vaglab

Hello out there.

So, recently i bough an A5 F5 at a very good price. But while the price was good, i also miss some equipment for example the Bang & Olufsen sound system.

I have been reading around and haven't found any guides on how to do this, so i thought i would share with you guys and shed som light on this. It turns out many people out there tend to say that it is not possible, and that i requires serious knowledge to do so.

As i have already done so, i though i would share my knowledge about this retrofit. I am in the proces of writing a complete guide for all of you, but in the meantime feel free to ask me anything.

So first of, this takes time alot of it! You have to nearly disassemble the whole car, and you also have to know exactly which parts to use, for this retrofit, so lets start with the parts needed, in order to complete this:



8W5035297 x 2 Front door subwoofer L+R
8W0035397 x 1 Small center speaker
8W8035454 x 2 D-pillar surround speaker L+R
8W0035399A x 2 3D Effect speaker lower A-pillar
8W0035303 x 2 Mid tone speaker front door L+R
8W9035382E/C x 1 Subwoofer in cabinet
8W0035465 x 1 Amplifier
8W6907456 x 1 Amplifier bracket
8W6035399D x 1 Left upper A-pillar effect speaker
8W6035400D x 1 Right upper A-pillar effect speaker
4M0035711 x 1 Microphone
8W5035411A x 2 Rear door subwoofer L+R
8W5035399A x 2 Rear door tweeter L+R
8W0035454A x 1 Big center speaker
8W0035416D x 2 Dashboard middle speaker L+R

In addition, you will also require some smaller bits and parts including the trim panels and the wiring harness

1 Wiring harness
N90097802 x 2 Poprivet for upper A-pillar speakers
N10745201 x 4 Small screws for frontdoor midtone speakers
N02300213 x 2 Bolt for amplifier bracket securing
N10473402 x 2 Amplifier screws
N10555702 x 4 Screws to secure surround speakers D-pillar
8W8867233G x 1 Left A-pillar trim
8W8867234G x 1 Right A-pillar trim
8W8867245C x 1 Left D-pillar trim
8W8867246C x 1 Right D-pillar trim
8W2857227A x 1 Left speaker grill Dash midtone
8W2857228A x 1 Right speaker grill Dash midtone
Speaker grills

So let me tell you something - im a Dane, so i do know Bang & Olufsen and i think most danes also know, that Bang & Olufsen isnt selling magic, but just stereos with cool nordic design. Let me start by telling you, that there is nothing special about the way that this sound system works. Its just an amplifier connected to the MMI through MOST BUS, and a amplifier choosen by VAG, that Bang & Olufsen have fine tuned, to play at their liking. While this information might seem a little boring, it is also this information which gives you the solution to the problem that many people are talking about - the bass is too weak.

So, while we know that the components was chosen by Audi engineers, and the software is made by Audi Engineers - What have Bang & Olufsen actually touched? - The parameters inside the amp of course!
So let me start by giving you the solution, which i actually found both by accident, but also by doing a lot of measuring on both the data being sent through the MOST wire and by reverse enginerring the way the amp works.

The parameters tell the amp how to output signals and where to cut frequencies. It self explanatory that if this exact system is installed into an A4 Avant, it needs more punch from the subwoofer in order to make it sound natural, than if it is fitted into an A5 Coupe, where the sub it near the rear window. Therefore it also makes sense, if you change out the parameters in your A5 with the parameters from the A4 Avant, the system will play a lot more powerful, because this vehicle is a lot bigger. So to any of you, having trouble with the sound not giving you enough punch, you should get off to the first guy you know with ODIS-E capabilities, and let him upload the A4 Avant parameters - MAGIC WILL HAPPEN!

During the time, i will be giving you more information - also regarding the coding of this retrofit. Even though some retrofitters out there claim to use days for this, its actually really simple. All you need is basic coding of the amplifier, which you can copy from anyone else, as the coding is the same in all cars i have seen, and then to change 2 simple things inside your MMI. Also you will need to code the BCM and the door controller modules, for the illumination in the new fron speaker grills to come on.

So with this post, i have given you the images showing the difference in the menues with Audi Sound System and Bang & Olufsen.

Menues with Audi Sound System

Menues with Bang & Olufsen amp coded in

Effect menu for Bang & Olufsen

Void20

Hello!
Interesting!
Can you tell me pls the name of the file that needs to be flashed with ODIS-E?

Also, do you know by any chance if we can control the subwoofer levels separately from bass levels (in US some cars - the ones with Tegra chipset - have only bass **** in MMI which control both the bass speakers in doors and also the subwoofer) with VCDS/ODIS?
Me personally would like to reduce the subwoofer to minimum and the bass to half.
Thank you!

vaglab

Requirements
In addition to parts, the installation does also require some access to special tools. Most important is the access to ODIS online, to remove the component protection from the Amplifier. We will not guide you, on how to do this. If you do not have access to ODIS yourself, you will have to consult your local dealer. Also you will need to have access to VCDS or VCP, to complete the coding for the amplifier to work. It is advised to buy a used amplifier, if you don’t have access to ODIS Engineering, as buying a new one, will require you to upload sound parameters to it.
Installation
The installation of a MOST enabled speaker system will require you, to disassemble most of your vehicle. Doing so, can make a lot of people quite nervous. But don’t be afraid. As long as you follow the original workshop manuals, nothing will go wrong! I will not be covering where to remove the screws from, and how to disassemble most of the car, as this would make this guide very long and complicated – instead refer to the original workshop manuals. I will however tell you which panels to disassemble.
Installing the amplifier
Installing the amplifier is the easiest part of this installation. Before installing the amplifier into the car, you should attach the amplifier bracket to your amplifier, if you haven’t already done so. To do this, you will require to use the N10473402 screws, that you ordered earlier for this retrofit. When the amplifier has been installed into the bracket, you can go on, and install it into the left compartment in the trunk. When the amplifier has been installed, we can now move on to attaching the wiring harness.

Installing the wiring harness
Installing the wiring harness, requires you to disassembly the boot completely. Start by taking out the false floor, and the start removing the side panels of the trunk. This way, we can gain access to hide the wiring harness, and can also start installing everything from the back to the front. When your boot has been disassembled, it should look like shown on the picture here. The wiring should be routed along the rear left wheel arch, up through the backseat. From here it should split up, and run beneath the plastic part securing your carjack and the tire inflation kit. In the back near the middle, should be a plastic poprivet – remove this, to lift if the plastic housing, and route the cables for the right side, underneath here. The wiring for the left side, should have the connectors for the center channels as well as the microphone wiring. The wiring for the right side, should have the optical MOST cabling which needs to go all the way up to the glovecompartment in the back of the MMI. While you are already in the trunk area, we will install the D-pillar speakers as well as the power, for the amplifier. Please DO NOT, install the fuse for the amplifier just yet, at this might do serious damage to any on the components disassembled right now. In the left side of the trunk you will see the fusepanel insert in the first picture from “Installing the amplifier”. With the trunk disassembles, you should remove the fuse panel, and connect the red power wire to lower red fuse block holder 2 from the bottom. Also the ground should be connected to the ground point in the trunk compartment.
Installing the D-pillar speakers
While the trunk is still disassembled, we will have easy access to the d-pillar trims. In order to install the new D-pillar speakers, we need to remove these, and instead place in the new D.pillar speakers using the N10555702 screws. Behind the pillar trim, you should already have the appropriate plastic brackets fitted, to install the new speakers. Remember to connect the speakers to the amplifier – the wiring for the D-pillar speakers should be separate for the already installed wiring to the left and the right side. The wiring for the right D-pillar speaker, should also be routed beneath the plastic piece in the trunk, in order to hide it. Connecting these speakers already, will also give us the opportunity, to hear whether or not the actual amplifier and speakers are working, before installing the rest. With the D-pillar speakers now installed, you can go ahead and install your new D-pillar trim with speaker cutout back where the original trim piece were installed.
Connecting the Amplifier to the MMI system
As of right now, we should have the D-pillar speakers connected, and also have the amplifier connected to ground and the fusebox. Next up, we actually want to connect the amplifier to the MMI, in order to tell in the amplifier works, and in order to do the component protection remove. With component protection active, no sound will come out of the amplifier, and therefore we will not be able to tell, whether out installation is going as expected.


Amplifier installed

As shown above, you should route the wiring all the way up through the right of the vehicle. The wiring should be hidden underneath the plastic panels along the side of the car. When you reach the A-pillar, you should route the small green wire and the fiber optic cable all the way up, to the side of the glove compartment. Please be very careful when installing the most cable, as this is very fragile. If the MOST cable breaks, you will not be able to repair is, and need to install a completely new cable.
When the cables are up along the glove compartment, you should remove the 10 8mm bolts securing the glovecompartment, as shows on the picture above, to gain access to the MMI unit itself. Now you have to opportunities to install the MOST cable and the open diagnosis wiring (The thinn green wire). You can wither try to put it in the back of the MMI unit, when its still inside the bracket, or you can unscrew the two 8mm bolts on each side of the MMI bracket, to remove it, from the car.

When removed, you will see the backside of your MMI unit with the grey plastic thing inside





The MOST BUS is the one shows on the picture above to the very right. If your vehicle is not using the MOST connection already, there might be a small yellow protection cap inside the plug. Go ahead and remove it, and install the MOST wiring, inside the MOST connector in the MMI.
Next of, we want to install the Open Circuit diagnostics Lead (The small green wire). To do this, you will have to remove your quadlock connector from the back of your MMI, and remove the grey 12pin plug from the quadlock connector. Inside the quadlock, you will need to locate the grey plug.





With the grey plug out, you should now be able to open up the locks on the connector by trying gently with a small plastic tool, and insert the green wire into pin 3, of the grey connector. Your quadlock should look like the plug from the second left on the above picture.
With the Diagnosis lead now installed, please go ahead and reinstall the grey plug inside the quadlock – then connect the quadlock the the MMI again and reinstall the MMI bracket and the glove compartment back into the car.
Now we can play a little around, to find if everything is working as expected. But first of, please turn on your MMI and confirm that everything works, and that you still have sound. If your car was originally installed with virtual cockpit, this is also the part where you will need the MOST splitter connected to the MMI, in order for both the amplifier and the virtual cockpit to still work.
Now instead of just continuing the retrofit, this is a good place to verify if everything is working correct. In order to do so, you will need your VCDS or ODIS and a little patience. You probably already know, if your vehicle is equipped with virtual cockpit – if so this next step doesn’t apply to you!
If your vehicle has never used the MOST BUS before, it will most likely be turned of inside the coding of the MMI, so we need to enable it first. To do this, do some coding inside the 5F module with either ODIS, VCDS or VCP.

vaglab

Hi m8.

Do you have the Bang & Olufsen system in a B9 vehicle?

As far as i know, the subwoofer control is always present with the B&O system, while the Audi Sound System that i had before doing the retrofit doesn't have the subwoofer control ****, as shown on the pictures in my first post.
For uploading the parameters with ODIS-E you need an online geko account, if you dont have, you will need to download the parameters from a car that has theese parameters using ODIS-E and do a offline flash. Personally i used the method of pulling out the fuse to the Engine ECU and then entering in a VIN from a A4 Avant manually inside ODIS. This way the parameters from the A4 Avant was uploaded instead.

My car actually came with a Tegra unit that i replaced at the same time, with a Quallcom unit, to gain sattelite maps again, and both on the old unit and the new unit, i did have subwoofer control. The images shown in post 1 is from the new quallcom unit.

DirkM

Based on what has been posted elsewhere, to get subwoofer controls the MMI has to be above a certain software version and the amplifier has to be an updated version also. Just updating the MMI will not allow the subwoofer controls to appear. Early 2017 A4 do not have a compatible amplifier, late 2017 and 2018+ should have the subwoofer controls in the MMI by default.

Void20

@vaglab thank you. Currently I have only offline access to ODIS-E and ODIS-S.

I have B&O from factory.
We have a whole topic here about B&O subwoofer control missing in MMI:
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a4-...pdate-3006226/
All cars that have missing subwoofer **** in MMI, even after updates, are Tegra powered US MMI units. At least according to posts.

@DirkM so if we replace the amplifier we can get the subwoofer ****?

bruce_miranda

Wow I cannot believe that someone actually paid money to retrofit B&O. While those who have it, are ripping it out. But well done.

Subwoofer controls for the B&O have so far only been seen on the Qualcomm based MMI2 units. All the nVidia based ones are missing the control.

vaglab

Hehe, as said, this system sounds seriously good. The thing is that people often tend to thikn that ut doesnt.
Doing some measuringwork i find my B&O subwoofer going down to around 29Hz, which is very impressive for a 6-7inch subwoofer.

Also, i do know a lot of guys in both Denmark, Sweden, Norway and greeve who want this system retrofitted, which is why i made this guide as well as installed it myself.

The system plays crystal clear, and very very deep bass. I did though find one think wierd, when installing it. As said earlier i also retrofitted a MHI2Q system due to missing Google Earth and due to wanting to also retrofit virtual cockpit to the vehicle. The subwoofer control was still active on the old Delphi unit, but maybe this is because the parameters are stored inside the amp? Also the soundquality on the Delphi unit is A LOT WORSE - It sounds like the system is just a standard spec bose system fitted into a Renault .

bruce_miranda

I friend of mine sat in my car and thought I had retrofitted the Advanced version of the B&O (that comes with the A7). It was that good to him.
If this was my money then I wouldn't use any of the B&O drivers. The B&O amp is nice and in the B&O system you get better driver placements, but that involves getting new trim panels for the doors and A pillars and D pillars etc.
Any way, back to the Subwoofer control. I don't think the parameters are stored in the amp. Why? Because when you code your car from *** to B&O to add the NavTV Zen-V the MMI gets the subwoofer control even without the B&O amp installed. How does that work?

vaglab

Actually not quite! So let me explain why.

This is actually not my first B&O retrofit. I have done around 7, but this is the first time i can get pictures, as this is my own car and not a customer car. So - if the amplifier is brand new, you will have the same two problems as with most other modules
- Component Protection
- Dataset invalid

While i did my first retrofit on a RS5 2020 som months ago, i could manage to get it working, because the facelift doesnt have the Open Circuit Diagnosis lead, but more important, i couldn't manage to get the correct parameters from anywhere else than ODIS.
Because of this i just installed everything, and told the customer to come to my garage, to fix the coding using ODIS the next day (As the install was initial done by the customer himself, i just installed the AMP and the MOST cable. As soon as the parameters were uploaded to the amp from ODIS, the menu showed up inside the MMI. We then did som testing - what would happen if the amp was replaced, or what if the amp suddenly was not working? Would this mean we had to do the same thing, or could we just connect any amp to the car and make it work, and it turns out yes!

The controlknob will stay inside the MMI, until the MMI is factory reset, then all ***** inside the audio menu will dissappear. My hypothesis is that the parameters uploaded to the amp, are actually built up, of two parts - the sound parameters themself, and then the control dataset. The reason why i think so is, that in theory, the BOSE amp from the Q7 4M, is working on a system very much identical to the ones in the a¤ and A5, so it should in theory be able to talk with the MMI though the MOST, and it can, but as soon as connected with the bose amp, the 3D effect menu dissappear, as soon as reconnecting the B&O and making a hard-reset, it comes back.

So i am definetely sure, that this is actually controlle by the AMP somehow. Also it is very important to remember, that if firmware updating the MMI, you actually also update the software inside the amp. If this will bring back the sub control i dont know or think, but i can snap some pictures with my old Delphi unit inside the car again - here the sub controll is still there