Audio upgrade all Focal

Raincheck

Sucking diesel..!
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
104
Reaction score
13
Points
18
Location
Dublin
Hi,

2011 Audi A3 Sportsback 1.6 TDi 5 doors:
  • 4 x Focal ISN 165 (Doors)
  • 1 x Focal P 21 V2 (Sub)
  • 1 x Focal 2100 2 channel amp
  • 1 x Focal 4100 4 channel amp
Amps SubDoor Subwoofer

Just started and already having difficulties, trying to get the 4 gauge + power cable from the battery into the interior of the car. Where is the best place to do so just behind the battery? there are 2 grommets tried to push a wire (metal coat hanger) through but I am getting now where.

Batt Batt2 Inter

Or the other side (steering wheel) the best place for the 4 gauge + power cable to come in.

Help is more then welcome,

Rain

(All images & photo's by Raincheck)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: J.R.
best place is behind the battery keep trying with coat hanger it should eventually go through
 
The enclosure is fitted,

It sit's nice an tide and solid as a rock, now I have to cut the side panel to fit.

Enclosure01 Enclosure02 Enclosure03

But that's for tomorrow,

Rain...
 
Phffft it's hard work,

Still no go with the 4 gauge power cable, can't get a wire from the battery inside!
But hey tomorrow an other day!

Finished the sub enclosure and it doesn't look to bad:

Enclosure empty Enclosure focal

Started with the doors, getting the 2.5 mm speaker wire through the grommet isn't easy:

Door standaard Door focal Grommet

Hope to finish the three other doors tomorrow and make a start placing the amps.

Maybe some one out there who has some tips how to get this F***ing 4 gauge power cable in!

Rain....

Ps. looking for a grill to protect the sub woofer. Bought one on eBay but that was crap! (it sit's to tide need more depth). Any links to nice black grills or shops to buy one?
 
Last edited:
I got my reverse camera yellow rca cable through my boot grommet with the help of fairy liquid.

Used the fragrance faory liquid so smelt nice too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hendry10
Finally I got the 4 gauge power cable in,

Thanks to Andy Mac's instructions and it isn't that difficult at all once you lift the wiper scuttle.
"Quoted from Andy Mac's A3/S3 8P chassis (2003-current) Installation manual for the AMSS enclosure"

Release the bulkhead rubber that holds down the wiper scuttle, then lift up the passenger side corner of the scuttle there's the perfect spare grommet under there. This enters the cabin down the side of the glove box. Cut off the end of the nipple on the grommet and poke a wire coat hanger through. When you've located the other end in the foot well, tape the power cable to it and pull it through from the engine side. Be careful as the grommet can get pulled out, use some fairy liquid to ease it through.


4gauge2 4gauge 4gauge3

I am a happy camper and able to continue with the installation thanks Andy Mac,

Rain....
 
Today I placed the 2 channel amp, I planned to place it under the passenger seat but that wasn't possible.
It's still at the passenger side but in front of the seat, I had to cut up the carpet and foam it's just deep enough.
Also some space for the power splitter block.

That all for today I am knackered :)

Ps. had to move the car today and forgot all about the passenger airbag, so now it saying "passenger airbag not on" or something like that. Do I need to clear this with VAGCOM? Hope not as I don't have it yet.
 
Yes you need VAGCOM/VCDS to reset it, until you do, all the airbags are disabled
 
Update,

Fitted the Focal 4100 today, I placed it under the back seat cut out the dimensions (it's foam very easy) and it sit's perfect. Sat on the back seat to try it out and yes in the middle it's a bit harder but not much very happy with this solution.

Focal4100b

Also finished the left back door had to use the original wiring as you can't get a extra wire in through the grommet (it's a connection block no space) 2 more doors to go both on the right hand side and hopefully the needed harness will be delivered to morrow it's still @ GATWICK, United Kingdom, The shipment has left the parcel center Mon, 06.05.2013 17:22 h.

Was afraid I had to clear the airbags with VAGCOM/VCDS and Andy confirmed it. Okay 2 solutions go to the dealer or buy it :(

Rain
 
Last edited:
Btw,

Didn't know there is an center speaker in the middle of the dash close to the windscreen.
Can you upgrade this center speaker and if so how do you hook it up?

Rain
 
You can't upgrade it and you wouldn't want to, just disconnect it as it's hideous - it's tuned to the frequency of a baby crying, very harsh on the ears
Not sure how happy the Focal amp will be located there, zero airflow may lead to overheating
 
Hi guys & girls,

I am having a bit of a problem, all speakers and amps are hooked-up and working.
But I am having difficulties with the pins, now it only works when I have the balance on right and fader on rear.

Fader balance

Also the radio on wire doesn’t work the amps are on all the time even when I switch of the ignition.

It’s clear that I am not using the correct pins!
The photo below is the quadlock coming out of the RSN E MKII

Pins2


looking at the top of the RSN E pin overview you must have section A, B, C, D.

Pins

But looking at it you see two C sections above the fuse and section D & A (a bit confusing)
Can someone please help and tell me where the pins are located on the quadlock (shown below)

Pins2


Section D
pin 13 Radio on

Section C
pin 3 line out FL
pin 5 line out RL
pin 8 line out GND
pin 9 line out FR
pin 11 line out RR

Section A
pin 2 right front (+)
pin 3 left front (+)
pin 6 right front (-)
pin 7 left front (-)

If possible can you number them starting with white block.

Thanks in advance,

Rain....

Ps. I presume I can still use the fader option with the line out’s
 
Last edited:
Yes that's a misprint on the HU sticker
The B section is the white connector in your picture, or top right on the sticker

The radio on connection will stay live for a few minutes even when you lock the car. It does switch off once all the electrics have shut down.
And yes fader and balance should all work perfectly if your connections are correct.
 
:applaus:Yahoo..!

It's working :) I read the pins upside down :whistle2: Special thanx to Andy Mac great advice & tips!
What's left is fine tuning of the amps & trying to sound proof all kind of things that are now shaking because of a strong low frequency resonance. Maybe an other layer of sound deadening to give it more mass...

Rain...

I never did this before and must say it's fun but worrying at times, maybe I would do it again or leave it for the pro's?
 
Good read that Rain... Well done!!

I'm assuming that you just had the standard Audi stuff in there before? No Bose or anything?
 
FYI

When you take-out the quadlock RSN-E MK II (non Bose) (frontal view):

PinsAll

Section D
pin 13 Radio on (switch for amplifiers, it has a few seconds delay when switched off)


Section C
pin 3 line out RL
pin 5 line out FL
pin 8 line out GND
pin 9 line out RR
pin 11 line out FR


Section A (amplified front speakers, remove pins if front amp is connected)
pin 2 right front (+)
pin 3 left front (+)
pin 6 right front (-)
pin 7 left front (-)

The biggest problem for me was where to place the amplifiers, for now I have one amp 2 chan. (font speakers) cut into the passenger side just in front of the chair (removed the floor mat and cut into the foam) and the 4 channel into the back seat.

Like Andy Mac mentioned heat could be a problem, checked this but for now it's fine they get very warm but not extremely hot.
But then again I am not playing music full speed all the time mostly at only 10% of the maximum you will damage your hearing if you do. A new project has risen out of this exercise securing all trembling, shaking and resonating interior parts even the number plate is rattling.

Thanks Forum members for your support!

Rain...

Ps. Did a VCDS check yesterday to clear the airbags, noticed that all the car audio stuff is also recorded in the VCDS so cleared that to.
 
Last edited:
Hi Cruiser89,

When I bought the car it had a concert II HU non Bose, NHN did the installation of the new RSN-E MKII including Bluetooth, antenna and multifunction steering wheel.

I got all the Focal parts (4 door speakers, 1 subwoofer and 2 amplifiers) from Limerick Hi-Fi Bits (Ireland), the MDF for the doors from Andy Mac and the MDF Sub enclosure on Amazon, you also need this: Amplifier Adapter - Audi RNS-E-33979 and of course all the small bits like speaker cable power distribution and so on.

Grtx Rain
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: NHN
Okay Guy's,

One more question I am looking for a company that can make custom speaker grills.
Created a design (3DS Max & PS ) it isn't complicated but it need some depth:

Speaker grill design

Tips are more then welcome,

Rain...
 
  • Like
Reactions: NHN
I would lose the what look like rivet style things around the outer ring, I think it looks more classy without them.
 
Great write up - I did a big install in my old 8L and managed to feed 0 gauge from the battery. Couldn't bring myself to start tearing apart the S3 though. May have to get myself a small car just for sounds in the future.

My only concern with your install is having an amp surrounded by foam as it may overheat. Could the amp not go behind the other side panel in the boot?
 
andy is quite correct in saying that the amplifier may not be happy being covered up with little airflow
this may shorten the lifeof the amplifier considerably
the centrespeaker can be upgraded focal actually do a direct replacement for it , however ive done one and the benefit versus the cost is simply not worth it the dashboard needs to be completly removed to replace the unit and unless you really wanted a full 5.1 cinema system in there the standard nokia speaker which is fitted is quite adequate for phone calls
a baby cries at around 1khz to 5khz frequency its the most sensitive part of the human hearing range , the frequency range of the centre speaker is 120hz to around 12 khz and an adult voice is capable of producing from anywhere around 180hz to just over 3khz
the speaker is more than capable
 
  • Like
Reactions: NHN
andy is quite correct in saying that the amplifier may not be happy being covered up with little airflow
this may shorten the lifeof the amplifier considerably
the centrespeaker can be upgraded focal actually do a direct replacement for it , however ive done one and the benefit versus the cost is simply not worth it the dashboard needs to be completly removed to replace the unit and unless you really wanted a full 5.1 cinema system in there the standard nokia speaker which is fitted is quite adequate for phone calls
a baby cries at around 1khz to 5khz frequency its the most sensitive part of the human hearing range , the frequency range of the centre speaker is 120hz to around 12 khz and an adult voice is capable of producing from anywhere around 180hz to just over 3khz
the speaker is more than capable

Not just a pretty face :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: dualmono21
Not sure how happy the Focal amp will be located there, zero airflow may lead to overheating

Hi, just an update about the Focal amp in the back seat. have it running for over a year now and no problems with over heating, must say I hardly have it full blast!

Grtx Rain.
 

Similar threads

L
Replies
11
Views
2K
Lilgaz
L
Replies
1
Views
933
Replies
4
Views
1K
Replies
3
Views
1K