Happy Christmas all!

 

Looking to use my VAG OEM microphone that is already installed with my new aftermarket (Sony) head unit... the sony has a 3.5mm mic in... and the skoda one is on the proprietary VAG connector... The Sony unit does come with a microphone that I can use - but my god is it big and ugly looking! 

 

I was wondering if there was a way of adapting the connector on the end of the VAG OEM mic, to a 3.5mm plug, so I can use it with my new head unit? Does anyone have a photo of the connector, or know the pin out? I assume it is just a plus/ minus/ ground (common) - but being VAG I could be wrong. If that is the case - I can just chop the connector off and attach a new one on...

 

Any help would be appreciated!

 

Hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas day!

 

 

 

G.

You can get them with the 3.5mm adapter already attached:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Spare-Microphone-for-VW-Seat-SKODA-Ceiling-Light-Basic-Basic-plus-3-5mm-Jack/1019234156

 

Nice - thanks for that @Nathanio. Has anyone had any experience running these from the central light console to the radio?

33 minutes ago, gr0m1t said:

Nice - thanks for that @Nathanio. Has anyone had any experience running these from the central light console to the radio?

 

I've fitted a dash cam which sorta required similar access. I also did my wife's fabia Bluetooth. 

 

Remove the cover over the mic area, run the mic in and then run it down the left hand side. Easier to get to the back of the headunit. 

 

The side panels of the a pillar just pulls off. 

So - just to confirm... down the passenger side? And under/ behind the glovebox? Had a bit of a look at running behind the glovebox the other day - looks like hard work, am I wrong?

 

 

 

 

I've not done a superb to the rear of the headunit. No steering column or pedals on the passenger side to worry about. 

Thanks for your help @Nathanio

I know this question is quite old but I have seen similar questions on other forums and I had the same problem in my vw tiguan when installing an aftermarket headunit.
The oem microphone is an active one and not compatible with aftermarket head units. The disadvantage of using a passive one (like the Nathanio suggested) is that the sound quality and sensitivity is quite bad if you install it in the overhead console.
My solution was two add an extra (oem) cable running from the microphone to the headunit with a special adapter I created that will power the microphone. The original cable is still connected to the old bluetooth module but not connected anymore to the microphone.

        +---------------------------- (5 Volts) power supply (from usb or 12v to 5v converter)
        |
       2k2 R1
        |
        o------[+] 10uF ----o----- output
        |+                          |
     CAPSULE (mic)      10k R2
        |-                           |
        +----------------------o----- GND, and battery -ve  

This will power the microphone and filter out the signal for the head-unit

On 20/06/2022 at 12:18, xact64 said:

I know this question is quite old but I have seen similar questions on other forums and I had the same problem in my vw tiguan when installing an aftermarket headunit.
The oem microphone is an active one and not compatible with aftermarket head units. The disadvantage of using a passive one (like the Nathanio suggested) is that the sound quality and sensitivity is quite bad if you install it in the overhead console.
My solution was two add an extra (oem) cable running from the microphone to the headunit with a special adapter I created that will power the microphone. The original cable is still connected to the old bluetooth module but not connected anymore to the microphone.

        +---------------------------- (5 Volts) power supply (from usb or 12v to 5v converter)
        |
       2k2 R1
        |
        o------[+] 10uF ----o----- output
        |+                          |
     CAPSULE (mic)      10k R2
        |-                           |
        +----------------------o----- GND, and battery -ve  

This will power the microphone and filter out the signal for the head-unit

Hi @xact64This looks great.  Do you think you could knock up an adapter for me?  I'd be happy to pay.

Damian

On 20/06/2022 at 21:18, xact64 said:

I know this question is quite old but I have seen similar questions on other forums and I had the same problem in my vw tiguan when installing an aftermarket headunit.
The oem microphone is an active one and not compatible with aftermarket head units. The disadvantage of using a passive one (like the Nathanio suggested) is that the sound quality and sensitivity is quite bad if you install it in the overhead console.
My solution was two add an extra (oem) cable running from the microphone to the headunit with a special adapter I created that will power the microphone. The original cable is still connected to the old bluetooth module but not connected anymore to the microphone.

        +---------------------------- (5 Volts) power supply (from usb or 12v to 5v converter)
        |
       2k2 R1
        |
        o------[+] 10uF ----o----- output
        |+                          |
     CAPSULE (mic)      10k R2
        |-                           |
        +----------------------o----- GND, and battery -ve  

This will power the microphone and filter out the signal for the head-unit

Hi. I am trying to achieve what you described in my 2011 Octavia RS.
Did you run a second cable from the overhead microphone to the head unit or cut and re-terminate the existing cable from the mic? I have located the mic cable where it connects to the connection block that went into the original RNS510. Not sure whether to cut it or run another cable from the mic itself. 
I have made up the circuit you posted and now need to find a 5 volt source. The rest should be straightforward enough. 
I would appreciate any advice you could offer. 
Cheers, Michael. 

I did run a second cable to the overhead microphone because I didn't want the destroy the possibility to go back to an OEM solution but more importantly because my cable was not going to my HU but to the Telephone module underneath the passenger seat. My HU does have a 5v output but I chose to not rely on the output of the HU so I used a 12v to 5v converter (aliexpress) that I hooked into the 12v ACC of the car (behind the HU)
 

On 19/07/2023 at 21:05, xact64 said:

I did run a second cable to the overhead microphone because I didn't want the destroy the possibility to go back to an OEM solution but more importantly because my cable was not going to my HU but to the Telephone module underneath the passenger seat. My HU does have a 5v output but I chose to not rely on the output of the HU so I used a 12v to 5v converter (aliexpress) that I hooked into the 12v ACC of the car (behind the HU)
 

Was there any difficulty feeding the new cable from the mic to the HU? Just wondering how you went about it, i.e. route and any tricks to help feeding it through.
Also where did you tap the 12 volt DC  supply from for the 12 to 5 volt converter. I have ordered one from Aliexpress. 

Thanks 🙏 

I didn't mind removing the trims to do so but I did need a long "stick" to feed the cable through the headlining.
From what I remember I added a female power connector (and a male power connector on my mic adapter)  to the adapter cable between the HU and the car.

So I tried to measure the OE micropohone, it only uses 2 wires, impednace seems quite high to me.

I do not understand the logic of the  described schema, if it is supposed to feed voltage to the microphone? Do the OEM units do the same thing?

On 14/04/2024 at 19:22, evlo said:

So I tried to measure the OE micropohone, it only uses 2 wires, impednace seems quite high to me.

I do not understand the logic of the  described schema, if it is supposed to feed voltage to the microphone? Do the OEM units do the same thing?

Ditto, how are you @xact64 applying the 5v to the output line *before* the capacitor? Are you saying your mic is a 3 wire mic? Or did you hack the original plastic housing open to run the third (5v) cable? Able to confirm part number at all?

 

The one I commonly see is 3B0035711B which applies to a metric ****-tonne of VAG cars from 1999 to present (2024) including all Tiguans I believe - but this is a 2-wire mic? So how would this get it's 5v prior to the capacitor via the stock setups? I'm guessing this part number matches yours @evlo ?

 

Thanks for any help!

Alright after spending the last few days learning about electret microphones I now understand the wiring diagram except... What is that 10k resistor bridging + to - all about?

Ok after reading some more all the wiring makes sense now, looking forward to wiring mine up and seeing how it compares.

 

@xact64 how did the mic sound quality compare to the one that comes with the unit? 

Can you please share the resource or what you found exactly?

3 hours ago, evlo said:

Can you please share the resource or what you found exactly?

FYI my knowledge on electricity and electronics isn't the best. I only ever learn enough to accomplish what I'm trying to do I've mostly just been reading any articles or useful forum posts I found via Google about electret mics as well as YT vids. Ended up watching a small series of vids by the former head of design of Rode mics which helped. As well as people actually wiring them with real stuff which helped a lot.

 

My initial confusion was... if using the "+" wire to send +5v to power the mic then where the hell does the voice signal come down from? I'd expect to see 3 pins and indeed 3 pin electret mics do exist but most seem to be 2 including the VW one made by Paragon so wtf.. I then perhaps figured the voltage feed would need to go on one side of the mic and then the other side would be the signal but nope, and that would involve having to open the casing which @xact64 doesn't mention..

 

And the answer is these amazing little things do indeed receive voltage and provide voice signal on the same "+" wire. (This is *not* the same as "phantom power" that you may read about for other types of mics.) So all them gubbins you see in the diagram (the 12v to 5v DC converter, 2k2 resistor, 10uf capacitor and optional 10k resistor bridging "+" and "-") are in fact wired inline! Between the mics 2 wires and where they eventually plug into your headunit - you just splice em in.

 

At some point any units using this mic *must* be doing the same thing - just internally on their circuit boards rather than on the outside. I'd love to see the circuit board of one of these units to confirm what voltage/caps/resistors VAG use. Maybe they differ them slightly to match different cabin sizes or mic placements. Be also interesting to get a datasheet off Paragon for the mic itself and see if they suggest any particular topology.

 

There's other bits I've learned about this but can't imagine anyone's much interested

Hi, im trying to use the original VAG mic in an aftermarket android radio. 

 

Your info and help was very important to understand how the mic works. 

 

So if I understand well this is the schematic to wiring the original mic to an aftermarket unit. 

 

Is that correct, @xact64? ? 

 

@homerj can you finally adapt the original micro to the aftermarket head unit?? 

 

 

On 18/02/2025 at 14:06, Huntikhtk said:

Hi, im trying to use the original VAG mic in an aftermarket android radio. 

 

Your info and help was very important to understand how the mic works. 

 

So if I understand well this is the schematic to wiring the original mic to an aftermarket unit. 

 

Is that correct, @xact64? ? 

 

@homerj can you finally adapt the original micro to the aftermarket head unit?? 

 

 

Sorry only just seen this. I did buy all the bits needed but haven't had time to make the loom yet.

On 20/06/2022 at 14:18, xact64 said:

I know this question is quite old but I have seen similar questions on other forums and I had the same problem in my vw tiguan when installing an aftermarket headunit.
The oem microphone is an active one and not compatible with aftermarket head units. The disadvantage of using a passive one (like the Nathanio suggested) is that the sound quality and sensitivity is quite bad if you install it in the overhead console.
My solution was two add an extra (oem) cable running from the microphone to the headunit with a special adapter I created that will power the microphone. The original cable is still connected to the old bluetooth module but not connected anymore to the microphone.

        +---------------------------- (5 Volts) power supply (from usb or 12v to 5v converter)
        |
       2k2 R1
        |
        o------[+] 10uF ----o----- output
        |+                          |
     CAPSULE (mic)      10k R2
        |-                           |
        +----------------------o----- GND, and battery -ve  

This will power the microphone and filter out the signal for the head-unit

hello... Huntikhtk asked about schematic....but no answer!