How do i know it's a bose upgraded sound sytem?

[doeboy]

Bought my B5 A4 2.8Q few weeks back, it was listed as having the bose concert system. How do i tell?

It says concert on the casette flap, has a multichanger, 4 speakers up front and 2 in the rear, odly the left hand speaker has some kind of metal cage around it. There seems to be no visible amp or sub in the boot. How can i tell if it's standard or uprated?

I've just looked at the advert where i bought it from and it's listed as "premium sound system" but yet doesn't say bose. The manuel is "audi concert" i don't remember a mention of bose. Are subs standard on 98 bose installs?

Cheers,

A

 

[jdp1962]

If it has Bose, you should see a "Bose" message on the HU when you switch it on. Also, IIRC, A4s with Bose have the rear speaker set low down on the rear doors. Non-Bose speakers are set into the rear shelf.

 

[doeboy]

Ok so it's not Bose, however it's still a fairly decent sound compaired to my old escort's speakers.

 

[Anito]

The upgrade is for the speakers, so if you have Bose it will say on the them.

If you do have bose the HU should be programmed for it, this is a dealer configuration.

 

[doeboy]

I've looked in the audi Concert manual, it say the A4 HU has 4 outs for both standard and bose. Except bose has it's own amp but no Sub.

Here's the odd thing, one of my option codes stateds 8 speaker system.

All i can see is 2 x speakers on rear parcell shelf and 2 in each front door (tweeter & main speaker) making 6. Like to know where the other 2 are!

 

[doeboy]

Just looked, i see no evidence of 8 speakers, nothing on the rear doors, the speakers in the rear have a NOKIA! sticker on the underside with the audi 4 rings badge!

I don't think i'm ever going to find out what this install is!

 

[AndyMac]

The HU is the same whether it's Bose or non Bose and all have 4 pre-outs. The only difference is that the Bose system has recoded EQ settings using VAGCOM, but the hardware is identical.
The non Bose system does technically have 8 speakers, 2 x mids & tweeters in the front doors driven off the HU, 2 x 6.5" coaxials in the rear with seperate tweeters built into the mid driver, so 8 speakers but only 6 actual devices.
If you look on the underside of the left rear speaker you'll see a small amp bolted to the speakers magnet. If this is the case then the system is definately non Bose.
The Bose system has one amp in the boot driving all the cabin speakers
Bose amp looks like this:

 

[jdp1962]

[ QUOTE ]
Just looked, i see no evidence of 8 speakers, nothing on the rear doors, the speakers in the rear have a NOKIA! sticker on the underside with the audi 4 rings badge!

I don't think i'm ever going to find out what this install is!

[/ QUOTE ]

From what you have described, it sounds to me like you have the standard fit system, same as I had in my 1999 2.8 Quattro. It comprises a Concert radio/cassette head unit, with front door mid-range drivers & tweeters powered off the head unit amp, and active mid-range rear shelf drivers powered off a small amp bolted to the side of one of the speakers (nearside, I think). That amp is fed by pre-outs on the back of the HU. And, yes, believe it or not, those rear speakers are made by Nokia!

 

[doeboy]

Andy your a star! thanks for your help, I suspected the rears were single unit dual speakers. It does have the amp bolted onto the lefthand speaker and there is no bose amp in the car. Still i'm V happy with the sound!

does the Bose really make that much difference anyway? My Father said it didn't in his A6

Thanks for finally clearing it up for me.

Andy while i have you attention, do you know what the socket next to the rear passenger ashtray is? Looks almost like a scart socket when you remove the lid?

 

[AndyMac]

That's the interface plug for the diagnostic kit - VAGCOM etc.

 

[jdp1962]

[ QUOTE ]
do you know what the socket next to the rear passenger ashtray is? Looks almost like a scart socket when you remove the lid?

[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what I though it was when i first saw it, too, heheh!. In fact, it's the socket technicians use to plug in the laptop to run diagnostic software like VAG.COM.

 

[doeboy]

Wasn't expecting that! Cheers.