Audio upgrade

[camelspyyder]

Jon, the Manual for the Amundsen+ is linked at the top post in Rapid Forums

[Stormchaser]

Great pictures thanks

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JonBRapid]

Jon, the Manual for the Amundsen+ is linked at the top post in Rapid Forums

Thanks, good to read but didn't tell me if it has an aux out or optical out put. I'm wondering how to connect the amp. After the engine whine last time I'm after a better way then high level/speaker level out puts!

[NigNB]

Just what I was after dukedl, thank you very much.

Much appreciated,

[dukedl]

no problemos

i'll take a few more pictures this week when i'll get time for installation if anyone will need them. :strong:  :clap: :sun:

[dukedl]

for your viewing pleasure: http://imgur.com/a/763Uv/all (did take a few snaps during installation)

ordered from http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/RAPID/Rapid-rear-doors-loudspeaker-set-original-Skoda-Autoas-product

 

installation is simple (you get a book with instructions)..i just did not follow it to the letter..instructions say, that the cable bundle from radio to the b pillar should go beside the middle car tunnel, but for that you'll have to dismantle the whole car (seats taken out, all carpets, etc)..so i took the wires on both sides from b pillar to the front under the door sill plastic covers (there are also other cables there)..

 

then i just changed byte 2 with vcds from 02 to 04 and the speakers came to life.

 

speakers work like a charm and it sounds much better now (those who have 6 speakers know what am i talking about)

so i am happy with the upgrade and it was fun doing it

 

 

 

[JonBRapid]

for your viewing pleasure: http://imgur.com/a/763Uv/all (did take a few snaps during installation)

ordered from http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/RAPID/Rapid-rear-doors-loudspeaker-set-original-Skoda-Autoas-product

 

installation is simple (you get a book with instructions)..i just did not follow it to the letter..instructions say, that the cable bundle from radio to the b pillar should go beside the middle car tunnel, but for that you'll have to dismantle the whole car (seats taken out, all carpets, etc)..so i took the wires on both sides from b pillar to the front under the door sill plastic covers (there are also other cables there)..

 

then i just changed byte 2 with vcds from 02 to 04 and the speakers came to life.

 

speakers work like a charm and it sounds much better now (those who have 6 speakers know what am i talking about)

so i am happy with the upgrade and it was fun doing it

 

I have/had 6 speakers in mine and I have to say they don't sound great. I'm personally going to ditch the rear speakers and have an active system where the tweeters, mids and sub each have a dedicated amplifier channel in order to have more control over the 2.1 stereo system. I find rear speakers mess with the sound stage.

 

BUT the pictures are GREAT!!! on a scale of 1 being easy and 10 being hard, how did you find it?

 

I'll leave them in the rear doors but that they won't used.

Edited 27 August, 2015 by JonBRapid

[dukedl]

it would say about 3..i took all the time i needed, no rush and just went with it. with a help of my friend

 

but i did have detailed skoda rapid service manual from https://erwin.skoda-auto.cz/ so i did know how are panels connected, where are wires, etc

 

for me they sound great and i'm happy with the result and money/time spent

[JonBRapid]

it would say about 3..i took all the time i needed, no rush and just went with it. with a help of my friend

 

but i did have detailed skoda rapid service manual from https://erwin.skoda-auto.cz/ so i did know how are panels connected, where are wires, etc

 

for me they sound great and i'm happy with the result and money/time spent

No, your right, FairPlay... sounds well thought through and looks like it was good. Sound is a subjective area so each to their own.

[SaxophoneMn]

It looks my car came didn't come with back door speakers.  For those that added speakers into the back doors was there already wiring to add a speaker or did you have to run new wires from amp/head unit?

[dukedl]

It looks my car came didn't come with back door speakers.  For those that added speakers into the back doors was there already wiring to add a speaker or did you have to run new wires from amp/head unit?

 

VAG does not put extra wires anywhere. You'll have to run (new) wires from HU

[SaxophoneMn]

That's just lovely.  I installed a 4 channel amp, and was trying to figure out why the backs weren't working, it seems now that it might be more worthwhile to wire 6x9s on the parcel shelf instead of futzing with the wiring all the way through the doors to go down the middle of the car.  Are there any stencils that people use to cut into the shelf?

[JonBRapid]

That's just lovely.  I installed a 4 channel amp, and was trying to figure out why the backs weren't working, it seems now that it might be more worthwhile to wire 6x9s on the parcel shelf instead of futzing with the wiring all the way through the doors to go down the middle of the car.  Are there any stencils that people use to cut into the shelf?

I know sound is a personal thing but why do you want rear speakers? I'm just upgrading my front 6.5" Components and adding a sub, so no rear speakers!

[eyegr]

Go for ovals on the parcel shelf if you can. Way better sound.

[JonBRapid]

Go for ovals on the parcel shelf if you can. Way better sound.

I'm wondering if you've ever looked at how your ears work. I can't imagine speakers that are behind you will ever sound as good as ones that are in front of you - I believe it's called sound stage or stereo imaging. Being able to hear the whole sound and where each instrument is placed. Honestly if you get the chance to hear a quality system then you'll be converted. I also realise that a car is an awful enviroment with lost of glass that reflects and affects the sound. Don't get me wrong I have a 6.1 surround sound system for movies but I listen to music in 2.1... It is a personal thing though!

[eyegr]

I'm wondering if you've ever looked at how your ears work. I can't imagine speakers that are behind you will ever sound as good as ones that are in front of you - I believe it's called sound stage or stereo imaging. Being able to hear the whole sound and where each instrument is placed. Honestly if you get the chance to hear a quality system then you'll be converted. I also realise that a car is an awful enviroment with lost of glass that reflects and affects the sound. Don't get me wrong I have a 6.1 surround sound system for movies but I listen to music in 2.1... It is a personal thing though!

I won't argue with you, as the matter is quite subjective, but the main advantage of putting a speaker in the shelf is that you have no restriction on its size, as you have in the door. The door is an awful place for a speaker btw, it is way lower than your ears, while the shelf is at the exact hight.

 

Anyway, my earlier post was a personal opinion, should have made that clear enough.

[harisma23]

Actually there is the wrong way and the right way and that is not a personal opinion!

The right way is a set of components for the front speakers (components so as to have at least the tweeter at the right height) and nothing or just a sub (for the lowest frequencies) at the back.

The wrong way is installing speakers in the back doors or the shelf. Why? To cut a long story short, beacuse stereo material is meant to be heard facing the music from the two front speakers. You might like the pseudo-surround effect of the music coming from all around you, but it is just not right, in the same way that a photo with over-saturated colors is inaccurate.

Edited 29 December, 2015 by harisma23

[chrisgreen]

Rear speakers in the rear doors help improve the listening experience for passengers in the back of the car. That's why they are fitted!

It is a shame that some members on here were sold cars with front speakers only - rather barbaric in this day and age that a major car maker would still produce such poverty-spec models. Even Dacia includes a 4-speaker set-up in its cheap cars. However, reinstating the rear speakers, in the doors rather than molesting the parcel shelf, will improve the audio experience in the car and help the resale value of the car come trade=in/private sale time.

[JonBRapid]

Rear speakers in the rear doors help improve the listening experience for passengers in the back of the car. That's why they are fitted!

It is a shame that some members on here were sold cars with front speakers only - rather barbaric in this day and age that a major car maker would still produce such poverty-spec models. Even Dacia includes a 4-speaker set-up in its cheap cars. However, reinstating the rear speakers, in the doors rather than molesting the parcel shelf, will improve the audio experience in the car and help the resale value of the car come trade=in/private sale time.

I disagree with the premise that rear speakers will help the resale value... as do the http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/ when it comes to insurance value of a vehicle. Having worked in the automotive industry in the past I can say that it does not add to the value - it is all based on a standard car and with the rapid standard in the early models was front speakers only (usually components which would be classed as a 4 speaker configuration - I would say its a 2 speaker but thats my opinion). 

 

Also I never saw any of the sales team check the stereo in the part exchanges! In fact on a few occasions have had to deal with the issue of having radios not working!

 

Anyway its the age old argument about stereos, Toyota/Mark Levison audio upgrade sounds very good and is a multi speaker set up but I guess i'm getting old and want a simple 2.1 system!

[SaxophoneMn]

For those who put a subwoofer in the back, did you find an enclosure that fits special in the trunk/boot that keeps the speaker out of the way, or did you just keep the sub in a corner?

[JonBRapid]

For those who put a subwoofer in the back, did you find an enclosure that fits special in the trunk/boot that keeps the speaker out of the way, or did you just keep the sub in a corner?

Couldn't find one that fits in the wheel arch recess and to get one made would cost more than I can justify at present. Could have put one in the spare wheel well - there is loads of room there! I have a rubber boot liner so no point for me to put it there! In the end I bought a small 8" Alpine type-g in a box that fits in the corner and is ample for my desire for a better sound (not in to spl and HUGE BASS). I say all of that but having had our old white rapid written off by a rubish Truck, my wife has said not yet to me installing it in our black rapid. Not had the time either...

[SaxophoneMn]

I'm thinking between the 8" kicker - http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_21933_Kicker-C84-10C84.html and the 10" MTX Terminator - https://www.mtx.com/terminator-tn10-04-mtx-10-150-watt-rms-4-ohm-car-subwoofer.  The amp I have has a 90W channel for a subwoofer.  Not looking to spend a lot, it seems that an 8" might sneak better inside the wheel recess area.

[JonBRapid]

Been a long time but finally I'm upgrading the audio in my black rapid

[JonBRapid]

Oh how I'm enjoying the new audio... It wasn't all that bad before but is so much better now. Below are the OEM speakers the mids are rated at 30W and the tweeters at 20W for anyone interested.

 

So I visited Mark and the team at Oxford Car Audio (OCA), it was really funny (probably not for them) when I arrived their alarm was going crazy and they couldn't switch it off (alarms hey, who actually hears them and does anything!). 

 

Having discussed different options over the phone and email I was unsure exactly which route to go...

 

In the end I went for JL Audio C3-650's in the front doors.

Sound deadened the inner and outer door skins and went with MDF rings in factory placement.

I already had a few amps (I'll come back to those later!) but I wanted this to sound fantastic, I'm getting older, have two children and lots of other things going on so this needed to be a place I can enjoy. To help with that OCA supplied me with an Audison BIT 10D. Having had the old kit fitted very poorly by a mobile fitter local to me I didn't want anything to whine or go wrong, the BIT 10  has a time on/off delay so there is no popping as the car checks what speakers are there and functioning - these skoda are clever! It also use high level inputs from the RNS 315 Amundsen+ Nav and does this de-equalisation thing, it then lets me control each speaker (both tweeters, mids and sub) individually for crossover points, time alignment, levels and a 31 band eq... It's like having an audio mixing desk in your car! I'd highly recommend the Audison Bit10d!

 

To power each speaker I had a few old amps that I'd bought over the years. An old Alpine MRV-F340 powers the fronts, its a four channel amp so a channel per speaker, I was hoping to use my first and well loved Rockford Fosgate Punch 120a2 to power my alpine 8" sub but all the years sat in my garage hadn't been kind so so when we powered everything up it sounded aweful so out came a new Alpine MRV-M500 - a completely over powering amp for the sub but leaves loads of headroom and opportunity to upgrade my sub if I ever want to in the future (not that I can see when I'll be able to afford it or need to, the 8" sounds sweet).  

 

So it's all in and sounds good but I think I'll be spending hours if not days tweaking it to perfection...

 

I need to head back to OCA to get a couple of little things sorted (the controller for the bit10 keeps falling down and I want to check a few settings) otherwise great job and really friendly team, I just wish it wasn't an hour away!!! 

 

https://goo.gl/photos/fuu8sZQaAxgK6Wu19

[chrisgreen]

That seems like a lot of effort to go to just to listen to The Archers?

Not sold on losing boot space to a speaker (unless you can open the boot and use the bass for an extra 20bhp of boost), but I do agree that replacing the interior speakers with something less primitive (and lining the doors with dynomat) can only be a good thing.