Different Bass/Treble settings

[MrPhilly]

Seriously though, I do consider the Golf system to be reasonable quality..

Hello again,

I think you've just hit the nail on the head. It's a reasonable quality system. The competition has upped their game and in some respects, left VW behind.

For example - Before it was written off, I had a 2 month old Focus Titanium which featured the latest Sony Audio system. That system was lovely to listen to. It had beautiful clarity with no distortion or door card rattle.

Now, when you compare the price of the Focus against the Golf, you expect a little more - At least I was, anyway. Having had Fords for 17 odd years, I saw the aility to buy a Golf as a step up in the automotive world so you can imagine a little bit of disappointment when comparing like for like, as it were.

Recognise your comments about the home system. I know you'll appreciate this - I have a Naim Set-up at home. There's something to be said about having to turn on your amp 30 minutes before you want to listen to a piece of music! I also recognise your comments about the Door Cards!

I do spend a lot of time in my car. It's a month old and already got 3600miles on it. I can see your points about not spending the money on Car Audio and believe me, I do subscribe to them too but speaker upgrades that allow for a better clarity sound would relieve a lot!

[GDEvans]

Recognise your comments about the home system. I know you'll appreciate this - I have a Naim Set-up at home. There's something to be said about having to turn on your amp 30 minutes before you want to listen to a piece of music! I also recognise your comments about the Door Cards!

I know what you mean, but why on earth would you want to turn you home system off???!!! My digital preamp runs hotter than my power amps, and only consumes 2W less power in standby compared to when switched on! I reckon that's down to the red 'off' LED consuming less power than the green 'on' one! They have only fitted the power button to keep the environmentalists happy.

[W8_JP]

Hello again,

I think you've just hit the nail on the head. It's a reasonable quality system. The competition has upped their game and in some respects, left VW behind.

For example - Before it was written off, I had a 2 month old Focus Titanium which featured the latest Sony Audio system. That system was lovely to listen to. It had beautiful clarity with no distortion or door card rattle.

Now, when you compare the price of the Focus against the Golf, you expect a little more - At least I was, anyway. Having had Fords for 17 odd years, I saw the aility to buy a Golf as a step up in the automotive world so you can imagine a little bit of disappointment when comparing like for like, as it were.

Recognise your comments about the home system. I know you'll appreciate this - I have a Naim Set-up at home. There's something to be said about having to turn on your amp 30 minutes before you want to listen to a piece of music! I also recognise your comments about the Door Cards!

I do spend a lot of time in my car. It's a month old and already got 3600miles on it. I can see your points about not spending the money on Car Audio and believe me, I do subscribe to them too but speaker upgrades that allow for a better clarity sound would relieve a lot!

Sorry to jump in here, but given that you spend so much time in your car & that you obviously appreciate high-end audio, why not upgrade the whole system? It doesn't have to cost the earth for a worthwhile improvement.

I know having a stock system would drive me nuts, especially on those long drives on the mortorway when a lot of OEM equipment struggles to counter the road & wind noise!

[Juancho]

Hi All,
I completely agree that the VW system may well be better that say a Ford’s. I don’t have much inter car comparisons to go by. I recently moved from to Toyotas back to VWs and their systems were much more pleasant, mainly due to the lack of those terrible front door mid range speakers that really screech on my Golf Mk5. But, as noted, this was much worse on the I Pod adaptor than radio or cd. So I’m really saying it’s a shame VW spoil a ship for ha’pence of tar!

In my spare time I build and sell hi end valve amps and also have owned /own some hi end transistor gear so I do have a fussy ear. But my motivation for upgrading this time around is mainly that I now spend 4 hours in the car every day, so that’s where the bulk of my listening is done. And my £1,000 system sounds very damn good indeed!

That was the pint of my upgrade route. You can spend a little-new front door speakers-or take it all the way up to new rears and fronts + amp and head unit. As for security, that’s not really a problem. Nobody can see the speakers. The amp is also hidden under a front seat, and the front pops off the Alpine head unit.

I don’t get any door panel or trim rattles. The stuff to stop the metal door panels rattling is called Dynamat and is sold at the rip off price of £25 per door. Cheaper alternatives are sheets of the same stuff (no brand name) sold for hi fi use in the back of hi fi mags or the internet.

To take off the door panels, do the following. Remove four Torx screws. ! 1 by mirror. 3 on base of door Pull off the two door handles. These come off sideways. Be gentle. Under each handle are two big Torx screws to be removed. Carefully prise off door popping out the pop locators (around 5 in total). The panel can then be eased upwards and off. Be careful at this point not to let it drop. Then release the wire to the mid speaker on the door trim and the wire that goes to the window switches etc. Then look carefully at the door catch cable. Release the plastic spring clamp and the cable pops off. The panel is now free.

Before replacing, make sure you remove the pop studs from the door and insert back into the door panel receptacles. Then do everything in reverse. It’s not really as difficult as it sounds and the following link for a Mk 4 is very similar and may be helpful.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=961163


Have fun!
David

[MrPhilly]

Sorry to jump in here, but given that you spend so much time in your car & that you obviously appreciate high-end audio, why not upgrade the whole system? It doesn't have to cost the earth for a worthwhile improvement.

I know having a stock system would drive me nuts, especially on those long drives on the mortorway when a lot of OEM equipment struggles to counter the road & wind noise!

- I need to keep it discreet.. The wife would notice.

And of course, that would mean

[descb600f]

Have to say my local ICE dealer installed new composite into my front doors for £30.
Well worth vs the effort and possibility of knackering the dor cards trying to get them off when im trying to remove them before I have removed all the srews.

[Juancho]

Hi Des,
Are you saying you replaced the VW six speaker system with £30 composites? If so, was that an inprovement?

The mid unit is bad but I didn't think it was that bad......
Juancho

[descb600f]

Hi Des,
Are you saying you replaced the VW six speaker system with £30 composites? If so, was that an inprovement?

The mid unit is bad but I didn't think it was that bad......
Juancho

No sorry My Local ice shop charged me £30 to install.
It cost me £300 including a Stealth shelf at £90. and 6x9's in the shelf so the speakers cost me £180 but you could get them cheaper through the internet but I bought them through the Ice shop.

I think I could have got the same speakers for £150 online.

I could let you know what I got when I get home I'm at work at the minute

EDIT:
The sound is much better
EDIT

[natz]

cds do have a higher dynamic range which would explain why they sound more punchy if that helps.

[Juancho]

Hi Natz,
I'm afraid your comment 'cds do have a higher dynamic range which would explain why they sound more punchy if that helps' doesn't mean anything. A higher dymanic range than what? Than FM radio sure. Than an I Pod? It depends what you are running. If you use as I do Apple Lossless or Wav files then the dynamic range is as good as CD. The modded I Pod, or an Alpine Head Unit that has an in built DAC playing such sound files also sounds better-punchier more dymanic-than many a CD player on the market.
Juancho