FYI: Another custom audio install done

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swiv

swiv

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Hi all!

Last weekend I went through the trouble of installing some non-Audi audio components in my brand new A2. Boy, did I have a good time....[1] Two long days of careful work, but I got there.

In the beginning I thought I'd photo-document the entire process, but the inside of my car soon was too much of a mess to keep the camera in there as well. Sorry about that.

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to let you know I might have some useful experience with the removal of panels and speakers, guiding of wire, and do's and don'ts. Go ahead and ask me. Other posts on this and a German forum served me well too, so why not return the favour.
I do have to add that although I do like to pursue maximum sound quality in theory, practice sometimes makes me do strange things. I do not consider my setup to be ideal or well implemented ;)

A quick list of things I did:
- started out with a radio-less A2 (so no headunit, no rear door speakers)
- installed JVC headunit, discovering non-standard Audi ISO cabling
- used antenna amplifier for the above too
- stripped off door panels
- stripped out kickpanels, glovebox, side trim
- made MDF molds for rear speakers
- tore apart and rebuild front speakers to act as mold for my own speakers (far easier than MDF, but not so nice to look at, messy setup)
- pulled own cabling for all speakers through to all doors, unfortunately NOT using the rubber hoses near the hinges that are already there...
- looked at the passenger side storage under the floor: decided not to use it.
- installed amplifier in the boot, fixed to 40 litre subwoofer casing (home built too, but for another car originally). Tapped power directly from battery under floor.

That's about it. And I'm partially happy. Why only partially? Because it just doesn't sound the way I'm used to. These Infinity speakers have served me very well for 4 years now, in two different cars, but never before have they ever sounded this 'carton box'-like as now. Luckily my headunit has a 7-band equaliser, but I don't like using that. Can't think of a real cause yet. But it leaves a lot to be tweaked.

Cheers,

--
Edo (2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), black interior, sport seats, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver), Infinity Kappa 63.1 and 52.1 F/R speakers, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp
 
yo Swiv!

sounds like you had a fun time!

could your different sound be due to the A2 being made of aluminuim and therefore much lighter?

is there a way you can put more mass into the doors? not sure that would help, just guessing....

i am thinking of adding mp3/computer and possibly upgrading speakers....

-gerard


2003 1.6 SE FSI Cobalt Blue & 1968 Dodge Charger
 
Hi Gerard,

Yes, lots of fun. Ask my girlfriend about my frustrations ;)
But worth it.

About the weight of aluminium: I doubt it. I found the doors of the A2 to be very, very well built. Light indeed, but very rigid and everything nicely held in place with tape, cloth, clips and foam and filling glue. The inside of the actual door was hard to look into. Lots of 'ribs' inside, so no real view. Only difficult to guide wires through!
I'd see my current 'hollow' sound coming from badly dampened doors, but like I said: the A2's don't fit that description. And I'm not about to put sheets of that sound deadening stuff in everything, like I've seen/read others do. My 12 year old Honda Civic, with very hollow doors, sounded great without any help.

As for an upgrade: my headunit does MP3. But that wasn't the reason I bought it. I just never make the time to convert my CD's to MP3, and I would worry about loss of quality. But it definately is nice to have lots of music on just a few CD, when on holiday or something like that.

The standard speakers didn't sound that bad, IMO. They only lacked the ability to sound 'tight'. So there was bass, but it sounded muddy. And the doorhandle tweeters produce enough mid/high, but it's just not as pure as I currently hear it. So a speaker upgrade brings some good. But also the trouble of installing.

I think I might read some more about that sound deadening stuff....

Cheers,

Edo

--
Edo (2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), black interior, sport seats, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver), Infinity Kappa 63.1 and 52.1 F/R speakers, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp
 
I was through the same stuff a couple off months ago. I placed a 4 way amplifier under the left front seat, next to the computers in the car. I also took the power from there. The ground for the amplifier, I took it from under the kick panels.
I was stupid enough to bye the Loudspeaker upgrade for the rear speakers. It cost about 110 Euro!!
The play all right, but as you: I find the sound to muddy. I tried to build new speaker frames, but I stopped the project, because I found it to difficult.
Now, I have bought 6 original bass for the A2 on the German Ebay. I think, I will use the “frame” from the speakers and “build” new speakers with new – and better units.
Under the right footwell, I think, I will place a small amplifier, and build at small subwoofer with two small 6” units. In hope that the bass would sound greater…..



Jesper Lindholdt
Audi A2 TDI 3l
http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/europe8.htm
 
Hi Jesper,

Good strategy, to use 2nd hand original speakers for your own frames. I used an electric soldering iron and a sharp knife to melt out the interior and cut away the top edge, to make a flat surface. A 16cm speaker will fit right on top, but I could not get it to really center. The magnet and connectors collided with the plastic. Not a big problem though, few mm out of the center.
Then I used some (non-silicone, to protect the speaker rubbers!) 'glue' (don't know the word - it's the stuff you have a get out of the tube with a squeezing 'gun', also used for real glue, stuff to seal bathroom tiles, fix windows etc. all different kinds). Now it's airtight, but it looks like a mess ;). Some screws keep it all in place.

I looked at the space below the passenger floor. It's big, but I could not see how to get the cabling out again, without cutting the panel up. The battery in the back is far more accessible and easily takes the connectors for the thick wiring, below one of the many nuts on the positive pole. Earthing directlty to the negative pole, in my case.

I now have plenty of bass, but I'm struggling with the setup to prevent 'boomy' bass. My headunit turned out not to feature a Low Pass filter to cut the bass from the main speakers...so the main speakers 'boom'. Bummer. Still have to experiment with equalizer setting and the gain/filter settings on the amplifier.

Good luck.

--
Edo (2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), black interior, sport seats, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver, Infinity Kappa F&R speakers, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp)
 
Mr Swiv,

i believe you can get a crossover box that will split the bass from your main speakers...

maybe you know about this already...

-gerard

2003 1.6 SE FSI Cobalt Blue & 1968 Dodge Charger
 
Hi Gerard,

No need to 'swiv' me ;) My name's just 'Edo', as my signature (subtly) shows...

But I'm aware of the filters I could install. As a matter of fact, I was contemplating it just now, while driving to work. But the idea of removing all stuff and cabling again is holding me off a bit.

--
Edo (2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), black interior, sport seats, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver, Infinity Kappa F&R speakers, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp)
 
You could, just add some Bi-Polar or Non polarised capacitors to your speakers to help in the bass department.

If you have a 6" front speaker then try a capacitor of around 100uF or 200uF this will add a very gentle slope to those speakers and reduce the bass at around 100Hz,, it is not a sudden cut off but it will allow those speakers to play a little cleaner,, this can be done from behind the radio unit on the respective speaker outputs from that unit..

Of course you could go over the top and try this http://www.x-bb.org/~efmax/my kit.htm
 
Hi EF! Yes, I had very envious look at your install before. Way over the top for me, but you've really got an incredibly well put together set of components. Also really really like your Sony C90. It's a classic! Almost bought it second hand once, but feared the price. Settled for a partial mobile ES then, the XRC-8220 with a CD changer. Good stuff, but the LPF of the sony cut out, exactly the feature I'm now looking for....The JVC I have now is better on paper (than the 8220, not your C90+amps! ;)) , but somehow seems to have high levels of static noise. Or I'm just picky...

I'll consult my local custom-speaker dealer here on the capacitors. They have a lot of know-how. Also got my home theater stuff from them.

Thanks!

Edo

--
Edo (2003 Silver 1.4 Tdi Exclusive(SE), black interior, sport seats, JVC KD-SH909RB cd-receiver, Infinity Kappa F&R speakers, 12" Subwoofer on 300w Amp)
 
SWIV: Those caps are small, can be brought from MAPLINS Electronics for about £1.50 each or less and only need to be placed in-line with the +ve feed from each speaker output on the head-unit,, they can make a really nice difference.

My set-up is OTT, it is an expression of my personality. To-date, those who have heard it have liked it a lot as it aims to not allow the listener to tell where the speakers are place,, in that respect it does give a nice clear sound that will have you tapping along to the beat,, in two weeks time I am hoping that it might get a feature in Total Car Audio mag,, will have to see how it goes..
 
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