[nbvolks]

This was about as straightforward an install as they come. It's great having something a little newer than the 95 3n1 headunit, and the convenience of it holding 6 CDs is even nicer on the MR2. But who cares about that, you wnt to see pics right?

-Nathan

 

[KyleScha]

Looks great. I kind of miss having the stock CD player for some reason.

 

[Kosan]

Looks Great! Whats your setup in terms of speakers and amps? Are they stock?

 

[tvismr2]

That's awesome :thumbup

and thanks for the pic lol

 

[nbvolks]

Looks Great! Whats your setup in terms of speakers and amps? Are they stock?

The tweeters, door speakers and quarter panel speakers are all run by the stock (or in this case, newer stock) external amplifier. The two stock subs (which have been replaced with newer subs, but use the same boxes and are an exact fit) are powered by an aftermarket amp under the passenger seat. This is the PERFECT set-up for a normal listener in a daily driven car. If you want to win sound competitions, or like having the person in the car next to you listen to you rmusic when your windows are rooled up, then this isn't the set-up for you. But the sound quality is excellent and well balanced, and sounds better than any stock stereo I've heard in a brand new car.

-Nathan

 

[Kosan]

Nathan -

Thanks for the feedback. This is exactly what Im looking for. I do have a few questions if you dont mind.

1. Per your external amp for the tweeters/door speakers, where is the placement of the amp? (rear drivers side panel?)

2. Do you mind telling us what brand subs and amp you used that fits under the seat?

3. I assume no modifications were needed to fit that solara cd player? btw - where did you get it?

I had a terrible experience with Circuit City and I just want to do everything myself now. I definately would like to follow your lead and find something thats a slight upgrade over stock but nothing more.


Look forward to your response.

 

[nbvolks]

Nathan -

Thanks for the feedback. This is exactly what Im looking for. I do have a few questions if you dont mind.

1. Per your external amp for the tweeters/door speakers, where is the placement of the amp? (rear drivers side panel?)

2. Do you mind telling us what brand subs and amp you used that fits under the seat?

3. I assume no modifications were needed to fit that solara cd player? btw - where did you get it?

I had a terrible experience with Circuit City and I just want to do everything myself now. I definately would like to follow your lead and find something thats a slight upgrade over stock but nothing more.


Look forward to your response.

1.The stock external amp is pretty small and I have it up under the dash behind and to the right of the stereo, close to the glove box area. I should tell you that if your car has the existing external amp, where it would be in the driver's side quarter panel, then this mod will not work as easilly for you and it will require rewiring. If you have the basic stereo set-up (which consists of two connectors at the back of the head unit), then this will be very easy and straight forward.

2. Honestly I don't remember now. I've had both out and looked at them, but I don't remember, since it was actually the previous owner that bought them and installed them in the first place. Had I bought them, I promise you I'd have remembered the brands.

3. No modifications were needed to fit it, it slides right in using the stock brackets, and seats flush with the rest of the panel. I got it from eBay, but even on there, they're pretty rare, especially if you want the flat faced kind, like this one, and not the kind that has a slightly lifted face and rounded enges.

-Nathan

 

[93turbonc]

Did anyone figure out what subs would replace the factory ones?

 

[Jonny]

Wow, That looks very clean!

Way to Go!

 

[nbvolks]

I need to take a picture of it outside and in daylight rather than down in the garage.

-Nathan

 

[David Hawkins]

Am I reading correctly that if you have a stock 3/1 with 8 speakers and the twin plugs in the back of the head unit that this is basically plug n play? Looks nice.

I also see that you have the auto climate control head...does it work in Auto mode? I looked into that when I was in Japan, but there were more parts involved than I wanted to figure out.

 

[nbvolks]

Am I reading correctly that if you have a stock 3/1 with 8 speakers and the twin plugs in the back of the head unit that this is basically plug n play? Looks nice.

I also see that you have the auto climate control head...does it work in Auto mode? I looked into that when I was in Japan, but there were more parts involved than I wanted to figure out.

Yeah, if it has the twin connectors in the back, this is plug and play. In fact, as long as it has the correct physical dimensions, any Toyota stereo will work with the two plug set-up. Either because the stereo itself is internally amplified, and thus has the two connector output, or you plug the two connectors into one of two Toyota amplifiers, which then have a plug that goes into the back of the headunit.

There are two different types of these external amps, one used ~97-99 and the other from 00-present. They're about 6x3x2.5 or so. They easily tuck behind the stereo toward the passenger side. Which one you'll need depends on which year stereo you end up using, since the main difference between the two is the connector that goes from the amp to the headunit.

As for the auto-climate control, I'll let you all in on a dirty little secret. It's just the facade. I swapped the control unit in, and while doing so I swapped in the switch from the US-spec unit, so "auto" is just the low setting. To do the entire swap would not only be difficult, it would be impossible. No LHD car ever got the climate control function. That means that all the little servos and controls that go in the ducts are all designed for ducts on RHD cars. One thing I have wondered about though is if it might be possible to do with a combination of climate control parts from an 85 MR2 and from a 90-93 Celica. But yeah, in reality it's just sort of a "for show" thing. I couldn't even use the dual button "a/c" "econ", because it doesn't work with the stock wiring configuration.

-Nathan

 

[nbvolks]

Did anyone figure out what subs would replace the factory ones?

Audiobahn 5-1/4" Mid-Bass Woofers in OEM enclosures with JBL 150.1 amp mounted under passenger seat

-Nathan

 

[G3aR]

i'll be buying those very soon, thanks for that little peice of info. i've been wondeirng what i could put there.

 

[Gsus]

that looks really nice... i was planning on going this route last year before i went ahead & did my scion headunit swap . my scion headunit is crapping out on me.... so i'm going to opt for the newer scion 6cd/mp3 changer. anyhow, i was just wondering where you wired in your hi-to-lo rca converters in your car? i had my setup running off a 4ch amp, but i placed the hi-to-low converters behind the stereo (tight squeeze!). this time around i want to mount the amp in the frunk, but i was wondering if it was necessary to have the rca converters close to the headunit, or can i just wire those in at the frunk next to the amp and get shorter rca's? you wouldnt happen to know would ya?

 

[stanpho]

i would love to have that 3in1 system in my car... but I don't think I could do without my DIN cupholders...