[Acheron]

Hi guys,

Just joined, good site, lots on info and friendly users!

Quick question regarding the sat nav though:
If I were to replace the head unit with an aftermarket item, would my sat nav still work? It's the £350/‚¬400 option sat nav as offered by VW.

Been reading lots of posts about upgrading the speakers to something remotely decent, and wondered whether or not replacing the HU would render my sat nav useless

Thanks for any help in advance!

*Edited to say that I've had a good search through the forum topics and asked Google too but to no avail. Hopefully I'm not double posting something discussed already*Edited by: Acheron

 

[Ian986]

Someone on here has done this if I remember rightly sat nav works still but none of the other functions it is a white up with hertz speakers and sub

 

[Acheron]

Any idea where I can find the tech stats of the standard HU? Wanna see if it's worthwhile keeping the HU, if it's got enough juice to power front components etc. I don't have the HU manual.

 

[Bingalau]

I don't understand why anyone would want to upgrade the speakers? But then I am a silly old fart and think the quality of the sound system is brilliant as it is.

Are you perhaps, one of those people who go around with your windows down and giving everybody within half a mile a good blast and nearly deafening everybody in the vicinity? Advertising your presence with a steady thumping sound of the double bass? If you are please keep a fair distance from my abode. I'm nearly deaf as it is.

 

[Acheron]

Um, thanks... 'Bingalau'... for your most insightful input. You covered all aspects of my queries with great attention to detail. How about keeping your negative opinions to yourself in future, and stop filling your post count with useless dribble? It's a budget car with budget speakers and, forgive me if I'm wrong, but this is an owners club website and I have posted in the 'modification' section, have I not?

Some people...

 

[carpy]

I dont understand why no one likes the speakers? I can understand if you have the standard speakers, because I had them it was lacking a lot of power and bass just seemed very dull (but good enough for the casual listener). I upgraded on my 2nd up! with the sound pack and its perfect! all be it with a little tweaking of the EQ.

Try adjusting the treble to 2 bars before max and the same with the bass and turning the bass up max for those songs that need a bit more oomph.

I realise that because having the bass and treble equal further up the scale should be the same effect of just turning it louder but i've tested it and i swear its not.

So I urge you to give it a go.

 

[Beevee]

Um, thanks... 'Bingalau'... for your most insightful input. You covered all aspects of my queries with great attention to detail. How about keeping your negative opinions to yourself in future, and stop filling your post count with useless dribble? It's a budget car with budget speakers and, forgive me if I'm wrong, but this is an owners club website and I have posted in the 'modification' section, have I not?

Some people...

I think Bingalau was just expressing an opinion not a negative one. I wouldn't call a £12000+ car a budget car more an entry level one. The sound system used by VW is perfectly adequate for drivers who are just looking for background music or information. I assume that VW expect that someone who is looking for a concert quality system will upgrade to one of the many systems on the market. I would imagine the majority of drivers are not looking for such a system.

 

[qixxiq]

Let's face it the standard speakers are tripe.
I changed mine and I'm not a boy racer but don't worry bingalau I'll stay away in case Jeremy vine in better quality offends :-D

 

[Jalna]

Acheron,

There are three things you can do to improve the sound (which is very poor as standard without the sound pack - I can't comment on how much the sound pack improves it compared to decent speakers, but the standard speakers are shocking).
1. Put decent speakers in; front first. You can install components and the HU will be fine driving them.
2. Use an in-line amplifier
3. Upgrade the HU.

I was planning to do 1. and 2. but having done 1. was surprised how good the sound is and won't bother going any further. See my thread for installing tweeters if you don't have them fitted as standard and definitely want to go this route. Do use sound deadening inside the doors. I can highly recommend the Hertz speakers. You need 165mm speakers front and back, though with good speakers the sound is great just with front speakers.

I don't think you'll get anywhere near as much improvement from upgrading the HU and recommend that you try everything else first.

 

[GarethB]

I have plumped up the etc cash for the 6 speaker Upgrade, as I read on here that the standard speakers are not that great phonically speaking... lack definition...So i hope that this upgrade does make a difference... I cannot try it as not got the car yet... 12th Nov, yes i am counting the days... lol...
If anyone has experience of the upgraded speaker pack would be interested to know if it really is better or not.

 

[carpy]

I have plumped up the etc cash for the 6 speaker Upgrade, as I read on here that the standard speakers are not that great phonically speaking... lack definition... So i hope that this upgrade does make a difference... I cannot try it as not got the car yet... 12th Nov, yes i am counting the days... lol... 
If anyone has experience of the upgraded speaker pack would be interested to know if it really is better or not.

Ehem *loud coughing* did you not see my post above?

the sound pack makes soo much difference compared the standard speakers! Well, well worth £100

 

[Beevee]

Glad you are happy with the sound system you have got Carpy. I am surprised that if the sound system is so important to some people that they don't sit in a demo and try out the sound system first before placing an order.

 

[GarethB]

Sorry i did not see your post previously... but thank you.and I would have listened to the sound pack on a demo if one had been available to do so...
as the dealers in Germany don't always put these options on the cars... as in my case.

 

[Jalna]

I'd have paid £100 for the upgrade just to have all the wiring in place; didn't have the option though as car was already built. Unless the factory upgrade includes much better speakers, upgrading the front speakers will be a significant improvement and is pretty easy to do.

 

[GarethB]

its not all about boom boom boom... Better speakers allow give a better clarity of sound.. as the drivers are designed to have a better frequency response.Its the same with home Audio systems... Separates and upgrading the Speaker wire to Oxygen free cables, gold interconnects, Bi-wired speakers etc... with quality Amplifiers or using powered amps with a pre-outs.
All these things improve the sound. and you start to hear those little extra details in the sound that you would otherwise miss.. Go to any top HI-FI retailer and into the sound booth for a trial... and then you will understand why people modify and upgrade..
Sadly it is mostly the Boom Boom Boom people that do this... and just crave POWER... but sometime too much power can have a detrimental effect on the quality too... by over driving speakers, creating Sound clipping.. which can distort or cause bad harmonics.
It is a balancing act.

 

[Cadfael]

As a (hobby musician) I know a lot about impedance, efficiency, different pre and post amplifiers, ways to measure the output. But only for musical instruments ...
It is really silly how "HiFi watts" are measured.

it would be easy to write about the minimum imedance of transitor amps and what happens if the impedance is higher ...
I wonder if the amp unit in the 2 speaker setup is the same as in the 6 speaker setup?
Maybe the 2 speaker setup has "double minimum impedance". This would cause about 33% loss of loudness. For the 6 speaker setup there might be 2 left and two right speakers, one left and one right has a crossover to the L/R tweeters?

The efficiancy and quality (as well as right impedance) of speakers plays a bigger role than size or quantity ...

The Fender Sound System might have 4x 75 Watts? 2x (L/R) 75 watts go to the 2x 2 mid speakers (plus crossover tweeters). The second 2x (L/R) 75 Watts go to the "double subwoofer unit" in the back.
As there are only controls for L/R you can't change volume between the two stereo amps.

- - - - -

To make a system louder you need much better speakers or a power amp which can be fed by a speaker signal. This amp can drive good quality speakers. Problem: It means a lot of wiring and isn't cheap.

The cheapest way indeed is to buy a good built in system.

- - - - -

But I'm NOT an expert on car HiFi!!!

I know more about PA systems for 100 or 1000 people and how to amplify a "not limited bass guitar signal" (which would kill every HiFi system).

- - - - -

I agree that it's best to go to a HiFi retailer who knows his business! He has to know what you have, what you can do (because of your car), how much you want to spend. You can compare this to cooking a meal. There are so many parameters that consultation / guidance is important.
A good dealer will ask many questions to find out what you really want.

 

[Beevee]

its not all about boom boom boom... Better speakers allow give a better clarity of sound.. as the drivers are designed to have a better frequency response. Its the same with home Audio systems... Separates and upgrading the Speaker wire to Oxygen free cables, gold interconnects,  Bi-wired speakers etc... with quality Amplifiers or using powered amps with a pre-outs.
All these things improve the sound. and you start to hear those little extra details in the sound that you would otherwise miss.. Go to any top HI-FI retailer and into the sound booth for a trial... and then you will understand why people modify and upgrade.. 
Sadly it is mostly the Boom Boom Boom people that do this... and just crave POWER... but sometime too much power can have a detrimental effect on the quality too... by over driving speakers, creating Sound clipping.. which can distort or cause bad harmonics. 
It is a balancing act.

I understand and agree with all that you have written with regard to home audio systems. My only query is should we apply the same principle to in car entertainment systems. There is a danger that we concentrate too much on being entertained and not enough concentrating on our driving experience. For me it is more important to have a car which provides comfort,reliability and safety rather than a concert quality sound system. Edited by: Beevee

 

[GarethB]

Sadly in this day and age we tend to spend more time stuck in traffic than going fast.I currently do about 3500km a month, which is a lot less than i used to do... and for that amount of km i am averaging 61KM/h. about 40mph in english terms...
Having a good clarity to sound in the car is a good thing when stuck for 2 or 3 hours on an autobahn going nowhere fast... But I did not say this is to sacrifice any comfort or safety aspects of the car, but it can add a great level of comfort... for me i find it allows me to become less stressed, and calmer thus improving safety from acting rashly due to stress... Everyone finds their own way to cope... mine is good sound quality to enjoy soothing sounds in the car... instead of ranting a raving and blowing a fuse... i can relax and drive on calmly... and if I want to have a thrill of driving i can always turn it off and enjoy.

Thus it can add to the driving experience, and not detract from it.

But then their is only so much you can achieve for sound in a car... due to the size the shape and the assorted materials which either reflect or absorb sound.

 

[carpy]

Sadly in this day and age we tend to spend more time stuck in traffic than going fast.I currently do about 3500km a month, which is a lot less than i used to do... and for that amount of km i am averaging 61KM/h. about 40mph in english terms...
Having a good clarity to sound in the car is a good thing when stuck for 2 or 3 hours on an autobahn going nowhere fast... But I did not say this is to sacrifice any comfort or safety aspects of the car, but it can add a great level of comfort... for me i find it allows me to become less stressed, and calmer thus improving safety from acting rashly due to stress... Everyone finds their own way to cope... mine is good sound quality to enjoy soothing sounds in the car... instead of ranting a raving and blowing a fuse... i can relax and drive on calmly... and if I want to have a thrill of driving i can always turn it off and enjoy.

Thus it can add to the driving experience, and not detract from it.

But then their is only so much you can achieve for sound in a car... due to the size the shape and the assorted materials which either reflect or absorb sound.

This man speaks sense! I think you'll enjoy your speakers gareth just remember to play about with the EQ and maybe try my setup

also you can change the settings to make all the sound come out of the front speakers only like the standard ones thats when you truly realise the difference!

 

[Jalna]

So true about 'power'. Most people equate more power with better sound.
I have a high-end hifi system. I use a DNM PA3S TO power Wilson Benesch Act1 speakers, which are pretty demanding. The DNM is only rated at 23W per channel. The sound is superb, detailed, extended, and with a wide and deep sound-stage. Plenty loud enough too!