Replacing Concert HU

DrNo

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Hi folks, another cluless newbie here. I am about to replace my concert single CD in a (non-Bose) A4 with a Pioneer DEH-P5900MP (comments on this or anything similar welcome) and have been scouring forums trying to work out what I need, however am just getting more confused!
I managed to narrow down the adaptors I need - PC9-404 and PC5-90 however have been told by the supplier "because both the PC9 adaptor and PC5-90 require connections to the Amp Remote wire on the new head unit, wires have to be cut somewhere to achieve this".
So my first question is - what does that mean (I though the point of adaptors was that no cutting wires is involved and I REALLY wanted to keep things simple)?
My second question is - I've read on here (by AndyMac who seems to be the resident ICE guru) it would be better to bypass the amp - is there a simple way to do this (preferably without rewiring). The HU I want has 'direct sub drive' if that helps?
Thirdly, if I was to bypass the amp would I still need the PC5-90 (as I thought this 'told' the amp to switch on)?
Finally, would this set up still involve switching the permanent live and ignition if I want it to go off when the ignition is off (why does nobody make an adapter with this already done)?
Apologies for bombarding you with questions - any advice hugely appreciated.
Thanks
 
If you want to keep it simple then stick to the stock HU!

It would help if we knew the model year of the car.
The PC5-90 is the antenna amp adapter. All Audi's use an aerial amp buried in the boot somewhere. They use the actual aerial lead to swich the amp on, so this adapter takes the power antenna output on an aftermarket HU and converts it to the same so your aerial amp will work.
The PC9-404 is a simple wiring adapter, taking the standard RCA's from your new HU down to the non standard mini-ISO plug used on the Audi loom to feed the rear/sub amp.
1. Both adapters have flying leads which need to be connected to the "power antenna" or "remote on" feed from your new HU. This is normally another blue flying lead, so no cutting is required just a simple bullet connector or terminal block.
2. If you have a B6 A4 then you'll find the rear amp/sub very quiet compared to the front speakers. This is partly due to the new HU powering the fronts with twice the power of the Audi amp and partly due to the bizarre nature of the cheapshit amp Audi use. Bypassing this fisher price garbage is recommended. Rewiring is required - 2 sets of speaker wire from the HU to the rear amp is all thats needed = 15 minute job.
3. The PC5-90 is nothing to do with the rear amp
You'd still need the 404 adapter if you want to retain the sub, but you'd connect this to the sub pre-out on the HU and jack up the sub level. Personally I'd install a small 100wrms amp to power the stock sub or better still replace the whole thing.
I have a B6 Avant and there is loads of room behind the left cubbyhole for a decent MDF enclosure, and the amp can sit where the tupperware sub was located. Really transforms the sound and is relatively easy to do without any loss of boot space.
b6AvantStealthSub.jpg

AvantAmp4ch.jpg
 
Thanks for your quick reply Andy Mac. Forgot to say - it's an 03 saloon. So have I got this right - the PC5-90 has nothing to do with the rear amp, it's just for the antenna (by power antenna, I take it you just mean the radio reception is amplified)? So I need this whatever I do?
Do I understand this right - both adapters will have one loose wire (the flying lead) and both should be connected to the corresponding loose wire coming from the HU?
Think I will bypass the stock amp then but keep the sub (for now). So to do this, I run 2 sets of speaker wire to the rear amp from the HU, bypassing all adapters (the rear amp will reamain of then I take it)? If I am wiring these directly, do I need to do anything to the adapter/s e.g. disconnect any of the existing wires that run to the rear?
You say to retain the sub, I connect the 404 adapter to the sub pre-out. How does this work - is the sub pre-out literally just a wire coming from the HU which I plug into the adapter?
Finally, on this model do the lives still need to be switched?
Thanks again for your help.
 
Yes.
Run 2 sets of speaker wire to the rear amp, then you need to chop the 4 rear speaker wires coming off the amp and connect them to the new cable, keeping +ve to +ve and -ve to -ve.
At the HU you just need to connect them to the stock ISO speaker harness on the new HU as the Audi one does not have any wiring for rear speakers. If the new HU has a seperate speaker harness then chop off the rear connections and connect the new rear cables to the HU side. If it doesn't then you'll need a male & female speaker harness adapter (£2.99 each from Maplins) and chop that instead, or extract 4 pins from the female side and insert these into the stock Audi loom.
The new HU should have a pair of RCA's just for the sub, these then connect to the PC9-404 to provide the feed to the sub.
The 03 A4 doesn't have a ignition on live, just a permanent live, so either pair up the red & yellow and turn the HU on/off manually, or you need to wire in a proper ignition on feed to the HU.
See this thread on how to:
http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=4644
 
OK, I think I've got it although I went to a local 'specialist' this afternoon and he told me you couldn't connect a sub directly to a head unit. I told him that the HU I'm after http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/25/121/61/DEH-P5900MP/index.html actually has a direct subwoofer drive but he reckoned he'd never heard of a sub being connected without an amp - take it he's talking through his a%$e then? The HU I want has 2 rca pre-outs (F+R or S/W) I guess that's ok then? Finally, what's the easiest way to run the wire from the HU to the amp without having to pull the car apart too much?
Thanks
 
He is right, you can't drive a sub without an amp, but you will be using the stock rear/sub amp already in the car.
You can just tuck the speaker wire underneath the trim rather than remove everything.
 
I think the penny has finally dropped -the HU will be powering the door speakers and the amp is still powering the sub. Cheers for your help.