chydog

Bueller ?? Bueller ??

John Berisford

There is a TON of very valuable information here - so, thank you for this.

I am new to the Audi game. I just purchased a 2014 A6 Prestige w/Bose - obviously, I'm here because I hate the audio experience.

The preamp & LC options above both seem to have some MAJOR drawbacks. My first choice would be to use the preamp and bypass the Bose amp altogether. However, I spend a ton of time in the car, and heavily rely on my Bluetooth. Additionally, the MMI is just kinda clunky, to be honest. I know it's a bit of an older car (it's late 2019 now), so all is forgiven there - but I would like to use my phone and/or iPad mini to run some of the basic tasks, and stream the audio over Bluetooth. Seems like I'm going to lose the phone BT features because of the mics?

I really don't want to carry around an earpiece - I DO have one already, but..... but... ugh.

Is this where we stand, at this point? Or has someone solved this and I just haven't tripped over the right thread yet? I've been frantically searching the various enthusiast sites, to no avail.

DanfZX14

No sure what your looking for exactly. With money and the right install shop all can be overcome. If your looking to DIY this car is a different animal to work on....
Here is a link to a product I do not have personal experience with but have read and heard positive things about. Good Luck!

http://mobridge.us/products/

John Berisford

Thanks for the info. Sorry, I was a little bit unclear on that post. I was trying to decide between coming off the post-amp wires and using a LOC, or going pre-amp and using fiber and out to another DSP, then amp.

I decided to go with JL Audio VX1000/5i, which has DSP already onboard. I figured it would help reduce the number of power draws, ground noise chances, etc. - and is also just 1 thing to install & mount.

The Audi TOSlink wiring harness that goes into the Bose amp is a little weird looking. Has anyone tore that bad boy apart and adapted it to the standard TOSlink cable type? I have a couple of couplers & 3-footers on order, in hopes that I can make it work.

Anyone else ever try this?

John Berisford

OK, sorry for the n00b questions I answered my own question, just after submitting. I hadn't considered the MOST bus to have more data than required for TOSlink audio connections, and therefore that's why it's not just a fiber splice or adapter with couplers & such.

I just placed my order for the M0bridge DS1.

subterFUSE

You do not lose Bluetooth telephone with the mobridge preamp. It still works just like before.

only the noise cancellation mics are disabled.


if you add a mobridge and an aftermarket DSP, then you will have additional options available to you for source integration. For example, some DSPs have their own Bluetooth audio links that use better codecs than the MMI. Or there are USB audio links that support hi Res audio formats up to 24/196 resolution. Some DSPs even have built in SSD drives with media players to store your music library in hi res formats.

I do not recommend using the factory speaker wires for aftermarket speakers because they are too thin and poor quality. They won’t carry high current as well as aftermarket wiring. Plus, it will be easier to return the car to stock condition if you have not altered the OEM wiring. The C7 is a very easy car to run wires. Any respectable car audio shop could do it easily.

John Berisford

This is great advice, thank you! I did indeed plan to have a shop do most of the speakers (getting too old for that, and getting too cold, too!) so I'll just let them go do that as well, they probably assumed such.

I placed my order for the Mobridge a few days ago. The merchant emailed me right away, to make sure I had the right car and I knew what I was getting into. He suggested that I needed to recode the MMI for the new amp?

I do have a Ross Tech VCDS on its way also. Did you all have to use it to get your aftermarket stuff working?

subterFUSE

As long as your C7 is a 2012-2015 model, then the mobridge will work. You do not need to recode the MMI. You will need to update firmware and settings on the mobridge to tell it you are running an Audi MMI.

When you receive the mobridge there will be a MOST harness adapter cable inside. You do not need to use this. Just keep it in the box. The MOST plug from the Bose amp will plug directly into the mobridge.
Then you just need to run power and ground to the mobridge and you're done. It's such an easy installation that most people can't believe it.

John Berisford

I'm getting closer...

So my goal with this project was to use BOTH the Bose amp, for things like center channel, back doors and then also use my JL Audio VX1000/5i amp for sub and front doors, up-front tweeters. I am replacing front door and front tweeters with regular 4-ohm speakers (Focal). I have the Mobridge DS1 inline and working, sending TOSlink to the JL amp.

I am able to get one or the other working, but never both. I have created this splitter for the MOST bus, like you can see here:
https://images.app.goo.gl/WE2tQ7RZBc6pCgQt7

Using the splitter, I can cap one side of it with the loop and the other live side I can send to EITHER the Bose amp OR the DS1, and which ever is plugged in will work. If I take the cap off and plug in both the Bose amp and the DS1, the Bose amp always works, DS1 never works. If I flip the plugs around, I get the same result - Bose always works, DS1 never works.

I'm doing this because I'm trying to utilize the Bose amp for some purpose, otherwise I need to get another amp to properly power all the channels (I'd like not to lose center channel).

Hopefully this all makes sense. I have a feeling I need to mess with coding. I have the Ross Tech VCDS.

subterFUSE

You cannot use the mObridge and the factory amplifier at the same time. The mObridge is designed for doing a full aftermarket audio upgrade, not for adding on to the existing factory system. It's all or nothing.

Remove the MOST link cable you showed in the picture. It is not needed. The MOST cable from the factory amplifier plugs directly into the mobridge, no modifications were needed. No VCDS coding is needed, either. The firmware on the Mobridge might need updating, and you must select the correct vehicle setting in the mObridge software utillity. i.e. Audi, BMW, Merc.

If you want to keep the factory amplifier functional, then you need to remove the mobridge and you can't use it.


Also, the mObridge DA1 preamp only outputs a single stereo optical output. It does not output multichannel sound, so you won't be able to keep a center channel using the mObridge DA1 unless you have an aftermarket DSP with a center channel synthesizer. Alpine makes one, and Helix makes one. Those are about the only companies I can think of right now doing center channel up-mixers.

mObridge does make a unit called the DA3 which is the same thing as a DA1 but with a DSP built-in. I believe the DA3 does multichannel processing, but I am not 100% certain since I have never used one.