A4 B8.5 Avant Subwoofer tear down.
- Thread starter rich dj
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Possibly the worst subwoofer I have come across, it’s like something Matsui made in the 80’s
No wonder it resonates, you tap the box and it rings.
Just to make it better it would need deadening on the outside and internal baffle stuck on the inside.
And as for that speaker! My headphones have a bigger magnet!
I may have to upgrade the existing sub a bit as I plan to put a sub box in the boot and have a cable to swap to original when the boot space is needed.
I will update as I go.
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No wonder it resonates, you tap the box and it rings.
Just to make it better it would need deadening on the outside and internal baffle stuck on the inside.
And as for that speaker! My headphones have a bigger magnet!
I may have to upgrade the existing sub a bit as I plan to put a sub box in the boot and have a cable to swap to original when the boot space is needed.
I will update as I go.
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philbell
Registered User
Where is the sub located in the avant? Recently brought a avant with B&O full mmi and the bass seems to come from the front as aposed to the saloon which was in the parcel shelf?
I don't have B&O. either so I'm going to go look for mine. I don't want to put a sub box in the boot so any suggestions to improve the factory one would be greatly appreciated. thx.
I now have the speaker wading and some sound deadening felt. Going to set up a frequency sweep on an SD card and use my phone and watch the DB meter with a taped off area to place it to see where it peeks and film it then do the mods and do it again.
Bit primitive but should do the trick.
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Bit primitive but should do the trick.
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Would also like to try an Isobaric set up but not sure there is enough room for the extra cone 2x 4 ohm so it still looks like 2 ohm to the amp and will be a little lower level.
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I'm not sure if Ash from audi retro fit is on here, but he had a tidy little subwoofer set up in the right hand cubby hole. He'd had the plastic shroud reinforced with fibreglass and a 8" installed. I didn't get to hear it alas.
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Did someone say my name?
So yes I have a 8” JL audio 8W3 sub added to my A5 Sportback along with a tiny JL Audio amp by the spare wheel.
https://www.instagram.com/audi_retr...utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=rir6r2b2xsxz
If I did it again I would have a 10” version but when I did it the first time I was told a 10” sub wouldn’t fit the space until the fabricator put the 8” in and figured out a 10” would fit fine.
Anyone want my 8”?
Also you guys are welcome to hear how it sounds if you come down to the unit for any work!
So yes I have a 8” JL audio 8W3 sub added to my A5 Sportback along with a tiny JL Audio amp by the spare wheel.
https://www.instagram.com/audi_retr...utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=rir6r2b2xsxz
If I did it again I would have a 10” version but when I did it the first time I was told a 10” sub wouldn’t fit the space until the fabricator put the 8” in and figured out a 10” would fit fine.
Anyone want my 8”?
Also you guys are welcome to hear how it sounds if you come down to the unit for any work!
So I’ve had it back out and modified it slightly and cheaply.
I will post up the waveform difference on the sweep test at some stage but it’s definitely better, less resonance during radio presenter vocals and certain songs, the bass seems tighter and lower ranges can be heard better now.
Cheap fix, it’s certainly not perfect but it’s a lot better until the Isobaric sub and amp can be fitted.
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I will post up the waveform difference on the sweep test at some stage but it’s definitely better, less resonance during radio presenter vocals and certain songs, the bass seems tighter and lower ranges can be heard better now.
Cheap fix, it’s certainly not perfect but it’s a lot better until the Isobaric sub and amp can be fitted.
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toadusmodus
Registered User
Interesting stuff, thanks for the write up. Are there any 'off the shelf' alternatives to the standard sub? I can't seem to find anything suitable.
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I’ve just ordered one of these for my S4 saloon, has anyone else tried one?
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152922023404
Also available for Avant
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152922025336
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152922023404
Also available for Avant
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152922025336
I'm getting one for the A5 but it is only for an 8inch. As the boxes are only around 8 litres their volume falls way below the very minimum volume capacity required for a 10" subwoofer and is only just acceptable for a shallow 8" subwoofer, this is what put me off trying to go for a 10".
But I'm clueless on these things so if somebody can tell me its perfectly fine to ignore the volume figures for an enclosed sub box for 10" then I might go 10 even though it sticks out into the boot space.
A5 with correct number of doors boxes (Sportback)
10/12" A5 box (LINK)
8" A5 box (LINK)
My thread (LINK)
Though I think I'm going for a Pioneer set up at this point.
But I'm clueless on these things so if somebody can tell me its perfectly fine to ignore the volume figures for an enclosed sub box for 10" then I might go 10 even though it sticks out into the boot space.
A5 with correct number of doors boxes (Sportback)
10/12" A5 box (LINK)
8" A5 box (LINK)
My thread (LINK)
Though I think I'm going for a Pioneer set up at this point.
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The box I've purchased in the listing is 0.9 cu ft and the 10" sub I have and plan to use is a Pioneer TS-W261D4 which has a Recom. Enclosure [ft3] 0.8 so I've provided the details and requested the box be built to the spec of the sub.
I had a 08reg A4 with the Bose system and the bass was full and present. Very deep. I loved it. Listening to music was a pleasure.
Now I have a B8.5 A4 with B&O system and I have to say the bass is extremely underwhelming. I've done some reading on this and come to the following conclusion:
The 12 speaker setup is all marketing BS. Music simply doesn't sound good with surround sound. Movies, yes! The B&O system has no setting for the Subwoofer level, whereas the Bose did. The B&O sounds good, but you have to turn Surround off.
You also have to adjust the settings according to the music source which you didn't have to do in the Bose. I know the Bose gets a lot of bad comments, not having nice fidelity and having boomy bass, but I don't find it to be boomy at all. The bass was deep and tight. I used to have the Subwoofer setting at 2 clicks past middle and it was beautiful.
The B&O just lacks deep bass. It's present, but if I wanted the same result as on my previous car, I have to increase the bass right up, but then it makes a thudding sound rather than tight bass. If there was a separate setting for Subwoofer like for the Bose, I would be interested to see the difference.
And as I eluded to earlier, the right music source is required, and the settings need to be adjusted according to whether you're listening to BT source, DAB or CD which is a bit of a nuisance.
Bottom line is if you want the B&O to sound good, or have better bass, you have to faff around with the settings, and if you like your deep punchy bass, it's simply not there. With the Bose, you had plenty of it and you had the ability to adjust subwoofer level. The 2 speakers worked perfectly fine as well
How can the sub on the B&O be so crap compared to the Bose sub?
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Now I have a B8.5 A4 with B&O system and I have to say the bass is extremely underwhelming. I've done some reading on this and come to the following conclusion:
The 12 speaker setup is all marketing BS. Music simply doesn't sound good with surround sound. Movies, yes! The B&O system has no setting for the Subwoofer level, whereas the Bose did. The B&O sounds good, but you have to turn Surround off.
You also have to adjust the settings according to the music source which you didn't have to do in the Bose. I know the Bose gets a lot of bad comments, not having nice fidelity and having boomy bass, but I don't find it to be boomy at all. The bass was deep and tight. I used to have the Subwoofer setting at 2 clicks past middle and it was beautiful.
The B&O just lacks deep bass. It's present, but if I wanted the same result as on my previous car, I have to increase the bass right up, but then it makes a thudding sound rather than tight bass. If there was a separate setting for Subwoofer like for the Bose, I would be interested to see the difference.
And as I eluded to earlier, the right music source is required, and the settings need to be adjusted according to whether you're listening to BT source, DAB or CD which is a bit of a nuisance.
Bottom line is if you want the B&O to sound good, or have better bass, you have to faff around with the settings, and if you like your deep punchy bass, it's simply not there. With the Bose, you had plenty of it and you had the ability to adjust subwoofer level. The 2 speakers worked perfectly fine as well
How can the sub on the B&O be so crap compared to the Bose sub?
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Reading this has got me fancying an upgrade to my B&O system in my B8 avant is there a sub upgrade that goes in the standard location?
It will go back if its no good, can't find any examples of anyone doing this before so time to experiment
This will also fit and is a slight improvement
Kicker COMPRT 6.75" Thin Profile Dual Voice Coil Subwoofer - 2 Ohm KA48CWRT672
But if you want proper bass you'll need to fit a dsp such as
Kicker Key Dsp High To Low Converter KEYLOC 2 and use a seperate powered bass speaker or an enclosure in one of the rear side panels .I used a powered bass speaker
https://audison.com/product/apbx-10-as2/
Sound is night and day difference to the weedy 80w B&O crap that was fitted in the car
Kicker COMPRT 6.75" Thin Profile Dual Voice Coil Subwoofer - 2 Ohm KA48CWRT672
But if you want proper bass you'll need to fit a dsp such as
Kicker Key Dsp High To Low Converter KEYLOC 2 and use a seperate powered bass speaker or an enclosure in one of the rear side panels .I used a powered bass speaker
https://audison.com/product/apbx-10-as2/
Sound is night and day difference to the weedy 80w B&O crap that was fitted in the car
B&O sub woofer upgrade
decided to do a little DIY and get rid of the sub standard woofer in the spare wheel well as you couldnt even tell when it was on!... bought this kicker dual coil 2ohm 150w sub and with a little assistance from a muliti-tool (to get rid of the moulding tags inside.. fits perfectly into the...
That one was way too big straight backI’ll be interested in the outcome either way!
