The Nissan Path

I know it is not a "cold air intake" but can I take off the air intake box and just replace it with a good cone filter ? I know it is more susceptible to dust but is it possible ? Im not in a dusty area and I want that little extra growl

The factory air box "is" a cold air box, by definition. The problem with removing the air box is not the dirt, but the hot air in the engine compartment that your engine will be sucking in and will be detrimental to performance. You'll also need somewhere to mount the intake air temp sensor. If you want the exposed cone filter, than make sure there is a heat shield to block off the hot air. You might want to look into a K&N or Nismo intake system. Try AutoAnything.com; they have a pretty good selection of CAI systems.