Hello everybody!

 

I will get my new Skoda Kodiaq 1.5 TSI this week and one of the things I will have to sort it out immediately is how to update its sound system.

I wanted really to go for the Canton (not so much for the quality of its components, but because I would have got the car already properly wired), but I had to take a car already available and registered by the shop, so I could not apply for this option.

 

Question. Does anybody know the official power in output from Bolero sound system?

 

This question is key to understand if :

1. I can go just for new speakers + active subwoofer

2. I will need to introduce a new amplifier/DSP, similarly to the Canton setup.

 

Thank you!

 

Massimo

I also have the Bolero system in my Kodiaq and have been unable to find its power specs.  What I can tell you though is that, while it goes loud enough for me, its output is not very high compared to some of the better OEM systems I’ve had in the past.  The good thing is that the sound is very clean but, like all systems without a subwoofer, it is really lacking in the bass department.
 

Assuming I can find one that fits, I plan to upgrade mine with an under-seat subwoofer as I want to retain all the boot space.

Thank you for the feedback Winston. 

There must be some logic for keeping this information so "secret", I cannot understand why such a basic spec is not openly shared by the manufacturer.

I agree that if stock speakers are decent I will maybe just try to fit an active subwoofer somewhere, even inside the spare wheel (I noticed there are many alternatives like Canton in the market).

Anyway, just to share some info about the topic that can be useful to other people, I have contacted the guys from www.basser.pl because they sell customized woofer boxes for most of the cars, but unfortunately they haven't worked yet on any Kodiaq, so they don't have it available for our car. 

 

Anyone else about Bolero power specifications?

 

Ciao,

 

Massimo

 

I found somewhere online in Boleros manual that un-amplified is 4 x 20W. Actually its about loudspeakers but it is giving some indication... Logic of keeping it secret is that actually that information in built in systems is quite unrelevant for regular customer, who don't give red penny about these clever numbers.  . About new speakers You could check first, what kind of ohms are in use (4 ohms? 6 ohms? 8 ohms?). I remember from old times when i had my first Octavia RS there was 6 ohms and it was really pain in the bottom to find replacements. More easy was add amplifier and then attach proper speakers. Only woofer imho will not be enough, but as different persons have different requirements for sound quality, so never mind my opinion, it will anyway better, then without... 

 

 

 

On 03/02/2020 at 15:16, MaxOrsiniVaraldo said:

Hello everybody!

 

I will get my new Skoda Kodiaq 1.5 TSI this week and one of the things I will have to sort it out immediately is how to update its sound system.

I wanted really to go for the Canton (not so much for the quality of its components, but because I would have got the car already properly wired), but I had to take a car already available and registered by the shop, so I could not apply for this option.

 

Question. Does anybody know the official power in output from Bolero sound system?

 

This question is key to understand if :

1. I can go just for new speakers + active subwoofer

2. I will need to introduce a new amplifier/DSP, similarly to the Canton setup.

 

Thank you!

 

Massimo

I am also interested in an upgrade. I want to go active with better speakers, DSP and sub. I will also have RasPi  as the source.

Hello,

 

as you might have seen from my first message when I created the post I was about to receive the car.

Now that I have been playing with it for more than one month I can definitely state that the stock stereo/speakers sounds better than the one in my previous Superb SW; actually much better I would say, pleasantly surprised.

So in conclusion I have decided I will go for a minimum upgrade, that is just the addition of a subwoofer.

Looking at the less invasive options I have evaluated some models to put in the spare wheel and others to put under the front seats. I am in favor of the ones under the seat, for instance Kenwood KSC-SW11 or Pioneer TS-wx130ea (enough similar in performance and size); I have created a cartoon model of the same size and it fits perfectly under the passenger font seat.

 

Question for the most experts. I will need to wire a power cable from the battery through the engine firewall. Is there any "hole" available/known through the firewall I can exploit?

Otherwise I will go to a car audio shop for the installation....

 

 

What is the required power consumption of the sub woofer?

 

This may be a definite no-go, but if the power draw is low, would it be possible to piggyback off an existing fuse located in the main fuse box behind the glove box?

 

If not, then I would locate the secondary fuse box in the engine bay, it is close to the battery (non-vRS models) and follow the routing of the cables from the fuse box through the bulkhead / firewall and into the cars interior. Chances are this will be just behind the primary fuse box that is situated behind the glove box.

 

Edited 9 March, 20206 yr by silver1011

these are the specifications for the Kenwood:

 

Maximum power output (4Ω)	150W x 1
Low-pass Filter	50~125 Hz
Frequency response (+0dB, -3dB)	35Hz ~ 150Hz
Operating voltage	14.4V (11V ～ 16V allowable)
Maximum current consumption	8.5A

 

I am not really aware if the consumption specified above requires a direct wiring with battery or not.

 

 

Me neither, we'll be best waiting for someone with more electrical system knowledge.

 

The "maximum current consumption" at 8.5A is well within the 2.5A to 30A fuse loads already in use inside the interior fuse box though, so unless we hear different using a piggyback fuse holder (as I did here for my dash camera) could be a potential option...

 

 

Edited 9 March, 20206 yr by silver1011

In all cases thank you so much for your support.

Also the post about Dash Camera installation is great, it provides already a lot of info that will be useful in case I will decide to install everything on my own.

By the way, just ordered the Kenwood online few minutes ago.... so in a way or another I will install it! 🙂

 

8.5A should be fine with a piggy back - just make sure you connect load correct side of the fuse holder.

 

Also -  not sure if the fusebox has individual wires to the fuse (in / out) or if the in is common (would assume it is - or at least partially - a number of supply zones) - if not - then ensure that the fuse you are piggybacking has a high current rating - that way the supplying wire can handle it.

 

 

Hello,

 

I have identified in the fuse box inside the car (under the steering wheel) a fuse that I believe suits well because it is 30A and it is dedicated to heated rear window, that as far as I might remember I have never used in ten years with my previous Skoda. It is the F53 fuse in the picture below.

The only drawback it is that it is "always on", so not connected to ignition key; by the way, also the other fuses with big capacities (from 15A to 30A) are always on. 

 

This shouldn't be a blocking problem because the subwoofer has a (blue/white) cable that can be used just as power switcher and should be connected to the ignition key switch AA position line.

 

The question is, where to take this switch signal? Does the head unit, that I will need to access anyway to take the signals from left/right speakers, have also a cable that might serve the purpose?

 

 

 

 

 

 

P.S. Apologies, I cannot remove the 2nd picture, duplictaed

 

 

Edited 13 March, 20206 yr by MaxOrsiniVaraldo

Anyone for this question?

 

The question is, where to take this power switch signal? Does the head unit, that I will need to access anyway to take the signals from left/right speakers, have also a cable that might serve the purpose?

Almost all dash cam fitters use the blue 15A rear wiper fuse.

 

I too noticed when choosing a fuse to use, that fuses that on all my previous Skoda's were switched live, but for some reason on the Kodiaq were permanent live, as you've discovered. The heated rear window won't operate without the ignition / engine being on, but it seemed to be a permanent live on my Kodiaq i.e. it would supply power to the dash cam with the ignition off.

 

You should definitely find a switched live, it could cause you unwanted battery drain problems in the future if you're connecting electrical items up to permanent lives.

Thank you for the feedback. Ok, I will search better for a suitable fuse that is not permanently live, hoping it exists in the internal fuse-box.

 

Hi

 

I was wondering how you got on with the installation in the end?

 

 

10 minutes ago, tbone134 said:

Hi

 

I was wondering how you got on with the installation in the end?

 

 

Just found the reply regarding installation in another post. Cheers

🙂

 

Anyway, for the people not good at searching like you, worthy to link this post with the one where I have provided more info:

 

 

 

 

Edited 4 May, 20206 yr by MaxOrsiniVaraldo