Relocate radio

G

g3driver

Experienced Member
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3 January 2009
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Los Angeles
I drive my nsx manly on the track and on weekends. Has anyone thought to move the head unit in the glovebox on center armrest? I am not a radio guy so I don't care about audio quality and all I use the stock radio for is to listen to my iPhone. I would like to use the space where in radio is to put a few engine gauges.

I am trying to find the smallest head unit out there. Thoughs?
 
You don't need a radio at all. Just plug your iphone directly into the amps.
 
Moses said:
I've seen it in the glove compartment before.
Click to expand...

Maybe without an airbag... otherwise no way. And it most certainly isnt going in the console. His phone is his radio why go through all that?!
 
Last edited:
No, but there is no reason why it wouldn't work. At worst you may need to match voltage levels by an external adaptor.
 
To the OP, I am considering this as well, but I think that if I figure out that I am going to go through the stuff to get the radio into the glove box my lazy butt might just remove it completely...we'll see when the time comes.

It can be done though, just a matter of how much you want it.
 
I use my phone for calls/navigation/Pandora/Online Radio/mp3 &have radar detector. Right now I have it hooked to a Spec Adapter but I'm thinking of connecting Bluetooth. I only use my radio for the volume control!
 
NSX Electronics (including Stereo, Multimedia, Security, etc.)
iphones, ipads, gauges, screens, radar... my latest research and my install in the NSX

Go to this thread started by TURBO2GO. It has some amazing ideas in it. If i could find someone trustworthy, i would pay to have one of these simple installs done.
 
TURBO2GO said:
No, but there is no reason why it wouldn't work. At worst you may need to match voltage levels by an external adaptor.
Click to expand...
:frown:
I've Tried before cause I wanted to do this as well, it works but you need a volume control and a amp to aplify the volume for the phone. I just havent had a chance to get everything started.
 
Moses are you saying at max volume on your phone you weren't getting enough output?
 
By the way guys I've been using the o'car iPhone radio for months now. Works great. Has a shitty Bluetooth but otherwise... Love it!
 
The O'car has an amp in it, correct? So could you rig up a basic system just off of that with no additional amps and lose some weight and complexity? I'm not sure if you ever showed/described what your final install was on that other thread- if not, could you show it here? If so, I can look at it there.
Thanks
 
Yes the ocar has a fairly powerful amp inside, and the unit is very light, 1.8 or so pounds. Can easily drive a set of speakers and I think if you add a JBL MS-2 to just that with a set of basic 2 way coaxials in the doors you will surpass the Bose system in terms of quality. And save 20 pounds easily. I haven't updated the other thread yet because my iPhone is my camera and camcorder and so when it's in the radio, I have nothing to record with. LOL... I'll borrow a friends iPhone soon and make a video. It's in my element right now, not the NSX. I'm kind of waiting to see the O'dock since I'm using an external amp in the nsx. I can save that extra 2 pounds because I gained a pound switching from the JL 400/4 to the 600/6. The position the ocar puts my phone at is perfect. Angling it towards me makes a big difference. Been running my navigon nav app, pandora, iheart radio... Still can go online or text with all this stuff running simultaneously. No issues with my 4S. That's actually 3 apps running at once and it works fine.
 
My 4S with the navigon app kicks the butt of my much more expensive Magellan nav unit. In fact it's the best nav I've ever used. $50. I don't get people's fascination with head units. They're a complete waste of money, space, and weight.
 
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Hmmm... well you can get a line amp. Did you get one?

How many channels out of the factory radio? 4? L/R/C/S? Did you have to use Y adaptors? or it is 2 channel into the amp and is there an out to the sub? I haven't been in there so I am not sure what the setup is.
 
TURBO2GO said:
By the way guys I've been using the o'car iPhone radio for months now. Works great. Has a shitty Bluetooth but otherwise... Love it!
Click to expand...

Have this in my Widebody car and love it... I have a very light 5 lb total stereo in the car. ^this headunit and a set of light alpine 3 way 6.5 inch speakers in the doors... Sounds "ok" but I was shooting for VERY light as it is a track car.
 
The O'car... I love it and wouldn't sell it but it does have a few issues. First is, its Bluetooth is terrible in terms of sound quality. Almost useless. It only affects making calls and having them come through the stereo. I actually just hit "speaker" and use my phone's internal speaker and microphone. I have use the BT on extended calls but it's hard for the party to hear you clearly in a loud car. I mounted the microphone on the dash but perhaps if it's mounted closer it'll be better. The BT also doesn't "see" the phone everytime and you have to manually sync it. PITA. I just don't use it and frankly don't miss it.

Also the unit sits "out" a lot more than a regular radio so it doesn't have that "flush" look but it can't because the phone needs to pull out and rotate. Make sure there are no clearance issues with the gauge din plate.

My vote is for you to put your gauges in a nav pod where they belong. Much better there thank having to look down. Then you won't have to worry about clearance issues either with the Ocar. Are you just using the ocars built in amp for the speakers?
 
SOURCENSX said:
Have this in my Widebody car and love it... I have a very light 5 lb total stereo in the car. ^this headunit and a set of light alpine 3 way 6.5 inch speakers in the doors... Sounds "ok" but I was shooting for VERY light as it is a track car.
Click to expand...

Do you have a photo? What console did you use?
 
the nav pod is 400 at SOS. It's not that important to me. I can mount them on the pillar.
Thank you for the BT input, I can overlook that overall the radio will work well for me.

Do you have a picture of the O car installed so I can see how far it sticks out? Thank you.

TURBO2GO said:
The O'car... I love it and wouldn't sell it but it does have a few issues. First is, its Bluetooth is terrible in terms of sound quality. Almost useless. It only affects making calls and having them come through the stereo. I actually just hit "speaker" and use my phone's internal speaker and microphone. I have use the BT on extended calls but it's hard for the party to hear you clearly in a loud car. I mounted the microphone on the dash but perhaps if it's mounted closer it'll be better. The BT also doesn't "see" the phone everytime and you have to manually sync it. PITA. I just don't use it and frankly don't miss it.

Also the unit sits "out" a lot more than a regular radio so it doesn't have that "flush" look but it can't because the phone needs to pull out and rotate. Make sure there are no clearance issues with the gauge din plate.

My vote is for you to put your gauges in a nav pod where they belong. Much better there thank having to look down. Then you won't have to worry about clearance issues either with the Ocar. Are you just using the ocars built in amp for the speakers?
Click to expand...
 
TURBO2GO said:
Do you have a photo? What console did you use?
Click to expand...

I had 3 different consoles here at the time I was installing all of this. I ended up using the SOS composite. It was lighter than the dali carbon and the oem. I did not use a coin tray or a shift boot in the weights as I am not using them in the car.
console.jpg


I used the SOS double Din bracket and cut it down to only use exactly what I needed to hold the radio solid. I removed all of the access metal ( I know a bit much but I am trying to save weight as much as I can ).

Here is an installed pic.
382790_2270344395590_1158013205_32081153_1644419608_n.jpg


The speakers I used were Alpine. I will have to look for the exact model number, I do not remember right now. But they weighed less than 2.5lbs.
 
Thanks. Did you use the ocar sleeve to mount to the console? The ocar chassis has only one threaded hole on the left side to secure to a bracket. Idk who the genius was behind that design. Believe it or not I drilled my ocar chassis for screw holes. It's tricky because if your drill bit goes too far you are now drilling the boards in the radio. This is a major F'up on their part. But I did get it nice and secure. Thats in my Honda element. In the NSX I was going to use the SOS console and the double din bracket, and sort of center the radio between the top din and bottom din. So when it rotates up its not blocking the HVAC controls. I won't do the nsx for a few months still and since I have an external amp I may wait for the O'dock. It's lighter still.
 

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