janB7

I'm not an audiophile but am looking to improve standard sound. Do NOT plan to do install myself. I've toured the local audio shops and am a little confused.
Can just speakers be replaced and used with OEM amp?
Having listened to several speakers in a few shops, the set up I liked most was JL but was more than I wanted to spend. The proposed system was JL A4300 amp with JL component speakers priced at $299/pr (didn't get model). The shop was pushing the JL Clean Sweep? Is this worthwhile? The extra $300 is really pushing me out of my budget!
Another good local shop was pushing Boston Acoustics. These didn't sound as good as JL but I feel JL were set up in a better sound room. Any comments?

avincar

Points:

1) You do NOT need a Clean Sweep. The Audi B7 HU has the simplest outputs to upgrade of any factory radio anywhere except maybe the old Alpine Lambos. Plenty of info on here about how to do it, but let me suggest that you contact TeddyBGame or go to nsxjr.com and get one of his amp-output harnesses.

2) Do NOT go back to the shop that pitched that to you. They are not familiar with Audi OEM upgrading. Audis are different than most vehicles out there - simpler, but many install shops will treat them as if they are not simpler and charge you for gear and work you do not need. Where are you geographically? Perhaps a member can recommend a shop like ours that really knows Audis...

3) If you have non-Bose, you have an OEM amp on the rears and the sub, but you have deck power on the fronts. This effectively prevents you from getting huge improvements with just speakers. We've actually heard 2006 OEM non-Bose speakers on a real amp (before replacing them) and they sound surprisingly good with a real amp.

4) Boston and JL are mass market. They are not hard to find, but are mid-fi in many respects, and are not terribly good values. Not right or wrong.

5) The cheapest ways to upgrade the sound in your car are to disconnect the center speaker, and to disconnect the OEM subwoofer. Sounds silly, but it's true. They both sound poor.

6) What budget are you working with?

janB7

My last Audi had Bose and I liked the sound. My new car is non-Bose and I would like to get cleaner, more detailed sound.
I live in the Springfield area of western Mass. My budget is not set in stone but I would like to be between $600 - $1,000. I would like to keep upgrade simple as this is a leased car through my work and I will want to remove upgrade equipment and re-install OEM equipment at end of lease. I also use the wagon part of my car with the back seats folded down and therefore do not want sub-woofer boxes in this area.
At this point it appears I need to install 4 channel amp with component speakers in the front and back doors. What do you recommend? What manufacturer?
Which speaker is the "center speaker"?

avincar

Plenty of shops and plenty of Audi owners in your area.

For what you're talking about, I'd like to make a suggestion:

1) Leave the R speakers stock. The payoff is not worth the cost. Put some of that budget into better F speakers and a better amp.

2) Get new front speakers and an amp.

A couple I'd suggest are the DLS UP6 and the Hertz HSK165. These both use stamped frame woofers and will fit that door. The woofers will play better sounding bass than the stock (the DLS MUCH better sounding - those UP6's kick!)You could also listen to the Focals and the MB Quart References but I prefer the ones I recommended.

For an amp, the Zapco Reference 200 is a good affordable amp, as is the DLS CA22. The JLs are not great sounding, and are not cheap, but are very reliable and will last forever. The Zapco I-force are nice but have some turn on thump issues.

3) Disconnect the center dash speaker and the subwoofer (the sub is easy to reconnect, and Ted's harness can disconnect the front/center speakers and removing the harness at the end of the lease term will take care of that).

The only kink is going to be that non-Bose speakers have the spacers integrally molded into the frames. The best way IMO to install new speakers without loads of custom work is to cut the frames - and ruin the speakers. As TJhub posted very recently, replacement F speakers are not expensive at all, so I'd just ruin them and plan on buying replacements.

avincar

Knowledgable guys, owner's a buddy, they've helped AW members before.

TeddyBGame

...on the high end you have:
Sound in motion (alston/Brighton, MA) and
Riches CarTunes (Watertown)

avincar

I hear Rich's won't do it without trying to sell a cleansweep either... SIM might.

janB7

Unfortunately, Milford CT is a long way from me. Milford MA is not too bad, probably a little over an hour. Perhaps my best bet would be to see if I can get a good local shop to sell and install the equipment you recommend.