Audi Sound Plus (OEM+ Alpine sound upgrade) 8P0051961 / SPC-300A3

[maccalo]

This is one of the absolute favorite modifications to my Audi A3 8P!

Audi Sound Plus, OEM sound upgrade from Alpine. Highly recommended! It's available both from Audi and Alpine, with different part numbers. The Audi-kit comes with speaker emblems as well.

Audi 8P0051961:

A new sound experience - perfection you can hear.

Audi Sound plus is an upgrade of the sound system already installed in the vehicle. It will noticeably improve sound quality in the interior. The audio system can be easily activated via a switch in the glove compartment. Retrofitting takes place via a practical plug & play solution.

Items supplied:
- 2 x Audi Sound plus emblems
- 2 x treble speakers with installation ring
- 2 x bass loudspeakers incl. adapter ring
- Audi Sound plus amplifier incl. holder
- Debounce kit
- Wiring harness
- Subwoofer

Notes:
- Only in combination with concert/symphony radio systems and/or Audi navigation systems
- Not in combination with BOSE sound system

Alpine SPC-300A3:

Exclusively designed for the A3 Coupé, A3 Sportsback and A3 Cabriolet, this Alpine sound upgrade will rock your ride.
A high-performance 8-channel digital amplifier with DSP provides the system power and is fully programmed to match your specific A3 model.
The system includes a full 2-way front system containing high-end door speakers and high-performance tweeters, plus a 120 Watts subwoofer that fits exactly into the original Audi subwoofer housing.
The original rear speakers are connected to the amplifier as well to complete the system. All required installation parts, cable harness and even a sound deadening kit come included with the system.
You’ll enjoy the strongly improved dynamics, bass performance and total sound quality in your A3.

I was thinking about doing the install back in 2018, and went ahead and did it half a year later. And I have to say I'm still impressed, hence why I wanted to make this thread. I've owned two newer Audis with B&O sound system (A3 8V 2017, Q5 8R 2013), and I've had the Q5 8R and my current A3 8P side by side for direct comparison. The Audi Sound Plus is as good to my ears, but the bass hits harder (which is well appreciated since the B8/B8,5 B&O is weak on bass). It also sounds better than my previous setup, probably due to the car specific DSP.

I paid £400 for the kit. Some may think that's expensive, but I disagree. You get a 8 channel class D amplifier with a DSP specifically tuned for the A3 8P, amplifier bracket, sound deadening material, plug and play wiring harness, two high quality 6,5" door woofers and two 1" tweeters and a perfectly capable 6,5" subwoofer. It will not shatter glass, but it makes a lot of sound for its size.

The installation is quite simple if you have any experience with car audio, retrofitting headunits and removing interior panels. No coding is (apparently) needed. The following information is found in the last page of the installation manual:

• When reading out the event memory, there may be static entries in the "Radio control unit loudspeaker" field. This will not affect the system.
• For vehicles with the concert or symphony radio systems, or with a navigation system: As a result of replacing the amplifier, ⇒ Page 24 there may be an entry in the event memory in the "Sound amplifier" and "Gateway control unit" field. This will not affect the system.

I made two changes afterwards that (to my ears) really made a great improvement:

- Activating "BOSE mode"
Without BOSE mode, some internal equalizing is done in the HU which also affects the line out. The result is almost like a good old loudness button, but volume is non-linear and it compresses/distorts music at higher volumes. It also reduces the bass as you turn up the volume and treble/bass adjustments are very sensitive. With "BOSE mode" enabled, the internal equalizer and speaker output is disabled, and a flat signal is sent to the line out. This is both my personal experience and what others have found previously. I grounded the BOSE pin and coded HU in "BOSE mode" (9 = sound system installed, 0xx9xxx), and it was much better in terms of clarity at higher volumes, but noticably less bass (although linear - at least) and treble/bass adjustments are less sensitive. Read on for solution;
On the plus side: Coding this way removes the fault codes from the HU!

- Mounting the subwoofer in an A3 8V B&O spare wheel well housing
This kit uses the original side mounted subwoofer housing and converts it to a "sealed box" by blocking the bass port with the supplied bitumen mats. I tried this and felt lacking bass response after putting HU in BOSE mode. I knew the A3 8V B&O had a spare wheel well subwoofer with a 6,5" driver that made some real good bass for its size in such small car. I bought a secondhand A3 8V B&O sub and installed the Alpine 6,5" sub in this housing (plug and play). And wow it made a real difference! This housing is ported and I kept it this way. Port tuning seems to fit the Alpine sub very well without any "booming" sound. Bass is strong and linear even on higher volumes.

BOSE mode probably has a little lower voltage on line out compared to non-BOSE mode (not confirmed). No problems with AMI and BT device, but media from the RNS-E SD-card reader might sound a little lower on max volume. Can be fixed by making your MP3s a little louder. I also put a thin slice of speaker felt between the tweeter and grill to reduce harshness.

I've never heard the BOSE in A3 8P, but from what I've read I can't think it's even close to this kit in SQ/SPL. I really enjoy music in my A3 8P now, but the only proof I have is my ears and comparing to my previous A3 8V and Q5 8R with B&O systems. The button in the glove box turns on and off DSP, so you can hear the difference in SQ real time. Again, bass will not shatter glass like a 12", but you will be impressed considering its size!

And for that OEM+ feel you definitely need those grill emblems

 

[NHN]

Nice find.

 

[Jay-Dee]

This is one of the absolute favorite modifications to my Audi A3 8P!

Reviving a little bit of an old thread here... I am looking to see if you are still happy with the system and if you would still recommend it / buy it again?

I have just purchased a 2013 8P Cabriolet... It has the Concert radio and while is sounds reasonable at higher volumes it is very bass heavy at low volumes and if you turn the bass down, then it becomes tinny / treble heavy and turning both down is just flat.

I have pick up a "new" kit for between 450 and 500 Euro but trying to work out if it is worth it for an "old" car? I find when trying to do aftermarket, once will spend similar or more but often without the same results

 

[maccalo]

I am looking to see if you are still happy with the system and if you would still recommend it / buy it again?

Yes

 

[Jay-Dee]

Yes

Thank you!!

 

[Jay-Dee]

Yes

So my system finally arrive... just over a month since ordering but seems to be well worth the wait. Brand new, sealed in the box and hopefully going to be installed this weekend. The only difference to a "normal" install is that I have replaced the head unit with an Xtrons Andriod unit... So going to be very interesting to see how it behaves with that HU (at least I wont have to do the BOSE coding for the EQ).

Been holding off installing the HU properly with the reverse camera and accessories to the glovebox as I figured I would do it at the same time as the Alpine install... So going to be a busy weekend

 

[Nifa]

I am doing this same thing with 8V sub too. Just one small issue, it seems that theres atleast 2 different versions of that BO sub-box. I aquired 8V0 035 382 C and the bass element is slightly different and I would need to move the alpines element to get it fit. Whats your subwoofers box number?

 

[FLYNHAWAIIAN]

Weird question. For some reason my kit didn’t have the rear speaker connector. I am wondering if anyone has the Pinot for the amplifier so I can add the cabling so it works.

 

[Jay-Dee]

Weird question. For some reason my kit didn’t have the rear speaker connector. I am wondering if anyone has the Pinot for the amplifier so I can add the cabling so it works.

From my understanding it is the same pin-out as the Bose amplifier... If you get stuck.. Let me know... Sadly mine died within 2 days (one channel on the amp blew), so I pulled the amp and loom out but kept the speakers in with an aftermarket HU and am considering now putting in a aftermarket amp but need to work out what I will do with the sub.

Sorry, back to topic.. If you get stuck... Let me know and I will dig out the loom and work out which go to the rear speakers for you!! Just keep in mind that there are two models of this kit... One was for the base sound system which did not have rear speakers... So you amp may be different... Post the model of your amp and I can check it against mine too

If you were not on the other side of the world, I would happily offer you my loom

 

[FLYNHAWAIIAN]

******. It’s the same amplifier as the one in the picture. For some reason the loom doesn’t have the rear speaker connection on it, guessing I got the wrong loom. Looks like I should be able to add the two rear speaker inputs I just need to know where on the connector they go.
I hope the amplifier is fine and doesn’t blow like yours. I’ll be sad. It does seem like the subwoofer has a dual connection on it which should make the sub upgradable to the kicker dual coil one.