Installing music in a mazda 3

[mleewen]

Hey i buying a mazda 3 at the end of the month hopefully ,question have any anybody install a dvd system and is it difficult to do

[jusbass]

yes and no its not difficult to do jus need to change

the head unit the car came with but you need to check ur warranty first

[Lance]

we've done a few Mazda 3,

Changing the deck won't void the warantee, but double check before you do.

You will need a dash kit for the Mazda 3, either a single or double din depending on the headunit you are purchasing,

Both scosche and metra have dash kits for the 3's.

the metra seems to be the better kit,

[mleewen]

good day well it will be a foreign used mazda 3 but what about the display on top of the deck with shows u the radio stations what would become of that

[323fsport]

You would loose that display... and if your car has DIS, you would also loose that information in changing the head unit.

[mleewen]

so it will be better to keep the deck and use line out convertors and run a separate dvd deck

[nigel1977]

no. it wont be better.

[323fsport]

i wouldn't say it is better....

I maintained my deck because i wanted to keep a "factory" look in installing my music... but if you're not concerned with that, and looking more for quality audio, go ahead with the aftermarket head unit.

There are now some companies that make aftermarket headunits that have the "factory look"... For the Mazda 3, check out the following links:

http://www.caradvanced.com/products/Maz ... -Ipod.html

http://www.flyaudio.net/product_id.asp?id=127

and there are others....

but to reiterate, the LCD screen shows the following:
Time
Radio Station/Track Information
DIS - Only if your previous head unit supported it.
Exterior/Ambient Temperature - Only if you had the temperature sensor installed (US $45)

If i'm not mistaken, the only thing you can maintain in changing the headunit would be the tempreature information, and that's only if you have the sensor plugged in. Everthing else (with the exception of DIS) you would get off of the new Head Unit.

[mleewen]

thanks for the info i also like to keep the factory look,i was planning to install a flip down monitor with built in dvd and use either a audio control lc8 or the Rockford Fosgate 3SIXTY.1 .what u think

[olewhip]

mleewen, i have a mazda 6 and changed the consol to put in an alpine deck single din. the lcd screen remained the same except where used to display the station or track now has "MY MAZDA 6" but after playing with the set and clock knobs i realised the writing can be changed to whatever i liked not sure if it is the same for the mazda 3. And the kit i got is from metra turbo.
even though the original look is more appealing, i find the dash looks really good with the metra kit.

[olewhip]

the deck in the aftermarket single din consol
as compared to teh original

[kurpal_v2]

^^ that metra kits looks much cleaner than the stock console... A denford or a prs would have absolutely looked stock in that kit, lemme stop eh lol..

[mleewen]

olewhip that kit look clean

[Bosse]

Anybody have the plastic cover face for the 3 audio unit?

[mleewen]

hey guys well i going and install a double din deck which dash kit is the better buy scosche or metra kit

[nick009]

do the stock steering wheel buttons work with these aftermarket stereos?

[pimptacular]

it would work but you would have to purchase this in the below link..there may be other brands out there but i use the pac audio on an alpine unit in my car

http://www.pac-audio.com/swixprogrammin ... amming.asp

check that link should give u a better idea and u can also look up the model of ur car to make sure its compatible

[Rainman]

if it's a 04-05 3 with auto AC then the display passes through the stock deck, i haven't tried to bypass this YET. I don't think there is a way. SR may know better

[Firewall]

if it's a 04-05 3 with auto AC then the display passes through the stock deck, i haven't tried to bypass this YET. I don't think there is a way. SR may know better

tried it with a Primera Wagon, honestly i don't think that it can easily be done because the setup is hardwired into the deck.

there may be a way, but cost vs effort vs gain vs RF360 will be the determining factor

[SR]

OE steering control with aftermarket head unit for the mazda 3

http://www.metraonline.com/products.aspx


double din dash kit

http://www.metraonline.com/products.aspx

single din dash kit retianing display

http://www.metraonline.com/products.aspx


no mention of after market audio interfacing with the display

suggest checking exonic for the kits as he is the authorised dist for metra
as well as he may have a kit out of singapore for this vehicle

i know metra has a kit for the rx8 that retains the display for around $1600TT

[SR]

crutchfield


http://www.crutchfield.com/g_112200/Veh ... ml?tp=3121


again no mention of the display so looks like you lose it on the audio feature

[bgh]

My wife M3 i did in may....

HU - Poineer DEH P610BT
Metra dash kit from amazon
Wire harness from amazon
SW audio controls PAC's SWI-PS from amazon
10" power acuitics Sub
JBL 6 channel amp

[Rainman]

It's generally not recommended to mount your amplifier on your sub box, i see you got a 60/40 split seat in the back, mount it on the 60. And try to hide the RCA and P/G cables. Dash kit looks great, were there any fitting issues?

[bgh]

I plan to rearrange the back so I will.
The dash kit fits good except for the pocket above, but that work itself out..
I wanted the deck to protrude but all combination I tried did not work well…

sounds great and de wifey loves it, more hard pound then me, she says…

[Rainman]

more hard pound then me, she says…

That's no good meng..lol

[Nasrallah]

Bump...

Can one keep the stock deck and install a 4 ch and a mono block ?

Thanks

[SR]

yes

you have a choice of interfaces to use for the factory head unit to integrate with aftermarket amplifiers

from sumple line out converters with a remote turn on module
to the jl audio clean sweep
audio control dql 8
rockford fosgate 360

and much more depends on how much you want to spend as well as if you intend to replace the factory unit eventually then that will determine your choice as the the aftermarket interface may not work when u replace the factory head unit

[Nasrallah]

^^Thanks...

I think I'll go with a line out converter after seeing the price for one of those 3sixtys and audio controls.

I have have a pre amp from before can I use this instead of the line converter?

[SR]

if it can take speaker level inputs and has the rca outputs yes

[Nasrallah]

Bump..

Thanks SR

Installed my system the other day..(I wasn't there when it was installed..steups)

Now I had used the same equipment I had from another car except installed a line converter since I used the stock deck.

The problem now is I find the system too loud. As in its quiet around Vol 1-2 then gets really loud at vol 7-8 there is no in-between.

Here is my noob question... Is it my gains on the amps i have to adjust or is it on the line driver or pre amp?

Wish i can go back by the installer but I just don't have the time...so its DIY