Factory Radio Upgrade Options (plus MP3 options)

chuyler1

goes to eleven
:
2013 CX-9
There are two factory audio options for the Mazda6, BOSE and NON-BOSE. All MS6s come with the BOSE option. Each has its advantages and disadvantages as you'll soon find out.


NON-BOSE Factory Stereo System

The NON-BOSE system consists of a head unit and four 5x7" 4-ohm speakers, one in each door.

UPGRADING NON-BOSE HEAD UNIT

If you want to install an aftermarket head unit in your Mazda6, you will need a dash kit and wiring harness (Metra #99-7503 for 2003-05, Metra #99-7507 for 2006-07, both are single-din). Connect all the wires on the aftermarket head unit harness to the harness supplied in the Metra kit except for the ground wire. Connect the ground wire to bare metal inside the dash. If you do not do this you may get alternator whine from your speakers. The speaker wires on the harness will go directly to your door speakers since the NON-BOSE system does not have an external amplifier.

If you want a drop-in double-din kit for a NAV unit you may be in luck. A supplier in Japan has made one and you can find details about it in this thread: http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123667751

Steering Wheel Controls
The Mazda6 steering wheel controls are not compatible with most aftermarket head units but PAC makes an adapter you can purchase to integrate with them. Here is a list of the modules, make sure you choose the right one for your head unit.
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/productsCatagory.asp?mmSearch=Steering%20Wheel%20Interface

UPGRADING NON-BOSE SPEAKERS

Since the NON-BOSE speakers are 4ohm, you can upgrade to better speakers without replacing the head unit. However, keep in mind that the factory head unit only puts out 7-10w RMS and aftermarket speakers will sound cleaner but not necessarily louder. 5x7" and 6x8" speakers will drop right in. You can also install 5.25" or 6.5" by building a baffle. If you have tweeter pods near the rear view mirrors you can fit 3/4" and some 1" tweeters from a component set without modification. Some larger 1" tweeters will not fit, it all depends on the actual dimensions of the tweeter housing.

HOW-TO: Mazda6 Rear Door Panel Removal (Bonus sound deadening)

ADDING AN AMPLIFIER OR SUBWOOFER TO NON-BOSE SYSTEM

In order to add an amplifier to the NON-BOSE system you will need a line-out-converter or an amplifier that accepts speaker-level inputs. You can purchase a LOC at most audio stores or order one from www.davidnavone.com. Connect the LOC to the speaker outputs on the back of the radio and run RCA wires to your amp. Run a power cable to the battery and place a fuse on it within 12" of the battery. Run a ground wire to bare metal and secure it properly with a bolt and locking washer. It is common to use a seatbelt or seat bolt to ground the amplifier. For remote-turn-on, there is a wire on the harness that you can use (see attached diagram).


BOSE Factory Stereo System

The BOSE factory system consists of a head unit, under-seat amplifier, two tweeters up front, two 2-ohm 6.5" woofers in the front doors, two 2-ohm 5.25" speakers in the rear doors, and a 2-ohm 9" subwoofer in the rear deck with a separate amplifier mounted below it. The head unit is different from the NON-BOSE unit in that it sends 2v flat-signal pre-outs to the amplifiers.

UPGRADING THE BOSE HEAD UNIT

If you want to install an aftermarket head unit in your Mazda6 with BOSE, you will need a dash kit and wiring harness (Metra #99-7503 for 2003-05, Metra #99-7507 for 2006-07). Connect all the wires on the aftermarket head unit harness to the harness supplied in the Metra kit except for the ground wire AND speaker wires***. Connect the ground wire to bare metal inside the dash. If you do not do this you may get alternator whine from your speakers.

SilverWidow says...
If ordering the #99-7507 Kit for a Mazdaspeed 6 it will work. It's a universal kit for for the M6 and the MS6. If ordering for a MS6, make sure when you order it you tell the supplier there needs to be a firmware update to the dashkit in order for all the thermostat controls to work properly. There is a special cable to do this with and here is the website where you get the firmware update. http://www.axxessinterface.com/
Thanks man!

***Because the factory BOSE unit sent pre-amp audio to the factory BOSE amplifier, you do not want to connect the speaker outputs to the wiring harness. If you plan to retain the factory bose amp you should place RCA terminals on the ends of the harness and plug them into the pre-out jacks on the back of your new head unit. If you want to use your head units amplifier to power your speakers you will have to run new wires to the doors or bypass the factory amplifier. This obviously complicates the factory subwoofer which is powered by a separate amp so I won't get into this option in any more detail here. This is also not a recommended approach if you plan to retain the factory speakers. The speakers are 2ohm while the aftermarket head unit is designed for 4ohm. It will most likely send the unit into protection or at least cause it to over head and become damaged over time.

So this give you only 3 options:
* Use aftermarket HU pre-outs connected to harness and maintain Bose amplifier and speakers
* Run new wires to the doors and use aftermarket HU speaker outputs with aftermarket speakers
* Use aftermarket HU pre-outs connected to an aftermarket amplifier and use aftermarket speakers
That's it...any other scenario with an aftermarket head unit will not work. Read on for more information about these options.

Steering Wheel Controls
The Mazda6 steering wheel controls are not compatible with most aftermarket head units but PAC makes an adapter you can purchase to integrate with them. Here is a list of the modules, make sure you choose the right one for your head unit.
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/productsCatagory.asp?mmSearch=Steering Wheel Interface

UPGRADING THE BOSE SPEAKERS

The factory BOSE speakers are 2ohm while most aftermarket speakers are 4ohm. Most amplifiers, the factory amp included, will put out half their rated power when you double the resistance/load/impedence of the speakers. You may get cleaner sound from a set of aftermarket speakers but they will NOT play louder. Furthermore, the BOSE amplifier has a built-in EQ which is optimized for BOSE speakers. The EQ curve will not be ideal for your aftermarket speakers. For these reasons, it is not recommended that you just upgrade your speakers in the BOSE system. You should upgrade the head unit (and wire speakers directly to it) or add an aftermarket amplifier (see below) for optimal results.

Most 3/4" tweeters and some 1" tweeters should fit into the factory sail-panel location. The stock tweeters are connected to the front outputs of the factory amp so if you install a component set you will have to install the supplied crossover box somewhere in the door. Most 6" and 6.5" speakers will fit in the factory front locations. You can also fit 5.25", 5x7" and 6x8" speakers by building a baffle. Most 5.25" speakers will fit in the factory rear locations. You can also fit 6.5", 5x7", and 6x8". The best approach to replacing the subwoofer is to remove it entirely and install a basic sealed box subwoofer with its own amp. You can also mount an 8", 10", or maybe even 12" subwoofer to the factory hole in a free-air setup but it requires considerable sound deadening and will only sound good with a handful of subwoofers designed to work without a box.

HOW-TO: Mazda6 Rear Door Panel Removal (Bonus sound deadening)

ADDING AN AMPLIFIER TO THE BOSE SYSTEM

As I mentinoed above, the BOSE head unit puts out a 2v pre-out signal. This is ideal for connecting aftermarket amplifiers. You do not need a Line-Out-Converter. Just connect RCA terminals to the outputs of the head unit (or tap into them by the amplifier harness under the seat) and you are ready to go. If you are only powering a subwoofer you can tap into the audio signal at the subwoofer amp. Power and ground should be run separate and remote-turn-on can be found on any of the wiring harnesses.

Click here for a how-to with pictures

RECOMMENDED BOSE UPGRADE OPTIONS

It is best to consider the Bose speakers and amplifier as a package deal. If you touch one, you've got to do something about the other. You can upgrade the head unit and keep the amp/speakers. You can upgrade the speakers/amp and keep the head unit. With that said, the best approach is to upgrade all the speakers and amps in your system and leave the head unit stock. There is really no need to upgrade the head unit. You can add MP3 playback with a number of aux-in or ipod adapters and you can even install a phat-box hard drive system. If you are looking for audiophile tuning capabilities you should consider the Rockford Fosgate ThreeSixty.2 or Precision Power DCX-730 which will work with the factory unit and give you lots of control. The only reason I can see to upgrade the head unit would be if you wanted a flip out screen with navigation and DVD playback.

Please take this recommendation seriously. If you feel the need to upgrade because you think the factory head unit has poor sound quality, think again. It sounds just as good as if not better than most head units under $500 and combined with a processor can be the starting point for an absolutely amazing system with the added bonus of not getting stolen when you park your car in the street.


MP3 UPGRADE OPTIONS -- BOSE AND NON-BOSE SYSTEMS

MAZDA Factory Radio MP3 changer upgrade
$420 from www.onlinemazdaparts.com
This unit replaces your current head unit and allows you to play MP3 CDs. The price is steep compared to your other options below.

MAZDA PHAT NOISE System (06-07 only)
$635 from www.onlinemazdaparts.com
Phat Noise is a usb hard drive system that holds 20GB of songs. You must connect it to your home computer to load songs. The price is extremely steep if you compare it to the options below (consider the price of a 30GB iPod is only $250 at the time of this writing).

MAZDA iPod Integration Module
$119 from www.onlinemazdaparts.com
Controls your iPod using head unit only. Display shows track # and time. All controls on the iPod are disabled when it is connected. Not compatible if you already have factory Sirius tuner.

AUDIO LINK iPod Integration Module
$124 from www.therpmstore.com
Controls your iPod using head unit or optionally control directly from your iPod. Charges iPod while car is on. Automatic pause when you switch sources or turn off the car. 1/8" AUX input. Supports up to 9 play lists. Display shows playlist #, track #, and time. This appears to be the better option over the MAZDA iPod integration module.

AUDIO LINK USB MP3 Player
$124 from www.therpmstore.com
Plug in a USB flash drive and play mp3s off it. Also has 1/8" AUX input. Supports up to 10 folders with 99 songs each for a total of 990 songs. If you aren't ready to hop on the iPod band wagon this is a great way to get music into your Mazda6.

AUX MOD Audio Adapter
$60 from http://www.sylfex.com/products/AuxMod/
This is a basic auxiliary input adapter which allows you to connect any audio signal to your factory Mazda head unit.

MAZDA SWITCHING BOX
$113 from www.onlinemazdaparts.com
This unit allows cars equipped with Sirius Satelite radio to also use an IPod adapter. It is designed to work with the MAZDA IPod integration module but it should work with the AudioLink module also.

AXXESS Adapter
$145 from www.therpmstore.com
This unit allows for the connection of your iPod, RCA jack, or Satellite radio. You can select any two of the options. It installs into the media port underneath the stereo. The main bonus is that it will display the ID3 tag off your iPod on the stock LCD display.


WIRING HARNESS CHART

Thanks to DaveRulz at Mazda 6 Club for this chart (see attachment).
A chart has also been posted at mazda6tech which includes the Bose Subwoofer Amp harness.
 

Attachments

  • Mazda6Wiring.pdf
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The switching box just changes which unit plugs into the back of the stereo. Since the Ipod and Sirius units are the same for the speed6, I imagine the switching box will be the same too. Just try it and see if it works. If it doesn't then return it and let us know.
 
Very Nice instructions.

Has any tried the dash kit that was referenced? It looks pretty straight forward but I would like to see a photo? Also, has anyone installed an aftermarket stereo and retained the steering wheel controls?
 
Very Nice instructions.

Has any tried the dash kit that was referenced? It looks pretty straight forward but I would like to see a photo? Also, has anyone installed an aftermarket stereo and retained the steering wheel controls?

I've put the new dash kit in my '06, and it looks pretty decent. I installed an interface to use the steering wheel controls, but it's not working. I haven't had the time or energy to dig into it again to get it all working.
 
If ordering the #99-7507 Kit for a Mazdaspeed 6 it will work. It's a universal kit for for the M6 and the MS6. If ordering for a MS6, make sure when you order it you tell the supplier there needs to be a firmware update to the dashkit in order for all the thermostat controls to work properly. There is a special cable to do this with and here is the website where you get the firmware update. http://www.axxessinterface.com/
 
Thanks for that link.

Call me old but I like Alpine.
I pulled out of my old care an apline head unit with iPod and xm radio attachments.

The dash kit you mentioned earlier should for my head unit but the head unit I have will not work with the steering wheel inputs(SWI). Apline sells a head unit that will interface with the OEM steering wheel controls but there is a third party adapter.

Here is the link to the third party adapter:
http://www.pac-audio.com/products/productsCatagory.asp?mmSearch=Steering Wheel Interface

It took some reading but i figured one of those has to work. I am just going to do more research.

With your dash kit and this SWI I should be able to drop in any apline and attach my ipod and XM sat module.

Your thread has given me the most information so far.
Thank you
 
I just installed an AuxMod in my car. For not really knowing anything about cars it was fairly easy to install and I ran into very few problems. It works great too with my Zune.
 
Audio question for you guys - I called the good people at Gunther Mazda and asked about the Sirius Sat install. I told them I had read that you can not install the Sirius AND the iPod adapter, but that Mazda now had a switch device that actually does allow the Mazda Sat and iPod to all work together with the steering wheel controls. He researched the issue and then called me back. He said it would cost 1187.00 to be installed. Seems a bit high to me. I thought I would call him back and ask how much is the labor and see what the parts cost. Anybody know if you can get the parts cheap? Any suggestions?
 
OK - The Mazda dealer told me the switch box is selling for 150, the Sirius Sat equipment is 395, and the iPod adapter is 170. Labor for the install is approx. 475 - ouch!

I told him to hold off on that for now. So, If I just buy the switch box now, and install it myself, then I can hook up my own 3rd party iPod adapter and still be able to upgrade to Sirius later if desired. Comments?

Anybody have the Mazda switch box installed? Any problems/suggestions/tips? Any recommendations on the 3rd party iPod adapter of choice? I will check the "How to" section for the basic stereo head unit access.
 
MAZDA iPod Integration Module
$119
from www.onlinemazdaparts.com
Controls your iPod using head unit only. Display shows track # and time. All controls on the iPod are disabled when it is connected. Not compatible if you already have factory Sirius tuner.
Is this compatible with 03 Mazda6 w/Bose?

Finishline has a good price on it ($106.95) and they're local so I can pick it up: http://www.finishlineperformance.com/store/product.php?productid=16184&cat=276&page=1

The thing is, the site says it's compatible with 2005-2008 Mazda6. True or typo?
 
I don't know...but I do know everyone who has bought the Mazda model has been dis-satisifed with its performance and many have purchased the AudioLink afterwards. Personally I wouldn't bother with the Mazda one, especially since RPM's website says the AudioLink model will work on a 2003 Mazda6.
 
The ongoing question seems to be (for us M6 and MS6ers at least):

Does the switching box work and allow both Sirius and iPond integration systems, or does it really only work for the auxiliary console connection that is standard in the Mazda3?

Does anyone know for sure? I want to have both, but I don't want to spend $300 on parts just to find out it won't work on my car. The backup plan is Sirius and AuxMod, but iPod integration is simply so much cooler.
 
Likewise, I'd love to know if its at all possible to add iPod integration to my 6MPS, whilst retaining the Bose Hard Disk Player...
 
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