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D2 - Sat Nav, ICE, Audio & TV All in car entertainment discussions

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  #1  
Old 26th May 2015, 10:24 AM
MrHooky MrHooky is offline
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Default Sensible upgrade from non Bose system

So I've had the S8 for about 2 months now and I must admit that the non-Bose system is a bit poor. I've got a 2004 8N TT which has Bose and the sound is much better.

My question is, how easy is it to upgrade the non-Bose? Are all speakers on the Bose system upgraded? Is there a dedicated sub? The Bose in my TT just sounds a lot warmer and has much better base. If I could just get a bit more base I'd be pleased.

Not wanting to spend a fortune but if there's a quick and easy upgrade I'd be interested...
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  #2  
Old 26th May 2015, 03:09 PM
mannyo mannyo is offline
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The Bose system in the D2 is very different to the non Bose system. For example the Bose system has no tweeters in the rear doors, unlike the non Bose one. The Bose amp is mounted in the boot and drives all the speakers, the non Bose is driven by a mixture of the headunit and smaller amps directly on the speakers. On the D2 Bose the rear deck speakers are both Subs.
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with retrofit AMI and DVB-T in place of Analogue
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Old 26th May 2015, 04:14 PM
PsYcHe PsYcHe is offline
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And I think the wiring loom is very different (unsurprisingly).
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  #4  
Old 26th May 2015, 04:45 PM
MrHooky MrHooky is offline
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OK all noted thanks.

So my question remains as to whether there's an 'easy' upgrade that can be done, better speakers in the parcel shelf for example, or an additional sub to be placed somewhere whilst retaining the head unit?

Even typing the above though now makes me thing can I really be bothered...!?
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  #5  
Old 26th May 2015, 05:24 PM
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Almost without exception, car audio upgrade results are directly proportional to the effort exerted

If you change one bit, the rest is still going to let it down. Worse still, the 'upgrade' might make the whole thing sound rubbish. Often a poorly installed hack leads to interference / feedback and its not good.

I've done a few Bose retrofits in the past. Its not hard, but it is time consuming. You will need to remove the seats, carpets and door cards to do it properly. To put some scale on, it'd take me about 12 hours end to end already knowing exactly where nut and bolt goes. (don't get excited, i'm not offering lol)

On the plus side, the audio loom is a separate plug and play item so there is no nasty wire splicing required. a8parts may well be able to supply the correct one for your car if you ask, or better still a full kit.

If audio is important to you on a D2, then Bose is the best you can practically get.
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The First 20 Audis:

2001 D2 4.2 QS Silver, 1997 D2 S8 Silver, 1999 D2 4.2 Silver, 2002 D2 S8 Dolphin Grey,
2003 C5 RS6 Blue, 1998 D2 S8 Black, 2000 D2 4.2 QS/S8 Ming Blue, 2003 D3 4.2 Ming Blue,
2005 B7 S4 Blue, 2006 D3 3.0 Tdi Black, 1999 D2 4.2 Silver, 2003 D3 4.2 LPG Crystal Blue,
2000 D2 S8 Silver, 2007 3.0 Tdi Q7 Black, 2009 B8 S4 Black, 1998 D2 S8 Agate Grey,
2006 D3 4.2 Tdi Blue, 2006 D3 S8, 2007 Q7 3.0 Tdi, 2006 C6 S6,

The Second 20 Audis:

2011 A7 Sline, 2001 A2 1.4 Tdi Black, 2002 A2 1.4 Tdi Silver, 2006 A8 4.2 Tdi Blue,
2007 4.2 Tdi Q7, 2006 S4 Cab Silver, 2010 RS6 Saloon Black , 2007 TT Roadster,
2010 A8 D4 4.2 Silver, 2006 C6 A6 2.7 Tdi Quattro, 2000 D2 4.2 QS/S8 Ming Blue (again), 2008 Q7 4.2 Black,
2009 C6 RS6 Saloon Daytona Grey, 2001 Fully Loaded A2 Tdi, 2006 Avant S6 Black, 2007 VW Caravelle Exec Black (almost an Audi)
2009 TT Roadster Daytona, 2015 Q7 4.2 tdi lava grey, 2002 GmbH D2 demonstrator, 2006 D3 A8 LWB 4.2 Tdi Black

Most Recent Audis:

2001 A2 1.4 Tdi Black, 2007 4.2 FSi Q7 ABT Blue, 2016 S5 Coupe Launch model, 2004 S4 B6 Cabriolet, 2016 Q7 Sline White, 2006 Q7 4.2 FSi Black, 2012 Q7 Sline+ 4.2Tdi White, 2008 Blue Audi S8

Everything Else

1989 Subaru Justy, 1986 Vauxhall Cartlton 2.0 GL, 1985 Vauxhall Carlton 2.2 CDi, 1987 Ford Sierra XR4x4, 1983 Vauxhall Senator, 1985 Vauxhall Senator 3.0i, 1997 Polo Saloon, 1997 Peugeot 306 1.9 TDi, Ford Sierra Sapphire 2000E, 1990 Subaru Justy, 2000 Subaru Impreza, 2000 Subaru Impreza RB5, 1993 Range Rover LSE, 2005 VW Bora, 2003 Skoda Superb, 2003 VW Passat V6 4 Motion, 1996 Peugeot 106, 2000 Range Rover 4.0, 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance
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  #6  
Old 26th May 2015, 09:35 PM
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Goran Goran is offline
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I can vouch for that, staying away from badly done aftermarket upgrades. Someone did a hack on my S8 splicing some sort of MP3/CD player into the RNS-D. There is interference and whining noise coming from the speakers proportional to engine speed / volume.
Personally I cant wait to upgrade to proper Audi Bose and ditch this badly done 'upgrade'.
Plus in my case they ruined the original loom so I need a new loom anyway.
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Old 26th May 2015, 10:44 PM
HPsauce HPsauce is offline
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What really annoys me is that my FL S8 is non-Bose but my son's S4 has Bose!
And an RNS-E.
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  #8  
Old 27th May 2015, 10:50 AM
PsYcHe PsYcHe is offline
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But.. is S4 Bose as good as D2 standard? I was hideously unimpressed by the B&O on an A4 I had recently.
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  #9  
Old 27th May 2015, 11:35 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PsYcHe View Post
But.. is S4 Bose as good as D2 standard? I was hideously unimpressed by the B&O on an A4 I had recently.
I think all the Bose of that era were pretty similar quality to be fair.

The D3 Bose is way better than the D2, but obviously way inferior to the scrummy B&O.

Why they chose to cheapen the B&O brand by creating that awful low cost version in the A4's / A5's is beyond me. It truly is hideous.

The B&O in the Q7 is awesome..... Really fills the extra space nicely, possibly better, than the smaller cars
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For parts enquiries and Forum User Administration please contact customer services directly, not me - enquiry@a8parts.co.uk, www.a8parts.co.uk, or call 01642 783537

The Daily Town Car - 2023 Tesla Model Y Performance. Black with Black. Giant ipad screen, huge sunroof, 4 wheel drive, Tow bar, lots of ooomph and made in China, so actually built properly unlike the Californian ones.

The Family Wagon - 2018 Tesla Model X. Black, 7 Seats, Towbar, Homelink, Enhanced Auto pilot with Summon and self park, Heated front seats, CCS Charger upgrade, MCU2 Upgrade, Falconwing Doors, Self opening / closing doors, Netflix, Spotify, toys, Air suspension, alcantara roof + lots of other stuff......

The 17 year old Driver Wagon 2015 Skoda Citigo Monte Carlo. Alloys, Power steering, Aircon, Leccy windows, Sat Nav, bluetooth, central locking, cup holders, 59 whole bhp. Million times better than my first car. Well jealous.....

The First 20 Audis:

2001 D2 4.2 QS Silver, 1997 D2 S8 Silver, 1999 D2 4.2 Silver, 2002 D2 S8 Dolphin Grey,
2003 C5 RS6 Blue, 1998 D2 S8 Black, 2000 D2 4.2 QS/S8 Ming Blue, 2003 D3 4.2 Ming Blue,
2005 B7 S4 Blue, 2006 D3 3.0 Tdi Black, 1999 D2 4.2 Silver, 2003 D3 4.2 LPG Crystal Blue,
2000 D2 S8 Silver, 2007 3.0 Tdi Q7 Black, 2009 B8 S4 Black, 1998 D2 S8 Agate Grey,
2006 D3 4.2 Tdi Blue, 2006 D3 S8, 2007 Q7 3.0 Tdi, 2006 C6 S6,

The Second 20 Audis:

2011 A7 Sline, 2001 A2 1.4 Tdi Black, 2002 A2 1.4 Tdi Silver, 2006 A8 4.2 Tdi Blue,
2007 4.2 Tdi Q7, 2006 S4 Cab Silver, 2010 RS6 Saloon Black , 2007 TT Roadster,
2010 A8 D4 4.2 Silver, 2006 C6 A6 2.7 Tdi Quattro, 2000 D2 4.2 QS/S8 Ming Blue (again), 2008 Q7 4.2 Black,
2009 C6 RS6 Saloon Daytona Grey, 2001 Fully Loaded A2 Tdi, 2006 Avant S6 Black, 2007 VW Caravelle Exec Black (almost an Audi)
2009 TT Roadster Daytona, 2015 Q7 4.2 tdi lava grey, 2002 GmbH D2 demonstrator, 2006 D3 A8 LWB 4.2 Tdi Black

Most Recent Audis:

2001 A2 1.4 Tdi Black, 2007 4.2 FSi Q7 ABT Blue, 2016 S5 Coupe Launch model, 2004 S4 B6 Cabriolet, 2016 Q7 Sline White, 2006 Q7 4.2 FSi Black, 2012 Q7 Sline+ 4.2Tdi White, 2008 Blue Audi S8

Everything Else

1989 Subaru Justy, 1986 Vauxhall Cartlton 2.0 GL, 1985 Vauxhall Carlton 2.2 CDi, 1987 Ford Sierra XR4x4, 1983 Vauxhall Senator, 1985 Vauxhall Senator 3.0i, 1997 Polo Saloon, 1997 Peugeot 306 1.9 TDi, Ford Sierra Sapphire 2000E, 1990 Subaru Justy, 2000 Subaru Impreza, 2000 Subaru Impreza RB5, 1993 Range Rover LSE, 2005 VW Bora, 2003 Skoda Superb, 2003 VW Passat V6 4 Motion, 1996 Peugeot 106, 2000 Range Rover 4.0, 2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance
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  #10  
Old 29th May 2015, 07:56 AM
ToreBj ToreBj is offline
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I have D2 FL with and without bose. I was not very impressed with either before I upgraded to RNS-E in both of them. This made a big difference and I would say that they are not that different when it comes to bass and power. I see no need to "upgrade" further.

The W12 had a ******* solution with some of the original speakers and some new and a huge Hifi amplifier. As someone else also indicated, if you mix original and new stuff you end up in trouble. Especially the Bose loudspeakers have a very low impedance which does not work well with most amplifiers. I ripped it all out and put the Bose loudspeakers&amplifier back. Lots of mess with the original wiring, but I finally made it back to original.
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