Rear speakers

[blackturbo]

Hi guys,

I did a search and couldnt find a direct answer to my question so thought I would post a thread up!

Im trying to replace the rear speakrs in my A3 3 door, am I right in saying they are in the parcel shelf supports?

Also am I ok to just change the old speakers over to aftermarket ones or will this mess up with the built in amp setup that A3s run?

Cheers

 

[S3Steve]

They are behind the rear door cards mate low down at about the level of the seat base.

 

[AndyMac]

Yes, you hve to remove the rear door cards to get to them. They are held on with pretty solid metal clips. The best way to remove them is to first remove the front footwell trim (1 screw and one metal spring clip), then prise up the door sill trim (4 or 5 metal clips). Then open the rear window and prise up the window rubber along the full length of the rear speaker panel. The flip up the rear seat base and push the metal arms towards each other and remove the seat base. Fold down the seat back. Then starting at the base of the door frame upright pull quite hard on the rear door card to release it, working your way up and then along the window. You have to be quite brutal, but be careful on the middle clip along the top as you can easily rip the speaker panel.
You'll need 18mm MDF speaker rings in order to fit any aftermarket speakers in the rear, but there is loads of space behind there. You'll also need a wiring adapter to convert the Audi speaker plugs to standard spades, (or just chop them off).
When refitting just be careful you have all the metal clips lined up properly, then thump back into place, but ensure the plastic hook is hooked into the corresponding hole on the wheelarch trim first oherwise the trim will remain baggy. You may find that one or two of the plastic metal clip struts come away from the speaker panel, so have some hot melt glue handy.

 

[blackturbo]

Sounds like a pig of a job! its odd as my rear parcel shelf support seems to be where the noise is coming from but maybe thats just due to me listening for it there! Thanks for the help guys

 

[blackturbo]

Willl 17cm speakers fit or does it have to be 16.5s?

cheers

 

[alijames]

You can fit pretty much anything in there if you can make up a suitable adaptor, although as it's just attached to the flimsy fibreboard panel, an 8" sub might just sit there buzzing away. I made up adaptors and put a pair of Infinity 6x9"s in there.

Are you sure that's not the sub you can here behind the passenger side boot panel?

Cheers,

 

[blackturbo]

Well I cant see one in there but there is a disc changer blocking the view!

 

[alijames]

Well I cant see one in there but there is a disc changer blocking the view!

The sub is the black plastic box the CD Changer is sitting above. All A3s came with a sub of some sort. The driver(s) point backwards towards the rear light cluster.

Cheers,

 

[blackturbo]

May well be the sub then, im used to seeing then exposed so if its in a box I wouldnt recognise it!

Is it easy to change?

 

[alijames]

May well be the sub then, im used to seeing then exposed so if its in a box I wouldnt recognise it!

Is it easy to change?

Another thread going on about this one, but all the info you should need is here : http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=57625

AndyMac make the enclosures himself. If you are wanting a full-on 12" or so sub sound with silly SPL, you might be disappointed, but they are miles better than the standard Audi sub, and you don't loose any boot space!!

He will probably be along in this thread soon, but you can always PM him if interested, and no I'm not on commission

Cheers,

 

[blackturbo]

From reading the thread, 300 odd quid is alot for me to be spending out atm with a little'un on the way! May try to source a second hand replacement or an aftermarket one which fits the original enclosure (if thats possible!)

 

[alijames]

I doubt you would find a replacement aftermarket driver, but the subs come up on eBay regularly. Just make sure you get the correct one, either Bose or non-Bose, as they are not swappable.

Bose has 2 small drivers, non-Bose has one larger driver.

Cheers,

 

[blackturbo]

Ok cool thanks for your help! Do you happen to know if its possible to just disconnect it or does that throw everything out of wack?

 

[AndyMac]

If you disconnect the non Bose sub then you'll lose the feed to the rear speakers. The only way to disconnect just the sub is to remove it and take the front off and disconnect just the sub speaker as the rears and sub all run off the same puny amp (which is inside the tupperware enclosure.
There's little point replacing the sub driver. Half the problem with the tupperware sub is the enclosure itself and the other half is the feeble 50 watts driving it.

 

[blackturbo]

I believe my car is running the Bose setup as the speakers I changed over in the front (due to one being distorted) were Bose marked.

There is alot of vibration coming from it so im guessing its either distorted or something is hella loose!

 

[alijames]

If it is a Bose setup, then you can disconnect the sub connector, and the cabin speakers will keep working, as there is a separate Bose amp driving the 4 cabin speakers on the drivers side of the boot.

This will hopefully diagnose a knackered sub, or rear speakers.

Cheers,

 

[blackturbo]

Coolio, well im assuming if its Bose speakers the sub will also be Bose so will give it a try, is it fairly obvious whats what when its out?

Cheers

 

[AndyMac]

As said the Bose sub has 2 x 4" drivers and a black plastic front, whereas the non-Bose system has a single 6.5" driver and a metal front.
If it's distortion then it will almost definately be the sub. Read the thread posted above by Ali. The rear Bose speakers are the crappiest things you'll ever come across, they couldn't produce any amount of bass let alone distort it!
If you unplug the sub the distortion will stop, but the system will basically sound terrible as the sub is the only thing in the car capable of approaching any bass, but at least you'll know it's definately the sub.
Bose on left, non Bose on right:

 

[blackturbo]

Excellent thank you! Now to find the plug in the dark!