Just wondering the best way to go about upgrading the sound system on a kj? Ideally, I'd like to maintain the steering controls and utilise the existing speaker ports. Touch screen GPS would be nice.

Where ARE all the speakers? 2 in dash, 4 in doors, 2 in parcel leaves 2 unaccounted for. Sub and resonator make up the other 2? Can anyone tell me the max diameter of all these ports so I can plan out a system?

Thanks a heap.

Some of the speakers may be dual cone or have tweeters in them, thus "counting" as two.

Just dig away in your car to find the speakers and holes for them. lol If you intend to replace them, go for the same size, ohms and sensitivty, otherwise you end up with an unbalanced system.

I agree, touch screen GPS would be nice. lol

Thanks MadMax. Haven't got it yet, just planning ahead :)

I couldn't envisage a way to keep using the steering wheel controls. Aftermarket adapters do exist so you can keep using your steering wheel controls with a new headunit - my dad's doing that with his Territory and an Alpine headunit - but I haven't seen anything for Magnas before.

A double-DIN touchscreen with GPS is expensive, if you want a name brand. eg The cheapest Pioneer model has a RRP of $999, and even then, it only has two RCA pre-outs and a 4.3" screen. If you buy an Alpine headunit, the GPS add-on retails at $999 alone :o)

If you're planning on upgrading the system, all you really need to know is that you can fit 6.5" woofers in the door, and 6x9" speakers on the parcel shelf. The stock A-pillar tweeter pods will hold tweeters up to about 25mm in diameter.

Mmm ok. So what if I start by replacing the factory speakers - is the factory head unit half decent? I understand they will play mp3's too.

Then later add one of those little Alpine pre-amps to drive 4 doors, and have the dash tweeters and sub run off the head unit? No need for cross overs or pesky amp installs then.

Factory headunits are pretty weak. I'd be replacing it before you purchased aftermarket speakers. A few people have commented that upgrading to an aftermarket headunit has improved sound quality though the stock speakers, so depending on your tastes, that alone may be a sufficient enough upgrade for you. I doubt it'd play mp3s either - playback of mp3 CDs has only come around in the last couple of years.

You must run a sub off an amplifier. No aftermarket headunit - nay, any factory headunit - has sufficient power to run one.

I'm not sure exactly how the factory system is wired up, but if you had aftermarket splits, there'd be no need to keep the dash tweeters.

Also, if you run tweeters 'active' (ie without a crossover), you must high-pass them to a certain frequency. You can't just hook them up directly to a headunit or amplifier. They must be high-passed either by using the speaker's crossover, or by running them off an amplifier and configuring the high-pass settings appropriately.


If you want to keep things simple, I'd grab an aftermarket headunit, run a set of aftermarket 6.5" splits in the front (woofer in the door, tweeter in the A-pillar pod), the stock 6x9s in the rear, and a 10 or 12" sub in the boot. Run the splits and sub off a 4 channel amp, and run the 6x9s off the headunit. Anything else that came with the stock stereo can be disconnected.

Where in NSW are you from?

Thanks for the advice RV, appreciated.

Armidale, Joe.

I couldn't envisage a way to keep using the steering wheel controls. Aftermarket adapters do exist so you can keep using your steering wheel controls with a new headunit - my dad's doing that with his Territory and an Alpine headunit - but I haven't seen anything for Magnas before.
There are two ways. There are kits compatible with some headunits you can use to wire it in to the headunit, then set the buttons up kind've like you do when you set up a game controller in a video game. The alternative is an IR system, where you mount a tiny IR transmitter in front of the headunit somewhere, and teach it the controls using the factory remote. I don't know what the wired setups are worth, but the latter (IR) setup is about $100 on eBay.

Was going to suggest trying one of my units with the steering wheel controls to find out if its the right one, kinda hard when your more than a few hours away LOL!

Getting your Steering wheel controls to work with a Aftermarket H/U.
I beleive this to the right hardwired interface for Pioneer/sony Deck with a remote input in the rear of the HU. Note, whilst it does not say Magna in the compat list, the Diamante is listed.
http://www.pac-audio.com/productDetails.aspx?ProductId=210&CategoryID=29

From the list here, there is support for more decks there too.
http://www.pac-audio.com/Products.aspx?CategoryId=29

I have one of these on the 380. Works well.