Hi guys, not sure if anyone has done a direct comparison but Im guessing there would be power and quality advantages of the Amundsen compared to the standard VRS head unit but can anyone confirm this to be the case? Thanks in advance.

I have the amundsen unit and cant complain about the sound, nice and clear with not too much bass and not tinny either. voice quality over bluetooth on calls and mp3 music is all very good and would recommend the unit!

Plus it's only 300 on the vat deal assuming you would go for the maxidot anyway. Bargain

Same amplifer in all the units so the swing will sound no different to the amundsen. Is only bettered on cars where a speaker upgrade is possible (like the Skoda sound system and Dynaudio on the VW's) where you tend to get a dedicated amp and better speakers.

Amundsen is a very average sat nav, doesnt do full postcode searches and has no HDD but it does look nice and is pretty cheap. I personally think you'd be better off with a TomTom or Garmin though.

There are very slight differences as different manufacturers build different units but the amp stages are all the same spec.

I've recently swapped an RCD310 (Swing) to RCD510 (Bolero) in my Passat and other than haing to adjust the treble and bass to slightly different settings they sound exactly the same. I've also had a Passat loan car with RNS510 (Columbus) and again no difference.

VW's Dynaudio speaker upgrade with sub sounds great though and I now wish I'd ticked the box on the options list. Haven't heard the upgrade in Skoda's though.

Interestingly when using VCDS to code in the higher spec head units you have to select VW or Skoda installation, I wonder whether the selection just alters the start screen or whether there are acoustic differences.

Cheers

Lee

Edited 4 April, 201115 yr by logiclee

I didn't think you could get a speaker upgrade for the vRS. Am I wrong on this?

No, you can't.

i think the swing radio sounds quite good tbh

No, you can't.

I really wish they would, i was looking at a scirocco before i decided on the vRS as it had the Dynaudio soundpack as an option but i thought the car was over priced for what it was, im really in to music production so i know from experience that dynaudio do really good monitor speakers, i would have thought that with skoda being a part of VAG that they might do something along the lines but i was wrong

All i can add is the Amundsen sounds good. Integration with the ipod phone is great too. You could probably do with an option of dyno pack/speaker upgrade but for the price of the unit and the car its a decent enough system.

All i can add is the Amundsen sounds good. Integration with the ipod phone is great too. You could probably do with an option of dyno pack/speaker upgrade but for the price of the unit and the car its a decent enough system.

i didnt check the sound out in the car when i test drove it like an idiot, but from what alot of people on here have said then i should be quite happy with it

You don't have to get a vw to get dynaudio speakers. You can buy dynaudio speakers and fit them to any car.

I'll have to check them out then. I just thought they were exclusive to VW

Thanks

You don't have to get a vw to get dynaudio speakers. You can buy dynaudio speakers and fit them to any car.

Yes, you can buy Dynaudio speakers but for me one of the big advantages is that in the VW setup they are already optimised using DSP and a matched amp - in the VW's they sound awesome, probably the best mid range factory system available imo. They are easily a class above the optionsl premium sound system thats available on other Skoda models (like my Yeti). Having things done from the factory so you arent pulling off door panels etc is also a nice advantage for me on a new car. :yes:

Thanks for the headunit quality feedback guys.

Yes, you can buy Dynaudio speakers but for me one of the big advantages is that in the VW setup they are already optimised using DSP and a matched amp - in the VW's they sound awesome, probably the best mid range factory system available imo. They are easily a class above the optionsl premium sound system thats available on other Skoda models (like my Yeti). Having things done from the factory so you arent pulling off door panels etc is also a nice advantage for me on a new car. :yes:

Thanks for the headunit quality feedback guys.

Hi the sound on the amundsen is fine works fine as a audio system,but its a sat nav is terrible I am rural and it cant find a bloody thing,in the process of sorting out with SUK there is no upgrade to the system like they did on the columbus,so hopefully will be getting a Kenwood fitted the one in the new brochure

Hi the sound on the amundsen is fine works fine as a audio system,but its a sat nav is terrible I am rural and it cant find a bloody thing,in the process of sorting out with SUK there is no upgrade to the system like they did on the columbus,so hopefully will be getting a Kenwood fitted the one in the new brochure

Didnt the wk22 build changes include the amundsen being replaced with the amundsen+ unit which included full 7 digit post code search facility? Having said that I had 5 digit only searching on the Columbus for three years before the upgrade and it never really caused me an issue of any sort. I thought the standard stereo in the VRS demo car was 'ok' - a fair audio range but you could hear the sound hardening once the volume went up... im sure it will be adequate though. Bolero and especially Columbus definetly sounded better to my ears but then Ive not heard them in a Fabia for obvious reasons.

Didnt the wk22 build changes include the amundsen being replaced with the amundsen+ unit which included full 7 digit post code search facility? Having said that I had 5 digit only searching on the Columbus for three years before the upgrade and it never really caused me an issue of any sort. I thought the standard stereo in the VRS demo car was 'ok' - a fair audio range but you could hear the sound hardening once the volume went up... im sure it will be adequate though. Bolero and especially Columbus definetly sounded better to my ears but then Ive not heard them in a Fabia for obvious reasons.

Dont think so I got mine in late jan 60 plate,ther is no upgrade forcasted for the amundsen never heard about the amundsen+,does only 6 digit max and because we are rural you need 7 here,the amundsen is designed for europe mainland only will not work in the UK or Denmark,its fine in city's in the UK but not in the outback :wonder:,really works great as a nice thing to look at and intergrates well with the maxi dot,rear parking thingy is awesome to,but my tom tom is way better

Not designed for the UK??! :wonder:

I'll try to find the link to the amundesn + info, sure it was a skoda press release around about the time of the Geneva show.....

Didnt the wk22 build changes include the amundsen being replaced with the amundsen+ unit which included full 7 digit post code search facility? Having said that I had 5 digit only searching on the Columbus for three years before the upgrade and it never really caused me an issue of any sort. I thought the standard stereo in the VRS demo car was 'ok' - a fair audio range but you could hear the sound hardening once the volume went up... im sure it will be adequate though. Bolero and especially Columbus definetly sounded better to my ears but then Ive not heard them in a Fabia for obvious reasons.

Amp stage in a swing unit is no different to that found in the Bolero or Columbus, both are 25w x 4, sound quality is no different. Only the poorer trim quality and accoustics in a Fabia would affect the sound when compared to an Octavia/Superb. That said the Octy's have speakers to the rear of the doors ala MK5 Golf, if they are tuned wth similar accoustics to the Golf MK5 I would imagine they would sound terrible. My MK5 had the poorest factory sound system Ive heard in a long time, MK6 is a massive improvement but still not fantastic. Still not heard many complaints about the Fabia or Octy standard sounds.

.... so hopefully will be getting a Kenwood fitted the one in the new brochure

What brochure? The latest one I have from the website and hard copy from the dealer is 4th January and does not list it. Is there a newer version?

Not designed for the UK??! :wonder:

I'll try to find the link to the amundesn + info, sure it was a skoda press release around about the time of the Geneva show.....

No not designed for the UK as it does not have the 7 digit capability the stealers said this!,if you now check the new brochure it states that it will not work in rural locations!,in the previous brochure it said nothing until you received the car and read the bumff,the new brochure has the new kenwood system that does the 7 digit,hopefully there is a amundsen+ and will do the 7 digits but this lump of brick does not,spoke to john good at customer service this morning and he was not aware of a upgrade or amundsen+ or he would have said so?

There is a separate fabia accessories brochure at the dealers that shows the Kenwood dnx 520 CHT as an optional extra.

I have ordered it for my fabia as it has Bluetooth, full Garmin and full ipod connectivity. Doesn't work with maxi dot seems the only downside.

I will see if I can post a video when I get my car.

Sorry correct model number is dnx 520 vbt

There is a separate fabia accessories brochure at the dealers that shows the Kenwood dnx 520 CHT as an optional extra.

I have ordered it for my fabia as it has Bluetooth, full Garmin and full ipod connectivity. Doesn't work with maxi dot seems the only downside.

I will see if I can post a video when I get my car.

correct will not work with the maxi-dot,however I am not fussed with that I want a sat nav I cant trust

There is a separate fabia accessories brochure at the dealers that shows the Kenwood dnx 520 CHT as an optional extra. I have ordered it for my fabia as it has Bluetooth, full Garmin and full ipod connectivity. Doesn't work with maxi dot seems the only downside.

Ah yes. I downloaded the accessories brochure. No prices though. There seems to be a partial overlap of options and accessories. How much are you paying for the Kenwood?