Thread: Is it worth replacing my front speakers in my A3 with new HU

I have a 3 door A3 2009 sline non Bose, last month I fitted a pioneer f30bt head unit and I am very happy with it, but I cannot help but Feel that the oem front speakers are being shown up by the better quality amp in the new head unit.

I have new a set of J L audio cr650 csi component speakers (6 1/2 " mid and 1 " tweeter with crossover), I bought for a previous car but never fitted.

Will it make a noticable difference ? and are there any guides or threads to show me how to do it ? Particularly how to remove panels so I can get access to speakers (tweeter as well), a frame and the panel where the door wiring loom comes through to run new speaker cable. I have a phobia about breaking the trim panels so It would be really helpfull to know which way to pull and where clips are.

Where have people located the crossovers (they are about the size of a palm) ?

Also should I use mdf baskets for the mids and use some dynamat where it sits on the metal door frame.

Not looking to win shows but a usefull performance boost without tear my car to bits.

I know I have asked a few questions and would really appreciate any advice.

Cheers

Yes definately do it, it will make a big difference.
Guide is here:
http://freepdfhosting.com/a6b33703ba.pdf

You can't rewire the speakers as they terminate on a multi connector on the A pillar so there is no way through. Just use the existing wiring ensuring any filter on the tweeter is bypassed. The crossovers can be mounted behind the glovebox.
Yes use Dynamat everywhere you can, but pick up some spare pop fasteners for the door cards as they are designed to snap off on removal.

Cheers Andy

I have ordered the mdf baskets now.
Is there an easy place to mail order the clips from as I am 45 miles from nearest Audi dealers ?

Do the a pillar tweeter trims just prize off or is there a knack ?

Thanks

If you haven't got BOSE then aftermarket is best.

Door card clips part numbers ?

I have found a couple of places on eBay where they sell the door card clips but I need the part numbers to get the correct ones does anybody know what or where I can find these for an A3 2009 3 door ?

Cheers

Yes the tweeters just prise out. Thinking about it disregard what I said about the clips, it's the B6/B7 A4's that have the ones that break off.

Just received the mdf speaker baskets and they look really good, I am guessing that you are the eBay seller I bought them from Andy ?

I am aiming to fit them some point this week, cannot wait to hear the difference !

I originally bought the j l xr650 csi components for my S2000 but never got round to fitting them after I put in a new head unit.

The only thing concerning me is the panel removal in the cockpit (doors look straight forward), but I will just unbolt everything that's obvious and pull the panels gently.

Yes that's me.
Also the tweeters no longer just prise out, you have to remove the A pillar trims to get to them as they have now added some annoying thrust washers to the back of the tweeter grilles to lock them in.
Removing the A pillar trims is not as horrendous as it sounds. Peel back the door rubbers and then really pull hard on the trims. They are really stubborn but they will come free. When you have freed the 3 metal spring clips you just slide the trim up and out.

Answer to my question "is it worth replacing my front speakers ?"

YES !

It now seems like a stupid question. What a pile of c#$p oem non Bose mids and tweeters are !!! I now have more clarity, punch and no distortion at decent volume levels.

A big thanks to andymac for the speaker baskets and the advice on tweeter access.

All in all fairly straight forward, a bit time consuming and in the end I surface mounted the new tweeters in the same place as factory
To give more of a special sound and also they look good.

I would say to anyone with a concet 2 HU and non Bose setup, if you want decent sound get rid and replace !

Cheers