Audi A3 8P Front Speakers

[RQ]

Hi, i'm new here and I didn't found the answer to my next questions:
My car is Audi A3 -04

-Can I install 6,5" two-way speaker system to my car's front speaker places? Is there enough space for 6,5" mids?
-Another question is that where can I find guide to remove my car's door cards? Is it difficult to do?

And in the end, is there something special to know when i'm changing speakers to my Audi A3 8P?

Thank you I appreciate your help.

 

[PH1L]

see the faq's for door card removal cant answer the other questions but im sure some audiophille will be along soon

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

I have replaced the Bose in mine with the following kit list :-
2005 Audi A3 2.0TDi DSG S-Line
Alpine DVA-9861Ri IPod Full Speed
30GB Ipod Click Wheel
Alpine PXA-H701 (Ai-Net and Optical)
Alpine PDX-4.150 (Focal Fronts Bi-Amped)
Alpine PDX-1.1000 (JL 10W3v2-D4)
Focal Utopia Fronts (Series 1 but with TN52 Tweeters)
JL Audio 10W3v2-D4 Sub

I have installed Focal 6W2 mids in the door, you will need MDF spacer rings (I purchased 6 on Ebay) and I have two 18mm ones glued and screwed together to get enough depth for the mid. You will need to make sure that you protect both the MDF and your Mid from water ingress.

Probably best to checkout the ICE section of the forum.

Paul

 

[RQ]

Thanks for answering...

Okay, I heard that some autosound-shops sell also some other kinds of space rings (different material), not MDF. Not sure which is the best but have to check where I can find those the easiest way. I think those MDF space rings don't cost much so they can be good choice if nothing else will not found.

But first I have to check the faq or some kind of guide of removing the door cards because i haven't clue yet how it goes. I think I broke something if I don't find guide.

I would appreciate if someone can send the link of that door card removal guide because i don't know this forum very well yet

Edit. I found spacer rings for Audi, is the loundspeaker size 165mm right?

 

[Ash187]

I have replaced the Bose in mine with the following kit list :-
2005 Audi A3 2.0TDi DSG S-Line
Alpine DVA-9861Ri IPod Full Speed
30GB Ipod Click Wheel
Alpine PXA-H701 (Ai-Net and Optical)
Alpine PDX-4.150 (Focal Fronts Bi-Amped)
Alpine PDX-1.1000 (JL 10W3v2-D4)
Focal Utopia Fronts (Series 1 but with TN52 Tweeters)
JL Audio 10W3v2-D4 Sub

I have installed Focal 6W2 mids in the door, you will need MDF spacer rings (I purchased 6 on Ebay) and I have two 18mm ones glued and screwed together to get enough depth for the mid. You will need to make sure that you protect both the MDF and your Mid from water ingress.

Probably best to checkout the ICE section of the forum.

Paul

HI Paul,

did you need to replace the bose speakers? i am thinking of fitting the Alpine IVA-W502R and already have Bose in my car and don't really want to replace it.

thanks
Ash

 

[AndyMac]

You won't get much benefit (if any) just replacing the front speakers on the Bose system, unless the Bose speakers are knackered. the Bose amp only really works well with the Bose units. If you do go ahead then you need to ensure you get non standard 2 ohm impedance units, Focal do some and a couple of others. If you fit regular 4 ohm components then you'll be getting half the power out of the Bose amp, which is underpowered anyway, so deffo 2 ohm units. Also ensure the tweeters are not too big or deep, so they will fit easily in the standard tweeter housing on the A pillar. These Rainbow 265 slx deluxe components fitted perfectly once removed from their stock housing.
I am selling ready made MDF adapters specifically for the 8P front doors, they have a backing plate that allows you to fit them using the original screws in the original holes, £15 delivered for the pair. Will have an ad on ebay in the next day or so.

 

[Ash187]

Andy, the Audi man!
so how would it sound if i just replaced the headunit and left the Bose intact?

 

[AndyMac]

Apart from the superior feaures on a new HU it would probably sound worse. You can get all sorts of wierd popping issues with aftermarket and Bose so you then have to use the dire speaker input adapter which gives you a whole bunch of other hissing and interference woes. Soundwise you'd have better control of the EQ, but at the end of the day it's the poor Bose amp & speakers delivering the "quality".
If you want better quality snip the Bose wire and add a sub. The difference is dramatic.

 

[Ash187]

thanks Andy,
I was thinking of disconnecting the Bose wire anyway. would just disconnecting it and leaving the speakers in place resolve issues? i didnt really want to put my 12" Kenwood sub in the Audi as i don't want to loose the boot space, and as you have said lots of time before i cannot have a stealth sub in my Sportback due to the silly little space in the boot panel.
And i am going for an aftermarket system as the RNSE is way too expensive to get with all the options i want (bluetooth, full ipod control, reverse camera)

 

[AndyMac]

If you're replacing the HU and looking to replace the speakers then you don't need the Bose amp, just leave it running the sub and rewire the fronts directly to the new HU. You can have a stealth sub it just means distorting the scoop in the boot panel slightly.
Disconnecting the Bose wire only effects the stock HU taking it out of flat EQ mode, aftermarket HU's already have a proper smiley face EQ.

 

[Ash187]

What if a sub was built to fit in the boot panel but protruded into the boot by building a false side wall to give some extra space for the sub?
I really want to keep a stealth sub but dont want to rewire all the speakers in the car just yet so want to keep the Bose speakers.
any ideas on this Andy?

 

[AndyMac]

Don't really understand what you mean. The only difference in the SB is the boot panel itself, the stealth sub fits perfectly in the space, as it's identical to the 3 door version, it's just refitting the boot panel that causes the scooped bit to foul on the front of the sub. By pushing the scoop out and taping some foam bolsters around the sub to prevent the scoop reverting to it's proper shape it works fine.
Here's the sculpted Bose sub in a sportback, you can just see that the whole front of it is curved inwards to accomodate the poxy scoop in the boot panel:

Whereas on the non SB sub it is flat:

As is the stealth sub:

 

[Ash187]

Andy, i think we are both talking about the same thing, just that im getting my words mixed up trying to explain the idea in my head.
oh great so we can have a stealth sub in the Sportback! where does the amp live? i remember you saying there isnt enough space to put it near the sub.
i see the the slealth sub fits in its little space but how much does it stick out? is it really noticible? what i meant by 'false wall' was where you have the stealth sub in the last pic you obviously need the foam boltsters to stop the (this is where i cant explain) boot panel from touching the sub. so what if a custom boot panel was made to allow a little more room for the sub and possibly the amp along side it? is there any space for the amp to go near the spare wheel?

(p.s. sorry for hijacking this thread, just seems like some amazing news for us sportback owners)

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Blimey Andy you could have come up with those speaker rings a year ago when I did my install, that would have saved me work and drilling holes in the doors.

Itwasntme187 It was always my intention to replace the Bose speakers, so not sure on the Bose speakers - however there is a guy on the Talkaudio forum that has sucessfully used an aftermarket HU with his Bose.

I did come across a self study on the Sportback yesterday with a warning about replacing the speaker in a Sportback as the trigger for the front side airbags is in the door and uses air pressure to trigger rather than impact shock.

Paul

 

[RQ]

What material have you used to damp car doors? Do you know Vibroblast or Silent Coat. I think I would use other of those but i'm not sure yet how much I need that material to get damped front doors well enough...

Have you got any article from this forum where someone is introducing his hifi-installation and at the same there are pictures of door damps? I don't have idea what I have to damp and how much from my front doors to get good result enough.

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

I used Elemental designs EDead in my doors. Put a good section of it behind where the mid sits and then all over the inner skin of the door that is behind the door card.

Paul

 

[RQ]

Okay. Thanks for answering.

But now I have to know how much i need that material to front doors? Is 2 or 3 m2 enough? Can you say about.

 

[AndyMac]

1 sq metre is enough for just the doors, no need to plaster every available square inch. You can only get a small amount on the outer skin as you have to work through the speaker hole to apply it and a couple of square feet is plenty for the inner skin.

 

[RQ]

Ok, thanks for answer.

I decided to take that material enough and ordered 3,5 sq meters it But it is worth to price even though I haven't get it yet. Same like material as Vibroplast or Silent Coat.

I would like to know still bit more about plastering. Do I have to plaster that "black" area what is shown in that picture as you can see. That looks like mat/carpet. Is it "wrong" to plaster it? If I have enough material I thought that the plastering is good to do carefully so you can get the best result. And yes, I will put that material also "behind" of speaker to the outer skin.