A6 / S6 (C5 Platform) Discussion Discussion forum for the C5 Audi A6 and S6 produced from 1998-2004

Installing subs?

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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 02:34 PM
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Default Installing subs?

Has anyone installed subs themselves in their A6?

I am not into crazy bass (anymore) but I do like more low end punch then the Bose puts out, and I dont want to ruin the speakers that the car has by pushing too much bass through them.

I have a bazooka tube which pushes just enough to make up the difference, and I wanted to put it in the car. I am installed alot of amps and head units before, but I dont really know where to start with the Bose system in this case.

Any suggestions?
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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 04:08 PM
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Default you can only do a line converter off the stock sub, and put a sub/amp in the trunk

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/5503/sub2.jpg"></center><p>Here is what my 2000 looked like. They used a standard speaker to line level converter off the stock sub speaker wires, and wired the amp to the battery via the interior.

Amp went on a amp board along with crossover.

The bose system is totaly propriatory, so you can't just upgrade the speakers or amp, only both at once.
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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 04:44 PM
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Default as in high to low converter?

for the amp, and run leads to the sub?

THAT sux... but oh well.

I read up on all the Bose issues others have had trying to revamp their sound systems. Real pain in the ***. Fortunately, I like the Bose system, relatively speaking, just need more whoooomp.

BTW, the lil kicker box looks nice in there mr dallas.
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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 05:09 PM
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Default yup - the basic placement of the speakers is not bad

and the mid is not bad. the sub works GREAT! compared to stock.

I jsut did the eibachs on mine today, and spent the money I was going to use for the stereo install on going to Cabo in feb
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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 07:08 PM
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Default cabo huh?

oh man, do enjoy as I am SURE you will!
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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 07:10 PM
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Default hard for me to take long vacations, so I steal 3-4 nighters a lot

help to have a GF who will split everything 50/50
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Old Jan 30, 2003 | 10:57 PM
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Default Not true. Bose and non-Bose head units are the same unit....

All you have to do is code it to turn off the Bose equalization, and it becomes like any head unit.

Rip out the Bose amps and speakers, hook up to the line outs on the head unit, install your own crossover, and you're good to go.

There is no way I would have an unnecessary amplifier and attenuator stage, even in a subwoofer. You can hear the degradation. Besides, why draw even more current than necessary? Just say no to speaker-to-line converters! It's the lazy way that unskilled shops do it.

You can put in a separate bass volume control, or do what I do: design the system to be flat enough that you can set the sub-to-main crossover frequency and gains once, and forget it. Just trim the bass tone control to adjust for recording differences.

(Heck, my home stereo has no tone controls at all, and I never miss it. A flat system makes most recordings sound good. But, in a car, due to background noise, you have to tweak the tone controls for some recordings so that you can hear the quiet bits above the masking curves without blowing out your ears on the loud bits.)<ul><li><a href="http://www.netwiz.net/~jds/files/a6_links.html#audio">http://www.netwiz.net/~jds/files/a6_links.html#audio</a</li></ul>
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Old Jan 31, 2003 | 04:03 AM
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Default very true - but there is nothing incremental you can do

The costs differences to do it are substantial

1. Add sub - low cost
2. Replace all amps speakers and add sub - high cost


And for those of us with a less tuned ear than you, it sounded pretty good!
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Old Jan 31, 2003 | 04:18 AM
  #9  
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Default I agree with everything you stated...

but my goal here is to leave in the stock Bose stereo. Ofcourse I'd rather patch into line-outs off the head unit, but seems like the Bose doesn't have any.

I guess its a PAC line converter to amp. Easy-Cheesy way, but for just a little BASS emphasis, I think it will work fine.

Thanx guys!
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Old Jan 31, 2003 | 11:15 AM
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Default Sounds good in that case. But it does have line outs; not sure if subwoofer line outs, though.

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a4gen2/msgs/91100.phtml">Line out adapter and installation in 2002 A4 (see whole thread)</a>
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