aftermarket h/u into a 2000 A4 (B5)
- Thread starter GlasgowRob
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Have you looked in the ICE forum? There's lots of info there from people much better qualified than me, but here's a rough guide to be going on with.
The standard Audi H/U only has line-level amplified outputs for the front door speakers. The rear speaker are active, i.e. they are fed by non-amplified pre-outs on the H/U, and have their own amplifier built into one of the rears.
That means you need an adapter to connect the active rear speakers to a pre-out on the after market H/U. It also mean that you will get a huge disparity between the sound level to the front speakers that are powered by the H/U amp (typically 2 x 50 watts these days, even on an entry-level model), and the rear speakers that are "powered" (& I use that word carefully) by the puny 25 watt amp bolted to the speakers.
This means you have to bias the front/rear fader heavily towards the rears to balance out the sound. It also means you're having to suppress the output from the H/U's good quality amplifier so it doesn't overwhelm the output of the shitey rear-speaker amp, which kind of defeats the purpose. It is possible to disconnect the rear speaker amp, connect the cables direct to the speakers & then connect the other end to the line-level rear speaker outs on the H/U. A better solution, however, is to throw out the rear speakers in the bin with the H/U (they are made by Nokia, for God's sake!) , and put in some proper ones.
Also, you will probably find you need an in-line aerial amplifier sitting between the aerial cable and the aerial socket on the back of the H/U. This is because the rear-window aerial has to be amplified, and on most B5s, the aerial amplifier is built into the original H/U itself.
Finally, you'll need fascia adapters to fill the gap either side of the new H/U. as the outgoing Audi unit is wider than the one you are replacing it with.
That's the non-technical answer. Over to Andymac and the others for the science bit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
The standard Audi H/U only has line-level amplified outputs for the front door speakers. The rear speaker are active, i.e. they are fed by non-amplified pre-outs on the H/U, and have their own amplifier built into one of the rears.
That means you need an adapter to connect the active rear speakers to a pre-out on the after market H/U. It also mean that you will get a huge disparity between the sound level to the front speakers that are powered by the H/U amp (typically 2 x 50 watts these days, even on an entry-level model), and the rear speakers that are "powered" (& I use that word carefully) by the puny 25 watt amp bolted to the speakers.
This means you have to bias the front/rear fader heavily towards the rears to balance out the sound. It also means you're having to suppress the output from the H/U's good quality amplifier so it doesn't overwhelm the output of the shitey rear-speaker amp, which kind of defeats the purpose. It is possible to disconnect the rear speaker amp, connect the cables direct to the speakers & then connect the other end to the line-level rear speaker outs on the H/U. A better solution, however, is to throw out the rear speakers in the bin with the H/U (they are made by Nokia, for God's sake!) , and put in some proper ones.
Also, you will probably find you need an in-line aerial amplifier sitting between the aerial cable and the aerial socket on the back of the H/U. This is because the rear-window aerial has to be amplified, and on most B5s, the aerial amplifier is built into the original H/U itself.
Finally, you'll need fascia adapters to fill the gap either side of the new H/U. as the outgoing Audi unit is wider than the one you are replacing it with.
That's the non-technical answer. Over to Andymac and the others for the science bit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
Hi mate,
I have fitted a Sony MP3 head unit to my A4. The only problem i had was with the live feed in to the stereo. There is only one live feed going to the ISO connector on the car's wiring loom. I had to scotchlock the permanent and aux lives so that the bothran from the single live in the car's loom. Hope this helps you.
Donald
I have fitted a Sony MP3 head unit to my A4. The only problem i had was with the live feed in to the stereo. There is only one live feed going to the ISO connector on the car's wiring loom. I had to scotchlock the permanent and aux lives so that the bothran from the single live in the car's loom. Hope this helps you.
Donald
AndyMac
Retired from service
Yes all newer Audi's 99/00 onwards don't have an ignition on feed to the ISO power connector. If you're lucky you can sometimes pick it up from the fusebox (Radio S-Kont fuse). If this isn't there then you either wire it to perm live and rely on manually turning it off, or you're stuck with it on/off with the engine.
If your car has got an ignition on feed chances are it'll be wired in reverse with the perm live so you'll need to swap over the 2 connections otherwise the radio will switch on with the ignition and off with the keys out, but you'll lose all your presets everytime.
If your car has got an ignition on feed chances are it'll be wired in reverse with the perm live so you'll need to swap over the 2 connections otherwise the radio will switch on with the ignition and off with the keys out, but you'll lose all your presets everytime.
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Guys the biggest prob he has is getting a unit in full stop as I think he has the face lift car, which may have the Symphony head unit.
What unit do you have in your car?
What unit do you have in your car?
[ QUOTE ]
Guys the biggest prob he has is getting a unit in full stop as I think he has the face lift car, which may have the Symphony head unit.
What unit do you have in your car?
[/ QUOTE ]
Even on facelift models, the normal H/U was the single-DIN Concert. Double-DIN Symphony was an extra-cost option.
Guys the biggest prob he has is getting a unit in full stop as I think he has the face lift car, which may have the Symphony head unit.
What unit do you have in your car?
[/ QUOTE ]
Even on facelift models, the normal H/U was the single-DIN Concert. Double-DIN Symphony was an extra-cost option.
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My car has the Symphony so you never no what you might get in your car.
I had to do a lot of work to convert the opening to get a system in my car.
I had to do a lot of work to convert the opening to get a system in my car.
[ QUOTE ]
My car has the Symphony so you never no what you might get in your car.
I had to do a lot of work to convert the opening to get a system in my car.
[/ QUOTE ]
I think I remember the thread you posted about that. it was a fantastic piece of work.
My car has the Symphony so you never no what you might get in your car.
I had to do a lot of work to convert the opening to get a system in my car.
[/ QUOTE ]
I think I remember the thread you posted about that. it was a fantastic piece of work.
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easytease
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heh. just got my becker mexico pro yesterday and im having real fun getting it wired proper like.
the live's need switching but at the mo the standard audi wiring is plugged straight into the becker as the wiring adaptor i got was short of the connections for the rear pre-outs. i now have to get the pre-out cable from becker before i have rear speakers.
time to get my genesis amp(s) in there me thinks
the live's need switching but at the mo the standard audi wiring is plugged straight into the becker as the wiring adaptor i got was short of the connections for the rear pre-outs. i now have to get the pre-out cable from becker before i have rear speakers.
time to get my genesis amp(s) in there me thinks
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Great minds think alike, I have a 5-channel genesis in mine. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
easytease
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i just sold my profile sub as i needed money, and my alpine pxa h701 combo.
only a profile 4 left, time to hunt down a nice pair of 8's for the boot and components
only a profile 4 left, time to hunt down a nice pair of 8's for the boot and components
spoke to the bod at car audio direct asures me with my concert h/u (non bose) its a straight plug and play affair heres hoping he knows his stuff
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AndyMac
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Concert going into a B5 will be fine wiring wise, as all Audi radios are identically wired, the only possible issue is whether the fascia fits the dash as some Audi radios are slightly wider/taller than others depending on the car. Also the ignition on/CANBUS issue might arise
[ QUOTE ]
Concert going into a B5 will be fine wiring wise, as all Audi radios are identically wired, the only possible issue is whether the fascia fits the dash as some Audi radios are slightly wider/taller than others depending on the car. Also the ignition on/CANBUS issue might arise
[/ QUOTE ]
I thought he was taking out a Concert & replacing it with an after-market. Did I get it @r$e about face? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Concert going into a B5 will be fine wiring wise, as all Audi radios are identically wired, the only possible issue is whether the fascia fits the dash as some Audi radios are slightly wider/taller than others depending on the car. Also the ignition on/CANBUS issue might arise
[/ QUOTE ]
I thought he was taking out a Concert & replacing it with an after-market. Did I get it @r$e about face? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
AndyMac
Retired from service
No I did, sorry, please disregard.
Thought he said he was putting a Concert in his B5 as they normally have Delta's
Doh!
Thought he said he was putting a Concert in his B5 as they normally have Delta's
Doh!
easytease
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if you're getting a becker (german engineering in a german car. fantastic i thaught!) then its NOT a direct replacement. you gotta use audi's loom and swap some pins over, then buy the seperate pre-out cable for the becker so that the active rear's can run
AndyMac
Retired from service
Blaupunkt is a straight plug & play, it uses the same stupid mini ISO connector for the pre-outs and the power ISO is standard.
