearl96max.

 

go to bestbuy/circuit city etc and get it installed for free

 

You can find out the problems of the bose sound system by doing some searches through the forum. They have many posts on these issues. The problems I did have was the sound cut off; my bose head unit causes one of my speakers to cut on and off every now and then. There's a fix on this issue where you'll have to open up the unit and do such and such with the wires. Too much for me, so I just brought a pioneer (for around $100) and plays mp3 (lets me store a LOT more songs then a regular CD). Works great for me. Oh yea, when wiring up an after market head unit, you'll need to hook it up with an in-line converter (brought it at walmart for like $20) and buy the harness kit for your maxima (brought at walmart for $10?). Any you'll need to buy the dash-kit so you can fit a single-din inside you car (brought online for $20).

Then I also have the bass problem. My bose subwoofer cuts off now and then. There's several options for this. Easy fix since you're not into very loud music, you can just disconnect the wires leading to the subwoofer... then it won't bother you =D. Or you can hook up an after market amplifier and an after market subwoofer (if you're not into very loud bass, just get a free-air subwoofer and hook it up in the same spot as your old bose subwoofer) (it'll probably cost you maybe $150 - $250 for both). OR you can do what I did, buy a good working subwoofer from a fellow .org member for $50. Works great for me since like you, I don't want to break windows with my music.

Installation = free since I did it myself. First time installing head unit and working on the car. Reading the "how-to" helps a lot (THANKS .ORG!) . Hooking up the wires with the harness kit is just a matter of reading the directions that came with the harness.

On side note, the music sounds better if you configure your head unit to the level you want to hear. Like with the pioneer I had, they had preset equalization(eq) settings. If I want to listen to the lyrics, I get the eq to "Vocal"; else if i want bass, I set it to "Super-Bass" or "Powerful", I find "Super-Bass" as too much bass for the bose subwoofer to handle.

Also, if you keep the bose subwoofer, you might consider sound deadening the rear deck. I notice some rattling when I turn my bass on high, so I sound deadened my rear deck using Dynamat. There's a write up on how to go about doing this as well. Buying it cost me ($60 at circuit city, suppose to be $80+ but I got a deal =) ). Again, installation = free =D. I find doing things yourself gives you a sense of accomplishment. But then again, if you're a clumsy type, professional installation is recommended. Good Luck! Hope I didn't write too much.

 

I would replace everything. I also have the bose in my 01. At first I just purchased the PAC adapter and added some RCA's. I installed a sub and amp. The bass was MUCH cleaner, but it just doesn't blend with the highs now. Its not to expensive to get a decent set of comps for the front and an entry level head unit.

 

Whatever you do - don't take it to those places. I had a friend who worked at BB installing stereo's when we were in college and he had some horrendous stories of the cob jobs they used to do there. They don't require any experience to work there and it's usually kids who don't give a crap about the work the do.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/forumdispla...aysprune=&f=25

 

Here Is A Tip...........rip Out The Bose With The Quickness!

 

Even be wary of some so-called "pro" installation shops. Last week, I went to the local shop for a pair of components for the front, and an amp to power them. I said, just give me a decent 2-channel amp, and he sold me a JBL cs300.1 - a mono amp! When I realized it, I called the shop, and he said there was no difference between a mono amp and a 2 channel. I went back to exchange it, and he kinda gave me a hard time..

Him: "You realize it's the same thing right?"
Me: "It's really not...."
He started to debate it, then just gave up and said fine... I'll sell it to you if you really want it.

And he was trying to save me money.. the 2-channel was $25 more than the JBL, so I know he wasn't trying to BS me.
If they weren't so busy at the time, I would have tried to explain it to him, but I really don't think he'd want to hear it.

Anyway.. my point is, it's a good idea to come back to this forum where there are a lot of people that know what they're talking about to make sure you're not getting ripped off. As for installation, like Dust N Bones said.. you never know what you're gonna get at Best Buy and Circuit city. Some of the installers might know what they're doing, but it's a crap shoot.

I got my amp power cables at Tweeter Etc. and talked to the installer there for a while, and he was really helpful. They may be pricey, but they do seem to know what they're talking about.

 

^^the only thing i dont like about those bastards at tweeter, is they swear they know WHAT THE F*CK their talking about and they are so damned cockey......I had one thing done at tweeter, and although i can say they did a pretty good job, THEY were just some damned cockey I DIDNT EVEN WANNA TALK TO THEM.

But as far as bestbuy/citcuit city...ive had some friends who worked there and GOOD GOD, IVE SEEN AS WELL AS HEARD SOME HORROR STORIES THERE...

 

Absolutely, if you are not in a rush.... do the rereach on installing your stereo (installdoctor.com is decent) and you will smack yourself and most likely install everything else.