The definitive stereo and subwoofer upgrade thread

[CardFan]

I've been fighting with my LC2i/amp adjustment for a few months. Can anyone post best practices for how to tune this properly? I'm mainly getting 'muddy' sound out of my sub and not punchy at all. I've got a JL 12 in a sealed box with a 500W RF Power series so I have lots of power.

I just installed an ACM 1.300, which I think is very similar for controls/settings. Are you tapped into the subwoofer output from the stock amp as your line in input? And do you have Accubass turned off (turned full left/counterclockwise). From there, I think you want to turn the gain clockwise (with something bass-heavy playing) until the Maximized light just barely flickers and either leave it there or dial it back until it stops flickering. At least that is what I did. I’m sure someone with more experience will chime in if I’m giving you bad info.

[techracer]

I just installed an ACM 1.300, which I think is very similar for controls/settings. Are you tapped into the subwoofer output from the stock amp as your line in input? And do you have Accubass turned off (turned full left/counterclockwise). From there, I think you want to turn the gain clockwise (with something bass-heavy playing) until the Maximized light just barely flickers and either leave it there or dial it back until it stops flickering. At least that is what I did. I’m sure someone with more experience will chime in if I’m giving you bad info.

Yep, i removed the factory sub and tapped into it from there. I'll try turning accubass down, i think I have it about 1/3 of the way up at the moment. Thanks!

[wrxkyle]

I just installed an ACM 1.300, which I think is very similar for controls/settings. Are you tapped into the subwoofer output from the stock amp as your line in input? And do you have Accubass turned off (turned full left/counterclockwise). From there, I think you want to turn the gain clockwise (with something bass-heavy playing) until the Maximized light just barely flickers and either leave it there or dial it back until it stops flickering. At least that is what I did. I’m sure someone with more experience will chime in if I’m giving you bad info.

i would reccommend using test tones to set the maximized light (ie output distortion. music is too variable. what if your other song plays louder? the goal is not to have the light light up at all.

[coop3422]

I've been fighting with my LC2i/amp adjustment for a few months. Can anyone post best practices for how to tune this properly? I'm mainly getting 'muddy' sound out of my sub and not punchy at all. I've got a JL 12 in a sealed box with a 500W RF Power series so I have lots of power.

Very interested as I'm in the same boat. I've tuned an amp in my S2000, but trying on this setup really didn't make a difference. I also have a JL12W3 with a 700RMS hertz amp in a sealed box. Sounds muddy and you hear it vs feel it, gives me a bit of a headache honestly.

[techracer]

Very interested as I'm in the same boat. I've tuned an amp in my S2000, but trying on this setup really didn't make a difference. I also have a JL12W3 with a 700RMS hertz amp in a sealed box. Sounds muddy and you hear it vs feel it, gives me a bit of a headache honestly.

This is eaxtly my problem and with the same sub

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[coop3422]

This is eaxtly my problem and with the same sub

Sent from my SM-N976V using Audizine mobile app

The guy who installed mine said it was the sealed box, and I needed ported. My box is 1.25 cubic feet, exactly what JL calls for. That said, he told me all you have to do to tune it is the knobs on the LC2I, which I'm not buying. I'm wishing I'd of gonna rightly cheaper and gotten a alpine type R honestly. Keep me updated, I'm hoping to get this thing to my liking. My A6 is being picked up today so in uninstalling it, and putting it in my S4. Hoping to get it where I want, but concerned I won't be able to.

[wrxkyle]

The guy who installed mine said it was the sealed box, and I needed ported. My box is 1.25 cubic feet, exactly what JL calls for. That said, he told me all you have to do to tune it is the knobs on the LC2I, which I'm not buying. I'm wishing I'd of gonna rightly cheaper and gotten a alpine type R honestly. Keep me updated, I'm hoping to get this thing to my liking. My A6 is being picked up today so in uninstalling it, and putting it in my S4. Hoping to get it where I want, but concerned I won't be able to.

the w3 i would imagine would sound better than a type r, you can adjust the crossover lower to better mesh with your midbass in the doors and most amps have a bass boost that may come in handy if you want more low end boost around 45hz, but an eq or dsp are what are going to give you more sq tuning flexibility. the lc2i knob is just a gain/level control that's it. it's a volume knob for the sub amp input signal.

honestly if you have a 700watt amp a idq12 or idmax 12 would sound great as well.

make sure there is enough venting from trunk to cabin, leave seat pass through open and see if that helps.

[coop3422]

the w3 i would imagine would sound better than a type r, you can adjust the crossover lower to better mesh with your midbass in the doors and most amps have a bass boost that may come in handy if you want more low end boost around 45hz, but an eq or dsp are what are going to give you more sq tuning flexibility. the lc2i knob is just a gain/level control that's it. it's a volume knob for the sub amp input signal.

honestly if you have a 700watt amp a idq12 or idmax 12 would sound great as well.

make sure there is enough venting from trunk to cabin, leave seat pass through open and see if that helps.

Leaving the pass through open isn't an option as I have a baby seat in the back. My W3 honestly sounds like garbage, but I feel it must be a tuning issue. The installer kept the amp all at min and just turned up the LC2I, saying that's how to do it. After a couple months, I dialed the LC2I to min and tried tuning the amp to no improvement. I tuned the 4ch in my s2k with front components and bridged to my sub and it sounded incredible with my shallow JL. The thing hammered, low and deep so you felt it. This current setup (A6 w/ Bose) sounded like muddy crap that would give you a headache. Next it'll be going into my B&O S4, but I'm not confident it'll sound like what I want.

Do I get to ditch the LC2I for something better? My understanding was the only reason I got the LC2I was to convert the factory signal, so the amp could do its thing and send the power to the sub. This is the first time I've integrated into an OEM system, all my prior cars I just ripped the factory crap out and replaced it all so this was never an issue.

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[avantagg]

Anyone here running a Mobridge DA1 or Bit DMI interested in selling? I have a Mobridge DA2 connected to a TWK88 and just discovered the DA2 was never intended to be used with an external DSP (works great if you want to add just an amp though). I've had this terrible volume curve under 10 on the scroll (like non existent audio) and then it just starts to get loud. Would love to get this sorted, figured I would try here first.

[techracer]

I turned off the accubass, turned up the main a bit and it is SOOOO much better

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[captain_video]

Just got through reading this entire thread and I want to cuss out everyone here for giving me the upgrade bug again.

I installed the Alpine X701D-A4 head unit a while back and it's a definite improvement over the stock unit. My biggest disappointment of getting my A4 was that I couldn't transplant my old audio system. I used to have a Clarion DRZ9255 head unit with a pair of Hertz MLK-165 2-way component speakers powered by a Phoenix Gold Ti800.4 amp along with an Image Dynamics IDMax 12" sub in a huge box that I built powered by a Zapco 500M monoblock amp. I'm sure there may be better systems out there, but I have never heard a head unit as good as the Clarion. The Hertz speakers replaced a set of 6.5" Focal Utopias that I could never get sounding right until I installed the Clarion. My god they sounded wonderful. The Hertz had better mid-bass extension so I kept them over the Focals.

I'm torn between two separate approaches to perform an upgrade. I just ordered a subwoofer enclosure from Visual Ice on ebay. The box I had the Image Dynamics sub in was just too darn big and I should be able to use the sub with this enclosure. I have ordered the Alpine SPC-100AU door speaker upgrade kit along with the Alpine SPC-200AU dash speaker and 8-channel amplifier upgrade kit from a couple of different dealers in Germany. Neither kit or the head unit is available in this country and the sources on ebay seem to have dried up as these units appear to have been discontinued. I've also purchased an Audio Control D-6.1200 DSP Matrix 6-channel amp and an Audio Control ACM1.300 monoblock amp to power the subwoofer. The Alpine head unit has preamp outputs for front and rear speakers plus the subwoofer. I have a huge caveat about using line output converters. Any noise that gets amplified by the source unit isn't just going to disappear by using a LOC. I would always prefer to use a straight line level output rather than taking an amplified output and then dropping it to a line level signal and then amplifying it again. The fewer electronics in the signal path will always yield the cleanest signal, IMHO. Using a LOC is a classic Rube Goldberg setup, but I understand why people use them as sometimes it's the only viable option with an Audi.

I actually started on my upgrade about two years ago but never got back to it. I have installed a power distribution panel located behind the driver's compartment in front of the existing power amp. I have a main fuse block from the battery that feeds another distribution fuse block that feeds the amps and other electronics. There's another distribution block for the ground signal that's tied to one of the ground studs in the well for the battery and spare tire. One other thing I installed is a relay that's operated by the 12-volt turn-on signal from the head unit. The signal turns on a relay which then provides 12-volts from the batter to a distribution block which then provides the 12-volt turn-on to the rest of the electronics. I'll take a pic and post it when I get a chance. I still have to crimp a lug onto the main power cable and connect it to the battery but since there's nothing else connected yet I didn't feel the urgency.

I'm debating whether to stick with the two Alpine upgrade kits or to use my own speakers and amps. I currently have the Dayton Audio RS75-4 3" drivers in all three dash locations and it's an improvement over the stock dash speakers (non-B&O system). You won't find a more budget friendly upgrade for the dash speakers. If anyone's interested I have put together complete plug and play kits that consist of three Dayton Audio RS75-4 3" full-range speakers with mounting brackets and wiring harnesses with OEM connectors that will mate with either the non-B&O and B&O systems. Here's a link to the classified ad posting for the kits:

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...r-upgrade-kits

They will fit any Audi B8/8.5 A4/S4/A5/S5/RS5 vehicle with the OEM speakers identified in the classified ad. Check the ad for details and pricing information.


OK, back to my original topic. I'm trying to decide if I want to stick with the full Alpine setup or go with my own speaker upgrades but keep the Alpine amp in the system for the dash speakers and use the Audio Control 6-channel amp for the door speakers. I could go with a 3-way system and mount the midrange speakers in the dash on either side. There was a reference to a set of Focal 3-way speakers earlier in this thread that looked interesting. I'll have to try out the Alpine speakers to see how they sound before making that decision. I'm still trying to order the SPC-100AU speakers but I'm having difficulty with the German website since I don't speak German. I finally got the option to display it in English so that's a huge plus. I've been using Google translator and it's a PITA because I don't speak any German and I had to use it for every line of text that showed up on each web page.

I bought the two Audio Control amps because the only viable option I can see to mount my old amps is on the backside of the rear seats. The Phoenix Gold amp is a massive beast. I'm amazed at how many people forgo the spare tire in favor of mounting their amps and electronics. I don't relish the thought of being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire, but I guess you'd have good music to listen to until either someone stops to help or the battery dies. I use my car for a lot of other things other than just driving around listening to music. I'll be 70 in January so I like to keep things a little more simple. I want good sounds but I also want a car that has some utility with a working spare tire and a trunk not occupied by massive subwoofer enclosures, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a quality installation. Some of you guys have done some beautiful work even though I may deem them completely impractical. It's all about what you're into.

[techracer]

Just got through reading this entire thread and I want to cuss out everyone here for giving me the upgrade bug again.

I installed the Alpine X701D-A4 head unit a while back and it's a definite improvement over the stock unit. My biggest disappointment of getting my A4 was that I couldn't transplant my old audio system. I used to have a Clarion DRZ9255 head unit with a pair of Hertz MLK-165 2-way component speakers powered by a Phoenix Gold Ti800.4 amp along with an Image Dynamics IDMax 12" sub in a huge box that I built powered by a Zapco 500M monoblock amp. I'm sure there may be better systems out there, but I have never heard a head unit as good as the Clarion. The Hertz speakers replaced a set of 6.5" Focal Utopias that I could never get sounding right until I installed the Clarion. My god they sounded wonderful. The Hertz had better mid-bass extension so I kept them over the Focals.

I'm torn between two separate approaches to perform an upgrade. I just ordered a subwoofer enclosure from Visual Ice on ebay. The box I had the Image Dynamics sub in was just too darn big and I should be able to use the sub with this enclosure. I have ordered the Alpine SPC-100AU door speaker upgrade kit along with the Alpine SPC-200AU dash speaker and 8-channel amplifier upgrade kit from a couple of different dealers in Germany. Neither kit or the head unit is available in this country and the sources on ebay seem to have dried up as these units appear to have been discontinued. I've also purchased an Audio Control D-6.1200 DSP Matrix 6-channel amp and an Audio Control ACM1.300 monoblock amp to power the subwoofer. The Alpine head unit has preamp outputs for front and rear speakers plus the subwoofer. I have a huge caveat about using line output converters. Any noise that gets amplified by the source unit isn't just going to disappear by using a LOC. I would always prefer to use a straight line level output rather than taking an amplified output and then dropping it to a line level signal and then amplifying it again. The fewer electronics in the signal path will always yield the cleanest signal, IMHO. Using a LOC is a classic Rube Goldberg setup, but I understand why people use them as sometimes it's the only viable option with an Audi.

I actually started on my upgrade about two years ago but never got back to it. I have installed a power distribution panel located behind the driver's compartment in front of the existing power amp. I have a main fuse block from the battery that feeds another distribution fuse block that feeds the amps and other electronics. There's another distribution block for the ground signal that's tied to one of the ground studs in the well for the battery and spare tire. One other thing I installed is a relay that's operated by the 12-volt turn-on signal from the head unit. The signal turns on a relay which then provides 12-volts from the batter to a distribution block which then provides the 12-volt turn-on to the rest of the electronics. I'll take a pic and post it when I get a chance. I still have to crimp a lug onto the main power cable and connect it to the battery but since there's nothing else connected yet I didn't feel the urgency.

I'm debating whether to stick with the two Alpine upgrade kits or to use my own speakers and amps. I currently have the Dayton Audio RS75-4 3" drivers in all three dash locations and it's an improvement over the stock dash speakers (non-B&O system). You won't find a more budget friendly upgrade for the dash speakers. If anyone's interested I have put together complete plug and play kits that consist of three Dayton Audio RS75-4 3" full-range speakers with mounting brackets and wiring harnesses with OEM connectors that will mate with either the non-B&O and B&O systems. Here's a link to the classified ad posting for the kits:

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...r-upgrade-kits

They will fit any Audi B8/8.5 A4/S4/A5/S5/RS5 vehicle with the OEM speakers identified in the classified ad. Check the ad for details and pricing information.


OK, back to my original topic. I'm trying to decide if I want to stick with the full Alpine setup or go with my own speaker upgrades but keep the Alpine amp in the system for the dash speakers and use the Audio Control 6-channel amp for the door speakers. I could go with a 3-way system and mount the midrange speakers in the dash on either side. There was a reference to a set of Focal 3-way speakers earlier in this thread that looked interesting. I'll have to try out the Alpine speakers to see how they sound before making that decision. I'm still trying to order the SPC-100AU speakers but I'm having difficulty with the German website since I don't speak German. I finally got the option to display it in English so that's a huge plus. I've been using Google translator and it's a PITA because I don't speak any German and I had to use it for every line of text that showed up on each web page.

I bought the two Audio Control amps because the only viable option I can see to mount my old amps is on the backside of the rear seats. The Phoenix Gold amp is a massive beast. I'm amazed at how many people forgo the spare tire in favor of mounting their amps and electronics. I don't relish the thought of being stranded in the middle of nowhere with a flat tire, but I guess you'd have good music to listen to until either someone stops to help or the battery dies. I use my car for a lot of other things other than just driving around listening to music. I'll be 70 in January so I like to keep things a little more simple. I want good sounds but I also want a car that has some utility with a working spare tire and a trunk not occupied by massive subwoofer enclosures, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a quality installation. Some of you guys have done some beautiful work even though I may deem them completely impractical. It's all about what you're into.

if you are worried about space, get one of these: https://rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/tm500x1br/
I put one under the factory amp and most people don't even know it's there even when i open the trap door. There is also a 750W version vs my 500W if you want more. I don't have my 500 turned up but a tad more than half so you should be fine using this and the LC2i

[Fresh.S4]

man yall just over complicated this with these sound processors and what have yous...

is anyone happy with just dropping a 8 or 10" subwoofer and wiring it for higher ohms?

[captain_video]

if you are worried about space, get one of these: https://rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/tm500x1br/
I put one under the factory amp and most people don't even know it's there even when i open the trap door. There is also a 750W version vs my 500W if you want more. I don't have my 500 turned up but a tad more than half so you should be fine using this and the LC2i

I guess you missed the part where I've already purchased the Audio Control ACM1.300 amp as well as the discussion about my disdain for LOC adapters (which the ACM1.300 already has integrated into the amp, thereby reducing its footprint by eliminating the extra component). It's not just the space but all of the clutter the larger components add to the trunk area. The amp that comes with the Alpine SPC-200AU upgrade kit mounts behind the same panel as the factory amp so it doesn't take up any space in the trunk and the subwoofer enclosure I bought fits in the niche on the passenger side of the trunk, leaving the trunk area free of clutter. If I decide to go with the Audio Control D-6.1200 I can probably fit in the location next to the spare tire or behind the panel with the factory amp.

Here's the pics of the power distribution panel I installed. I'm sure it won't win any beauty contests but it will be hidden behind the side panel anyway so I'm not terribly concerned about it. You can't see it in the photos but I fabricated brackets for the panel so it sits right in front of the factory amp. Just need to install something to connect it to now.

[techracer]

I believe you'll find that most folks ended up adding an amp. If you are going through the effort to replace the sub, the additional work of adding an amp is pretty minimal especially considering the batter is right there.

[captain_video]

I believe you'll find that most folks ended up adding an amp. If you are going through the effort to replace the sub, the additional work of adding an amp is pretty minimal especially considering the batter is right there.

I plan to add an amp. That's what the ACM1.300 is for. That's going to happen whether I choose to stick with the complete Alpine speaker/amp upgrade or install my own speakers and amps.

[captain_video]

Found some of the photos I took putting the power distribution panel to give you an idea how it went together. For some reason the photos are only uploading in landscape layout instead of portrait so they're all laying on their side. My apologies for that. I noticed that these were taken back in 2017 so it's pretty clear I haven't done anything more to the car since then. I've had a lot of things going on around here so I've been a little preoccupied. Seeing this thread is getting me jump started again on finally upgrading the system. It looks like there's plenty of room to install either the Audio Control D-6.1200 DSP/amp or the Alpine amp in addition to the ACM1.300 if I remove the factory amp. If not then I can probably shoehorn one into the spare tire well on the side wall.

[coop3422]

I turned off the accubass, turned up the main a bit and it is SOOOO much better

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Does it hit lower now, and removed the muddy sound? I took all my gear out of my A6 last week when I sold it, but haven't' looked into getting it installed in the S4 yet. Honestly if it's going to sound like it did before, I'm not sure I want it.

[wrxkyle]

even using digital optical input? have you reached out to mobridge?

[techracer]

Does it hit lower now, and removed the muddy sound? I took all my gear out of my A6 last week when I sold it, but haven't' looked into getting it installed in the S4 yet. Honestly if it's going to sound like it did before, I'm not sure I want it.

It's definitely more punchy than before, sounds way more accurate

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[wrxkyle]

Leaving the pass through open isn't an option as I have a baby seat in the back. My W3 honestly sounds like garbage, but I feel it must be a tuning issue. The installer kept the amp all at min and just turned up the LC2I, saying that's how to do it. After a couple months, I dialed the LC2I to min and tried tuning the amp to no improvement. I tuned the 4ch in my s2k with front components and bridged to my sub and it sounded incredible with my shallow JL. The thing hammered, low and deep so you felt it. This current setup (A6 w/ Bose) sounded like muddy crap that would give you a headache. Next it'll be going into my B&O S4, but I'm not confident it'll sound like what I want.

Do I get to ditch the LC2I for something better? My understanding was the only reason I got the LC2I was to convert the factory signal, so the amp could do its thing and send the power to the sub. This is the first time I've integrated into an OEM system, all my prior cars I just ripped the factory crap out and replaced it all so this was never an issue.

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the lc2i is generally fine but i haven't' noticed bass rolloff on our cars but i have not measured and i don't know anyone that has. one thing to note is the lc2i has a non-defeatable 33hz subsonic filter with a steep 18db slope, so you are missing the lowest notes and i could definitely tell even running 1 10 in infinite baffle. this subsonic is needed for ported enclosures but not sealed.
depending on your specific amp model you can look up the input voltage range, if it can take up to 11 volts input you may be able to bypass the lc2i but in my experience this results in too high of a volume even when the gains are all the way down so first try this:
reverse the positive and negative on your sub. if the sub is out of phase it can sound muddy. if switching this makes it better then congrats, if it makes it worse change it back
check what the crossovers on the amp are set to, maybe post a picture. you can turn down the low pass crossover incrementally to get rid of some of the higher 100-120hz frequencies the oem sub seems to play, many cross their sub around 60-90hz, you can play with this knob and find what you like you won't damage anything.

make sure the accubass feature on the lc2i is completely off, i don't know which direction to turn the side knob between the two sets of rca's to turn it off is you will need to look it up. turn the accubass main knob all the way down as well.

now you need a multimeter, they are $5 at harbor freight. set your multimeter to ac voltage, and disconnect your sub from the amp.
download a 40hz test tone track or stream one from wherever, best to download.
turn lc2i bass and main knobs all the way down
if using the remote knob on the lc2i turn the remote knob all the way up (we are trying to find max safe volume here that you never want to be able to go over)
play some music and find your max listening volume that you won't be turning it up over (turn gala off or go for a drive as gala substantially increases bass/midbass while driving.
play the test tone at that volume level
turn the lc2i all the way up to where the maximized light is just turning on, then back it down to where the maximized light is not coming on at all, you have plenty of amp gain to play with and that maximized light means "distortion" you never want it to turn on in reality.
now on your amp turn your amp gain up to where the amp outputs , when read with multimeter, match the target voltage to be 500 watts which is what your sub is rated at i think (check your subs rms voltage, it isn't 700 like your amp i don't think).

at this point you've found max volume, this volume may not match and the sub may over power the mids but you can use the lc2i knob to lower the level to match your listening level and turn it up for rap, and it will affect all frequencies the same. the amp bass knobs are normally for bass boost at 40hz which may or may not be preferable for you.

[captain_video]

I'm exploring options for replacing the front speakers in my doors. I see a lot of mention of Audison speakers for the doors and the dash. I believe I saw a mention of a set of Focal Flax PS165F3 3-way component speakers earlier in this thread which looked interesting. The midrange driver is 80mm so it's a bit larger than the OEM dash speakers but could probably be made to fit. I was looking at some of the Hertz speakers and saw the MPK 165.3 3-way component set. The midrange driver is 70mm and is the same size as the OEM midrange speaker at the outer portion of the dash. Both of these sets have 6.6" mid-bass drivers for the door so I'd have to fashion an adapter for them, but I'm fine with that. I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with either of these component speaker kits. I've had both Focal and Hertz speakers in the past and they are among my favorite brands.

I was doing a lot of internet searches for the best 3-way component car speakers and I was amazed at how many speakers that kept coming up that would more likely be considered middle of the road at best. I saw very few of them listing Focal, Hertz, Audison, Morel or any other top brands in their comparisons. In fact, a lot of the lists had coaxial and tri-axial speakers as well as 6x9 speakers as their top choices. Based on the lost of speakers I half expected Bose to be at the top of many of the lists.

[audigsr]

I'd highly recommend avoiding the ACM-1.300 if your sub is rated 400 rms. I'd probably only consider it if my sub was 300 rms. Wasted time and money under powering my sub and having to buy lc2i and new amp to handle my sub in the long run.

[captain_video]

I'd highly recommend avoiding the ACM-1.300 if your sub is rated 400 rms. I'd probably only consider it if my sub was 300 rms. Wasted time and money under powering my sub and having to buy lc2i and new amp to handle my sub in the long run.

I'll try it with both the ACM1.300 and the Zapco 500M and see what works best. The Zapco is probably the better choice but I'd like to be able to tuck it out of the way. It's probably going to be at least a month before I get the subwoofer enclosure so I'm not in a huge rush.

I went back and looked at the specs for the Image Dynamics subwoofer and you're right. The ACM-1.300 just isn't enough amp for that speaker. I started looking around for more powerful amps and saw that Audio Control also has the LC-1.800 rated at 800w rms into 2 ohms or 500w rms into 4 ohms. It's considerably larger than the ACM-1.300, but a bit smaller than my Zapco so I think I can make it work. I have a $150 gift card from Best Buy after buying a new refrigerator from them earlier this year and I've been wanting to use it. They have the LC-1.800 for $449 on their website. I decided to check ebay and found an open box LC-1.800 for $309 so I went ahead and jumped on it. I got the amp for about what I would have paid at Best Buy, but I still have the $150 gift card to use for something else. Man, I love it when I can find a good deal.

[Allroad23]

New on this thread bc I just got my 14 Allroad.....

I m planning just to add Bass with a mono Amp and 10" JL W1 sub I already have.....Anyone have the prefab box for the right corner passenger cubby hole on passenger side?
I also have an extra LC6i I could use instead of buying LC2

Thoughts?

THX All

[captain_video]

New on this thread bc I just got my 14 Allroad.....

I m planning just to add Bass with a mono Amp and 10" JL W1 sub I already have.....Anyone have the prefab box for the right corner passenger cubby hole on passenger side?
I also have an extra LC6i I could use instead of buying LC2

Thoughts?

THX All

I just bought one of these for my 2014 A4 S-line:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDI-A4-B8-...72.m2749.l2649

I believe he also makes them for the Avant. Not sure if it's the same for the Allroad, but you might want to check with the seller. He wasn't around when I placed my order the other day and I haven't heard back from him yet. Some members that posted earlier in this thread have bought from him and seem to be happy with the product. He's making each one individually so there's a bit of a lead time before it gets shipped plus he's in the UK.

[Allroad23]

I just bought one of these for my 2014 A4 S-line:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AUDI-A4-B8-...72.m2749.l2649

I believe he also makes them for the Avant. Not sure if it's the same for the Allroad, but you might want to check with the seller. He wasn't around when I placed my order the other day and I haven't heard back from him yet. Some members that posted earlier in this thread have bought from him and seem to be happy with the product. He's making each one individually so there's a bit of a lead time before it gets shipped plus he's in the UK.

Thx for the quick reply....let me check him out

[doug97gxe]

I turned off the accubass, turned up the main a bit and it is SOOOO much better

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accubass causes more problems than it helps

[Nathan Bush]

Wonderful post. Honestly, Such a clear presentation about stereo and subwoofer upgrade. Very detailed and clear instructions. No one can say that I'm going to buy a subwoofer for the first time. I got a lot of information here. Thank you

[vsaudi]

New on this thread bc I just got my 14 Allroad.....

I m planning just to add Bass with a mono Amp and 10" JL W1 sub I already have.....Anyone have the prefab box for the right corner passenger cubby hole on passenger side?
I also have an extra LC6i I could use instead of buying LC2

Thoughts?

THX All

I have a Basser Audi A5 (8T) Sportback 1 Fit-Box subwoofer enclosure
Fits to Audi A5 Spotback 2007 - 2016, subwoofer 8"/20cm, volume 6 liters

that I bought by mistake that you can have for shipping cost


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[QuattroJ]

Does anyone know if the B and O amp from the B9 is a plug and play upgrade in the B8.5? Just curious.

[davmol]

I've picked up a b8.5 S4 Avant and the 10 speaker stereo is not great but it is loud enough enough for me. I'm going to start with swapping out the front speakers and later add an amp and replace the sub, once I have saved some pennies.

My question is can I disconnect the centre dash speaker altogether? I read some threads where it was suggested that it must be kept for phone audio. Is that true or does the phone audio also come through left and right channels? I don't want to put some nice sounding component speakers in and then have to listen to the harsh sounding centre.

[cybernet99]

I've picked up a b8.5 S4 Avant and the 10 speaker stereo is not great but it is loud enough enough for me. I'm going to start with swapping out the front speakers and later add an amp and replace the sub, once I have saved some pennies.

My question is can I disconnect the centre dash speaker altogether? I read some threads where it was suggested that it must be kept for phone audio. Is that true or does the phone audio also come through left and right channels? I don't want to put some nice sounding component speakers in and then have to listen to the harsh sounding centre.

you can remove the centre channel, the audio from the phone will play over the left and right channels.

[captain_video]

I've picked up a b8.5 S4 Avant and the 10 speaker stereo is not great but it is loud enough enough for me. I'm going to start with swapping out the front speakers and later add an amp and replace the sub, once I have saved some pennies.

My question is can I disconnect the centre dash speaker altogether? I read some threads where it was suggested that it must be kept for phone audio. Is that true or does the phone audio also come through left and right channels? I don't want to put some nice sounding component speakers in and then have to listen to the harsh sounding centre.

I have speaker upgrade kits for all B8/8.5 models that replace the dash speakers and rear deck speakers for both B&O & non-B&O systems. Lots of people have installed these kits and I've had nothing but positive feedback about them. It's not state of the art, but it's a definite improvement over the OEM systems that Audi provides. I have a kit for just the center dash speaker if that's all you want to replace. It includes the speaker, wiring harness with OEM connector, and all mounting hardware. It's literally plug and play. You can read more about it here.

[davmol]

Thanks captain_video, I already have a pair of focal auditor coax that are going in the back and I just ordered a set of focal access components for the front doors. On thingiverse I found a set of moulded dash tweeter brackets to fit focal tweeters and I'm getting them 3D printed for £13 the pair. If I find I want to keep the middle I'll definitely be in touch about the centre kit.

[davmol]

I have read that the front door speakers and dash tweeters are in parallel back to the amp (non B&O 10 speaker system) and this is confirmed by only seeing one wire for front left and one for front right channels that comes out of the amp. In photos that I have seen of the door inner, I only see one speaker wire going into the woofer. Does anyone know where the actual split happens in the single wire from the amp to become two wires for the woofer and tweeter? Does this wire split happen inside the door or outside the door?

[captain_video]

I couldn't say for sure, but my guess would be inside the door to minimize the number of wires passing through the interior of the car to the door panel. Chances are the split occurs in the wiring harness in the door. You'll probably have to peel back the outer covering on the wiring harness to trace the wires back to the point where they split.

[Drocfrosh]

Need help troubleshooting an aftermarket amp/no sound on rear speakers. Newb to amp/subs. Are the trunk and large rear door speakers on the same circuit non b&o?

Recently noticed major lowering of audio volume. Amp turns on but I am only getting sound in the rear from tweeters. It looks like previous owner tied RCAs to speaker in trunk but before I start ripping everything out I’m confused on why rear door speakers aren’t getting volume and if it’s tied to my amp.

[cybernet99]

Need help troubleshooting an aftermarket amp/no sound on rear speakers. Newb to amp/subs. Are the trunk and large rear door speakers on the same circuit non b&o?

Recently noticed major lowering of audio volume. Amp turns on but I am only getting sound in the rear from tweeters. It looks like previous owner tied RCAs to speaker in trunk but before I start ripping everything out I’m confused on why rear door speakers aren’t getting volume and if it’s tied to my amp.

I’m not sure for the non B&O, but I can confirm that the B&O system has each speaker on their own channel. Door speakers are likely on their own channel as a mid range speaker, the same as the rear parcel tray speakers.


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[Drocfrosh]

I’m not sure for the non B&O, but I can confirm that the B&O system has each speaker on their own channel. Door speakers are likely on their own channel as a mid range speaker, the same as the rear parcel tray speakers.


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Thanks. I found that the rears and trunk are powered by a separate amp. When I turn the music up a little I can feel the subs moving to the music. Because there’s some signal coming through and all 3 are out I’m suspect of my amp in the rear driver side but still have more troubleshooting.