Aftermarket stereo help
 

Hi everyone.

Can anyone help me with what I actually need to connect a aftermarket head unit into my 1998 a8.

It has a concert stereo which as the eratic volume problem.

There are no bose badges anywhere even on the rear speakers.

Can I just use a ISO lead from an a6? As I can't find any for the a8

James

As long as there is no Bose then the ISO should be fine.

I would highly suggest to retain OEM radio, either repair or replace. I have tried aftermarket in Audi myself and also helped to install them for other people. The issue is that rear speakers in Audis are active with a built in amplifier and aftermarket radios use 1.5V line out signal but Audi use 3V or 3.5V so if you connect rear speakers to line out they are very quite, about half the volume, if you connect them to speaker level output they are very loud. You can play with fader control or use resistors with the speaker level output but I have found that quality is never the same. Then I think Audi speakers were 2 ohm while aftermarket units are generally meant for use with 4 or 8 ohm speakers. Audi has designed the whole system together and it work very well for the age, when you start changing components you disturb the balance, then there is OEM look.

I tried it once on one of previous Audis and did not like it so I have stuck to OEM since. I have done it for several other people for whom having radio with CD player or was more important than quality and balance.

I have also tried the OEM unit designed for A3/4/6 in S8 as mine is having the same volume problem in cold weather, it is better than aftermarket but I still don't like it 100%. It has more bass and less clear top end. So I have been looking for a good second hand unit for 8's but they are very rare, I think I will need to go the repair route for mine.

By the way while I am still using A3/4/6 unit in the S8 I am happy to sell it if anybody is interested. It is newer unit made in Japan by Matsu****a(Panasonic) rather than older Blaupunkt units made in Germany( and sometimes other European countries like Portugal or Hungary) and should not develop volume issue as that was only for older Blaupunkt units.


Edit:

O dear, it does not like the company name M A T S U S H I T A and has put stars in the middle of name thinking I am swearing.

there is a specific adaptor loom which fixes the speaker volume.
my car has bose and this morning i am fitting (after weeks of messing about) my alpine x100 head unit.


you need these:
Connects2 CT53-AU04 - Audi A2, A3, A4, A6, A8, TT Active System Interface Amplified Adaptor Lead CT53-AU04

PC5-90 AUDI A2 A3 A4 AMPLIFIED ISO - DIN AERIAL REPLACEMENT ADAPTOR MAST ANTENNA 150713509461


top one is the head unit wiring. the second one is a powered aerial adapter which powers up the radio aerials embedded in the rear screen. without this, the radio signal will be extremely weak or not receive at all.

as you dont have bose you probably/definitely dont need the CT53-AU04 adapter and your generic one will be OK. but deffo get the PC5-90 ;)

I agree - Stick with the OEM headunit.

You wont get an aftermarket one to sound as good. I've tried, with all the correct cabling, and the stock unit wins everytime.

Of course, if you want an S8 that sounds like a 1990's Vauxhall. Crack on. +++