2004 LE 4x4 Help me improve my Pathy!

[04Pathfinder]

Hello everyone,

 

 

I recently bought a 2004 LE 4x4 from my parents. My father is very good with cars and always taking great care of their vehicles. It's got 64,000 miles and still in really great shape. I would greatly appreciate your collective knowledge on a few things for my truck. I recently plasti dipped the back embles and added a hitch frame. I plan on plasti dipping the rims and front grill as well. My biggest issue is the stereo, the sound isn't bad , it's just not great. The biggest thing it's lacking is an auxillary input. I've had one since I could drive! which is nearly 10 years. I want your opinions on the difficulty of installing new speakers with the amp issues or if I should just replace the head unit and get an adaptor to keep the stock speakers.

Here is the unit I want, any idea how difficult it will be to install? I currently have the 6 disc bose stereo in the pathy.

 

Unit I want

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B8YTOZ4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1A9YNVFHZUZX0

 

Will this make it basically plug and play to use the stock speakers?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CE9OY2/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

I would love to updgrade the speakers with some polks, but I'm not really interested in storing a large subwoofer in my ride. I'd ideally upgrade the speakers and have sufficient base with the high quality speakers. Can I use that adapter, keep the stock wiring and just replace the speakers as long as I'm using that apaptor ? Any input would be greatly appreciated. I really wanted the "missing link" but I gave them a call this morning and they no longer offer that item I'm going to go take some pics and up load them in a bit,

Edited September 14, 2013 by 04Pathfinder

[04Pathfinder]

Here is my Pathy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Karmann]

I love the pearl, one classy ride! Anyway, welcome to NPORA!

 

In reference to improving your pathy, you've come to the right place to blow money. For the stereo question- I have the Kenwood DBX500BT, which fit into the stock location with no trimming, does bluetooth, pandora, CD, Ipod, aux, whatever, and is adapted to the factory Bose speakers. Their sound quality has improved a bit, and overall I'm very happy with them. However, if you have the $$ you might as well upgrade your speakers, if that is in your ultimate plan.

 

Here it is

 

What are your ideas for the pathfinder? Trail riding?

Edited September 15, 2013 by Karmann

[04Pathfinder]

I love the pearl, one classy ride! Anyway, welcome to NPORA!

 

In reference to improving your pathy, you've come to the right place to blow money. For the stereo question- I have the Kenwood DBX500BT, which fit into the stock location with no trimming, does bluetooth, pandora, CD, Ipod, aux, whatever, and is adapted to the factory Bose speakers. Their sound quality has improved a bit, and overall I'm very happy with them. However, if you have the $$ you might as well upgrade your speakers, if that is in your ultimate plan.

 

Here it is

 

What are your ideas for the pathfinder? Trail riding?

 

I appreciate your response. DId you have to use an adapater for that stereo? It seems to be double din, that's obviously what I'm looking for. I just wonder how much of a hassle it is to bi-pass the amp etc. Ideally I'd buy some new polks and just upgraded the entire system, it's sound is pretty inferior to my last vehicle which had stock Rockford fosgate speakers with a small sub. I don't plan on going trail riding. I do plan to go camping/fishing with all the great spots around me to do so.

 

[Karmann]

 

I appreciate your response. DId you have to use an adapater for that stereo? It seems to be double din, that's obviously what I'm looking for. I just wonder how much of a hassle it is to bi-pass the amp etc. Ideally I'd buy some new polks and just upgraded the entire system, it's sound is pretty inferior to my last vehicle which had stock Rockford fosgate speakers with a small sub. I don't plan on going trail riding. I do plan to go camping/fishing with all the great spots around me to do so.

 

 

I used both the dash adapter for a double DIN, and an adapter to connect to my factory speakers. I say you upgrade the speakers while you're in there, it makes things easier from what I understand.

[nismotr]

I installed a pioneer head unit with an aux and usb port after my Bose unit shat the bed. I wish I had saved up and done the speaker and amp set-up at the same time, because all the speakers started to go one by one until only the passenger front speaker was working. An amped door speaker set-up works really nice for me, not as much base as I would like though. A good way to get a sub and amp in the car without taking up room all the time is to make a removable box for it that you can quickly connect and disconnect.

[04Pathfinder]

I installed a pioneer head unit with an aux and usb port after my Bose unit shat the bed. I wish I had saved up and done the speaker and amp set-up at the same time, because all the speakers started to go one by one until only the passenger front speaker was working. An amped door speaker set-up works really nice for me, not as much base as I would like though. A good way to get a sub and amp in the car without taking up room all the time is to make a removable box for it that you can quickly connect and disconnect.

 

Which pioneer unit did you have? Also, did you have to use an adapter to plug the radio into the stock speakers? I was looking at these speakers

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P0R6LQ/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AU0M4NIMM9WRQ

 

Is this what you're referring to ?

[04Pathfinder]

 

I used both the dash adapter for a double DIN, and an adapter to connect to my factory speakers. I say you upgrade the speakers while you're in there, it makes things easier from what I understand.

 

Where did you find the dash adapter ? Crutchfield and amazon don't seem to have one that fits the LE version.

[04Pathfinder]

Any help would be appreciated !

[93xe]

i see these topics all the time but never remember to post a response. If you are changing your radio, the best thing to do is upgrade all the speakers adn ditch the bose blows crap. In most bose equipped pathys, there is a bose amp in each front door for each front speaker, and a single driver side rear quarter panel mounted blows amp for the back doors. bypassing these amps couldn't be easier...you simply can jump the inputs to the outputs.

 

When you unplug the factory radio, find what colors go to what speakers (easier by plugging in an aftermarket nissan wiring harness, metra part # 70-7550). Write these colors down...i.e. Front left-blue/orange, etc. Pull all 4 door panels and remove all speakers. IN the front doors, at the bose amp (small box attatched to the speaker mount) look for the wire colors for that speaker that you noted behind the radio. cut these wires BEFORE the bose amp, attach new speaker leads, and plug them in! Viola! amp bypassed.

 

For the rear amplifier, do the same. track down the factory output wire colors, jump them at the amp to the colors of the rear door speaker wires, adn done. Your sound will greatly improve.

 

I highly recommend installing a 6.5" seperate (component) speaker in the front, with the 6.5" midbass in the door and a tweeter in the a pillar. A great sounding cheap set would be Pioneer TSA-1605c.

[04Pathfinder]

i see these topics all the time but never remember to post a response. If you are changing your radio, the best thing to do is upgrade all the speakers adn ditch the bose blows crap. In most bose equipped pathys, there is a bose amp in each front door for each front speaker, and a single driver side rear quarter panel mounted blows amp for the back doors. bypassing these amps couldn't be easier...you simply can jump the inputs to the outputs.

 

When you unplug the factory radio, find what colors go to what speakers (easier by plugging in an aftermarket nissan wiring harness, metra part # 70-7550). Write these colors down...i.e. Front left-blue/orange, etc. Pull all 4 door panels and remove all speakers. IN the front doors, at the bose amp (small box attatched to the speaker mount) look for the wire colors for that speaker that you noted behind the radio. cut these wires BEFORE the bose amp, attach new speaker leads, and plug them in! Viola! amp bypassed.

 

For the rear amplifier, do the same. track down the factory output wire colors, jump them at the amp to the colors of the rear door speaker wires, adn done. Your sound will greatly improve.

 

I highly recommend installing a 6.5" seperate (component) speaker in the front, with the 6.5" midbass in the door and a tweeter in the a pillar. A great sounding cheap set would be Pioneer TSA-1605c.

 

I appreciate this response. Any experience installing a double din unit in the pathy? If I have the adapter i posted above, is it essentially plug-and-play as far as head unit is concerned?

[96Pathfinder4x4]

You will probably need an adapter.

 

I can't view Amazon at work, but found this on Google search.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&ved=0CHcQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FPathfinder-Antenna-Adapter-Factory-Aftermarket%2Fdp%2FB006GDCMK6&ei=3YhAUt-nI6mtiQKdqYCABg&usg=AFQjCNHO8PVhwnwXdPwuMGugXWHJ9A6qYw&sig2=jRZQIvDMl13XiMSIG06CDg&bvm=bv.52434380,d.cGE

[tooslowforgr]

Can someone tell me where to find a stubby antenna for my 03 r50? My reception is horrible and plus it will look better.

[tooslowforgr]

Any help would be appreciated !

 

what did you end up doing for your audio setup?

i have an 03 le like yours all factory bose crap...

[04Pathfinder]

So I think I am finally ready to jump. I'd love some feedback if there is anything else I need to make this all work.

 

The head unit is the JVC-KW-NSX600

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_105NSX600/JVC-KW-NSX600.html

 

Speakers I'm leaning towards these Polks with tweeter in the front

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P0R6LQ/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and a matching pair of just the speakers for the back. Will I need a seperate amp or will the head unit suffice? Also, do you think I should get the adapter to just plug and play the head unit or run all new wires? I'm not real familiar with the process so I'm wondering how big of a pain it is to do. Also, very curious about upgrading my shocks and struts and possibly getting a small 2" lift in the process. Old man emu I've heard talked about, I want good ride quality as it won't be used off road very often at all.