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DISCLAIMER:
Neither I or Club Frontier.org can be held responsible for any actions taken when modifying your vehicle, should any harm be done to it from the information provided below it is your own fault. Bottom line is this, if you don’t feel comfortable doing ANY of the tasks outlined below, take your stuff to the pros. Some sections below will be purely from my experiences and others will be from online sources that I feel do an excellent job of explaining and see no reason to reinvent the wheel.
This thread will be a work in progress over the next few weeks. I'm still working on making it as functional as possible for everyone, beginners to experts. It is my hope that this will become a sticky for the audio guys similar to Jen's suspension sticky.
So you want better sound from your stereo. There any many options you can take to achieve this goal. What is considered good enough some may not be to others. This thread will help reach your goal from mild to wild. As a note, This guide is written in a manner resembling a flow chart, so it starts with the most basic stuff and gets more advanced from there.

This info is primarily for 2005-2012 Frontiers. Much of the info below is still helpful if your looking to upgrade but won't necessarily be specific to your 2013+.
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The Factory Radio may be good enough for you already
Before you start just dropping money into speakers and such, you may be able to make the factory stereo sound decent enough to the point where you are happy with it just by adjusting some of the settings. Depending on what factory radio you have, the settings will vary. To my knowledge there are three different radios Nissan puts in these trucks: Basic, 6 disk Premium, and Rockford system.

What radio do I have?
The basic radio (XE/ SE without premium sound) will be the most limited only having adjustments for bass, treble, balance, and fader. The basic system also only has 4 speakers total (two 6x9’s in the front doors, and two 6.75” in the rear)
The 6 disk radio (SE premium/LE/NIS/PRO, KC only?) will be slightly more advanced than the basic having adjustments for bass, mid, treble, fader, balance, and speed sensitive volume. This system has 6 speakers total (the same four as the basic with the addition of two ¾” tweeters on the dash )
The Rockford Fosgate radio (LE/NIS/PRO, CC only) is by far the best factory system available in the truck having the same adjustments as the 6 disk but better internals with optional satellite radio and bluetooth. This system has 10 speakers, 2 subwoofers total, and has a factory amp putting out 380w(coax. 6x9’s in front doors, coax 6.75” in rear, two 2” mid tweeters on dash, two 3/4" tweeters in the rear doors, and two 6.5” subs under rear seat)

The best starting point is to just start playing with the settings on your radio until it sounds good to you. This will probably take about a week of listening to find the magic numbers. From my experience the stock rear door speakers are absolute crap, so try biasing the fader to the front more. My magic numbers with the factory 6 disk were: Bass=+3, Mid=+2, Treble=+4, Fader=F4, Bal=R1, SSV=mid.
If you are still unhappy with the sound it’s time to take more drastic measures and read on.
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So you have come to the conclusion that your factory system is just not going to cut it…
Great Intro to Upgrading your System

You now need to ask yourself a few questions about your end goal before continuing:
1)Was the factory radio able to play music from all of the sources I wanted?
a.Yes, see option A
b. No, See option B
2)What is my budget? (CHEAP, low, mid, high)
3)How comfortable am I with wiring/ taking apart the inside of my truck?

Once you have these questions answered you can make your move:

I will say now that a great place to get you components is Sonic Electronix, I have been ordering from them for years now without a single issue. Fast shipping, LOW prices, and a wide selection.
Car Audio Stereo - Car Subwoofers - Car Amplifiers and Speakers

Option A:
On the CHEAP, if the factory radio plays all of the sources you want, start by upgrading your speakers. Start with the front doors as these will give you the most noticeable improvement. The rear speakers are absolute crap, so if you can replace them as well.($20-$1000 a pair) Please take a look at my basic speaker design discussion before choosing. Car Speakers | Component & Replacement Auto Speakers
Option B:
On the CHEAP, if the factory radio does not play all of sources you want, start by upgrading your radio or head unit. A basic unit with some inputs runs about $60-$80. Of course if your wanting all the bells and whistles they are by no means cheap and can be over $1k easily. Please refer to the head unit discussion. Car Stereo | Car CD Players | Head Units & In Dash Receivers
Option C:
For a low to medium budget build, it’s a very good starting point to upgrade both your speakers and head unit (this will be the point where MOST, non audiophile, people are satisfied) Usually you can find some radios that come with a pair of speakers or a la cart. ($$ Varies depending on what you choose) Please refer to the speaker and head unit discussion threads.

If you are satisfied with your setup now, congrats! If not, keep reading:sign7:
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Alright, well you’re still not happy…
Before moving any further forward try fine tuning the radio again (stock or aftermarket). With new equipment comes the need to adjust settings again. To avoid distortion, try to only reduce values from the flat baseline. (Free)

Again we need to ask some questions to see what we need to fix:

1)Why are you unsatisfied?
a.Not enough bass? (Tune, Option D/E/F )
b.Too much highs/ mids / bass? (Tune)
c.Just not loud enough before distortion? (Option D/E/F)
d.Just doesn’t sound good (ALL)

Make your move:
The below options are more complex to install than anything mentioned prior, but can be learned with some patience and attention to detail. Both options include adding an amp(s) to your system. They can be added to a stock headunit or aftermarket, but I would recommend that before adding any amps to your system you first upgrade the stock headunit to one that has the correct preouts.
Option D:
Add a subwoofer, enclosure, and amplifier. This will really bring out the lows in your music and is typically needed to fully round out the sound in a truck. In our trucks an 8” sub will satisfy most just looking to improve the overall sound and add the needed lows in your system. If you’re looking to “BUMP” and be heard from a distance, an 8” probably won’t be enough for you. Many online stores sell packages with everything you need to add a subwoofer (speaker, enclosure, amp, associated wiring) or you can buy each component a la cart. Price will vary greatly depending on the quality, condition (used/ new), and how extreme you want to go. Again please review the Subwoofer and amplifier sections before adding anything.
(Sort Price: Lowest First) Amp + Sub Combos | Car Audio | Car Audio, Video & GPS at Sonic Electronix
Car Audio | Car Sound Systems at Sonic Electronix
Option E:
Add a full range amplifier to your already upgraded speakers. This will add headroom to your system which allows you to listen at a slightly higher volume with much less distortion than the same volume when powered just off of the deck. It can also help clean up the sound by giving your upgraded speakers the power they want to play more accurately. ($ varies, >$50) Take a look at the discussion on choosing an amplifier to match your system.
Option F:
Add an amplifier(s) that will power all of the full range speakers you want and a subwoofer(s). This of course will be on the more expensive side of things and can be done in a variety of ways. The main difference with this option is you can choose many different amplifier setups that will do pretty much the same thing. For example, if you want to amp 4 full range speakers and a subwoofer, you could do it by using either a 5 channel amp or a 4 channel amp and a mono amp. Refer to the amplifier section for more info. ($ varies depending on choice)
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This is as far as I feel comfortable giving advice on as Option F is as far as I have personally gone with any system I have done work on. If you’re still unhappy with the sound after reaching Option F and you have properly adjusted all settings, you can still go further. At this stage in the game you should know enough to research your next step on your own. If you do go further please share your newly gained knowledge with me and this community
If you are looking to further your knowledge a good starting point where I learned a good amount of what I know from is Crutchfield Research: Learn about Car Stereos & Components

Some other articles to look at for more info:
- Better Car Audio — Three Degrees of Car A/V Happiness
- Car Audio Terms Glossary

 

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Speakers!

Replacing Stock Speaker Info:
Front is 6x9",
Mounting Depth: 3 7/8" (to glass contact)
Speaker Baffle: 2 1/4"
Door Pocket Depth: 2 15/16"
Rear is 6 3/4", most just get 6.5" and either cut up the factory speaker to use the housing as a mounting plate or make their own. If using the factory speaker housing, top mount depth is 3.5".
Dash tweeter is about 5/8": Nothing is direct drop in, a mounting plate must be made to house whatever you buy, I believe you can go up to about a 3" driver if* you get creative on the mounting. I did 1" drivers and they fit with ease.

Basic Speaker Design and choosing a speaker for your system

Upgrading your speakers will greatly the sound quality and dynamic range of your system and is a good starting point for any system. Not all speakers are created equal; this guide will help you in choosing one that will suit your needs.

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Materials:

The materials that the speakers are made of will have a big impact on how they sound and how long they will last. A car is a horrible place for sensitive equipment due to the massive swings in temperature and humidity, so choose wisely.

Woofer: To reproduce low notes accurately, it is crucial that the woofer cone is as stiff and rigid as possible while still being lightweight. Many older speakers used paper cones which did not fare well over time. New designs incorporate materials such as polypropylene, woven fabrics, or synthetics coated Al or Ti. All of which handle the elements well.

Surround: VERY IMPORTANT, this is the soft part around the cone of the woofer and allows the cone to move in and out unrestricted. In general a rubber surround will give best overall performance and durability. Foam and cloth are alright as well and are typically cheaper, but will not last as long.

Tweeter: The materials in the tweeter are probably the most easily noticed in the overall sound of the speaker. Typically soft materials like poly, silk, or textile blends will give calmer highs that are refined and hard materials such as metals, ceramics, or graphite will give you bright and crisp highs.

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Types of speakers:

Full range: More common and usually the easier and cheaper option of the two. A full range speaker has everything mounted in one basket, making the install simple, remove the old and replace with new. There are many flavors of full range though: dual cone and 2/3/4/5 way. I tend to just stick with 2 ways, but the choice is up to you.

Component: The better sound quality option of the two. Typically more expensive, require more power, and slightly more difficult install. Component speakers consist of a woofer, separate tweeters, and external crossovers. The woofer mounts in the standard location and the tweeter mounts in a spot that will provide the best imaging (A pillar, dash, high on door, etc). Usually use high quality crossovers that allow another level of tuning. A crossover splits the frequencies so that the woofer only gets the low notes and the tweeter only gets the highs. You can power component speakers off of an aftermarket head unit, but they really won’t show their true potential until they are powered by an external amp.

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Key Specs to look for:

Power Handling: Measured in two different ways: Peak and RMS. Both are measured in watts, but you’re going to want to pay a little more attention to the RMS rating vs. the peak rating. RMS is the amount of power the speaker requires to operate properly, it is recommended to provide 80%-120% of the wattage number given. This is the number that you should try and meet when matching speakers to an amplifier. You will not harm the speaker by giving it less than that, but it is best to not over power the speaker by more than 120%, as you run the risk of blowing it out. The peak rating refers to the amount power the speaker can handle during a brief burst (ie: short loud bass hit or similar).

Sensitivity: Basically how efficient the speaker converts power into sound. If you are powering the speakers off of the headunit only, you’ll want to look for a higher value since most the speakers will be underpowered. If you are using an amp(s) that are properly matched to the RMS power rating of the speaker, a lower value should not turn you away.

 

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Head units!

Things to look for in a Head Unit

It's a good idea to know what you have before you go and rip it all out, below are the stock headunits Nissan Equips the trucks with:
Basic:




6 Disk:


Rockford Fosgate:


Choosing a headunit may be one of the hardest choices you make when building your system, simply due to all of the different things you can get in them. You must decide what is important to you and your budget. Our trucks have a double din radio slot, so this allows the use of nearly every radio out there, so you have plenty to pick from.


Size: Headunits come in two main sizes, single and double din. There are some other oddball sizes out there but these are the most common sizes. Both of these sizes should fit in our trucks, but double check with multiple sites before pulling the trigger on one particular deck. I have found Crutchfield’s fitment guide to be the most accurate. If you are looking just to improve your sound and want to do so as cheap as possible, you’ll want to start with single dins. If you want the most factory looking install or want to have video capability, you’ll probably want a double din deck. Double dins are also thief magnets, if there is no removable face, so keep that in mind and take precautions to protect your investment. Many popular features can be had with both single and double din radios. Choosing a size really just comes down to what you want and how much you’re willing to spend.

Single din install requires the use of a trim kit as seen below.


Double din tends look a little cleaner, install wise:


One benefit to installing a single din is you then have room to install other things This is my setup, mulitline display single din radio on bottom and CB radio on top.


Power: If you don’t plan on adding any amps down the road, this is something you’ll want to keep an eye on. A typical head unit will put out anywhere from 18-22 watts RMS per channel. If the receiver is CEA-2006 compliant that is a huge plus as you then know that it actually puts out the rated power. If it is not then you are just taking the manufacturer’s word for it.

Dedicated Pre outs: If you plan on adding any amps at all, these are very important. If you don’t want to add any amps, then these are not an issue. They are not absolutely necessary, but will make adding and tuning amps much easier later. Depending on what channels you want to amplify, you want to have a dedicated preout for it. For example, you want to amp your front door speakers, and a sub; then you would want front preouts and sub. Obviously if you have front, rear, and sub you will have the most flexibility. In addition to what channels it has, you want to watch the output voltage. A typical deck will output about 2.5 volts, but the higher the voltage the stronger the signal to your amps which equals more volume with less distortion.

Sound Shaping Controls: You are going to want some kind of control over the sound. An EQ that has 3 bands of adjustment is pretty limited, the more bands, the more you can refine the sound. A parametric EQ is also very good.

Display: On a single din this can be the difference between loving and hating your new deck. Single din radios come with anywhere between 1 to 7 line displays(refers to the # of rows of text it can display). A one line display can very frustrating if it also allows control over your phone/ iPod. Scrolling through your songs/albums/artists ONE AT A TIME….. Just keep that in mind and choose wisely. On a double din, just keep in mind the type of touch screen (resistive vs. capacitive), resolution, and the size. Both can be affected by sun glare making the screens near impossible to read, so check out the reviews.
Single line:

Multi Line:

Controls: Some decks are a nightmare to navigate even when giving full thought, let alone while driving. The reviews should be able to help you some here.

Connections/built in features: Depends really on what you want and your price point again. Some features offered are Bluetooth, HD radio, satellite radio, usb input, aux input, video/ backup camera inputs, NAV, steering wheel controls, etc. Just pay attention to weather they are built into to the unit or are optional (usually requires another $50-$150 module).

Extra Notes:
If possible get the $10 little harness adaptor! This will save you a headache later when you go to install, and save your truck wire harness from being hacked up. Many online stores will include this along with a dash kit free, so check around.

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Your Trucks Factory Stereo Wiring Color Codes
- 2013 Frontier
- 2012 Frontier
- 2011 Frontier
- 2010 Frontier
- 2009 Frontier
- 2008 Frontier
- 2007 Frontier
- 2006 Frontier
- 2005 Frontier

Factory Speaker Wire color codes in the doors: (Thanks to SOUL_CHICKEN)
DS front: Blue/White (-), Blue/Red (+)
PS front: Blue/White (-), Black/White (+)
DS rear: Black (-), Green (+)
PS rear: Orange (-), Grey (+)

Factory Plug pin out on stock harness:

 

[glamisdude]

Subwoofers and Amplifiers!

Amplifiers:

An amplifier is a device for increasing the power of a signal by use of an external energy source, in simpler terms: an amp makes your music more powerful by using your battery to boost the signal from your head unit. “More clean power is what it is all about. If you can use something that is not being stressed it will be nicer than running something to the ragged edge. Things last longer when they are asked to work moderately-vs-balls to the wall, all of the time.” (As posted by Oliver on diymobileaudio.com) I could not have said it better myself. If set up properly an amp will allow you to have “headroom”. Headroom means having excess power reserves or capabilities available from the amplifier for use during those dynamic peaks to avoid clipping the amplifier and the resultant negative effects it can have on the sound of the system. For example, let’s say you can turn your volume up to 22 on your head unit before it starts sounding like garbage (clipping). If you now add an amp, when you turn it up to say 16 it is just as loud as it was when you had it at 22 before, but now the sound is cleaner at this level and you can still go louder, all the way to 22 again if your speakers can handle the volume.

Some general rules to follow when choosing an amp:

1) Not all amps are created equal, an amp that claims to produce 300watts RMS for $69 vs. another amp that claims to produce the same 300watts but cost $250. 9 times out of 10 the $250 amp will blow doors off the $69 amp. You usually get what you pay for. They may both look of equal quality on the outside, but it’s the guts what matters. Video that shows and Explains the differences

2) Buy the most powerful quality amp you can get. You can always turn it down, but if you reach the max capabilities of the amp, you have to start all over again with a different more powerful amp.

3) Try and get a CEA 2006 Rated amp to insure you’re getting the power you paid for. CEA-2006 allows consumers to be able to compare car amplifiers and receivers on an equal basis. Manufacturers who choose to abide by the new standard are able to stamp their products with the CEA-2006 logo that reads: "Amp Power Standard CEA-2006 Compliant."

Basics for Choosing an Amp (Video)

Classes of Amplifiers
An amplifier is classified according to its circuit design and the way its output stages are powered. Although some may assume that for every portion of the input signal there is corresponding 100% output from the amplifier, power dissipation (in the form of heat) and distortion of the audio signal are two key factors in determining the efficiency and fidelity of an amplifier. Each class has its own performance characteristics and advantages.

* Class A amplifiers are desirable for the high quality of their sound, but, because of the configuration of its transistors, a pure class A amplifier is inefficient and runs very hot. This is because even when there is no audio signal, the output transistors always have current running through them. The current flowing through the output transistors (with no audio signal) causes the amp to heat up unnecessarily, and "waste" input energy. Most car amplifiers that boast "Class A" circuitry are really Class A/Class AB hybrids.
* The output transistors of Class B amplifiers actually turn off for half of every signal cycle. This improves efficiency and saves energy, but introduces distortion during the switching periods.
* By far the most common car amp design, Class AB amplifiers also allow current to run through the output transistors when there is no audio signal, but at a much lower level. A class AB amplifier runs cooler, and therefore, more efficiently than a class A, with low distortion and high reliability.
* Class D amplifiers use output transistors as switches to control power distribution — the transistors rapidly switch on and off at least twice during every signal cycle. Class D amps boast higher efficiency, produce less heat, and draw less current than traditional Class AB designs. Class D amplifiers produce higher distortion than AB designs due to the high-speed switching on and off of the transistors, but this distortion occurs at high frequencies that are typically removed by a low-pass filter.

-------------------------------Be Sure to Pick Up a Wiring Kit When You Get Your New Amp!-Click Here----------------------------------------

Tuning Your Amplifier:
There are many people out there that have spent lots of money on a system only to still have it sound just ok. Your average person or high school kid will try and get some of the best stuff they can afford and just throw it in their car and turn it on. If that amp happens to be for a subwoofer, then the gain and bass boost will most likely be near all the way up. This is great if you want garbled noise that WILL damage your speakers. However if you want your equipment to last and sound great throughout its lifespan, it pays off to spend the time to learn how to recognize distortion and properly tune your amps to minimize it.
Before attempting to tune your system its a good ideal to familiarize yourself with the various settings on your amp(s)
Gain/Input sensitivity: Gain, as it applies to car amplifiers, refers to the adjustment necessary to match an amplifier's input to the receiver's output. Properly setting the gain prevents an amp from "clipping," distorting the signal due to being overdriven, which can damage speakers.All About Gain!
Bass Boost:Increases the output of low frequencies. Usually centered somewhere between 40 and 90 Hz, many amps have variably controlled circuits that allow you to increase the bass level in dB increments (ie. 0-12 dB at 45Hz). Variable bass boosts allow you to adjust the center frequency, changing the character of the bass. If you do choose to boost the bass, you will then need to re-adjust the amp's gain, to compensate for the boost and prevent the amp from clipping and distorting.
Cross over:Crossovers consist of both a high-pass and low-pass filter. Often used to keep high-frequencies from reaching a subwoofer, a low-pass filter allows only frequencies below the crossover point to be amplified. A high-pass filter allows only frequencies above the crossover point to be amplified — useful for keeping low bass away from small speakers, so they can play more efficiently. Crossovers are usually listed as variable or selectable. Continuously Variable means the crossover can be freely adjusted to any frequency between the listed end points. Selectable means that you can choose from several preset crossover points.

There are three main ways to tune your amp(s), listed below are the different ways to tune your amp:
For all methods 0db test tones are required! Download and then burn to CD here: 0db Test Tones

1) Tune using an Oscilloscope , By far the best option since it allows you to visually see when clipping of the signal occurs. Downside is that O-Scopes are expensive if you don't have access to one and are somewhat difficult to use if you have never used one before.
2) Tune using a Multi-Meter, slightly easier and many more people can afford/ already own one. Downside with this method is that unless you are certain that your amp can produce the power it says it can you can introduce some distortion in your system.
3) Tune by Ear, Not as easy as it sounds but with some practice and knowledge it is doable. Many audiophiles and pros have mastered this skill but I would say that if your not a pro/ audiophile and can't get your hands on an O-Scope a combination of this method and the multi-meter method will be best for you.

For details on each procedure and how to perform them click here

When it comes to amplifiers, these guides will pretty much answer just about everything else you need to know:
- Car Amplifiers FAQ
General Tips - General Amplifier Installation Tips
Tools list - Amplifier Installation Guide
How to determine the best wire gauge - Cable Gauge Chart
- Amplifier Wiring Diagram
All about Power and Clipping! (technical)

 

[glamisdude]

Troubleshooting Your System

Subwoofers, the Low Down:

Probably the first thing you think of when it comes to stereos, and for good reason. A subwoofer will give your system that needed punch and really turn your system into one that makes your local high school kids drool. A sub is usually the difference between a good sounding system and a great sounding system. There is a lot of bad info floating around about these bad boys, hopefully this will help separate the good from the bad.

With bass, there are three main components to that are required to produce the low frequencies in your music. A driver (speaker), an enclosure, and the power behind the driver.

1) The Driver: Pretty straight forward, this is the speaker that makes the vibrations. There is much to know about this large speaker.
a- Size: The advertised size of a subwoofer is a measure of the diameter if a circle, and one of the sides if square, typically in inches. Size of the speaker will change the way it sounds. Typically the smaller the driver the tighter the bass sounds (better for rapid drum kicks as found in metal and rock) and the larger the driver the more boomy the bass will be (dance type music, rap, hip-hop, reggae, etc). Also a larger driver (>12") will play the really low notes(<40hz) more accurately but will also lose accuracy in the higher bass frequencies, the inverse is true for smaller drivers (<12"). Keep in mind your space constraints for your when pick a subwoofer size, one thing to remember the larger the sub typically the larger the enclosure must be to house it.
b- Excursion: aka X-Max. This refers to the amount of linear movement the cone can produce cleanly in one direction. Measured in mm. I would consider over 15mm to be a high excursion driver, which usually needs more power to perform well.
c- Impedance and Voice Coils: Impedance is measured in ohms and you'll want to pay attention to the impedance per voice coil and the amount of coils. The impedance and number of coils directly correlates with your wiring options and which amp you pick and how the power get to the speaker. These factors along with the rms power handling is what you use to choose your amp.
d-Materials and other specs: Refer to the speaker section as a subwoofer is more or less a large speaker. Click Here
e- Enclosure Volume Required: The enclosure volume MUST fit into the volume window given for each type of enclosure for best sound. So keep that in mind.

2) The Enclosure: Without it your sub would hardly be audible... There are many types that produce a very different sound. There are three main types of enclosures, sealed, ported, and bandpass.
a-Sealed: The easiest box to make or buy. The technical name is 2nd Order Acoustic Suspension Sealed. This box will be the smallest of the 3 main types if using the same driver. It will also produce a tighter sounding bass but will also require more power to reach the same output as some of the other types. The sealed design also produces a flat response across the frequency range. This is my favorite design and what I use in my truck.

b-Ported: More difficult to make but not too bad with the proper info and tools, somewhat difficult to buy pre-made that matches the specs for your speaker. Will give your sub a more boomy sound and be louder with less power but to sound correct the box must match the sub well. The box will also be a good amount larger than a sealed one. With a ported box another factor comes into play that must be considered. With a ported box the frequency response is a bell curve, this means that it will be very loud at a particular frequency and taper off above and below it. So you will want to keep an eye on what that peak frequency is for each box and try to match it to the speakers optimum tuning range(in owners manual). Most prefab boxes are tuned at about 45hz which give good range across the frequency spectrum but is usually to high according to the sub maker.

^This is one I made a few years back for my home theater (first box I ever made, I have improved greatly since).

c- Bandpass: Most difficult to build and I strongly advise against buying this type pre-built. This is by far going to be the biggest box of the three. It is unique because it combines a the two types above. Typically the sub is mounted in a sealed box that then fires into a ported one. This gives you the best of both. You will get maximum bass at given frequency but the response curve is even sharper than the ported so other frequencies may seem weak.

Click Here for more info on each type

Thinking about building your own?
-Free Box Plans
- Volume Calculators

3)POWER! What moves your speaker
This one is pretty straight forward, be sure to match your amp to your sub properly.
Your checklist:
1) First Choose a sub and enclosure that you like. *Make sure the recommended size for the type of box you want will fit in your truck.
2) Note down the RMS power rating, Peak power rating, # of Voice coils, and impedance of each coil for the sub.
3) Now figure out all wiring configurations for the sub How?. Ex. If dual 4ohm then final imp= 2ohm, 4ohm + 4ohm, or 8ohm.
4) Next find an amp that will produce the RMS power the speaker wants at one of the final impedance's you just calculated in your price range and refer to the choosing an amp section.

Guides on Subwoofers:
- Subwoofers from A to Z
- Subwoofer wiring options Calculator
Subwoofer Myths Busted

Examples of Subwoofers Installed in 05+ Frontiers:
Crew Cab Examples
King Cab Examples

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Troubleshooting your System:

No install goes perfectly every time… It’s not uncommon to run into issues either during the install, or after while testing out your system. Below are some common problems and their remedies:

Noise in system?
1) Are you listening to a clean source/ recording? Try a different song. If using the aux input with the headphone jack, try tuning down the volume on the phone/ ipod/ mp3.
2) - How To Diagnose and Suppress Noise
3) - How to Choose a Noise Suppressor

No power to Head Unit?
1) Was the harness wired correctly? Double check by comparing the aftermarket radio diagram to the truck diagram.
2) Grounded to a good ground? To work properly, the headunit should be grounded to the frame of the truck right behind the dash somewhere.

Amp(s) won’t turn on?
1) Remote turn on connected?
2) Good ground on the amp?
3) Are the fuses still good on the amp/ power cable from the battery?

Airbag Light Stuck On?
1)Here's the Process to Fix it

 

[glamisdude]

Install Guide

Installing Speakers
Front Doors
SOUL_CHICKEN's How To on Front Speakers

Rear Doors
SOUL_CHICKEN's How to on Rear Speakers KC (scroll half way down)
Skibane's Write Up on Using Adapter Plates on Rear Doors

Tweeters
Upgrading or adding tweeters will help bring out the highs and detail in the music. The factory tweeters are so so but if you don't have any currently they will make a huge difference. This will show you how to add or replace the tweeters in the factory dash location.

Step 0: Locate grill


Step 1: Remove Grill, using either your fingers or a small screwdriver. There are four snaps that hold the grill in place.


Step 2: Remove factory tweeter, (skip if adding) remove the two 6mm bolts and lift the tweeter out.


Step 3: Disconnect the harness and completely remove. Factory tweeter is 4ohm


Step 4: Wiring, if using an aftermarket amp run speaker wire to the tweeter location. If using factory wiring, cut off connector leaving an inch or so on the connector so you can go back to stock if needed. Some tweeters will come with a small length of wire and have an inline crossover (like the one pictured) just connect the end of the leads to the respective + and - on the truck side.


Step 5: Make a mounting plate to hold new tweeter. I used a small amount of lexan to mount the new tweeter in the factory location. If your tweeters are o the larger side screwing them down will not be necessary as the grills will hold them just fine.



Step 6: Snap that grill back in place and turn it up!

Installing a Head Unit
Wizzard005's AVIC-F700BT Install

Adding Extra Features
How to Add Steering Wheel Controls- by 05cc4x4
Replacing RF Head Unit and ASWC & Bluetooth Bypass info - Pointers- by RickNY

Adding an Amplifier
SOUL_CHICKEN's Amplifier Install (4 channel)

 

[glamisdude]

Other Guides For More Info:

2015 OEM Nav and Backup Camera Swap

Looking to upgrade your 2013+ and want to retain all factory features? Click here (Thanks to rlowery78 )

Nissan Frontier || All Years || Car Audio MasterSheet / MasterList- by Wizzard005

Seriously detailed, tips from the Pros: Worlds Loudest Car Stereo Champions; 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1996
http://www.makeitlouder.com/carstereo.html

Need more info on wiring options for your 4 or 5 channel amp? Need help solving amp related problems? This is the link for you:
http://www.maxxsonics.net/manuals/hifonics/pdfs/Zxi 08 Amplifier Manual.pdf
(Yes its a manual, but nearly all of the info provided is universal across other brands)

 

[JayAre]

The links you posted for the factory wiring harness color codes are much appreciated. However, do you happen to know where I can find a list that includes the steering wheel controls? I'm having trouble finding that bit of info, and I've been trying to troubleshoot my axxess ASWC.

Also: Awesome post. Many people will find this useful.

 

[glamisdude]

The links you posted for the factory wiring harness color codes are much appreciated. However, do you happen to know where I can find a list that includes the steering wheel controls? I'm having trouble finding that bit of info, and I've been trying to troubleshoot my axxess ASWC.

Also: Awesome post. Many people will find this useful.

First off, Thank you sir It is much appreciated.

My AWSC gave me some issues at first as well.... My issue was forgetting to ground pin 3 of the factory harness:laugh:

This should help you though. Just follow their directions and you shouldn't any more issues:
http://contentdocs.installernet.com/documents/vehicle/10979.pdf

 

[S0UL_CHICKEN]

Great information that deserves to be stickied! I have searched high and low for those color codes as well, and will come in very handy when I go to install the 4-channel amp, and Alpine Type S's all the way around this weekend. Thank you!

 

[x_mods]

Great information! I can't wait to see what the two reserved posts develop into

My Axxis was easy to wire, but it would act up and switch sources randomly. Sent it in with 808UpFronts to be updated and both of ours have been problem free since.

 

[glamisdude]

First install video added!
http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/...diy-research-install-guide-85682/#post1168738

 

[S0UL_CHICKEN]

Great video on the speaker install! Did you happen to take a video of you snaking the wire through the door? I ran out of time on that part, but want to take it to that level when the time comes this spring. I ended up tapping into the wiring harness behind the HU because of time constraints.

 

[glamisdude]

I don't think I did any video of that but I did take some pictures on how to do it. No matter what way you can think of doing it, its still a pain in the a** to get the wire into the door. The way you did it is fine, but you will get better sound when you go back and do it that way. I think the factory wire size 18-20awg which is really small... The stuff I used in my truck was 14awg and shielded which gets you better power delivery with less noise.

 

[S0UL_CHICKEN]

Good to know sir! I am actually kind of glad I didn't take on that challenge yet. I am looking forward to pictures!

Continue the great write-up! Looking forward to reading more.

 

[glamisdude]

Big update to the Amplifier and Subwoofer sections Check it out!

 

[S0UL_CHICKEN]

This thread needs to be stickied!!

Great stuff glamisdude!

 

[glamisdude]

^ Why thank you sir! But I can't take all the credit, you helped as well So good job to you too!

 

[ChromeGnome]

Not sure if this is known, but Rockford Fosgate says that the unit puts out 380w RMS. Rockford Fosgate® - Frontier I was under the assumption that 380 was the peak.

 

[glamisdude]

Updated the install section with a how to video for the rear doors!

Check it out!
http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/...diy-research-install-guide-85682/#post1168738