B8 Aftermarket Sound System Pictures

[dfost24]

Found the same thread for B7's, and thought I'd start one for B8's. I'm about to do a stealth sub install and plan to post pictures once complete (and hopefully of the install if the shop will do that for me). Seen a few pics floating around in other threads, particularly on the S4, and seems like there's a lot of interest about this in general. Would love to see what everyone has done out there!

[hender]

I'll take some pics when I can, but it's just a 10" sub in the trunk with the amp tucked away in the little compartment next to the amp in the trunk. It's about as exciting as my 17" stock wheels. Hopefully someone has done something unique that I can copy [:D]

[Runge]

I'll take some pics when I can, but it's just a 10" sub in the trunk with the amp tucked away in the little compartment next to the amp in the trunk. It's about as exciting as my 17" stock wheels. Hopefully someone has done something unique that I can copy [:D]

how did you wire it up to the stock system?

[B_Boy]

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i118/mbirju/My%20Car/5a36bd1f.jpg

[marvinmai]

that is so freakin sick. How much was your setup. I'm thinking of getting one 12" sub for mine and a similar enclosure.

[B_Boy]

that is so freakin sick. How much was your setup. I'm thinking of getting one 12" sub for mine and a similar enclosure.

ummmm around $1500 i think but im thinking of getting the enclosure redone there are some new shallow subs out now that require a smaller box so i might go that route. let me know if u wanna buy some of the components if not all of them...:)

[hender]

how did you wire it up to the stock system?

http://www.audizine.com/forum/album.php?albumid=3739

pics of the install. nothing fancy...but gives ya an idea.

[Zac]

B_Boy, thats a nice set up. It looks like it takes up half the trunk though

[ThePiombino]

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i118/mbirju/My%20Car/5a36bd1f.jpg

Love the rings- nice touch!

[nick71692]

^Nice setup

[B_Boy]

thanks guys. ya it takes up alot of space...i wanna get it redone with some shallow subs. :)

[ThePiombino]

thanks guys. ya it takes up alot of space...i wanna get it redone with some shallow subs. :)

Doesn't really matter how much space there is- I would be too afraid to put anything back there with those subs, lol

[dfost24]

The process has begun...here a few shots that the installer just sent me.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4731019956

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4730375835/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4731019912/in/photostream

[B_Boy]

Doesn't really matter how much space there is- I would be too afraid to put anything back there with those subs, lol

yea i dont put anything back there unless its in like a soft bag like a gym bag or something. otherwise i dont use it at all....except for the subs....lol

[B_Boy]

heres a lil help
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1091/4731019956_1b64544f83.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1333/4730375835_27fbf5b6c8.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1060/4731019912_0187a76b43.jpg

[dfost24]

Thanks, for some reason I was having trouble getting the pictures in the actual post.

[B_Boy]

Thanks, for some reason I was having trouble getting the pictures in the actual post.

yea no problem

[hender]

isn't the stock amp behind that? or am i missing something. is the entire fabbed part gonna be easily removable?

[linet90]

That is the stock amp location? Seems like you are going some fiberglass work try to get a roller if you can it will save you from getting bubbles. On the other hand why didn't you just replace the stock sub?

[hender]

why didn't you just replace the stock sub?


it's only 8" and pretty weak housing / shallow. you'd be very limited as to what you could put in there.

[dfost24]

Yes, that IS the location of the stock amp. We're moving the stock amp further forward (there's plenty of room in there, Audi chose to waste a fair amount of potential trunk space) and building a fiberglass enclosure. Not sure how removable it will be, but these guys are really good. When I pulled in to drop off the car, they just finished adding three 8" JL's to rear deck of a Rolls Royce Phantom, and the other car I parked next to was a 911 Turbo. So...I'm pretty much just letting them do what they think makes the most sense, and this was their recommendation for the best solution. They had recently done the same install on a 2010 S4 and I saw the pictures, so as pretty comfortable they knew what they were doing.

Replacing the stock sub didn't seem to make any sense, it's an open air 8" and would have made a marginal difference. I wanted something that would really fill that missing low-end, and having seen a couple people do just this already seemed to be the best move. Supposed to pick up the car tomorrow morning so will post pics of the final product.

[linet90]

it's only 8" and pretty weak housing / shallow. you'd be very limited as to what you could put in there.

That is true. But that's what I had on my mind to do I think a JL 8" will work nice. At the same time I am not looking for anything crazy just something with a stronger punch

[hender]

Yes, that IS the location of the stock amp. We're moving the stock amp further forward (there's plenty of room in there, Audi chose to waste a fair amount of potential trunk space) and building a fiberglass enclosure. Not sure how removable it will be, but these guys are really good.

that's cool - i was just thinking they were throwing a box in front of the amp location, making it impossible for audi to access that area should you have any problems.

what about the spare tire compartment? it needs to be able to lift, i can't tell from the pics but the floor of the trunk lifts up - though you might think you'll never need a spare, the battery is also in there. it just needs to be removable if you ever need a boost or to change your battery.

definitely getting a JL 8" in the existing sub location WOULDN'T provide much at all, IMO. It's not sealed at all, you might get a LITTLE bit of a punch, but keep in mind im only getting a LITTLE bit of punch from my enclosed 10" in that trunk. the last thing I want are my windows rattling and to annoy everyone else at a stop light, but i like feeling the bass a bit.

[linet90]

Sounds cool. The fiberglass box alone will give a deeper bunch. What king of sub are you getting? Can't wait to see the pictures

[dfost24]

what about the spare tire compartment? it needs to be able to lift, i can't tell from the pics but the floor of the trunk lifts up - though you might think you'll never need a spare, the battery is also in there. it just needs to be removable if you ever need a boost or to change your battery.

It's hard to see from the pictures, but the edge of the box is going to be flush (or slightly extended) with the existing trunk liner. That's the whole point of building the enclosure into the space, so it won't intrude with the rest of the trunk and should end up looking stock. Definitely wouldn't take the risk on not being able to access the battery or spare.

[dfost24]

Sounds cool. The fiberglass box alone will give a deeper bunch. What king of sub are you getting? Can't wait to see the pictures

Single JL 10W3V3 powered by an Alpine PDX 1.600. I'll have a volume control mounted up front as well, not sure yet where they plan to put it...I can't wait.

[dfost24]

I can't figure out why I can't upload pictures, very very frustrating. Well, it's done, and here are some links to the shots (if someone can put them in the thread I'd be very appreciative). Pretty custom job as you can see, with the fabricated grill over the original hatch along with the sub level control on the console. Not bad. Oh, and it sounds AMAZING! Perfectly fills out the bottom end, and can hit just as hard as I need it to for the right music.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4740390888/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4740390390/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4740390216/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4739754255/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4739754115/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4740389736/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4739753841/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4740389510/in/photostream/

[Ryan_T]

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4740390888_f49be7cbb4_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4740390390_e0382a427a_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4740390216_b201bd44ea_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4740389736_0e02a04f0b_b.jpg


I probly would've put the amp in the side compartment. And used a different knob than something that's probly gonna snag on my shirt or stuff around that area. Otherwise, clean install.

[hender]

damn man looks good!

ryan-i dont think the amp could go in the side compartment because that's where the sub is. if you look it's al ittle different ,seems to have the mesh retrofitted so that's the sub itself. love the stealth install - those are always great to look at . hows she sound?

[dfost24]

Sounds fabulous, tight, clean and just the right amount of depth and loudness. I don't have to increase the bass volume on the rest of the system now, just leave it at neutral and let the woofer do the work on the low end.

Thanks Ryan T for putting the pics in the post. As for the snagging of the clothing, not really sure how you mean that, the knob is tiny and completely flush against the console. I think it's genius and fits perfectly. As for the amp, the woofer is in the old compartment space, so nothing else can fit there. The main reason for putting it under the deck is so it's accessible and settings can be changed, and doesn't take up any room. Of all the options, this made the most sense. Lovin' it...

Little easier to see the mesh grill in this pic...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14391440@N06/4737063531/

[cory_can]

Single JL 10W3V3 powered by an Alpine PDX 1.600. I'll have a volume control mounted up front as well, not sure yet where they plan to put it...I can't wait.

looks awesome....very clean/unobtrusive and takes up very little space.....sub control looks stock .... maybe just slightly alone in that location but slick nonetheless

[Ryan_T]

To post pics:
- grab the image URL by clicking on "All Sizes" in your flickr page
- Right click "Copy Image URL" or copy it from the hotlink near the bottom
- paste it here with and in front and behind it, respectively.

While your current install looks perfectly good and clean, I think the knob would look better with something that's heftier looking. Maybe metallic/industrial in colour and wider. Something like a Griffin Powermate type of shape, but shallower. The kind that would remind you of a high-end amp, like a Marantz or Denon. Do your custom amp justice, make it stand out.

http://www.disabledhands.com/_images_DSC05461.jpg

[dfost24]

Thanks for the clarification on how to post pics through flickr, finding the URL was the problem i was having. Totally understand what you are saying, but I was looking for the unassuming, understated look.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4737063531_535cd22f8b_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4739754115_9bb1519d47_b.jpg

[FlashA4]

Im not sure if I missed it, but what size sub did you use in that side compartment?

[Kay15]

Were you able to tap into the stock wiring or had to use a mod to tap into the signal input from the stock sub from the deck, and create your own power and ground>

[dfost24]

Sub is a 10" JL 10W3V3. A 12" wouldn't fit (though probably could with one of those shallow subs).

As for wiring, I used the existing sub wiring (stock sub is disabled), and used a PAC line-level driver to convert to RCA, then powering the sub with an Alpine PDX 1.600 and have a PAC volume control. (The little knob on the console)

[leviathan18]

im looking to do a tw5 sub in the trunk maybe even 2 of them

[FLYINGLEGGS]

Looks great. That is a nice, clean, and efficient install. Hope you enjoy!

[FlashA4]

To add on with more questions, how did you create the shape for the mesh to sit over and match the opening?
Also, did you leave the factory amp where it was in there?

[Bunn]

the battery is also in there. it just needs to be removable if you ever need a boost or to change your battery.

The jumper cable points are actually under the hood, so you don't have to go in the trunk to get/give a boost.

[dfost24]

To add on with more questions, how did you create the shape for the mesh to sit over and match the opening?
Also, did you leave the factory amp where it was in there?

Regarding the mesh, I'm not certain but I believe the installers used wood framing with standard mesh grill material. They're primarily a custom interior/auto audio shop so they have all those materials on-hand. (I saw dozens of rolls of fabric and carpet along the walls when I walked into the work room, along with tons of brackets)

As for the amp, it was moved further forward along the side compartment, not way to keep it in the same place and fit the box in there flush. The non-B&O is much less substantial than the B&O amp, so a whole lot easier to move.

My problem is now I have the bug to want to do the rest of my system, realizing how much better it could sound. I have to admit, though, just adding the sub makes a world of a difference and allows you to keep the bass level neutral on the rest of the system.

[dfost24]

Well, I figured out that I can actually open the compartment, so now I can see the box and the sub. The amp was moved slightly, not nearly as far forward as I thought, and the box size is much smaller than I expected as well. I figured out that it's due to the trunk hinge, which comes down on the top right and nearly brushes against it. I truly thought the box took up more space, I was shocked when I saw how compact it is. This thing packs a serious punch for its size...

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4766108408_c2b5abee58_b.jpg

[cab7a4]

What wire on the stock amp did the installers hook the remote wire of your amp to? I have all my supplies and im ready to do my B8 but thats the only piece of missing info

[dfost24]

What wire on the stock amp did the installers hook the remote wire of your amp to? I have all my supplies and im ready to do my B8 but thats the only piece of missing info

From what I understand, the only wire they needed from original system was the speaker wire that runs directly to the stock sub, so they disconnected the sub at the rear deck, used a line driver to convert to line level, and a line level volume control between that and the Alpine PDX amp. To be honest, I'm not sure whether or not the volume control runs before the input to the amp or between the output and the JL.

Hope that helps, though not sure it specifically answers your question.

[hender]

I think he might be talking about the power, e.g. how the amp turns on with the car. my MTX Jackhammer amp (POS, but the feature im about to mention is handy) has a "smart-engage" which means I can hook it directly up to the battery and the amp will only turn on w/ the car. I'm not sure what wires would be used without this feature, but it'd be great to find out because I plan on changing my amp eventually.

[MYFASTA4]

DAM!!!! thats a good looking install

[cory_can]

I think he might be talking about the power, e.g. how the amp turns on with the car. my MTX Jackhammer amp (POS, but the feature im about to mention is handy) has a "smart-engage" which means I can hook it directly up to the battery and the amp will only turn on w/ the car. I'm not sure what wires would be used without this feature, but it'd be great to find out because I plan on changing my amp eventually.

forget the amp, you "need" to fit a Jackhammer 24 in the trunk ....LOL

[k9lovr]

Very nice install. How much did everything run you given it was a custom fab?

[dfost24]

Very nice install. How much did everything run you given it was a custom fab?

Wasn't cheap, but I think it was pretty reasonable considering the time and quality of work. Labor charge was $800 plus another $250+/- for wiring, line driver, volume control...etc. All in with components and tax got me to $1,750. Someone on the S4 forum who did a similar job with more high-end components (and what appears to be a larger box with more significant re-configuration of stock amp...etc.) said he paid around $3k all-in. Considering how clean and strong this sounds, I'm very happy with the cost, and can't see why it would be necessary to spend any more unless you want some serious thumping...

[Alkivar]

for those of you trying to figure out a small sub to fit.... try these for size: http://www.soundstream.com/AudioProducts/Subwoofers/stealth.htm

http://www.soundstream.com/AudioProducts/images/stealth_subwoofers-top.jpg

[zztroyzz]

I think he might be talking about the power, e.g. how the amp turns on with the car. my MTX Jackhammer amp (POS, but the feature im about to mention is handy) has a "smart-engage" which means I can hook it directly up to the battery and the amp will only turn on w/ the car. I'm not sure what wires would be used without this feature, but it'd be great to find out because I plan on changing my amp eventually.I was originally going to use an Alpine MRP-M500 (http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/mrp-m500) but decided to go with a Kenwood KAC-8105D (http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/Amplifiers/KAC-8105D) specifically because of its auto on feature. When signal is detected through the audio input the amp automatically powers up.

[Graks]

About to buy a B8 A4 sedan, havent heard the stereo yet on it but will probably be installing a sub into it. It has a Symphony player with CD changer and SD-card playback, not MMI. As i have understood the battery is in the trunk on B8, not in the front as my old B6 had...? Shouldnt then be so difficult to do something like Fost24 has done, his sub install looks very clean. Already have a 2x150w amp just need to get a slim sub that fits into the side compartment of the trunk.
Hoping more people will put their stereo mods out here... :)

[dfost24]

To clarify, you don't need a "slim" sub to fit in the side compartment so long as you move the position of the factory amp. You certainly have depth limits, but I have a JL 10W3V3, which is definitely slimmer, but not crazy like some of those others.

[jshod56]

dfost24 that is a really nice setup. I am new to this forum and a new 2010 A4 owner. What you have done is exactly what I would like to do. Could you tell me what the dimensions are of the sub enclosure?

[zztroyzz]

Got mine done
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4872233231_c6b0dbed32_z.jpg
Here you can see the new placement of the OEM Amp:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4872233405_ca5f9c9836_z.jpg

[jshod56]

Did anyone figure out which wire from the stock amp to splice into for the remote turn on?

[Jmstrag]

Did anyone figure out which wire from the stock amp to splice into for the remote turn on?

ya the wire is def there at the stock amp....its just a matter of knowing which one it is

[ikotua]

what if you've got no amp... ?

[hoppy6698]

Got mine done
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4872233231_c6b0dbed32_z.jpg
Here you can see the new placement of the OEM Amp:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4872233405_ca5f9c9836_z.jpg

Sexy - was this done to a B&O or Non-B&O? Also, what was the cost of install w/ sub & enclosure? Really getting tired of no depth in my B&O sub, but love the sound from the rest of the system.

[IceA4]

Those who have put your subs in the trunk side compartment - does the bass sound balanced in the car? Like can you feel it more from the driver's seat than the passenger's seat?

[Brokenaero]

Bass is low frequency and thus non-directional - it doesn't matter where you put it. Even the stock "sub" is offset to the driver's side on the rear deck

[dfost24]

Got mine done
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4872233231_c6b0dbed32_z.jpg
Here you can see the new placement of the OEM Amp:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4872233405_ca5f9c9836_z.jpg

Looks very familiar, nicely done...what type of amp did you choose to power it? Is the Alpine-R a 10"? How about volume control, did you run a remote?

[zztroyzz]

Looks very familiar, nicely done...what type of amp did you choose to power it? Is the Alpine-R a 10"? How about volume control, did you run a remote?Very inspired from yours. I ended up using an Alpine MRP-M500 and Alpine 10" Type-R (2 Ohms) pushing up to 500watts RMS. Didn't bother with the volume control--I'm happy to keep it on loud. I'm very happy with the performance and sound.


Sexy - was this done to a B&O or Non-B&O? Also, what was the cost of install w/ sub & enclosure? Really getting tired of no depth in my B&O sub, but love the sound from the rest of the system.Non-B&O --drop your panel and see if you have space I've read the B&O amp is much more substantial but I'm not sure.

[Graks]

Going to connect an amp and sub. What speaker wire should i use to connect to the amp? i have a B8 Avant.
There is no sub in the Avant with Audi Sound System. Anyone know where i could download the speakerwire diagram from?

[Andrew A4]

Non-B&O --drop your panel and see if you have space I've read the B&O amp is much more substantial but I'm not sure. Correct. The compartment for the B&O amp is pretty crowded. Not only are there multiple amplifiers for the dozen or so speakers, I believe the compartment also contains a digital audio processing unit, GPS receiver and amplifier, and if your car came with Audi's electronic suspension system, the controller module also fits in there too. The only thing i'm going to mount in that compartment is the line level converter which i'm going to tap into the white/yellow wire and blue/yellow wires which run to the rear deck sub.

I managed to find the schematic for the B&O system online a few days ago, and by the looks of things, they are nothing alike. Here is the PDF: http://kalionzes.net/b8a4/bang.pdf

I'm going to be installing my Boston Acoustics Pro Series 12's along with a SoundStream Reference 1000s amplifier hopefully this weekend when I get done building my subwoofer enclosure. I went over that wiring diagram about 20 times and cannot seem to find any line-level outputs since the B&O setup has two TOSLINK optical digital audio cables sending data from the NAV back to the amplifier array, so It looks like I'm going to use the best line level converter I can find and tap into the wires running to the 8" subwoofer in the rear deck. As much as I don't like using line converters, I'm pretty sure its the only way to go. The one I'm using is made by Pacific Accessories and is the highest quality I've come across. It not only can be wired multiple ways depending on the setup, it also has circuitry to switch on the amplifier and has the option to run a common ground between the unit and the RCA outputs so you wont have to worry about later spending an extra $20+ on a ground loop isolator if your amp picks up a crazy whine from the engine.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/line_converter1.jpg

And here are the instructions. Those of us who have a rear sub to tap into would use Option 2, and those without will most likely have to tap into the rear speakers as seen in Option 1.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/line_converter.jpg

I've actually used this same converter in a friends Mercedes and I was quite amazed at how clean the signal was. The cheap $20 converters are always horrible.




for those of you trying to figure out a small sub to fit.... try these for size: http://www.soundstream.com/AudioProducts/Subwoofers/stealth.htm



no..... F*ing.... way.....!

I just took at look at their site and it seems Soundstream is actually bringing back their Reference line of amplifiers which made them so famous back in the mid-late 1990's. I still own a Reference 1000s and Reference 500s amplifier which are over 13 years old now and sound just as good as the day I bought them. Yes.... I have had the power boards replaced by SoundStream on both amplifiers, as well as some capacitors that were looking worn down.

Edit: Odd.... i'm looking at the website and it says these new "Reference" amplifiers are Class G and capable of 1ohm, while the two that I own utilized dual discrete Class A biased drive stages and are stable all the way down to 1/2 ohm at only 0.1% THD at a solid 1,000w RMS. Soundstream is claiming these amps are "superior" to the old reference models.... but i'm not sure If I buy the hype. Especially since my Reference 1000s had an MSRP of around $1600 way back in the 90's and only two years ago was offered half that by one of the management guys at Soundstream when I was having the power supply repaired. I distinctly remember him saying he's never seen such an over engineered amp built for automotive purposes since it was discontinued.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/soundstream_1000s_500s.jpg

[hender]

hey guys. my subwoofer set up is on the fritz. it's always been weak becuase of my amp, but i didn't wanna junk it so i figured id just wait until it junked itself then get a new [better] one.

my position:
single 10" mtx sub (this thing was great in my last car / hooked up to my old amp. it rumbled good for its size)
shitty on-clearance MTX jackhammer amp
no capacitor. just a smart-engage switch on the MTX Jackhammer, so i can hook it directly up to the battery and it wont drain it when the car is off.
tapped into existing sub connection found in the trunk.
non B&O.

anyways, i had the bass in the audi equializer up to full. if i played the music loud, you could hear the subwoofer cut out frequently because I assume it was just being overloaded. I could see a red light flash on the amp when it would happen. light would go away, it would resume the bass.

I turned down the audi equalizer to 3/4 full bass. It was better, wasn't cutting out. wasnt hitting as hard, but was steady. then I realized the amp is getting REALLY hot. so much to the point where I THINK (haven't done any serious checking yet) it's done for good now.

my sub's RMS is 300W and my shitty amp specs can be found here (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Qnd15BRNe1X/p_236JH202/MTX-JackHammer-JH202.html).

thanks for the help

[Andrew A4]

What did you use to tap into the factory sub wiring harness to give the amplifier a signal? A line level output converter or does the amp have imputs for amplified signals?

Edit: I see it can accept either a line level imput or an amplified speaker line. First off, the red light flashing is due to the imput voltage on either line level RCA's or too many watts from the stock Audi system (the speaker wire imputs on amplifiers are typically made for only like 15-25w RMS which is typical for factory in dash stereos and most any receiver with built in amplification. Too many watts and the amp will clip and on many amps.... switch itself into protection mode to prevent frying it's imput circuitry.

Another issue could be your crossover settings. The Audi subwoofer wire you tapped into and already has been filtered as to send a narrow range of low frequencies to the factory sub. Play around with the amps imput level compensation knob so you never see the imputs clipping. Second, set the amps crossover so the subsonic filter sits around 40hz and the low pass (which prevents your sub from becoming a mid range speaker) at probably 60-70hz. If you were running a 12" sub, i'd recommend starting off at 30hz on the sub x-over and on the low-pass, around 60hz. Setting the subsonic filter too low and the low pass too high will make the amp run super hot, sound like crap, and not have much punch.

Also, I'm assuming you have the positive wire coming from your sub plugged into the far right terminal and the negative in the far left terminal, leaving the two spots in the middle open? If you plugged it in any other way, your sub will run in either a very weak 4ohm.... or worse, 8ohm if you used the far right positive and the right negative.

Edit again: I just saw in the manual that a red light is a thermal overload indicator while yellow is when it goes into protection mode. Have you double and triple checked your ground wire, making sure you use a full ring connector, added a lock washer, and most importantly..... removed the paint down to bare metal before setting tightly screwing in a self tapping sheet metal screw.

[hender]

holy smokes, learned a lot right there - thanks a million andrew. I'll play aorund with the settings you mentioned when I get home today
...although TBH i might have to wait until I get a new amp because that one was giving me no signal, probably overheated.

ey blake, if you're reading this, at your next board of mods meeting, tell anthony to look for a rep mod compatible with the new(ish) forum software! [:D]

[NWS4Guy]

B&O is effing huge, it also comes on a rack that has a gap in the center where the DVD player for DVD Nav would go (I assume), but I have a hard drive based setup. I have an MTX Thunder 421D monoblock amp and a Apline Type R 12" sub from my last car, I am having put in this coming weekend. Going to have to go with something less stealth but which will allow for ease of removal for the needed trunk space, and spare access [:(]

[hender]

if you can put the AMP up top, you're only worried about the 12" sub + box at that point. have a way to stow away the cables (again, top rack). come cargo time, just take out the 12" sub as needed, shouldn't be too bad!

for the amount of times i use the trunk, a stealth install isn't worth it for me. Id get one in a heartbeat, but i can't justify the added cost!

[Andrew A4]

Ok fellas. As i'm starting to take things apart, I decided to shoot a bunch of photos so everyone can see what the electronics are setup inside the trunk of a B8 A4 with the B&O sound system.


Yea... trunk is dirty. I had it full of 1" MDF fiberboard today.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/1.jpg

Passenger side of the battery, which is hiding under the donut spare tire in the trunk.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/2.jpg

This is some wiring which runs up both sides towards the tail lights.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/3.jpg

And the B&O 8" subwoofer in the rear deck. I'm surprised how spacious and comfortable the trunk is in the B8. Back when I had my 2001.5 A4, I gave all the regulars who hung out at Wayne's shop in Huntington Beach a plenty to laugh at while I spent two hours coating the entire trunk with Dynamat... at times having to squeeze all 6'2" of me into the trunk.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/4.jpg

This is mounted below the main amplifier for the B&O system. I believe it is part of the satellite/NAV system.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/5.jpg

And as you can see, with the B&O setup, there isn't much room down that side panel next to the B&O amp.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/6.jpg

Here is a shot of the passengers side of the battery compartment. Nice grounds pre-made for ME!

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/7.jpg

I just noticed I'm posting these in reverse order. oh well.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/8.jpg

Here is the whole B&O trunk setup. All the speakers come off that big harness with the pink clip. And the black wires two connectors to the left are for dual optical signals coming from the MMI system.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/10.jpg

Here is the dual optical cable, one was lit up when I disconnected it.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/11.jpg

And a wide angle shot of the battery/jack/tools/and spare tire comparement with all but the battery removed.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/12.jpg

This was mounted on the passenger side compartment up above the ECU and fuse boxes.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/13.jpg

and of course here are the fueses and ECU right to its left.

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/14.jpg


Edited: To add some comments.

[Andrew A4]

holy smokes, learned a lot right there - thanks a million andrew. I'll play aorund with the settings you mentioned when I get home today
...although TBH i might have to wait until I get a new amp because that one was giving me no signal, probably overheated.

No problem at all. I'm always down to help people learn if it's a topic I know something about. I've spent a lot of time taking Audi's apart and system installs in every single car I owned since I was 16. And i'm on my third Audi now. (I just noticed that left of my post it says I have a Sprint Blue B7 A4. Heh.... that cop magnet is LONG gone. And I thought red cars caught the attention of police.


ey blake, if you're reading this, at your next board of mods meeting, tell anthony to look for a rep mod compatible with the new(ish) forum software! [:D]

I haven't been on here nor have seen Anthony in a really long time. I think the last time we met was when I gave him a tour of CEC/Brabus in Newport Beach back when I used to run Oettinger. Well... to be more accurate..... "get duped into trying to improve Oettinger when Claus knew the entire time he was ending CEC's contract with them". At least the owner of Oettinger was honest with me while I was there.

[hender]

sh*t andrew maybe you can help me with the next question then.

any idea how to get replacement speakers for the fronts? i took apart the door only to realize they are a one-piece c/w a weird-ass mounting bracket. any experience with b8 mids? don't even know how to go about replacing these

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/6427/img00203201006051536.jpg

[hender]

What wire on the stock amp did the installers hook the remote wire of your amp to? I have all my supplies and im ready to do my B8 but thats the only piece of missing info


I was originally going to use an Alpine MRP-M500 (http://www.alpine-usa.com/product/view/mrp-m500) but decided to go with a Kenwood KAC-8105D (http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Car_Entertainment/Amplifiers/KAC-8105D) specifically because of its auto on feature. When signal is detected through the audio input the amp automatically powers up.


Did anyone figure out which wire from the stock amp to splice into for the remote turn on?


ya the wire is def there at the stock amp....its just a matter of knowing which one it is

anyone figure this out yet? since i'm getting a new amp i don't want to be limited to ones with the smart-engage / auto-on feature

[NWS4Guy]

Yea, you can see the open area between the amp and the Nav setup in that chassis they have in the wall

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/trunk/10.jpg

Sadly, the area is not wide enough for a real sized amp, otheriwse that is a nice cubby space.

[s0leful0ne]

I really like this setup! I miss the sub on my old car :(

[dfost24]

holy smokes, learned a lot right there - thanks a million andrew. I'll play aorund with the settings you mentioned when I get home today
...although TBH i might have to wait until I get a new amp because that one was giving me no signal, probably overheated.

ey blake, if you're reading this, at your next board of mods meeting, tell anthony to look for a rep mod compatible with the new(ish) forum software! [:D]

You must not be a golfer! Or have kids or pets....

I felt the same way about justifying the cost and thought "I can always take it out when I need the space," but for an extra $1k, considering I own the car, I haven't regretted the stealth install for one second.

[hender]

You must not be a golfer! Or have kids or pets....

I felt the same way about justifying the cost and thought "I can always take it out when I need the space," but for an extra $1k, considering I own the car, I haven't regretted the stealth install for one second.

i doubt you would, either! they're absolutely awesome installs. I am a little more flexible in terms of space needed, but right now im trying out my buddy's 2x 12" rockfords and the box takes up half the trunk. even for me, that's a little much and i might see how much smaller his 2 x 10" box is.

as for the golfing...well, i started again this year....[:D]

[hender]

alright gurus. any idea why the HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLlllllllllllll the subs are quitting ~20 seconds after i start the engine? they run FINE on auxiliary power alone. is this related to that audi genius system where it helps manage battery power by controlling which components get more / less ? - i had to bypass the capacitor, if that matters (the positive terminal bolt broke so i can't clamp any wires down to it) so it's just connected to battery.

so it's battery -> amp -> line level amplifier (for existing sub line) -> subs.

[Graks]

Would it be possibel to replace the 80 Watt 8 channel for a 180 Watt 10 channel amp from the Audi Sound System?

[hender]

alright gurus. any idea why the HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLlllllllllllll the subs are quitting ~20 seconds after i start the engine? they run FINE on auxiliary power alone. is this related to that audi genius system where it helps manage battery power by controlling which components get more / less ? - i had to bypass the capacitor, if that matters (the positive terminal bolt broke so i can't clamp any wires down to it) so it's just connected to battery.

so it's battery -> amp -> line level amplifier (for existing sub line) -> subs.


bumping this. i hooked up a capacitor , still no luck. cuts out if the engine is on after a few seconds.
edit: nvm. i forgot about the car audio forum. I'll give that a go.

[Andrew A4]

Well guys. I'm almost done with my subwoofer project. Since I was going to tear apart most of the trunk to get everything how I wanted it, I figured it would be a good idea to do some serious sound-deadening while I had things apart. I ordered the Dynamat Xtreme Bulk Pack, a new roller, busted out the heat gun and a blade and went to work. I did the entire trunk, rear deck, doors, floor boards, and even removed the trunk lid carpeting and filled it with medium expanding foam (home depot product), which expands and fills every little gap between the outer panel and the internal bracing. Once dry, I put a layer of Dynamat Extreme over that, and then re-applied the trunk lid carpeting.

Here is my current trunk: http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/dynamattrunk.jpg

The box was done over a week ago with my Boston Acoustics Pro Series 12.5LF subs which took me about a full day considering it's all 3/4" MDF with separated compartments, recessed side panels, bracing, and the front section where the subs mount is doubled up to a full 1.5" for extra rigidity. I've always paid stereo shops to do the carpeting part of the job but this time I tried it out myself. So I got a few yards of Audi black trunk carpet, some crazy strong spray adhesive that comes out like silly string, and grabbed my trusty pneumatic nail/staple gun and went to work. It actually turned out quite well for a first timer.

Here is the box. Chillin in the house since I don't ever put it in the garage due to my last subs being chewed on by a rat that moved into my garage. (yes... he felt my wrath and ended up in a big rat-trap).

http://www.kalionzes.net/b8a4/subboxdone.jpg

I was supposed to have it all finished this evening but I managed to completely FUBAR my lower back. Re-slipped one of the discs in the lumbar spine region so until I get some quality meds, I wont be able to pack everything back into the trunk to see how it sounds.


Edit: Tomorrow morning I should be receiving a 5 Farad capacitor via UPS to seal the deal.

[FlashA4]

impressive work put in so far. Keep us updated on the progress.

[Andrew A4]

5 Farad capacitor arrived today. I used my voltmeter to check if either my amp or this new cap had any electricity in them, and both were flat dead. So here is a shot of them wired together. If you look close, there is a little 150ohm 2 watt resistor hooked up to the capacitors positive terminal. Once in the car and grounded, I hook power up to that little wire until the digital display on the cap reads 14.4v.

Basically the resistor only allows a small amount of current to pass into the cap and amplifier in order to give each a safe initial charge. Hooking amps directly up to the battery without prior charging can damage the power board inside the amplifier.

Also remember to NEVER EVER EVER hook a cap directly up to the battery without charging it slowly via a resistor. THEY CAN EXPLODE!!!! And i'm not talking about a small "pop". I'm talking about flattening your garage along with yourself. And if that doesn't kill ya, there are always horrible chemical burns from the acid inside the capacitor. ;)

http://kalionzes.net/b8a4/amp_cap.jpg

[hender]

looking awesome man. thanks for the tips (especially re: capacitor)
...where did you get the sub line from? behind the HU? Is it too late to snap any pictures? I think my way of tapping into the existing sub connection isn't going to work...it still shuts off when I turn on the ignition for whatever reason. just sucks cause I didn't want to have to run cables from the trunk to the H/U, would prefer to keep it all tidy in the tunk. alternatively, the stock amp wires are all in the trunk as well...any way to intervene on the sub outputs there [:D]

[Andrew A4]

Unfortunately I was not able to find any line level outputs or even amplified outputs when looking over the schematic for the Bang & Olufsen system. The only output from the nav/mmi/ami system were two toslink optical 7.1 digital cables which run to the audio processing unit that is below the B&O amplifier in the trunk. My line level converter is tapped into the rear 8" subwoofer using a converter that requires a constant 12v connection and is able to sense the system turning on, only then does it activate the remote turn-on wire to enable my sub amp.

Does your line level converter require a +12v hookup? Make sure to check if yours uses a constant 12v power connection because if you hooked that wire up to either a 12v auxillary or the trunk light,the amp will more than likely turn off right when the trunk light dims off. Try hooking it up directly to your battery or or your amplifiers main connection to the battery. Depending o. What model u have, youay be able to troubleshoot it by hooking your amps remote imput directly to a constant 12v source. Just make sure to check it's manual first.

I just finished reinstalling my trunk interior and will finally test this setup out I would hace tonight but I need a 150ohm 1 watt resistor to place between the cap and hookup to the battery since it's really dangerous to hookup an empty capacitor. They tend to either spark really bad or even explode

[hender]

Does your line level converter require a +12v hookup? Make sure to check if yours uses a constant 12v power connection because if you hooked that wire up to either a 12v auxillary or the trunk light,the amp will more than likely turn off right when the trunk light dims off. Try hooking it up directly to your battery or or your amplifiers main connection to the battery. Depending o. What model u have, youay be able to troubleshoot it by hooking your amps remote imput directly to a constant 12v source. Just make sure to check it's manual first.


Damn man, embarassed to say but I didn't know the line level converters needed a 12V hookup. but hey, that's why im trying this out myself. ya learn some!my remote wire is hooked up to the tail lights as i have my VAG to have them enabled as DRLs. I tried hooking it up to the license plate lights as well, as they will turn on w/ the car. (all of which can be disabled ...'enable/disable daytime running lights' via MMI)
i'll try hooking up the line converter, and if that doesn't fix it, also switching remote wire to the power source.



I just finished reinstalling my trunk interior and will finally test this setup out I would hace tonight but I need a 150ohm 1 watt resistor to place between the cap and hookup to the battery since it's really dangerous to hookup an empty capacitor. They tend to either spark really bad or even explode

looking real good man, how much did you pay for the roll of dynamat? and that did you for everything? just the road noise reduction alone is worth it...but when I have the 12" pounding you can hear stuff rattle, and i hate looking like a 16-year-old in his civic haha.

[hender]

I went to my buddy's to work on it ut realized i forgot the friggin line level converter so i couldn't try that out. but i did notice that when the ignition turns on, the voltage turns from 12.x to 13.x - could this be causing any problems? this was tested right at the B+ / G on the amp. also checked the remote wire.

[hender]

so the guys at audi mississauga helped me out LOL. it looks like the remote wire is to blame.

andrew, i scanned thru the thread but couldn't find out which wire you're using for the remote. or does your amp have an auto-on feature?

[Soldoutluck]

So after reading this entire thread, I am a little more intimidated about doing the install considering I have the B&O system. So this is the system that I ordered.

1. PAC SOEM-T R Line level converter
2. JL Audio 4ga wiring kit
3. JL Audio HD750 750/1 amp
4. JL Audio 10" W7 in Prowedge box

Now that I think about it, I may want some dynamat with this set up.

This is the first time i have used a line level converter, so other than that this should be a breeze, I am just a little concerned because i have heard that the JL audio HD750 can be pretty touchy when it comes to the correct level settings, so I may take it to a shop after i finish the install to have them tune the system.

I will post pics as I get the parts in, and begin the install.

[dfost24]

So after reading this entire thread, I am a little more intimidated about doing the install considering I have the B&O system. So this is the system that I ordered.

1. PAC SOEM-T R Line level converter
2. JL Audio 4ga wiring kit
3. JL Audio HD750 750/1 amp
4. JL Audio 10" W7 in Prowedge box

Now that I think about it, I may want some dynamat with this set up.

This is the first time i have used a line level converter, so other than that this should be a breeze, I am just a little concerned because i have heard that the JL audio HD750 can be pretty touchy when it comes to the correct level settings, so I may take it to a shop after i finish the install to have them tune the system.

I will post pics as I get the parts in, and begin the install.

Sounds like some good choices, definitely provide pics of the install and setup when you're done!

[Graks]

Anyone used a optical to RCA adapter for connecting to amplifier?

[Soldoutluck]

So here are the parts and the set up. i still need to tie some wires to make it a little cleaner, but it is %99 done.

http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1152.jpg
http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1155.jpg
http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1164.jpg
PAC Line level. (these are the wires I need to clean up a bit)
http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1150.jpg
http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1151.jpg
http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1163.jpg
HD750
http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss360/soldoutluck/IMG_1162.jpg
JL 10 W7

This thing sounds Amazing, install was a little bumpy, but the only real issues resulted from a bad PAC line level converter that had to be replaced [headbang], once that was dealt with I discovered that the remote from the PAC line level was to weak to carry the signal to the amp resulting in intermintent amp failure, so I made a secure remote line that I ran to the right side panle fuse box [wrench], and all is well!!!!

[hoppy6698]

Has anyone figured out a way to replace the stock sub under the rear deck with something just slightly larger/more powerful but fits in the stock location? I realize that a new case or at least a bracket may be required to protect the underside.

[Soldoutluck]

Has anyone figured out a way to replace the stock sub under the rear deck with something just slightly larger/more powerful but fits in the stock location? I realize that a new case or at least a bracket may be required to protect the underside.

Waste of time without a new amp.

[dfost24]

That's a serious woofer, must give you PLENTY of low end. Any rattling? You don't miss the trunk space?

[quality_sound]

Why hasn't anyone done a sub under the rear deck facing up through the OEM sub location? An 8" opening is more than enough for up to a 12" sub to not be restricted. Something like the Stereo Integrity BM MkIII would be ideal. Slim, efficient, and sounds amazing. http://stereointegrity.com/?p=141 There isn't a slim sub out that can touch it and I've used the 13TW5 in two separate cars. If you mount the sub like that then you might be able to squeeze an amp or pair of amps in the slot in the rack in the OEM amp location. The JL HD amps might fit and the JL XD amps are even smaller. Worst case you fab up a mount in there for the amp(s) and you lose maybe 4" of space under the rear deck.

Just tossing out a few ideas.

Edit: Just had another thought. In my GTI I changed the coding to change the output from the RNS-510 from high-level to low-level. Has anyone looked to see if this is doable on the Navi equipped cars?

[dfost24]

Why hasn't anyone done a sub under the rear deck facing up through the OEM sub location? An 8" opening is more than enough for up to a 12" sub to not be restricted. Something like the Stereo Integrity BM MkIII would be ideal. Slim, efficient, and sounds amazing. http://stereointegrity.com/?p=141 There isn't a slim sub out that can touch it and I've used the 13TW5 in two separate cars. If you mount the sub like that then you might be able to squeeze an amp or pair of amps in the slot in the rack in the OEM amp location. The JL HD amps might fit and the JL XD amps are even smaller. Worst case you fab up a mount in there for the amp(s) and you lose maybe 4" of space under the rear deck.

Just tossing out a few ideas.

Edit: Just had another thought. In my GTI I changed the coding to change the output from the RNS-510 from high-level to low-level. Has anyone looked to see if this is doable on the Navi equipped cars?

Thought about it, but preferred not to lose ANY trunk space. I'd love to see someone pull this off, though!

[quality_sound]

Thought about it, but preferred not to lose ANY trunk space. I'd love to see someone pull this off, though!

I hear ya. I'm actually considering trading my 2010 M3 for a 2011 S4. If I do I want to retain as much trunk space as possible, which will be infinitely easier in a car with more space under the trunk floor. Having said that, firing directly into the cabin can net you some pretty good gains so it might be worth the loss of space.

I need to do more research on the MMI coding though. I want to do a Prestige because I've gotten spoiled by the comfort access function (keys stay in my pocket) but at the same time I don't want to be saddled with MMI if it's going to be that much of a pain in the ass to get a useable signal. I would be replacing the entire sound system, not just adding subs.

[lxapilot]

nice setup! how difficult to remove if needed?

[cory_can]

Does anyone know the "sound signature" of the large diameter and extremely shallow subs like the Soundstream Stealth or JL 13TW5's? All the youtube videos seem to suggest that they are flabby and not very tight sounding.

I'm toying with the idea of installing something like this in my B&O/NAV Avant in a very shallow/wide box on the floor facing up. I'm wanting a tight controlled bass to supplement the B&O sound, but won't want to lose too much cargo space by using a typical upright box configuration.

I'm also not looking to loosen the quarter panels of the car beside me :)

[dfost24]

Does anyone know the "sound signature" of the large diameter and extremely shallow subs like the Soundstream Stealth or JL 13TW5's? All the youtube videos seem to suggest that they are flabby and not very tight sounding.

I'm toying with the idea of installing something like this in my B&O/NAV Avant in a very shallow/wide box on the floor facing up. I'm wanting a tight controlled bass to supplement the B&O sound, but won't want to lose too much cargo space by using a typical upright box configuration.

I'm also not looking to loosen the quarter panels of the car beside me :)

Delayed response, this this thread doesn't seem too active unfortunately.

Honestly, if you don't want to lose trunk space the custom install into the side panel is hands down the best decision I made. I just moved apartments last week and was able to pile a ton into my B8. Time and time again I've needed every inch of cargo space and I would have been livid if a sub box was getting in my way. Side panel is 100% the way to go. While I may not get the same thump, no loss of trunk space is priceless...

[wyld]

Guys with the hidden box in the side panel - what are the dimensions of the box you used? Did it have enough volume to meet the driver manufacturer's specs? Would you be interested in building another box to fit that space to sell? (I'm buying). Still trying to decide between this and the IB rear deck install but I've always had subs in enclosures so not sure I want to dabble in IB.

[linet90]

Guys with the hidden box in the side panel - what are the dimensions of the box you used? Did it have enough volume to meet the driver manufacturer's specs? Would you be interested in building another box to fit that space to sell? (I'm buying). Still trying to decide between this and the IB rear deck install but I've always had subs in enclosures so not sure I want to dabble in IB.

If you want to make your own check out my thread: Build a Box Workshop

[wyld]

If you want to make your own check out my thread: Build a Box Workshop

That looks awesome. But there's no way I have the time to do that.

[cory_can]

Since this thread was given a bump I figured I would post an update. After weighing the pros and cons of the different box types that would fit I decided to go with a custom made fibreglass/kevlar enclosure made to fit into the passenger side rear corner of my Avant....the driver side is full of the B&O amp/Nav etc. It's approx. 0.6^3 ft of volume and it's designed for a 12" Stereo Integrity BM MKIII shallow sub (which requires ~0.5^3). The amp will be a JL Audio XD600/1.

The enclosure isn't complete yet as I'm still deciding on what the finish material is going to be....CF , carpet, vinyl/leather/painted etc.

Here is a picture during the process:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/976/photoaux.jpg

The remote sub control knob has been mounted into the coin holder above the factory volume control.

http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/1672/img0553r.jpg

[linet90]

very nice, If you want to wait I am going to vinyl rap my box this way you can see if you would like it. Although I am a little worried about not having enough air space for my sub.

[wyld]

looks sweet cory.

[cory_can]

very nice, If you want to wait I am going to vinyl rap my box this way you can see if you would like it. Although I am a little worried about not having enough air space for my sub.

Depends on the sub you choose. The particular sub that I'm using requires a very small volume for optimum sound.

[linet90]

Depends on the sub you choose. The particular sub that I'm using requires a very small volume for optimum sound.

Right, My sub requires .625ft³. Now that I recalculated the dimensions I believe I should have just a little more then what it really needs.

[hender]

jesus christ cory your car is so damn sexy!!!

[quality_sound]

Cory - Tell your guy if he's willing to ship I might be interested. I've been feeling very lazy as of late and finding the supplies over here that I like to when I 'glass has been...challenging to say the least. Then again, I may say screw it and just run all 3 BMs.


Has anyone tried recoding a B&O HU as a Symphony HU? That should activate the line level outputs which would GREATLY simplify an install in a B&O car. I'm getting ready to head to Spain for a week but I may look into it when I get back and find the time.

[cory_can]

Cory - Tell your guy if he's willing to ship I might be interested. I've been feeling very lazy as of late and finding the supplies over here that I like to when I 'glass has been...challenging to say the least. Then again, I may say screw it and just run all 3 BMs.


I'll see what he has to say about the idea and let you know. I'm suspecting the shipping costs may be too steep based on the size/weight but I'll ask if he's willing to consider doing the work.

[quality_sound]

He'd have to use USPS Priority Mail but the cost would be the same as mailing to NY/NJ so it wouldn't be bad at all.

Let me know!

Thanks!

[Stafke]

Is it possible to connect an amplifire and sub without the oem sub installed from factory ?
And witch wires do i have to connect with the amplifire.

[Highlander1010]

Got mine done
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4872233231_c6b0dbed32_z.jpg
Here you can see the new placement of the OEM Amp:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4872233405_ca5f9c9836_z.jpg

Where did you get yours done and do you have the B/O system already?

[cory_can]

If you didn't happen to see my other thread here's a picture of the finished enclosure. The amp is getting a matching vinyl trimmed panel in the coming weeks.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/1913/photo4gl.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4250/photo3nt.jpg

[linet90]

That looks Awesome, very clean. I am interested in seeing what the amp cover will look like.

[javsoriano]

Thats the way aftermarket sub installs should be !! Beautiful job !

[Highlander1010]

If you didn't happen to see my other thread here's a picture of the finished enclosure. The amp is getting a matching vinyl trimmed panel in the coming weeks.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/1913/photo4gl.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/4250/photo3nt.jpg

Wow! Absolutely unreal! How did it end up sounding?

[DavidB8]

Must be an Avant thing because there is no way with all the electronics and equipment in both side of my trunk that you could that on a sedan. At least not mine.

[cory_can]

Must be an Avant thing because there is no way with all the electronics and equipment in both side of my trunk that you could that on a sedan. At least not mine.

My driver side is completely full of "stuff". The passenger side has fuses and other modules etc. but they are more to the back of that side. The passenger side compartment on the Avant is also shaped much differently.

[cory_can]

Wow! Absolutely unreal! How did it end up sounding?

It sounds quite good right after hooking it up but there is some playing with crossover points and slopes still to be done. Also, the cheap-ass passive LOC is under performing IMO and I'm looking at some better alternatives. The (B&O) stock sub amp output is quite high (1x125w) so you need a higher end LOC to handle the power. Originally I was hoping to use the JL amps line converter (without an external LOC) but it also wouldn't cope with the higher input. The cheap one was put in as a stop gap because i had it "lying around" and needed something. I expect that it will just give-out shortly. As of now I'm considering active units from AudioControl, Cache and MTX.

[quality_sound]

The LC2i will be your best option by a WIDE margin. It'll take 30V into the inputs and is crystal clear. There is also an LC61 and LC8i.

[cory_can]

The LC2i will be your best option by a WIDE margin. It'll take 30V into the inputs and is crystal clear. There is also an LC61 and LC8i.

Really? The LC2i is that much better? That was the original unit that I was intending on using but it seems that the distribution in Canada is terrible and I can't track a local dealer that sells AudioControl (any longer). There is always online but for warranty sake I would rather buy local.

[quality_sound]

Yes. I've never heard of Cache (that's not a good thing) and MTX makes garbage and has for quite some time. Audio Control, on the other hand, has made high end processors and integration pieces since the mid-70s and not that this is huge for you, but they are still made in the USA. In their Washington state facility to be exact.

[rmsweat]

does anyone know what the wiring diagram looks like for the b&o system on the 2011? The sub hi-levels sound like garbage (too much low pass for an aftermarket sub). I want to wire it up to the RL and RR speakers, but I dont know what the pinouts are? HELP!!

[rmsweat]

ya the wire is def there at the stock amp....its just a matter of knowing which one it is

does anyone know the pinouts? I want to connect to the RR and RL speakers instead of the sub hi-levels. what wires am i looking for??

[cory_can]

does anyone know the pinouts? I want to connect to the RR and RL speakers instead of the sub hi-levels. what wires am i looking for??

Each amp output is already crossed-over and processed. I'll be very surprised if the rear speakers provide a true full range signal. What's wrong with the speaker level output from the sub? Several have used that for sub signal (including myself) and have had no issues as long as you use a suitable LOC.

[jbradle7]

does anyone know what the wiring diagram looks like for the b&o system on the 2011? The sub hi-levels sound like garbage (too much low pass for an aftermarket sub). I want to wire it up to the RL and RR speakers, but I dont know what the pinouts are? HELP!!

I found this a while back... it's for an A5 but may be similar or the same as the A4?

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CD8QFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.audi-forums.com%2Fattachments%2Fb8-forum%2F6218d1272609677-schematic-b-o-amplifier-bang.pdf&rct=j&q=audi%20bang%20and%20olufsen%20wire%20schematics&ei=vvVeTt-KL4eNsQKMtOg3&usg=AFQjCNEu8XQzDXquyDav-F65cvuMUiu83Q

[jbradle7]

Swapped my dash speakers out (Concert Audio)... I know, not very exciting, but thought it might help someone else down the road. The hardest part was determining what would fit in the factory holes without too much modification work. These new speakers are being powered by my JBL MS-8 processor/amp.

Parts Express has a good selection of home audio speakers that are 4ohm and fit in our dash. Based on reviews and price point, I choose some speakers from Vifa:
XT25SC90-04 1" Dual Ring Radiator Tweeter
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-1014
NE65W-04 2" Full Range Woofer
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=264-1046

I fabricated the mounting adapters out of some plastic gutter end caps from the hardware store, aprox .125" thick.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6457031431_01672b1998_b.jpg

Tweeter before:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6456995007_978c1e2b29_b.jpg
Tweeter after:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6457035169_198137f77e_b.jpg

Center before:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6456997603_6db35e58b4_b.jpg
Center after:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6489502981_79dc9d6d5e_b.jpg

[jbradle7]

JL Audio 10W3 sub, Massive Audio N2 mono amp, and JBL MS-8 processor.
I used linet90's write-up to help me with the fabrication of my sub enclosure:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/433757-Build-a-Box-Workshop
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8493/8322541901_497a38b024_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6575415159_68ba4a7da5_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6575411445_b2a5426175_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6495429241_2c0fd5125b_b.jpg

[Point.Blank]

Wow this thread was a gold mine for me. I only have a few questions.

When you pull the wire out of the stock sub and then splice it, what converter do you use to plug the rca's from the new amp for the sub?

Doesn't the wires that go to the stock sub come from the stock amp in the left trunk? So that means you are running the RCA from your new sub amp to another amp to the stock system. Isn't that not the best idea?

Lastly, can you hook up the amp to the battery under the spare tire? Is this the best way? Can you do the (-) ground to the bottom right next to the battery? I like to sand down the input spot to get the best conductivity.

[Dasquade]

Just adding my sound system update that i did some time ago...
*B&O (A8 first gen) motorized lens tweeters that i found on ebay at a very good price.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9771621/B%26Omounted01.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9771621/audiomod/B%26Otweetermounted1.jpg
Not a direct plug and play solution as you need to make custom speaker fill plates (already painted now, no pictures).
An other bigger issue is that on the passenger side you need to cut a hole in your airco tube and repatch it with (heat) tape so the speaker has clearance for the motor arm.
So not for verybody, but i really love the sound they make. Nice sharp and focused! Plus they look nice.
*Rockford subs in custom removeble case with amplifier (avant mod only)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9771621/audiomod/wrapped02.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9771621/audiomod/wrapped04.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9771621/audiomod/au7.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9771621/audiomod/wrapped06.jpg
Not so cheap, but they do punch :) .

[Point.Blank]

Massive Audio 10" sub, Massive Audio N2 mono amp, and JBL MS-8 processor.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7175/6495429241_2c0fd5125b_b.jpg

Is it possible to fit the factory amp (non-upgraded) on the back of the amp rack like you did? then I can put my new amp in the front.

[Cody Maverick]

Hmm. I wonder if I should do this. I have like 3 amps and 4 subs sitting around for past cars. But my Audi is a lease and I am a little worried about taping into the wiring unless it can be easily reversed.

[Point.Blank]

And does anyone know how to take off the rear panel with the speakers in it? I unscrewed the 2 screws and took off the left and right very back panels but cant seem to get it to lift off still. I think it has something to do with the 2 square punctures on the other side. I am talking about inside the car not the trunk. I have a B8 A4 non-B&O

[jbradle7]

And does anyone know how to take off the rear panel with the speakers in it? I unscrewed the 2 screws and took off the left and right very back panels but cant seem to get it to lift off still. I think it has something to do with the 2 square punctures on the other side. I am talking about inside the car not the trunk. I have a B8 A4 non-B&O
Read through this thread, it has a lot of good info... not just for building a fiberglass enclosure.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/433757-Build-a-Box-Workshop

[jbradle7]

Just adding my sound system update that i did some time ago...


Wow... very nice! I'd love to hear how those tweeters sound, great upgrade.

[Dasquade]

Wow... very nice! I'd love to hear how those tweeters sound, great upgrade.
Although i in the first place got them for the looks/design, i was really pleased and suprised how good they sound for their size.
I had the stock speakers (non B&O - non sub) but my setup sounds so much better now.
I didn't wanted to make a video/soundclip as you need to hear stuff in real life imho.

[Point.Blank]

Read through this thread, it has a lot of good info... not just for building a fiberglass enclosure.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/433757-Build-a-Box-Workshop

Ive looked at just about every audio build log on here and other forums and no one has routed there new sub's RCA's to the back of the stock head unit. Is this not possible? Do you have to go through the stock amp?

[jbradle7]

Ive looked at just about every audio build log on here and other forums and no one has routed there new sub's RCA's to the back of the stock head unit. Is this not possible? Do you have to go through the stock amp?

That should tell you something... I think you're going to have to get your signal from the output of the factory amp.

[Point.Blank]

That should tell you something... I think you're going to have to get your signal from the output of the factory amp.

Is it possible to find the 2 sub wires that go from the head unit to the stock amp? If you can splice them and then use a line out converter then it would enable you to rout your new amp directly to the head unit. But im not sure how effective this theory is.

Got bored yesterday and installed damplifier pro to the top of the back cabin. Ill start my build log on here shortly.

[jbradle7]

Is it possible to find the 2 sub wires that go from the head unit to the stock amp? If you can splice them and then use a line out converter then it would enable you to rout your new amp directly to the head unit. But im not sure how effective this theory is.

I believe your HU and steering wheel controls (vol/mute etc) are all controlled through the factory amp so in bypassing the factory amp you would loose control of your new sub/amp and it will not function properly.

I don't think you'll have any problems taking the signal from the factory amp output. Will your amp accept high-level inputs?
Linet90 wired his RCA's directly to the original sub wires.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/433757-Build-a-Box-Workshop?p=6683747&viewfull=1#post6683747
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/30/img0227ne.jpg

[Point.Blank]

I believe your HU and steering wheel controls (vol/mute etc) are all controlled through the factory amp so in bypassing the factory amp you would loose control of your new sub/amp and it will not function properly.

I don't think you'll have any problems taking the signal from the factory amp output. Will your amp accept high-level inputs?
Linet90 wired his RCA's directly to the original sub wires.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/433757-Build-a-Box-Workshop?p=6683747&viewfull=1#post6683747
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/30/img0227ne.jpg

Yes my amp would work fine with it. I might for this this Line In Converter.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_43567_AudioControl-LC2i.html

[cory_can]

Yes my amp would work fine with it. I might for this this Line In Converter.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_43567_AudioControl-LC2i.html

Same one I use for my sub...it's a great LOC

[Point.Blank]

Same one I use for my sub...it's a great LOC

Awsome! Was a little hesitant with no reviews at first but now im definitely going for it. Did you have to get extra wiring with it? Cause it doesnt look like it comes with wires.

[cory_can]

Awsome! Was a little hesitant with no reviews at first but now im definitely going for it. Did you have to get extra wiring with it? Cause it doesnt look like it comes with wires.

Doesn't come with any wire, you'll have to get your own. AudioControl makes great gear.

[Point.Blank]

Doesn't come with any wire, you'll have to get your own. AudioControl makes great gear.
I feel like it almost shouldn't be that easy ha. How do your lows hit around 30hz? Ive heard that with LOC you dont get as much ouput for lower tones.

Does anyone know how to take off the side panels in the trunk and the trunk lid panel?

[Point.Blank]

Just called my local headshop cause ive talked to the guys a few times before. He recommended the audiocontrol LC2i and said thats exactly what they would use. Definitely getting it now and going that route. Cory is there any chance you got a picture of how yours is wired up? That would help me allot seeing everything you got going to it.

Again anyone know how to take off the side panels in the trunk and the trunk lid panel? I want to lay my last 2 sheets of damplifier pro on the trunk lid and I want to mount the amp above the back left wheel.

[jbradle7]

Again anyone know how to take off the side panels in the trunk and the trunk lid panel? I want to lay my last 2 sheets of damplifier pro on the trunk lid and I want to mount the amp above the back left wheel.

Use this to remove the trunk lid liner:
http://www.audienthusiasts.com/ProjectEmergencyTriangle.html

I have not seen instructions for the side panels:
1.) Remove the opening skid plate (this is the hardest part and will feel like you're about to break it)
- there should be four clips on the top and two guides on the fwd side
- pry under one of the side edges to get a grip and then pull straight up
2.) Remove the backseat filler panels (these are the pieces between the seat backs and the door seals)
- locate and remove attaching bolt under the corner of seat bottom (this is kind of a PITA to push down on the cushion while trying to remove the bolt)
- lift bottom of filler out from under the seat bottom and then pull panel down and out, disengaging two clips and clearing top from C-pillar
3.) Remove the sides
- remove the four tie-down plates (D-rings) from the trunk floor
- starting in the back, pull inboard to release three clips each side
- there are two plastic pins holding the sides to the rear deck, pull these straight down
- fold rear seats down (if you do not have folding seats, you may have to remove your seat back)
- pull side panel inboard working it our from under the rear deck trim and rear seat crevices wires etc

Take a look at my Flickr page; there are a bunch of pics inside the trunk, should give you a better idea of where clips are etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48936237@N07/
Hope this helps.

J

[Point.Blank]

Use this to remove the trunk lid liner:
http://www.audienthusiasts.com/ProjectEmergencyTriangle.html

I have not seen instructions for the side panels:
1.) Remove the opening skid plate (this is the hardest part and will feel like you're about to break it)
- there should be four clips on the top and two guides on the fwd side
- pry under one of the side edges to get a grip and then pull straight up
2.) Remove the backseat filler panels (these are the pieces between the seat backs and the door seals)
- locate and remove attaching bolt under the corner of seat bottom (this is kind of a PITA to push down on the cushion while trying to remove the bolt)
- lift bottom of filler out from under the seat bottom and then pull panel down and out, disengaging two clips and clearing top from C-pillar
3.) Remove the sides
- remove the four tie-down plates (D-rings) from the trunk floor
- starting in the back, pull inboard to release three clips each side
- there are two plastic pins holding the sides to the rear deck, pull these straight down
- fold rear seats down (if you do not have folding seats, you may have to remove your seat back)
- pull side panel inboard working it our from under the rear deck trim and rear seat crevices wires etc

Take a look at my Flickr page; there are a bunch of pics inside the trunk, should give you a better idea of where clips are etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48936237@N07/
Hope this helps.

J

Very cool thanks. What suspension did you have in those pics thats the exact height I was looking for. And did you drill holes to mount your factory amp or did you use another method?

[jbradle7]

Very cool thanks. What suspension did you have in those pics thats the exact height I was looking for. And did you drill holes to mount your factory amp or did you use another method?

STaSIS Touring (H&R); the H&R OE Sport springs should be pretty close to that drop, once they settle some.

Yes, I had to drill a few holes to relocate the factory amp. It is a little tight, but you can fit your hand back behind that wheel well panel to fit the attaching hardware. There is an existing stud that makes fitting the amp connector back up in place a bit of a pain, but you could always just cut it off and save yourself a little frustration. I've had the amp mounted up there for about 6 months now and no issues.

[cory_can]

I feel like it almost shouldn't be that easy ha. How do your lows hit around 30hz? Ive heard that with LOC you dont get as much ouput for lower tones.


It all depends on the how you get your signal and how your LOC/amp pass the signal. Many factory systems limit the freqencies and bass output because a) the factory speakers can't reproduce below 30Hz and/or b) limiting lower frequencies that the speaker can't reproduce takes stress off the amp. The Audi B&O system doesn't appear to do either. I'm not sure about the standard system but the LC2i does have an embedded technology that boosts bass rolloff which I didn't use because it didn't make any difference with the B&O sub output. You also need to properly adjust any amp filters that could impeded lower frequencies depending on your setup and input signal.



Just called my local headshop cause ive talked to the guys a few times before. He recommended the audiocontrol LC2i and said thats exactly what they would use. Definitely getting it now and going that route. Cory is there any chance you got a picture of how yours is wired up? That would help me allot seeing everything you got going to it.


Getting you a picture isn't all that easy. The LOC is tucked away in its installed location. Wiring is relatively easy. You tap a signal off your existing sub as input, run power/ground and a some sort of signal turn-on and output goes to your amps input. Level adjustment between head unit/LOC/Amp is going to need some tweaking.

[Point.Blank]

Getting you a picture isn't all that easy. The LOC is tucked away in its installed location. Wiring is relatively easy. You tap a signal off your existing sub as input, run power/ground and a some sort of signal turn-on and output goes to your amps input. Level adjustment between head unit/LOC/Amp is going to need some tweaking.

Did you run your power line to the battery? Sounds like I need to get some 16gauge wire.

[cory_can]

Did you run your power line to the battery? Sounds like I need to get some 16gauge wire.

Yup, nice thing about having the battery in the trunk :)

[Point.Blank]

Yup, nice thing about having the battery in the trunk :)

Haha I know when I saw that thing I was like no way... Gotta love those Germans. The only issue it brings is I dont know how to do the big 3 with it in the trunk. I can only do battery (-) to ground with 1/0gauge.

Do you know which wire is right and which wire is left from the factory sub? There is a brown and beige wire I believe. And you can just cut the connector right off and plug them into the LC2i correct?

[Point.Blank]

Asked a question by editing not sure if you saw it.

[Point.Blank]

Hate to be annoying but feel like my question might have got overlooked. [:/]

[cory_can]

Haha I know when I saw that thing I was like no way... Gotta love those Germans. The only issue it brings is I dont know how to do the big 3 with it in the trunk. I can only do battery (-) to ground with 1/0gauge.

Do you know which wire is right and which wire is left from the factory sub? There is a brown and beige wire I believe. And you can just cut the connector right off and plug them into the LC2i correct?

I can't say for sure on the non-B&O system.....on the B&O sub the colours are Yellow/white (+) and Blue/Yellow (-). It won't really matter all that much anyway because you will more than likely be playing with phase of the sub anyway. My sub sounds much better out of phase but it could be entirely different in the sedan location firing through the seats etc.

I didn't cut the plug off, just spliced and soldered on wire extensions.

[Point.Blank]

I can't say for sure on the non-B&O system.....on the B&O sub the colours are Yellow/white (+) and Blue/Yellow (-). It won't really matter all that much anyway because you will more than likely be playing with phase of the sub anyway. My sub sounds much better out of phase but it could be entirely different in the sedan location firing through the seats etc.

I didn't cut the plug off, just spliced and soldered on wire extensions.

I wanted to just cut the plug off and keep it around if I ever needed it again. Then just stick them right into the LC2i but I didnt know if it mattered which wire is left/right. Is this not a good idea? I dont think I quite get what you mean by phase.

Thanks for the help Cory and Jbradle

[cory_can]

I wanted to just cut the plug off and keep it around if I ever needed it again. Then just stick them right into the LC2i but I didnt know if it mattered which wire is left/right. Is this not a good idea? I dont think I quite get what you mean by phase.

Thanks for the help Cory and Jbradle

If you don't cut it off you'll always know where it is.....in the car on the end of the wire :) You'll probably need to extend the wires from the sub to wherever you locate your LOC so I would just splice off the sub wire a couple inches short of the plug and leave the plug on the end.

Setting subs out of phase (reversing +/-) isn't uncommon.....you'll notice that many home theater subs have phase switches. It depends on various things in your environment on (distance from front stage, direction of firing, type of enclosure, configuration of subs in an enclosure etc., size of vehicle). The one that is correct (in phase, out-of-phase) is the one that sounds best.....bass hits when it's suppose to at the correct peak. In the Avant where I have my sub out-of-phase is what works ...Stubek found the same thing in his Avant.

[jbradle7]

On the non-B&O, the sub wires are white/yellow (+) and brown/yellow (-); I've found for my application leaving them in-phase sounds best... I've tried reversing the polarity for grins but it produced an obvious lack of bass.

There is enough room under the rear deck panel (inside the cabin) you could easily mount that LOC near the factory sub wires.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6457012095_64c5cf81d9_b.jpg

[Point.Blank]

If you don't cut it off you'll always know where it is.....in the car on the end of the wire :) You'll probably need to extend the wires from the sub to wherever you locate your LOC so I would just splice off the sub wire a couple inches short of the plug and leave the plug on the end.

Setting subs out of phase (reversing +/-) isn't uncommon.....you'll notice that many home theater subs have phase switches. It depends on various things in your environment on (distance from front stage, direction of firing, type of enclosure, configuration of subs in an enclosure etc., size of vehicle). The one that is correct (in phase, out-of-phase) is the one that sounds best.....bass hits when it's suppose to at the correct peak. In the Avant where I have my sub out-of-phase is what works ...Stubek found the same thing in his Avant.

I thought you were talking about how you wire the sub to the amp which I was doing parallel to reach 1ohms. And There is enough room in the rear deck to place my LC2i on the right side hidden. Its where the B&O back right speaker would go but we dont have anything there. Seemed like a great spot imo.

[Point.Blank]

On the non-B&O, the sub wires are white/yellow (+) and brown/yellow (-); I've found for my application leaving them in-phase sounds best... I've tried reversing the polarity for grins but it produced an obvious lack of bass.

There is enough room under the rear deck panel (inside the cabin) you could easily mount that LOC near the factory sub wires.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6457012095_64c5cf81d9_b.jpg

You just beat me to it :P. Thanks jbradle

[Point.Blank]

Did you all use the factory battery terminals? Think I might lay some wire tomorrow along with laying a new 1/0ga from battery (-) to ground. I have ring terminals for my 1/0ga wire will that work out fine? Is there a certain process to working on the battery of these b8 a4's? Cause they have sensors for when you tamper with them so im just making sure. Normally just disconnect the ground but you tell me. Again this is for non-B&O.

[jbradle7]

Aside from having the proper ring terminals for my cables, no special provisions were needed to hook up my power/GND cables. I used 4awg for my sub amp and 10awg for my processor. The 4awg is connected to the drivers side of the battery terminal and the 10awg is connceted at the front... once you remove the plastic covers you'll see. 1/0 might be tight in there but I think you can make it fit. There is a distribution block on the + terminal you might be able to use, if you can find the proper fusible links. I connected my 4awg GND cable to the same stud in the floor that the battery GND is connected to on the passenger side.

I've had no issues resulting from disconcerting the battery negative; no CEL or weird CAN bus induced charging errors.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6575412149_193c5f1de0_b.jpg

[Point.Blank]

Think I might lay the wiring tomorrow just to get ready. Do you think ill be fine cutting the factory sub wires and just sticking those into the LC2i?

[Resophy]

I want to wire in subwoofers and amplifier(s), and within the next year replace all of the speakers with new high quality ones and add a couple of amplifiers for the speakers. I went to a local car audio store that specializes in high-end vehicles and they recommend that I purchase a mObridge DA1000. This unit costs approximately $1000 and it will give me the necessary inputs I require. I have a 2009 Audi A4 with Bang & Olufsen sound, and I have MMI 2G.

What difference does it make whether you have stock sound or Bang & Olufsen when it comes to aftermarket audio?

Here is a link:
http://www.mobridge.us/compatibility/vehicles/16/27/13116/29/13169


Thanks!

Cory

[cory_can]

I want to wire in subwoofers and amplifier(s), and within the next year replace all of the speakers with new high quality ones and add a couple of amplifiers for the speakers. I went to a local car audio store that specializes in high-end vehicles and they recommend that I purchase a mObridge DA1000. This unit costs approximately $1000 and it will give me the necessary inputs I require. I have a 2009 Audi A4 with Bang & Olufsen sound, and I have MMI 2G.

What difference does it make whether you have stock sound or Bang & Olufsen when it comes to aftermarket audio?

Here is a link:
http://www.mobridge.us/compatibility/vehicles/16/27/13116/29/13169


Thanks!

Cory

The MObridge is a preamp. It effectively replaces your B&O amp on the MOST bus and gives you a digital output to feed a processor. I've done a lot of research in this area and it's what I would use to feed a BitOne if I ever decide to go to the next level. Right now I'm pretty happy with the factory amp and all my speakers replaced with Hertz Mille's (+sub). I'm just not sure at this point if I want to make the significant next investment to go to the next step, with an unknown improvement. It will be better but will it be ~4-5K+ better? Hard to say. Btw, nice 'handle' :)

[Resophy]

The MObridge is a preamp. It effectively replaces your B&O amp on the MOST bus and gives you a digital output to feed a processor. I've done a lot of research in this area and it's what I would use to feed a BitOne if I ever decide to go to the next level. Right now I'm pretty happy with the factory amp and all my speakers replaced with Hertz Mille's (+sub). I'm just not sure at this point if I want to make the significant next investment to go to the next step, with an unknown improvement. It will be better but will it be ~4-5K+ better? Hard to say. Btw, nice 'handle' :)

Oh that makes a lot of sense, thank you. If I wanted to set up a 1000 watt amp for my subs and use one or two 10" subs is there any other way to do it without using this mObridge **** possibly a more cost effective solution?

[cory_can]

Oh that makes a lot of sense, thank you. If I wanted to set up a 1000 watt amp for my subs and use one or two 10" subs is there any other way to do it without using this mObridge **** possibly a more cost effective solution?

Yes, If you intend on just adding subs and using the factory amp to run your existing speakers (or upgraded) you can use a line output converter (LOC). The one I use and have recommended to others in this thread is an Audiocontrol LC2i. There are also many inexpensive LOCs to choose from but not many accept high input power.

You also don't need to use a MObridge on a B&O system if you intend on building a full system. You can use a line converter to tap off the existing amp outputs to sum a full range signal. The BitOnE is also a LOC in addition to a processor. The JBL MS-8 is another option. The advantage of the Mobrige is cleanliness/ease of install and staying digital.

[Point.Blank]

Do you think ill be fine cutting the factory sub wires and just sticking those into the LC2i?

Does anyone have pictures of upgrading the Big 3? The inside of the hood is quite confusing with the battery being in the trunk. By Big 3 I mean upgrading the power wire to 1/0ga under the hood. There is 3 lines you have to run and the battery(-) to ground is the easiest cause I can just do that in the spare wheel well. The other 2 steps are what im concerned about.

[cory_can]

Does anyone have pictures of upgrading the Big 3? The inside of the hood is quite confusing with the battery being in the trunk. By Big 3 I mean upgrading the power wire to 1/0ga under the hood. There is 3 lines you have to run and the battery(-) to ground is the easiest cause I can just do that in the spare wheel well. The other 2 steps are what im concerned about.

I don't have much advice except that I believe the entire thing is unnecessary. You aren't upgrading the alternator so why bother with a serious PITA that will more likely do more harm than good.

[Point.Blank]

I don't have much advice except that I believe the entire thing is unnecessary. You aren't upgrading the alternator so why bother with a serious PITA that will more likely do more harm than good.

The idea is to create more voltage for your system with an easy upgrade. But if its not going to be "easy" then I might have to settle with only creating a stronger ground. So the alternator is not easy to add a line to it?

[cory_can]

The idea is to create more voltage for your system with an easy upgrade. But if its not going to be "easy" then I might have to settle with only creating a stronger ground. So the alternator is not easy to add a line to it?

No, the upgrade is for current capacity, not for more voltage.

[#1steelerfan]

Some nice setups.. Subscribed...

[Point.Blank]

Alright got a few questions. Im pretty sure I know the answer im just looking for confirmation/advice.

When attaching the 1/0ga wire/ring terminal to the batter where is the best spot? I was thinking the fastening piece in between the factory battery terminal. I put a red ring terminal in the area I am talking about but in between the bolt or factory battery terminal. Then bending the ring terminals like I did should allow the wire to leave without getting in the way.

http://i.imgur.com/lDcMZl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UtYMSl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0xzLEl.jpg

Is it ok to drill 2 small holes in this ground to fasten the inline fuse holder or should I use adhesive? I took a picture of where I want to place it to secure.

http://i.imgur.com/rVEbXl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iK0d5l.jpg

And lastly would I be fine with cutting the factory sub wire and sticking that directly into the LC2i?

[alry23]

hey guys , so im kind of lost maybe you guys can help me out, ive read a lot of the pages but still not quite sure what to do.... i have a 2011 b8 , it is basic sound system, i just want to add an amp and sub instead of having the stock one. my question here is which wire do i tap into for remote? or which wires can i use off the stock amp? i already ran my power wire for the amp and the ground wire so i just nee to finish getting all the wires for the amp... any help would be ery very appreciated !!! thanks again in advanced!!!!
-alex

[jbradle7]

Yep, that is pretty much exactly where I connected my power cable... even bent the terminal in a similar fashion. I would not drill any unnecessary holes in your car; I just used a couple zip-ties to secure the fuse holder to the existing cable which is secured to the car by a clip (just aft of where your fuse holder is pictured above).

You can cut off the factory sub connector and then connect your sub +/- leads directly to your LOC or, as Cory suggested, splice new leads onto the sub wires (leaving your factory connector intact) and then connecting to your LOC.

[jbradle7]

hey guys , so im kind of lost maybe you guys can help me out, ive read a lot of the pages but still not quite sure what to do.... i have a 2011 b8 , it is basic sound system, i just want to add an amp and sub instead of having the stock one. my question here is which wire do i tap into for remote? or which wires can i use off the stock amp? i already ran my power wire for the amp and the ground wire so i just nee to finish getting all the wires for the amp... any help would be ery very appreciated !!! thanks again in advanced!!!!
-alex

I was never able to find a suitable wire off the factory amp that could be used as a remote turn on lead; I'd check the fuses on the passenger side of the trunk to see if any of them is suitable. I used the garage door opener fuse in the front drivers side dash to supply my remote turn on... but this is mainly because I already had my sub installed and didn't want to remove it to check the fuse block in the trunk. BOL

[Point.Blank]

hey guys , so im kind of lost maybe you guys can help me out, ive read a lot of the pages but still not quite sure what to do.... i have a 2011 b8 , it is basic sound system, i just want to add an amp and sub instead of having the stock one. my question here is which wire do i tap into for remote? or which wires can i use off the stock amp? i already ran my power wire for the amp and the ground wire so i just nee to finish getting all the wires for the amp... any help would be ery very appreciated !!! thanks again in advanced!!!!
-alex

you have to lines for speaker (R/L) that you hook to your sub. there is 2 other connections for RCA's that you run to a line output converter. I recommend getting the AudioControl LC2i it seems like the best option to me after some research. This line out converter you can connect directly from the factory sub wires. You can reach the wire from under the back hatch and disconnect it. You might need to look into how you should wire your sub because there is a couple different options depending on your amp.

edit: you can also hook up amp gain and the LC2i has an internal remote control on.

[Point.Blank]

Yep, that is pretty much exactly where I connected my power cable... even bent the terminal in a similar fashion.

Did you put yours between the battery terminal or between the nut?

[jbradle7]

On the outside, between the nut and terminal clamp.

[Point.Blank]

Yo wheres quality_sound been? I wanted to hear what he has to say seems like a guru with this A4 and audio.

[Point.Blank]

Quick question hopefully I can get a quick answer while im working on it...

How did you remove the nuts on the battery terminals? I can unscrew them and take the battery terminal fitting off but I cant take the nut off to place my 1/0ga ring terminals in. I really didnt want to go with spade terminals but it feels like if I force it more I might brake the screw or nut. What did you guys do?

[pf_lewis]

On the non-B&O, the sub wires are white/yellow (+) and brown/yellow (-); I've found for my application leaving them in-phase sounds best... I've tried reversing the polarity for grins but it produced an obvious lack of bass.

There is enough room under the rear deck panel (inside the cabin) you could easily mount that LOC near the factory sub wires.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6457012095_64c5cf81d9_b.jpg

Thank you for clarifying! That was my next question.

I will be doing the install shortly, putting in an ole JL 250/1 and JL 10w3 into the rear of my '10 non-B&O. Will post pics.

I'm slightly stoked that I don't have to splice into a 12V for the remote on; seeing as my amp has a signal sensing on switch[up] Also, no LOC needed d/t my JL amp having the converter inside of it!! uber stoked on that.

[Point.Blank]

Thank you for clarifying! That was my next question.

I will be doing the install shortly, putting in an ole JL 250/1 and JL 10w3 into the rear of my '10 non-B&O. Will post pics.

I'm slightly stoked that I don't have to splice into a 12V for the remote on; seeing as my amp has a signal sensing on switch[up] Also, no LOC needed d/t my JL amp having the converter inside of it!! uber stoked on that.

Probably why you see so many JL in Audi's...

[Point.Blank]

Small update after laying some wire yesterday. Got the positive power wire down for the amp with the fuse holder. There is no fuse in yet so dont freak out about grounding my car. I found the best place to add the ring terminal is on top of the factory power line to the hood. I ordered 5 ft of red and 5ft of black 1/0 knu fleks boy was I cutting it close. Took every inch but looks like its going to be perfect length once I mount the amp in the factory location.

Still not sure how Im going to run a new ground from the negative battery. The nut to loosen up the battery terminal doesn't seem to come off all the way. How do you get a 1/0ga ring terminal onto the (-) battery?

http://i.imgur.com/fNT6yl.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/F6sKEl.jpg

[jbradle7]

Still not sure how Im going to run a new ground from the negative battery. The nut to loosen up the battery terminal doesn't seem to come off all the way. How do you get a 1/0ga ring terminal onto the (-) battery?

If I recall correctly, the stud may have been peened to keep the nut from coming off all the way... I think I just kept crankin and it came off fine without any thread damage.

I'm not an expert so not sure if it matters, but I just connected my amp GND to the battery GND stud in the floor. The acorn nut comes off very easily and there is plenty of thread there to add your ring terminal.

[Point.Blank]

If I recall correctly, the stud may have been peened to keep the nut from coming off all the way... I think I just kept crankin and it came off fine without any thread damage.

I'm not an expert so not sure if it matters, but I just connected my amp GND to the battery GND stud in the floor. The acorn nut comes off very easily and there is plenty of thread there to add your ring terminal.

I wasnt talking about the grounding connection but that does bring up a question I thought of. I wanted to use the original ground that you can see in the first picture to the right. But I wasnt to sure about the holding piece... It looks plastic and every ground I've done I sand the paint down to make sure I get the best connection.

I guess I'll try and force the nut off if you say its possible. I hate messing with the ground on batteries it scares the living shit out of me every time you connect it and it sparks.

[cory_can]

Thank you for clarifying! That was my next question.

I will be doing the install shortly, putting in an ole JL 250/1 and JL 10w3 into the rear of my '10 non-B&O. Will post pics.

I'm slightly stoked that I don't have to splice into a 12V for the remote on; seeing as my amp has a signal sensing on switch[up] Also, no LOC needed d/t my JL amp having the converter inside of it!! uber stoked on that.


Probably why you see so many JL in Audi's...

My JL amp has a "built-in" LOC as well but it wouldn't cope with the input voltage range of the B&O output. The Audiocontrol LOC's are rated for ~400W inputs.

[Point.Blank]

My JL amp has a "built-in" LOC as well but it wouldn't cope with the input voltage range of the B&O output. The Audiocontrol LOC's are rated for ~400W inputs.

Does the 400w inputs have anything to do with how much watts your aftermarket amp is?

[cory_can]

Does the 400w inputs have anything to do with how much watts your aftermarket amp is?

No, input to the LOC from factory amp, not output to amp/processor.

[pf_lewis]

My JL amp has a "built-in" LOC as well but it wouldn't cope with the input voltage range of the B&O output. The Audiocontrol LOC's are rated for ~400W inputs.

Hmmm, did you play with the input sensitivity and hi/low input range??

[cory_can]

Hmmm, did you play with the input sensitivity and hi/low input range??

Yes, absolutely. The JL you have (250/1) only has a 10V input limit on the hi-level inputs.

[Point.Blank]

No, input to the LOC from factory amp, not output to amp/processor.

Gotcha, was a little confused about what that stood for.

Cory did you touch your ground on the battery? Like did you add any ring terminals to the (-) on the battery?

[cory_can]

Gotcha, was a little confused about what that stood for.

Cory did you touch your ground on the battery? Like did you add any ring terminals to the (-) on the battery?

I used a factory chassis ground lug behind the rear passenger side panel. It was close to my amp mounting location.

[Point.Blank]

I used a factory chassis ground lug behind the rear passenger side panel. It was close to my amp mounting location.

I see. Im trying upgrade the battery ground with a 1/0ga wire because I am grounding a 1/0ga wire from my amp. I guess Im going to have to try and force that nut off wish me luck.

[Point.Blank]

ow my hands hurt... got that nut off but it took a lot of force. Then putting it back on was almost just as hard... the square on the back eventually carved and I couldnt tighten the (-) as much as I would like. I tried shaking on it and pulling it up and it didnt budge but it just doesnt seem tight enough for me. Think I might have to take the nut and bolt out... with allot of force... and replace it with a new one I can properly use. What do you think?

http://i.imgur.com/xLjUvl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/d7Ie5l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wSbshl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/R5Tuhl.jpg

[quality_sound]

Just replace the entire cable with a new one. Then you can add whatever battery terminal you want. Hell, I've got some older Monster terminals you can have if you cover shipping. I'll have to look and see if they'll take a 1/0, but I'm sure they will and there are 3 output connections on each. The connections are compression fittings, not your basic screwdowns. Those will make life a lot easier for you. Then you just need a couple feet of cable and ring terminal and you're done.

[Point.Blank]

Just replace the entire cable with a new one. Then you can add whatever battery terminal you want. Hell, I've got some older Monster terminals you can have if you cover shipping. I'll have to look and see if they'll take a 1/0, but I'm sure they will and there are 3 output connections on each. The connections are compression fittings, not your basic screwdowns. Those will make life a lot easier for you. Then you just need a couple feet of cable and ring terminal and you're done.

How do I get the factory piece on there? There is a whole box with a couple lines coming out of it along with the 2ga ground. Is it not possible to just replace the old nut and bolt with a more practical nut/bolt?

[B8on19s]

Hi Guys

I have installed a Lightening Audi Monoblock with a 15" Mutant XXX sub in the boot of my B8 sedan. It a dual 2 sub running at 4ohms (the amp couldn't cope at lower impedance). It sounds pretty awesome, but on very high volomes, the amp switches itself off (not actually protection mode) 'cos all i have to do is restart the car and it immediately switches on again. Any idea what may be the issue? Is the amp not getting sufficient current?

Also, has anyone sound deadened the boot and/or rear parcel shelf? Do u'll have any pics and a guide to removing the rear parcel shelf?

Thanks in advance.

[pf_lewis]

Is it possible to find the 2 sub wires that go from the head unit to the stock amp? If you can splice them and then use a line out converter then it would enable you to rout your new amp directly to the head unit. But im not sure how effective this theory is.

Got bored yesterday and installed damplifier pro to the top of the back cabin. Ill start my build log on here shortly.

Why don't you just use the lines going to the stock sub? I believe you would just have more amp power as using the post stock lines (Kinda like a master/slave amp setup).

[Point.Blank]

Why don't you just use the lines going to the stock sub? I believe you would just have more amp power as using the post stock lines (Kinda like a master/slave amp setup).

That's what I am doing you picked out an old post. But no you don't get more power from that route. Ideally you would want a direct line from your amp to head unit but that doesn't work well with our audi's. Our amp performs some functions like stearing wheel controls that force us to route our aftermarket amps after the factory amp.

[Point.Blank]

Hi Guys

I have installed a Lightening Audi Monoblock with a 15" Mutant XXX sub in the boot of my B8 sedan. It a dual 2 sub running at 4ohms (the amp couldn't cope at lower impedance). It sounds pretty awesome, but on very high volomes, the amp switches itself off (not actually protection mode) 'cos all i have to do is restart the car and it immediately switches on again. Any idea what may be the issue? Is the amp not getting sufficient current?

Also, has anyone sound deadened the boot and/or rear parcel shelf? Do u'll have any pics and a guide to removing the rear parcel shelf?

Thanks in advance.

There are pictures in this thread for that sound deadening spot... If you need more follow my build log on CA, SSA, or DIYMA forums. I go by helotr3vor or point.blank my name is Trevor. As for your sub we need more information such as watts used and the size of your power chords but my guess is it's protection mode. Your gains can also be screwing with your amp..

[Point.Blank]

Got my LC2i in the mail today and I got 2 quick questions about the wiring for it. When you add the yellow and brown wire from the factory sub which inputs did you put it in? there is the left (+) and (-) and a right (+) and (-) so a total of 4 spots. Also for the power connection (the bottom 4 slots) im a little confused. I originally thought I had to run a line to the battery (+) for the +12v slot and then obviously the ground in ground. Is that correct? Lastly, the remote out and in go to what?

Thanks again

[cory_can]

Got my LC2i in the mail today and I got 2 quick questions about the wiring for it. When you add the yellow and brown wire from the factory sub which inputs did you put it in? there is the left (+) and (-) and a right (+) and (-) so a total of 4 spots. Also for the power connection (the bottom 4 slots) im a little confused. I originally thought I had to run a line to the battery (+) for the +12v slot and then obviously the ground in ground. Is that correct? Lastly, the remote out and in go to what?

Thanks again


It doesn't matter if you use Left (+/-) or Right (+/-).......one or the other. Power to 12V (battery), ground to ground. The remote IN should go to a switched power connection in your car. I tapped off the the 12V outlet in the back of my Avant because I knew that it was switched with the "key" position. This input doesn't provide power, it just tells the system when to power up ...a trigger. I'm using the same source (12V outlet) to trigger my amp to turn on. Technically I could have used the remote out (of the LC2i) to turn on the amp but I didn't. You don't need to use the remote out.....it's just a feature for triggering something else in your system to turn-on (amp/processors etc).

The LC2i has an Auto turn-on circuit (GTO) based on sensing input from the speaker input but I didn't trust it so I just disabled it using the jumper.

[pf_lewis]

That's what I am doing you picked out an old post. But no you don't get more power from that route. Ideally you would want a direct line from your amp to head unit but that doesn't work well with our audi's. Our amp performs some functions like stearing wheel controls that force us to route our aftermarket amps after the factory amp.

My bad

[Point.Blank]

My bad
No worries, we come here to learn and share.

It doesn't matter if you use Left (+/-) or Right (+/-).......one or the other. Power to 12V (battery), ground to ground. The remote IN should go to a switched power connection in your car. I tapped off the the 12V outlet in the back of my Avant because I knew that it was switched with the "key" position. This input doesn't provide power, it just tells the system when to power up ...a trigger. I'm using the same source (12V outlet) to trigger my amp to turn on. Technically I could have used the remote out (of the LC2i) to turn on the amp but I didn't. You don't need to use the remote out.....it's just a feature for triggering something else in your system to turn-on (amp/processors etc).

The LC2i has an Auto turn-on circuit (GTO) based on sensing input from the speaker input but I didn't trust it so I just disabled it using the jumper.
I think I got a little more confused haha. In the manual it says "After the LC2i turns itself on, it provides a 12 volt trigger output to turn on your amplifier." So doesn't that imply that the +12v slot is for the remote turn on for aftermarket amp? It made sence to me to route the +12v slot to the (+) on the battery and then ground the ground. And why does it need a remote IN when it has the GTO turn on? The manual really is quite pathetic though the product seems very solid.

[cory_can]

No worries, we come here to learn and share.

I think I got a little more confused haha. In the manual it says "After the LC2i turns itself on, it provides a 12 volt trigger output to turn on your amplifier." So doesn't that imply that the +12v slot is for the remote turn on for aftermarket amp? It made sence to me to route the +12v slot to the (+) on the battery and then ground the ground. And why does it need a remote IN when it has the GTO turn on? The manual really is quite pathetic though the product seems very solid.

Yes, the manual is terrible, but the entire thing isn't really that complicated.

The 'remote in' is used for triggering the LC2i on and the 'remote out' can be fed to another devices 'remote in' to trigger it on.

+12V port goes to the battery.

The GTO circuit doesn't necessarily work on all systems so the give you the remote in as an option....I didn't want to use the GTO thing.

[Point.Blank]

Yes, the manual is terrible, but the entire thing isn't really that complicated.

The 'remote in' is used for triggering the LC2i on and the 'remote out' can be fed to another devices 'remote in' to trigger it on.

+12V port goes to the battery.

The GTO circuit doesn't necessarily work on all systems so the give you the remote in as an option....I didn't want to use the GTO thing.

I gotcha thats much more clear thanks. I think im going to try the GTO see if it works. The manual just like completely messed me up when it said it provides a 12 volt ouput to turn on your amp... instead of saying a remote out to turn on your amp. They really need to remake there manual.

[WngoA4]

What did you guys use for the amp remote wire? I saw the post for the sub (wire color) for positive and negative connections. So that helps but trying to figure out which is the best wire for the amp remote wire. I will be getting the HD 600/4 so there's no need for a LOC.

Thx

[Point.Blank]

What did you guys use for the amp remote wire? I saw the post for the sub (wire color) for positive and negative connections. So that helps but trying to figure out which is the best wire for the amp remote wire. I will be getting the HD 600/4 so there's no need for a LOC.

Thx

You can just use a 18ga wire or even smaller im pretty sure. I got 18ga dual that im going to strip to single for remote.

[WngoA4]

You can just use a 18ga wire or even smaller im pretty sure. I got 18ga dual that im going to strip to single for remote.

Sorry, I meant to say which wire to best to tap into for the remote wire.

[cory_can]

What did you guys use for the amp remote wire? I saw the post for the sub (wire color) for positive and negative connections. So that helps but trying to figure out which is the best wire for the amp remote wire. I will be getting the HD 600/4 so there's no need for a LOC.

Thx

Read posts 192-196 regarding your amp's line-level input limitation. The HD is only 8V max.

[Point.Blank]

I cant imagine this thread doesnt answer everyones questions after everything ive asked on top rofl. Its a great thread for audio upgrade if people read it.

[Point.Blank]

I came, I saw, and I conquered.

Just to give you an idea
http://i.imgur.com/N5znsl.jpg
I used a different ring terminal and cut the side instead to fit better
http://i.imgur.com/L2gnil.jpg
New nut and bolt after an hour of removing the stripped stock one. This made my hands bleed quite a lot.
http://i.imgur.com/t0EkUl.jpg?1
By the way it is a thousand times easier to remove if you unhook everything and use a table vice to hold the square head. I had to take it to a local ACE cause I got rid of my old table vice thinking I'd never need it....
http://i.imgur.com/eoNz4l.jpg
Everything fits real nicely now. Got the nut on there real tight with everything nice and flat. If your ring terminal doesn't fit, just trim it down with some sheer cutters.
http://i.imgur.com/ZRyKql.jpg

[cory_can]

Good job!! Stage 1 complete :)

[Point.Blank]

Haha yup. If anyone is interested here is my build log on 3 different audio forums. Ill be showing the whole build for about two weeks.

http://www.caraudio.com/forums/car-audio-build-logs-cars-trucks-suvs/538699-*-trevors-2010-audi-a4-trunk-build-sundown-fi-*.html

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/build-logs-project-install-gallery/126270-2010-audi-a4-fi-q12-sundown-1200d-come.html

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/topic/54826-trevors-2010-audi-a4-trunk-build-sundown-fi/

They all say the same thing so no need to watch more than one. Ill be posting the build log on here when it is all complete.

[pf_lewis]

Sorry, I meant to say which wire to best to tap into for the remote wire.

Here is the thread that I followed for my install. He has a great description of what wire to tap/splice into for the remote on. A note: he has a B&O system, I have a non B&O but the power line is still there.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/472203-Bang-and-Olufsen-%28B-amp-O%29-Subwoofer-Amplifier-Add-On-DIY

[pf_lewis]

Also, he removes the entire boot liner to install everything, I did not, just popped open the side compartments back there. (No prying)

[jbradle7]

Here is the thread that I followed for my install. He has a great description of what wire to tap/splice into for the remote on. A note: he has a B&O system, I have a non B&O but the power line is still there.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php/472203-Bang-and-Olufsen-%28B-amp-O%29-Subwoofer-Amplifier-Add-On-DIY

Nice link... not sure how I missed that before. Should help out a lot of people.

[Point.Blank]

Just got all the wiring laid down yesterday and reversed the stock amp. The LC2i is wired and the GTO is working. I ran a run for remote in anyways just in case. All the wire is ran along the factory wire with many zip ties. Everything has fit perfectly so far. I disconnected the sub the factory sub to hook everything correctly to the LC2i. Pretty sure I wont need to take the panels off again. Think the best way to mount the amp on the stock amp mount would be to used a block of wood like a baffle. I could cover it with stretchy black carpet I got laying around. Cant get that done till my SAX-1200D get here. The only wire missing is the amp ground for obvious reasons.

Silver/Black = RCA
Brown/Yellow = Factory sub (-)
White/Yellow = Factory sub (+)
Copper = LC2i Power (+/-)
Silver = Remote in
Blue = Remote out
Red = Amp power (+)
Also laid the speaker wire for the sub but forgot to take a good picture of it. Its larger silver/black knu 12ga.

(sorry for the bad pictures)
http://i.imgur.com/SUoTPl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/i7nSIl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CBrkXl.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/Jd3mLl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/hHRp7l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Cnz9Wl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/s9Bhrl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/P6FQQl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/CvkvYl.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/yBiX0l.jpg

[WngoA4]

I did my install yesterday. Hd 600/4 bridged to power a 8w3. I'm using a lc6 i had laying around. I'm having a problem tuning it cause it keeps clipping. Any insight?

[Beast]

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i118/mbirju/My%20Car/5a36bd1f.jpg

man i need to get this done

[Point.Blank]

I did my install yesterday. Hd 600/4 bridged to power a 8w3. I'm using a lc6 i had laying around. I'm having a problem tuning it cause it keeps clipping. Any insight?

Could be because you are using a 2 4 channel amps as a mono but im no expert on amps so you would have to double check. Did you upgrade your speakers as well?

[WngoA4]

Could be because you are using a 2 4 channel amps as a mono but im no expert on amps so you would have to double check. Did you upgrade your speakers as well?

The 600/4 let's me bridge the rear channel to 300x1. I didn't wire up the front yet, that's for the future.

[Point.Blank]

The 600/4 let's me bridge the rear channel to 300x1. I didn't wire up the front yet, that's for the future.

Gotcha. What size power wire do you got going into your amp? How did you connect the RCA's from your amp?

[cory_can]

I did my install yesterday. Hd 600/4 bridged to power a 8w3. I'm using a lc6 i had laying around. I'm having a problem tuning it cause it keeps clipping. Any insight?

How do you know it's clipping? ...the "Maximixed" light on the LC6? Have you adjusted the gain down on the channel you're using? Disconnect the amp from the output and adjust the LC6 before you proceed with the amp gain adjustments.

[WngoA4]

How do you know it's clipping? ...the "Maximixed" light on the LC6? Have you adjusted the gain down on the channel you're using? Disconnect the amp from the output and adjust the LC6 before you proceed with the amp gain adjustments.
Just realized it wasn't clipping but not enought voltage causing the amp to cut out. Problem now is, I'm able to adjust everything without sub plugged in. The moment I plug it in, the amp led blinks again and cuts out.

[pf_lewis]

I did my install yesterday. Hd 600/4 bridged to power a 8w3. I'm using a lc6 i had laying around. I'm having a problem tuning it cause it keeps clipping. Any insight?

You make sure the ground is connected well?

[WngoA4]

You make sure the ground is connected well?

I'm going to double check everything tonight with a voltage meter. Where did you put your ground at? I sanded down a bolt in the tire well and grounded there.

[WngoA4]

Checked everything with a voltmeter. Turned out my inline breaker was bad causing a drop in voltage. Now everything is nicely hooked up.

[Point.Blank]

Checked everything with a voltmeter. Turned out my inline breaker was bad causing a drop in voltage. Now everything is nicely hooked up.

No more problems?

[WngoA4]

No more problems?

Nope. I just swapped it out for a new one and it worked just fine. When the volume was turned up, the voltage dropped to 10-11 volts. Switched out the breaker and its stable now.

[Daze513]

Ok so ive been taking in the info on this thread and ive decided a subtle ubgrade that I need some opinions on. BTW I have a Concert Stereo

-Im going to upgrade My Dash Speakers from single tweeters to 2 way 3 1/2" Polk db351. They have a high sensitivity so they shoud work well with the stock amp, and i'd gain a mid driver.

-Im going to do the sub swap on the shelf, and add an amp behind the side panels of the trunk. I was thinking a Kicker 10" with lots dynamat, and then use a ~250 watt amp to power it tapping into the stock line level inputs using a AudioControl LC2i for the signal.

-The center speaker im going to hold off until I find a nice driver with better sensitivity than the ones I have seen until now. But a nice 2" driver will be great, Suggestions?

Now one last question that I couldnt find an answer too... If and when I disconnect the stock Sub from the OEM Base amp, Will the rest of the speakers now gain power because the amp is no longer feeding a sub too? Or does the amp have it own circuitry dedicated for the sub? Im asking because if right now the amp is sending ie. 40-50 watts to the sub and now has this power freed up, do the door and dash drivers now gain it collectively?

Sorry if its a stupid question but I dont know if the amp has its own channel/dedicated power for the sub only. If the door speakers now gain what is extra from the sub then it would only be beneficial. Any suggestions are great. Thank guys!

[Point.Blank]

Ok so ive been taking in the info on this thread and ive decided a subtle ubgrade that I need some opinions on. BTW I have a Concert Stereo

-Im going to upgrade My Dash Speakers from single tweeters to 2 way 3 1/2" Polk db351. They have a high sensitivity so they shoud work well with the stock amp, and i'd gain a mid driver.

-Im going to do the sub swap on the shelf, and add an amp behind the side panels of the trunk. I was thinking a Kicker 10" with lots dynamat, and then use a ~250 watt amp to power it tapping into the stock line level inputs using a AudioControl LC2i for the signal.

-The center speaker im going to hold off until I find a nice driver with better sensitivity than the ones I have seen until now. But a nice 2" driver will be great, Suggestions?

Now one last question that I couldnt find an answer too... If and when I disconnect the stock Sub from the OEM Base amp, Will the rest of the speakers now gain power because the amp is no longer feeding a sub too? Or does the amp have it own circuitry dedicated for the sub? Im asking because if right now the amp is sending ie. 40-50 watts to the sub and now has this power freed up, do the door and dash drivers now gain it collectively?

Sorry if its a stupid question but I dont know if the amp has its own channel/dedicated power for the sub only. If the door speakers now gain what is extra from the sub then it would only be beneficial. Any suggestions are great. Thank guys!


I dont believe that the speakers gain more power when you disconnect the sub. I just disconnected mine this weekend and only notice a lack of bass from the back... which is completely obvious. If I was you I wouldn't use the same baffle for the factory sub. You would need to buy an infinite baffle sub and imo its just not worth the upgrade. If you dont want to take away any trunk space you can build i stealth box like others have on this forum and hide it on the left or right trunk panel pocket. You could also use the spare tire well if you dont feel a need for the spare tire (most people have AAA anyways and wouldn't change it themselves.) I on the other hand dont mind losing some trunk space cause I love ported boxes. Also If you use the stock amp im not sure if you can just "add" more speakers to it. If you swapped the tweeters for the polk 3.5's then you wouldnt have any outputs from the amp to run other (or stock) tweeters.

Im no expert but I've been doing car audio for over 3 years.

[Daze513]

I dont believe that the speakers gain more power when you disconnect the sub. I just disconnected mine this weekend and only notice a lack of bass from the back... which is completely obvious. If I was you I wouldn't use the same baffle for the factory sub. You would need to buy an infinite baffle sub and imo its just not worth the upgrade. If you dont want to take away any trunk space you can build i stealth box like others have on this forum and hide it on the left or right trunk panel pocket. You could also use the spare tire well if you dont feel a need for the spare tire (most people have AAA anyways and wouldn't change it themselves.) I on the other hand dont mind losing some trunk space cause I love ported boxes. Also If you use the stock amp im not sure if you can just "add" more speakers to it. If you swapped the tweeters for the polk 3.5's then you wouldnt have any outputs from the amp to run other (or stock) tweeters.

Im no expert but I've been doing car audio for over 3 years.

On the Polk speakers I mentioned it's a 2-way speaker. Meaning that the tweeter and the mid driver are all one speaker. They share the same connection to the amp and are internally crossed over. There would be no additional connection the the amp. I'm not running additional tweeters.

As far as the sub, my goal was to not make it very extensive. Which is why I considered just doing the same location of the sub. I definitely don't want a standalone box. So the next option is a custom built box in the trunk pockets. Which gets more expensive.

[jbradle7]

-Im going to upgrade My Dash Speakers from single tweeters to 2 way 3 1/2" Polk db351. They have a high sensitivity so they shoud work well with the stock amp, and i'd gain a mid driver.

-The center speaker im going to hold off until I find a nice driver with better sensitivity than the ones I have seen until now. But a nice 2" driver will be great, Suggestions?

I'm very curious how your 3.5 coaxials will fit/sound... keep us posted.

I'm pretty happy with my Vifa 2" center but I'm already looking to upgrade to a larger 3" Fountek 4ohm full-ranger driver, in order to best optimize my MS-8 set-up. I will most likely have to fab a new mount and modify the stock grill to accept the 3" speaker, but we'll have to wait and see once it arrives to be sure, more to come on this.

On a side note, I found some nice JBL components that are very efficient but not sure your stock amp can handle the 2ohm load:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_12260_JBL-P660C.html
I'll be installing mine this weekend hopefully and will be sure to post up pics of the doors off and the custom baffles required to mount them.

[Daze513]

I'm very curious how your 3.5 coaxials will fit/sound... keep us posted.

I'm pretty happy with my Vifa 2" center but I'm already looking to upgrade to a larger 3" Fountek 4ohm full-ranger driver, in order to best optimize my MS-8 set-up. I will most likely have to fab a new mount and modify the stock grill to accept the 3" speaker, but we'll have to wait and see once it arrives to be sure, more to come on this.

On a side note, I found some nice JBL components that are very efficient but not sure your stock amp can handle the 2ohm load:
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_12260_JBL-P660C.html
I'll be installing mine this weekend hopefully and will be sure to post up pics of the doors off and the custom baffles required to mount them.

I'll definitely update once I do the 3.5s.

You think the Vifa is a good option for the stock amp? If so you have a buyer whenever you do your upgrade to the center.

[jbradle7]

You think the Vifa is a good option for the stock amp? If so you have a buyer whenever you do your upgrade to the center.

I'm not sure what the stock amp power ratings are, but I only get 18w/channel from the MS-8 and that little speaker seems to do pretty well on that... I've had it crossed as low as 100hz and it handles the bass fine. I honestly cannot tell you for sure how much if any improvement you'll see just replacing your stock center, since I did mine at the same time as my processor, I never got to hear it play off of the factory amp. Worth a try though, I'll let you know when I pull it out of my dash.

[Daze513]

Sounds great thank you sir!

[pf_lewis]

I'm going to double check everything tonight with a voltage meter. Where did you put your ground at? I sanded down a bolt in the tire well and grounded there.

Glad you got it figured out[up] If it still matters, I'm grounded into the driver side rear well @ the stock ground location that has the two brown grounds already going to it.

[Point.Blank]

Glad you got it figured out[up] If it still matters, I'm grounded into the driver side rear well @ the stock ground location that has the two brown grounds already going to it.

Thats where I grounded my LC2i and where im going to ground my 1/0ga amp wire.

[pf_lewis]

Nice, I just mounted my PAC SOEM-T LOC to the top of my amp and then just wrapped the ground to amp ground in, power to amp power in, and remote to amp remote in. Works great.

[kwbdc]

Great thread! Is there a list of all the sizes of speaker for a non B&O 2012 B8? Thanks!

[Point.Blank]

Here is a small preview of what I've done so far

http://i.imgur.com/EgYNVl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DHTFjl.jpg

[jbradle7]

I installed my JBL P660C component speakers today... great improvement on the mid-bass response, well worth the effort. Initially, I'm not blown away by the tweeters, but I'll give them a little time to break in before re-installing my Vifa's. The woofer is marketed as a 6.5 but it is more like a 5.25 which turned out to be a happy accident, as a larger 6.5 would have been difficult to fit in that door.

Baffles are constructed out of 3/4" MDF. Two rings (total thickness of 1.5") was just about right to keep the magnet from contacting the window track inside the door while not being out far enough to cause fitment issues with the door panel. The outer diameter (OD) of the base ring is 9.25" and will require a small notch in order to clear the lower forward door panel clip. A small hole was drilled in the top of the baffle to allow routing of the speaker wires. The baffles were painted using Rust-Oleum® Rubberized Undercoating to protect them from moisture and help deaden any unwanted resonances. I applied a small bead of low-order black silicone adhesive on the bottom (outboard) side of the baffles and attached them to the doors using M5 .80 x 30mm bolts and some loctite Blue.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7194/6909461950_b91dca4478_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7206/7055551911_6293616cd4_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/6909468140_4ec5a387f3_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7094/6909470744_398f096213_b.jpg

The new JBL tweeters actually fit into the mounting adapters I made for my Vifa's previously without any modifications... must have been my lucky day.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7052/7055558415_5102b43ed8_b.jpg

[Point.Blank]

Installed my JBL P660C component speakers today... great improvement on the mid-bass response, well worth the effort. Initially, I'm not blown away by the tweeters, but I'll give them a little time to break in before re-installing my Vifa's. The woofer is marketed as a 6.5 but it is more like a 5.25 which turned out to be a happy accident, as a larger 6.5 would have been difficult to fit in that door.

Damn you just 1uped me rofl. I have some JBL tweeters laying around as well that I might swap out the factory ones. Is it as simple as crimping the wires together if the tweeter fits in factory location? Your post just made me want to upgrade all my speakers but I have to wait at least a year :P. Wanting to many things atm!!!