Newbie Concert HU Question

[centurion]

Hi all,

In my last car I repalced the HU for a Sony with MP3 CD playback and I must say I'm really missing having all that music on tap.
The sound quality from the concert HU is great for what I need but I was thinking of putting my old HU in the A3. I've been looking round the internet and facia adaptors are fine but when it comes to the wiring harness I'm just getting more and more confused. Some mention half amplified some full amplified some Bose.

Do I have seperate amps? Do I have a sub? I know I don't have the Bose system so that's something I suppose. If I do have these is this going to cause problems as I don't think the sony has pre outs, it does have a sub out though?

If I need a new HU with pre outs then I'm thinking of keeping the concert and getting a changer, there are some kits out there for MP3 changers but how much hassle would that be to fit one of these in the glove box?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, many thanks.

Andy (confused about ICE but delighted with my car)

 

[s8craig]

What about swapping out for a symphony II+

This will hold 6 CD's of Mp3's with ID tags showing in the cluster and on the display.

I'm guessing you have a single CD concert II, but it can be upgraded to double din and a symphony II+ installed. Much cleaner than the after market route.

 

[centurion]

Now this sounds more like it. I'd love to keep the functionality of the DIS as well as having 6 MP3 discs in a changer.
How would a double din fit in as I do only have the single din concert at present? Would the AC move down? Is this something I could do myself (I don't have VAG com so I guess not). And of course how much would it cost?

I stuck my head in the boot last night and I do have a sub, this is my first Audi and it's still suprising me. The thing is I spent weeks deciding between the A3 or a 1 series BMW if the sales person had mentioned the sub in the boot that could have swung the deal a lot earlier....

 

[centurion]

Further to my post above the new concert system is double din size as well, what the difference between that and the symphony II +?

Cheers...

 

[s8craig]

Further to my post above the new concert system is double din size as well, what the difference between that and the symphony II +?

Cheers...

Concert is single CD and symphony is 6 CD, I think that is the only difference AFAIK.

 

[AndyMac]

If you have the double DIN Concert, then it should be Concert II+ which already supports MP3.

 

[centurion]

If you have the double DIN Concert, then it should be Concert II+ which already supports MP3.

No it's only the single DIN concert and I've tried an MP3 disc in it but to no avail.

 

[AndyMac]

the new concert system is double din size as well, what the difference between that and the symphony II +?

?

 

[Issac Hunt]

I guess he has the single DIN concert system, but is asking after the differences between the lastest double DIN concert+ and double DIN symphony II+?

As Craig says above, the concert+ is single CD whereas the symphony II+ has in-built 6 disc changer.

Both double DIN units will play MP3 CD's but the single DIN concert will not.

 

[centurion]

?

Yea as Issac says, sorry for the confusion.

And to be honest I think I'll stick with a single din unit rather than changing everything around to fit a double din unit in.
So I'll either keep the original concert HU and fit an MP3 changer in the glove box or fit an after market HU that plays MP3 CDs. Which brings me back to my original questions (and one new one).

1. How much hassle is it to fit a changer in the glove box of an A3 that has no cd changer cables pre installed? If been thinking of this pack http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=MADS003 ,any advice / other suggestions very welcome.
2. How do I know if I'm full/half/not amped so I can get the correct wiring harness if I decide to go down the after market HU route?
3. Just out of interest where are the amps situated?

Again cheers for all your help.

 

[AndyMac]

You have a half amped system (non Bose). The rears and sub are amped by a tiny amp inside the sub enclosure (2 x 20w + 1 x 50w).
You'll need to pull the HU out in order to install the changer bus cable, but apart from that fairly easy. You'l need some sort of mounting brackets for the changer in the glovebox.

 

[centurion]

Ideal,
Cheers AndyMac...