Columbus audio (low line I think)

[dsolds]

Right chaps, I swore this wouldn’t happen, honest!

 

I have a blown speaker in the nsr door, the bass unit, well if you could call it that lol. So I removed the door card to be sure and yes, it’s blown. All scratchy sounding.

 

I was looking for a replacement, just the factory fit one and now I have 72 square feet of sound deadening which arrived today  God knows how that happened.

 

So the HU seems to be the Columbus 510 which is fine, actually sounds quite good. But no amplifier under the seat which I think means it is the low line version, yes?

 

The main question would be, how easy would it be to add a half decent amp? From what I am reading the Columbus can be coded to put out line levels but there’s no sub output. At a guess this is to add the high line amp and the 10 speaker option but line level should drive any amp. I’m just confused as to the actual number of channels, Skoda say 4, the amp labels in google say 10. Which is it? The reason I ask is to understand if they are 10 channels, 1 per speaker, or 4 channels with crossovers in the doors, the wiring basically.

 

Could I, for example, add the factory amp and the high line speakers quite easily?

 

I promised the wife this won’t turn into another complete strip out like the last time I “just” changed the head unit  That became 2 months with no interior except the driver’s seat while it was all sound deadened and a full processed, multi amped system was installed. 3 way active at the front with time alignment. I’m not allowed to go there again apparently, although she did admit it sounded lovely.

 

Ideas please chaps, preferably before she kills me.

 

[wokwon]

I *think*:

 

Lowline: 4 channels from the columbus, crossover (probably just a capacitor across the tweeter) in the door, only 1 pair to each door so you'd need to put a crossover within the door.

Highline (Elegance with the extra amp thing): Wiring to individual speakers in the doors, Tweeter, Mid and Woofer in the front, just Tweeter and Woofer in the rear doors.

 

They don't pre-wire all options, if you have lowline you'll only have 1 pair going to the door (plus the wiring for all the other malarkey in the door).

 

Evidence:

First diagram: Lowline

J503 is the Columbus, the speakers connect directly to it.

 

 

Highline:

J503 is the Columbus again, but this time the speakers are connected to J525 which is the "digital sound package control unit" i.e. the thingy under the seat.  Each speaker has it's own pair from the amplifier.

 

 

[wokwon]

I realise I didn't answer your actual question:

 

Quote

 I’m just confused as to the actual number of channels, Skoda say 4, the amp labels in google say 10. Which is it? The reason I ask is to understand if they are 10 channels, 1 per speaker, or 4 channels with crossovers in the doors, the wiring basically.

 

Even with the digital amp thingy, there are only 4 channels from the Columbus to the digital amp.  The amp has a built in crossover and individual wiring to the speakers.  The amp also has a can-bus connection that performs at least power control (i.e turn off or on) and probably other stuff like changing EQ etc from the Columbus.

 

Without the digital amp, still 4 channels, just directly connected to the Columbus.  If you code for line level output, you'll get 4 channels line level output.  There are 3rd party tricky boxes that can generate more channels from this (e.g. a center and sub) and perform proper EQ (using sampling microphones etc).  I've not used any of them, I just came across them when looking to improve the audio and never got past the 'looking' stage.

 

Also be aware that the tweeter in the doors is heat-staked on, not held in with screws.  So if you're considering replacing it, it'll be a one way trip.

 

[dsolds]

8 hours ago, wokwon said:

Even with the digital amp thingy, there are only 4 channels from the Columbus to the digital amp.  The amp has a built in crossover and individual wiring to the speakers.  The amp also has a can-bus connection that performs at least power control (i.e turn off or on) and probably other stuff like changing EQ etc from the Columbus.

 

Without the digital amp, still 4 channels, just directly connected to the Columbus.  If you code for line level output, you'll get 4 channels line level output. 

 

8 hours ago, wokwon said:

I *think*:

 

Lowline: 4 channels from the columbus, crossover (probably just a capacitor across the tweeter) in the door, only 1 pair to each door so you'd need to put a crossover within the door.

Highline (Elegance with the extra amp thing): Wiring to individual speakers in the doors, Tweeter, Mid and Woofer in the front, just Tweeter and Woofer in the rear doors.

 

They don't pre-wire all options, if you have lowline you'll only have 1 pair going to the door (plus the wiring for all the other malarkey in the door).

 

Many thanks for this, much appreciated. The diagrams help loads as well, but the info given means I can probably do what I want very easily.

 

The low line only having a single wire pair into each door means I can replace the actual speakers with something more sensitive, higher quality, and I can fit a proper crossover in the door. This really ought to improve the sound quality a lot based on what I can see of the factory fit units.

 

If that ends up being no good I can add an aftermarket amp but hopefully I won't have to go there.