Looking to upgrade factory sound system

[Hentai_henchman]

Hello, I don’t know if this is the right forum but I am looking to upgrade my 2004 Audi A4 factory sound system. I want to fully replace it (speakers, tweeters, sub and head unit) I would like the fit a 12” sub in the trunk, but I don’t know where to start any suggestions?
Thanks you and best regards!

[Deerhurst]

I'll share what I did and see if it's along the lines of what you want to do.

I have an Xtrons head unit in a non Bose car. Rear channels have always been dumb, even with the original symphony 2. No idea why so I bypassed them. My front channels are spliced to my rears at the amp input at the moment so I have no rear fade.

I have a 900w 5 channel amp powering my door speakers and subs. I ran RCAs from the amp to the head unit. My amp is mounted where the OEM amp and sub sat in the wagon. The OEM amp, sub and box are in a dark dark closet to never be used again.

Across from the hidden cubby where the amp sits is 2x Skar EVL65s in a sealed box fiberglassed in where a cubby used to be. They take up no cargo space and the enclosure has a wood face which is stained to mimic the wood trim in the car. Turned out really good. IMHO, you don't need a ported 12 unless you want nothing but overpowering bass. My little pair of sealed 6.5s do 121.2db per competition regulations and TermLab and will make stuff inside my buddies audio shop install bay rattle when I'm parked in the parking lot with a window open. It also sounds way cleaner than any ported box over ever heard. I cover 15hz all the way up to 70hz. It's unreal how low these little drivers drop. Enclosure is slightly oversized.

I have yet to replace my door speakers. I don't really want to take the panels off but do have a failing driver on the passenger front door. 7 ohms measured on a 4 ohm driver. I plan to either go Skar with their SQ line or maybe Audio Dynamics. Not sure yet or what I want to spend.

Maybe this will give you some food for thought. Maybe not? Maybe bring up some questions?

[Dondbg]

Hello, I don’t know if this is the right forum but I am looking to upgrade my 2004 Audi A4 factory sound system. I want to fully replace it (speakers, tweeters, sub and head unit) I would like the fit a 12” sub in the trunk, but I don’t know where to start any suggestions?
Thanks you and best regards!

I have Android Xtrons with JBL speakers in the front, from feeds of the headunit
Rear is stock with stock amp and it’s damped but not bothering me.

JBL GTO609C Premium 6.5-Inch Component Speaker System - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANI3LAK..._ANbyEbNHKEH5S

[Fast4esT]

That’s a clean looking display there, nicer than stock

[SJorge3442]

I have Android Xtrons with JBL speakers in the front, from feeds of the headunit
Rear is stock with stock amp and it’s damped but not bothering me.

JBL GTO609C Premium 6.5-Inch Component Speaker System - Set of 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANI3LAK..._ANbyEbNHKEH5S

Been contemplating feeding my fronts from the headunit. Does the stock wiring on a bose system feed the fronts from the H/U or do those get fed through the amp? If they go through the amp, how did you switch it up to be powered by the h/u?

[Dondbg]

Been contemplating feeding my fronts from the headunit. Does the stock wiring on a bose system feed the fronts from the H/U or do those get fed through the amp? If they go through the amp, how did you switch it up to be powered by the h/u?

I had non Bose
Bose uses amp for all speakers

[Fast4esT]

You just need a vag com or similar tool that can change the coding in the head unit to non Bose. Then the head unit will power front speakers

[SJorge3442]

You just need a vag com or similar tool that can change the coding in the head unit to non Bose. Then the head unit will power front speakers

Oh really? I had no idea about that. That sounds promising. What does that do for the rear speakers then? does it deactivate them?

[Fast4esT]

No, they would be powered off the amp in back of the car. Are you keeping the head unit? If so, I suggest getting the Symphony 2+ head unit, it’s update from ours in the B7, can be found cheap on eBay or part outs. It has line level out, you can add RCA adapters and run RCAs to your new amp, you can also reuse the factory speaker wiring from amp to speakers, this is helpful if you have Bose, it’s less work. You will need to bridge off the rca for rear speakers for the sub.
If your going through the trouble of swapping speakers and adding an amp, don’t use the head unit to power front speakers, use an amp.
Polk db6501 component speakers have been pretty popular in the past. The Morel Maximo 6 speakers have excellent reviews for entry level and fit in our doors. Front and rear speakers are the same size, I would just put coaxial speakers in back doors, not components. Use components up front.

[Deerhurst]

You just need a vag com or similar tool that can change the coding in the head unit to non Bose. Then the head unit will power front speakers

I was unable to find that. I do know the Symphony 2 has a "Bose Pin" on the back that must be grounded for "Bose Mode".


I believe Audi uses a common ground for it's line level. I'm not a fan of that so I ran RCAs for every channel all the way back instead of using the OEM wiring. Mine was non Bose and the rears have a common ground.

No need to bridge anything. Just use a converter like a LC2i off the rear output to a sub. I'm going to go component in the rear on my car. Probably not needed but whatever.

For you, Jorge, I'd just put a proper amp innit, break out the sub channel to a proper sub and leave everything as it is. That way you don't have to dink with wiring and everything works like it should.

[if6ws9]

Go to the Crutchfield site, talk to a consultant, they'll ask you a few questions about your car and offer suggestions. They're very thorough.

[Fast4esT]

The stock Bose speakers sound better with more power going to them, they don’t really “open up” but they do get louder without clipping

[Deerhurst]

The stock Bose speakers sound better with more power going to them, they don’t really “open up” but they do get louder without clipping

Are stock Bose 2ohm or the same 4ohm used in the non Bose. I was under the impression that the Bose stuff was just a little different at the head unit and the amp with the speakers being the same.

[Fast4esT]

I am pretty sure 4 ohm and also yes speakers are the same between Bose and non Bose, at least this is what I have come by in my readings.
I also pretty sure only difference to the Bose system is the amp and the coding in the head unit.

[wildweezel]

I'm just replacing the whole Bose system completely. Been nickel & diming it for 2 years getting all the stuff together. Using a Kenwood Excelon DMX706S android head unit first. Alpine S-S65C component speakers are going in all 4 doors, along with the accompanying tweeters, they'll be run by an Alpine R-A60F 4 channel amp. the cherry on top? an 8 inch JL audio 8W3v2 Micro sub run by a 2 channel Soundstorm Laboratories amp bridged to 500 watts.
I'm using stock Bose speaker pods, the factory speaker wiring system. RCAs for the input on the new amps & tapping into the Bose output wiring for the speakers.
A local car audio place quoted me $2300 to do all this...screw them, I'm doing it myself for much cheaper. remember kids, Youtube, Google, this Forum aaand the Bentley Repair Manual are our friends.