Nissan Versa Audio & Entertainment System Questions

vinnievincent

I just purchased a 2009 Versa S. The radio does not have the aux input for my Sirius or Ipod...Could I use these in my Versa without using an FM transmitter? I would like to have something hardwired since the FM transmitters get lousy reception. Thanks.

ddomingo

Hi again,

The six speaker in 1.8 SL standard just sounded decent. Will upgrading to the audio package replace all the speakers and/or just add the Rockford subwoofer? Iam wondering if there would be a big improvement in sound quality? Have any of you guys already replaced speakers by yourself and was it easy?

flightnurse

Regarding the upgraded system package, I wanted that package but nissan has not released any cars with it yet. Now if you want to know what is sounds like ask the dealer to let you listen to a currently Nissan Car with the RF package, it will give you an itea of the sound...

The Versa was just released a weekago, I haven't heard of anyone chaning the speaker.

Tony :shades:

stickguy

It should be easy to add a sub if you want it. The location is there, and probably the wires too. But if not, it's a simple job for a stereo store.

It is quite possible to upgrade the sub and other speakers for less than the cost of the package, assuming the head unit is the same.

Sylvia

Have a question about your Nissan Versa's audio capabilities?

yardtime

Is there a place to plug in an iPod?

flightnurse

Only on the SL model there is a input jack on the stereo. I wish you control the iPOD from the stereo like the Honda Fit..

Tony

oregone

Does anyone know which cord you need to purchase to hook up your iPod to the SL's stereo? The salesperson had no clue and I'm not sure which cord is the right one.

perna

If there is a simple phono jack right on the front of the stereo, pick up a cable that has a 3.5mm plug on both ends. It will match the size of the plug of any pair of earphones you use with the iPod.

bendupre

Is the Ipod hookup passe when the stereo already plays MP3s?

I burned a couple MP3 CDs and popped them in and I haven't finished listening to all the songs yet.

One thing I don't like about the stereo is the display. It doesn't give enough characters to show all the info for the SIRIUS radio. I can tell it to show Category, Channel, artist, or song, but it won't scroll through all the info. It has a scroll button, but when you push it it only scrolls the current data selected (cat OR ch OR artist OR song) there's no way to get it to display everything. The aftermarket receiver I had inmy old car showed everything.

It's nice though that I don't have to stick a brick to the windshield or dashboard though. AND I don't have to jack in an Ipod to listen to MP3s. I do like integrated devices.

Ben

voltronguy

Hi Ben,
I'm a Sirius nut. I've got a starmate in my car. The Versa is my wife's car. How are you liking the setup besides the display issue? Can you set favorites like you would for FM/AM? Where did they mount the antenna?

bendupre

You get the 18 presets 1-6 A, B, and C. You can use them for AM, FM, or SAT whichever you choose. It's not enough though.

The left-hand up/down switch cycles through the categories and the right hand one cycles channels. Disp changes whether you want to see Category, Channel (name), Artist, or Song in the display window. If you want to know the artist and song, you have to press DISP and then SCRL twice each to get all the info.

The steering wheel controls only cycle through the presets. The SOURCE button will cycle through preset bank A, B, and C, and CD/MP3. I haven't plugged anything into the AUX jack yet so I can't tell if the SOURCE button would cycle through AUX as well. For sure it doesn't when there's nothing plugged in.

The dealer mounted the antenna on the roof all the way to the left hand side. There is moulded rubber trim piece that folds into the rear door gap concealing the wire. Then the wire goes under the door seal and into the C-pillar where the radio is mounted behind the plastic. They covered the exposed wire with some high-strength clear tape.

I was curious about the antenna placement and so I asked the service manager where it was supposed to got the antenna out and showed me the spot. I asked him to see if he could mountit directly behind the radio antenna in the center of the roof, and he said he would try it. When I picked up the car, I was disappointed to see the antenna conspicuously mounted on the left side. When I asked why he didn't mount it in the center like I asked, he said it wasn't picking up a signal there. I could tell he was giving me the BS though. He either forgot to tell the installer what I wanted, or was afraid to go against the factory instructions. I don't buy that the rubber radio antenna was blocking the signal since I can even pick up in my garage with the door open (my house faces north).

The parts cost $299 plus 1.5 hours labor to install for a total of about $439. It's only a $300 add from the factory though.

All-in-all, I like the integrated unit better. The Sportster replay unit I had kept falling off the windshield of my other car and the only place I could mount it was blocking part of the rear-view mirror.

Oh yeah, and you get three months subscription free.

Ben

livefree

I know the Versa has the option to have the integrated audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel, but since I have yet to see one in person with this feature, I wondered if any of you current owners have this? If so, what exactly are the buttons on the steering wheel? It's very hard to tell from the website photos alone. Thanks!

voltronguy

You get a track, source, and volume button. You can do quite a bit with them, include change CD's on the 6 disc changer.

bendupre

It comes with the convenience package and so it also includes the bluetooth answer/hangup buttons.

Ben

flightnurse

This is our second nissan with steering wheel controls for the Audio (the car is a 05 Altima) and I can tell you this, I love it, I don't have to take my hands off the wheel for anything really.. Its a great feature.

Tony :shades:

flightnurse

flightnurse

I do know that on other Nissan Models there is a adapter to control a iPOD, is there one for the Versa yet ?

Tony :shades:

bendupre

Tape it to the steering wheel :P

I don't see how it would interface the AUX feature has just a 1/8 in stereo jack.

Ben

flightnurse

Ben I read on another forum that the Fosgate radios in the NIssan control the iPODS, all it take is a adaptor that plugs in behind the radio. Since the radio in the Versa SL has all the same 'controls' as last years Fosgate radios I was just wondering if Nissan has a adaptor too.

Tony :shades:

bengio

Hello, I just picked up my Versa SL with the convenience package over the weekend. I'd like to have the Sirius radio service, and I was told that the receiver was "satellite ready". What do I need to purchase to receive the Sirius radio service? Is there any additional hardware, or is it a simple activation? Thank you!

bendupre

You have to buy from the dealer. Mine charged $299 for the hardware plus 1.5 hours installation. See my earlier post in this thread for info.

bendupre, "Nissan Versa - Audio questions (iPod, speakers, AUX, etc.)" #11, 27 Jul 2006 10:17 pm

If you look at my photo album on my carspace page, you'll see in the rear view the antenna placement. It's that little bump on the driver's side rear above the liftgate.

Ben

lgainor

I just bought a Versa SL with Sirius Radio (I didn't really want the Sirius, but this car was the only one available with the color and other options I was looking for).

Anyway, I only seem to be receiving a limited number of channels. For example, when tuning the radio, it jumps from channel 1 to 15 to 20 and skips 2-14 and 16-19. Anyone have an idea what's going on?

Thanks,

LG

msb0b

The Sirius radio is in preview mode until you sign up for a plan. You can do that online at their web site or over the phone.

musebandrules

This is really picky, but I would love to be able to trigger the random selection of the next track on an MP3 cd by just hitting the "seek" button on my steering wheel, but when i do this, instead of randomly searching for a new track, it just goes to the next sequential track...that doesn't really do what I thought it would...instead, you have to wait for the track to play out completely before it randomly selects the next track...grr...that's really stupdid...

it's too bad, cause now that I know it, it's really annoying...my old MP3 cd player for my old car did not do this, and most other mp3 players, when on random, will randomly select the next track if you decide to skip the current one...

it's just a rant, but i'd love it if someone knew a way around this...i couldn't find one in the manual...

kimberkenobi

I don't have my Versa yet, but I've had a device that had this same "feature"... I could fast forward and when it hit the end of the song, it would randomly select the next... try that and let me know if it works!

--Cheers

kimberkenobi

Okay, I have had my versa for three weeks, and I was right. If you press the thumb toggle (on the steering wheel) and hold it until it beeps, it will randomize for the next track.

- -Kimber Kenobi

carenthusiastv

It could be three things:

1. The trial period could include a limited number of channels.

2. The reciever could be bad, it'll be covered under warranty.

3. The antenna could be bad, also covered under warranty.

lgainor

Thanks! I'm pretty sure it's the first option. I was just curious since I really didn't want Satellite Radio, but the color and other options were what I was looking for.

longo32

Anyone Know how to down load the i-tunes library to MP3 format CD's? I don't want a rats nest of wires and a tacky stick on dash mount for the Nano.
With a few MP3 CD's in the Versa's stacker I would still have the steering wheel controls for the system and the same tunes without all the clutter and one more thing to dismantle every time park the car.
Maybe that's too simple, as I can't figure out how to record the i-tunes in MP3 format from WMA.
Kimber has, obviously, so please share what you can on the process. thanks

kimr77

I just picked up my Versa SL with the audio package and was not impressed with the sound quality. It's supposed to be upgraded from the stock stereo right? Just wanted to see if anyone else was disappointed with their audio package or if I need to return to the dealer and make sure I got the upgrade I paid for. Thanks for any input!!

flightnurse

its upgraded as far as the headunit is concern not the speakers. I had the speakers ungraded at Audio store and have been trully impressed. They were upgraded to Boston Acoustic speaker, total cost $500 that was with installation and tax. Now I'm waiting for JL Audio to come out with a stealth box for the car (JL usally does if the factory car has a sub (the upgraded sound package on the versa has a sub) then I'll be finished.

Tony

flightnurse

Rats nest of wires, I only have one wire to the AXU input for my iPod. when I get to my desination, I just unplug that one wire and put it in the glove compartment. I have also found that the Ipod sound is much better then a MP3.

But if you want to make a MP3 you have to do the follow:

First have a CD drive that burns CD's.
Second, have software that burns CD's.

if you have those, then you have to download the music from iTunes or other problems that search for music on the net. I like the iPod way much better, less steps...

Tony

kimberkenobi

If you truly got the audio package, all your speakers should have been upgraded and you'll also have a subwoofer in your cargo area... if you're missing the sub, chances are you didn't get the audio upgrade...

kimberkenobi

they make an $8 contraption called an iSqueeze that fits in the cupholder and will accomadate either a nano or a video iPod and so my aux cable runs down my console and around my shifter (to take up slack) and into my iPod... you can see pics on my cardomain. it really isn't that jumbled or "nesty" ... also, when they make the iPod connector for the stock headunit you can have them put a hole and run the cable out from underneath the console (near the cupholders) and then everything is just right there...

just a thought...

flightnurse

I dont have the audio package I upgraded the speakers. BTW, the sub in the audio package is behind the dash.

kimberkenobi

well, everyone else's is in the cargo area... In fact, there's a special cut cargo mat for the Versa with the audio package...

mac444

I live in Beijing China and I bought a Nissan Tiida. It's exactly like the Versa except the headunit does not have an aux jack for an iPod. I am looking to buy a headunit from someone who has upgraded their sound system with a better head unit. If you replaced yours and have an original with the aux/iPod input, let me know how much you are willing to sell it for. I can pay for it via PayPal and have a friend ship it over here.

pkelley83

I just bought a 2007 1.8 S and i want to know if there is any way that i can add a mini jack, whether threw aux... through fm direct or any other method, i am desperate for it even like a blow apart of the dash system would help so i may investigate my self

unclejbird

I just picked up my 2007 SL 1.8 tonight and already I'm thinking of all the exciting things I want to do to it! What a fun car!

One issue: The rear speakers are WEAK. I even cranked the FADER all the way to the rear and the volume coming out of those speakers is negligible at best. Front door speakers are fine, but at this rate they're WAY louder than the ones in the back.

Is there something I can do short term to fix this? Or is it a matter of upgrading the speakers, as I plan to do. Thx.

unclejbird

Looking at upgrading my current setup......are you still in the market?

mac444

Yes. I am still interested in a Versa head unit with 6 cd changer. Send a message to me at stevemcintosh@mac.com.

flightnurse

I replaced all of my speakers in my Versa added a sub, and external amp, made all the difference. I kept the factory head unit, its does everything I want it to do and I didn't want to lose my stereo wheel controls..

mac444

What kind of speakers did you buy to replace the factory speakers? What was the cost?

boqibama

Removing versa top dashboard panel seems not easy. Can anybody pass me the procedure to do so? I want to upgrade the two small vents on the top each side.

noamlipaz2

i wont to replace may door spacers bat i don't no haw to disacembol the door panels do you now

irismg

What would be best - buy a Versa with the absolute base equipment on it then upgrade the stereo on the aftermarket at your favorite audio store, or buy the SL stereo version and then upgrade it? It sounds as if the speakers need replacing in either case, so if you've got to pull them anyway why spend money for the more expensive stereo?

I'd appreciate any thoughts/pros and cons either way! Thanks

lemonhater

It really depends on what you need besides the stereo. If all you want to do is upgrade the stereo then the S is the best option. However the differece between the S and SL is more than just the stereo. Test drive botth and read up on both.

irismg

Good feedback. Thanks!

atherton

That beep when you press the button up and hold it for a second is the changer control, and signifies that the CD player is CHANGING CD's, so it has the ability to be random for the next song, but no longer on the same CD you were listening to. To advance one song on the same CD, you push it up and release faster, but it will only go the next normally sequenced song, not randomly selected. Fast forward to the end of the song, let it end, and the next song will be randomly selected.

rock21

The first 3 months is a limited trial. You have to contact Sirrus for full activation if you want all the channels