Radio problems

So, just picked up a 1999 Miata. Run great and is in very nice shape, except the radio sounds like total crap.

Radio stations which should be crystal clear (for example, NPR station being broadcast 5 miles away) are garbled (though scanner picks them out just fine, so I don't think it is a reception problem) and CDs tend to skip/pause during acceleration.

It has the factory original Mazda radio and Bose speakers.

Any thoughts regarding whether this is a head unit problem or wiring?

How hard is it to get at the wiring for the radio?

If I need to replace the head unit, is there a good after market unit I should look at that will fit nicely in the dash?

Reply to
Christian Smith
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The problem is most likely damaged speakers. The woofers in door won't handle full volume without causing them to bottom out and start rattling. Replacements from Mazda are about $180 each. You can replace the speakers (contrary to what you will be told by others) with Clearwaters or JBLs, or some other brand without having to change out the head.

The door panel removal is pretty straight forward. On some of the 99s, the screw behind the door handle can be difficult to get out. The bottom of the panel is held with plastic retainers that will come loose by carefully prying with a screwdriver.

Reply to
lgadbois

Christian Smith wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.verizon.net:

Apparently the Bose system sounds like crap. That's normal. Look here:

From Miata.net ========================================================Q) My Bose stereo sounds terrible! A) Most people think the Bose system sounds pretty bad, and after 3 months with my car I tend to agree. With the bass and treble controls set at the default positions, the radio has boomy, poorly-defined bass and too much treble, but no midrange. I set the treble control down two "blocks" and the bass almost all the way down to get halfway decent sound. But it's still boomy sometimes!

Also, there is a known problem with the early ('99) Bose door speakers. They tend to get wet, and when they do, they start to buzz like blown Wal Mart specials. Your dealer will probably install a set of baffles to keep them dry if you complain, or you could order some baffles from a place like Crutchfield or a local car audio shop and put them in yourself. This will help, but some folks like to install some dynamat- like sound dampener in the door panels in addition to help keep the buzzing down further. ============================================================ As you can see, replacing the speakers might help.

Very easy, the speaker covers in the doors pull off, the headrests unzip if you have the headrest speakers, the center console pops off easily and then the radio surround is easily removed. See Miata.net for instructions.

There are many, they work well and they all look like total crap to me and I'd not have one in my car. I went to the Mazda Tribute AM/FM Cassette 6CD changer in my Miata. The radios are available on Ebay, they install easily, work very nicely and look like a factory install.

Follow this thread in the audio forum of Miata.net:

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7802 Scroll down and you'll see the how-to-do its and pictures of several installations.

BTW, now that you're a Miata owner get VERY familiar with

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Reply to
XS11E

and > Apparently the Bose system sounds like crap. That's normal. Look here:

Thanks to both of you for your responses. I'll look at replacing the speakers and if that doesn't solve the problem will look at the head unit.

Chris

Reply to
Christian Smith

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