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View Full Version : Replacement of stock amp (in premium stock setup) MkV R32



bailey78
23-06-2008, 06:01 AM
Hi Guys,

This post relates to a Mk5 Premium Audio Upgrade:

Have had an extensive search for info on replacing the stock amp. There seems to be alot of conflicting info so thought I might ask a few specific questions.

Bit of background:

I have the premium car setup atm, originally with RCD500, came with stock 250w amp below seat, 3 speakers to front doors, 2 speakers to rear doors (I have a 5 door)

Overall, I was happy with the sound. (I'm no super audiophile :wink: )

I then installed the following unit:

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39584

The unit came with a VW harness that was pretty much "plug and play".

The sound quality was ALOT better than stock and am very happy with the sound...except......

I was one of the first guys that installed the units and the initial batch came with an annoying beep each time a setting is changed (volume, bass, treble etc.) That beep has since been eliminated by a firmware update........which was not made available to those that had already purchased it.

Its not THAT bad, but bad enough....

One upside is that the unit comes with its own pre-outs - which deliver a good signal that I would be able to feed into an aftermarket amp. The signal coming from these pre-outs exclude the annoying beeps. Hence why I am choosing to do this. The units are also sold with the Toyota Aurion fascia and one guy I have chatted to on a Toyota forum has successfully bypassed the beeps by adding an aftermarket amp and says the sound quality/signal is brilliant.

My questions are:

1) Do the front and rear doors come with their own crossovers or are they built into the 250w stock amp?

2) I plan on getting an external 4ch amp, running it off the new head unit (which has provision for a remote switch for the amp) to power all four doors. Would 4x50RMS by sufficient? I am most likely getting this prof installed, I just wouldn't mind having some info to go in there with....

3) I recently bought an active 10 inch sub tube (Fusion). A mate has one in his car and am very happy with the level of bass fill it creates. I didn't want to be heard from down the block so it was pretty much perfect. Does that mean I have to look for an amp with a "pass through"? (to get signal across to this sub's amp.) Again would I be better off going for a more powerful first amp or is a pass through function merely a signal pass through (Ie. does not drain additional power from first amp)

Hope that made sense.

Sorry for the large post - Just wanted to get as much info out there that I could. Seems to be a lack of premium audio upgrade threads out there (or atleast minor upgrades anyway)

Thanks for your help guys, really appreciate it.

Steve.

glidn
23-06-2008, 09:08 AM
ok firstly nice upgrade.

As for by passing the factory amp, i would say all the wiring for the 4 doors will be available from the boot of the car.

so you should be able to tap into those wires there to install a new amp.
As for the crossovers you are asking about, the speakers usually have some resistors and caps on them, so you will only need to tap into the boot wiring.

as for the preouts on the new add-on, does it have front, rear and sub output from the unit? or only front and rear? if only front and rear you will have to get a 4 channel amp with an additional bypass output and you will be able to link the fusion sub that way.

As far as power goes, a good quality amplifier with 50wrmsx4 will be far better than a crappy cheap brand with 200wrmsx4, but having more power is always better than not having enough power.

Hope this helps.

Mr Charisma if you would like to add anything?

bailey78
23-06-2008, 10:33 AM
Hi Glidn,

Thanks for the reply mate...I think I have run into problems though (and its probably why there aren't any upgrades similar to the one I am doing)

I think (am pretty sure) the stock VW amp (which is under my passenger seat) has inbuilt crossovers for the front doors and rear doors. Ie. wires running from each speaker to the amp direct.

Pls correct me if I am wrong.....I think it "can" be done...but I figure that by the time I get 2x 3way crossovers for front doors and 2x 2way crossovers for rear doors that I may as well just get new splits to the front and a nice set of 2 way coax for the rear run off a new 4ch amp.

Hope that made sense...its abit of a bummer as was hoping to keep the stock speakers to save $$$.

Thinking Alpine Type R 6.5 splits for front and not too sure for rear....

Does anybody know if these speakers would fit? (depth wise?)

Especially the tweeters.

Actually - anybody know where I can get the maximum mounting depth for the front and rear speaker holes?

Thanks guys.

Steve.

glidn
23-06-2008, 11:39 AM
ok, about the individual cross over settings from the amp, somehow i feel that should not be the case, unless VW have finally up there game in doing the wiring like this.

From memory you cannot go any deeper than 67-75mm depth on the 6" woofer for the rear of the front door. And no more than 43mm for the mid in the middle of the door. This purely what i can remember.

But ultimately i have not yet had the chance or pleasure to work on a MK5 yet. So i'm using all my knowledge i have from working on the MK2,3 and mk4 vw's. But either way you should be able to test all those theories with a multimeter. or at trhe very least a AAA 1.5v battery which preferably is not new, But that way you will also be able to check if all the wiring runs individually from the amp to the doors.

bailey78
23-06-2008, 11:53 AM
Glidn,

Thanks so much for your help mate - really appreciate it.

Will keep you posted with how it all ends up! hehe

Just had a look at the stock amp (pulled out the cover) and without opening it up properly I can see so many wires coming out of it so I am guessing that it is true. Sucks for upgrades though.

glidn
23-06-2008, 01:21 PM
i think with some body massaging you will be able to fit some type R's in the doors. But i cannot confirm.

Also remember you should have a total of 13 or 14 wires tht go from the amp, or actually 21 or 22 wires.

IE for the following.

8 wires input from radio speaker output
ACC wire
Power and ground Wire
K line wire
And return Power wire
Then another 8 or 9 wires for speakers them selfs.
Unless they use the same system as in the Merc where by the use one common ground per door. It weird i tell you.
Just plain weird.

Mr İharisma
24-06-2008, 09:07 PM
lol wierd hey.

I have nothing to add except:
A: Do you have a budget?
B: What exactly are you wanting to replace?
C: Wasting money on rear fill is lost cause.
D: Who are thinking of getting it installed by?

bailey78
25-06-2008, 07:49 AM
Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies.

Going to be getting Freeway Car Audio (Melbourne) to install it.

He has given me a rough price of 1200 which I am happy with.

Heading in there on the weekend - will keep you guys posted with how it all eventuates.

Thanks again for your help!

Steve.

MultiplexMan
25-06-2008, 03:12 PM
If the Premium package is anything like the Dynaudio package you will find that it is an "active" system - one amp (channel) per speaker.

Refer to the links for reference.

http://www.dynaudio.com/eng/auto/vw.php

http://www.dynaudio.com/eng/auto/passat.php