GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

Helix Soundbox Upgrade Information Post!

C

copperbricks

Ready to race!
Location
Ohio
southpawboston said:
The harness that came with my Helix did not require as separate attachment to ground, nor provided one. It utilized the stock ground wire going to the infotainment unit, and ran the ground all the way to the amp via the harness.
Click to expand...

Yup disregard me, I got mixed up with the AUX adapter I just installed in an older MK4.
 
mk717

mk717

Ready to race!
Location
Camp Hill, PA
Car(s)
2016 A3 Quattro
Can anyone tell me if I can buy the pins and the harness for the power wires for the helix sub? I got a free sub with the wiring from a buddy but whoever installed it for him in his previous car some how spliced the yellow and black wires in cutting off the pins and harness.

Note: image is from a screenshot of a you tube install video.
 

Attachments

  • helix.jpg
    helix.jpg
    126.7 KB · Views: 562
southpawboston

southpawboston

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Somerville, MA
MK717 said:
Can anyone tell me if I can buy the pins and the harness for the power wires for the helix sub? I got a free sub with the wiring from a buddy but whoever installed it for him in his previous car some how spliced the yellow and black wires in cutting off the pins and harness.

Note: image is from a screenshot of a you tube install video.
Click to expand...

Drop by any auto electronics installation shop and ask them, any shop worth its salt should have these stocked and will probably give you two just for the asking.
 
StealthGTI

StealthGTI

Autocross Champion
Location
Newport News, VA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
I got my hands on a Helix demo switch that allows me to switch between "Original" and "Helix" sound. It's almost always in Helix mode, but I thought the novelty of hearing a before and after sample would be cool, even if only briefly. I don't have it installed yet, but I did plug it in to have a listen.

I shared the difference with a coworker. I started with it in the "Original" position. "That actually sounds okay," he said. Then I switched it to "Helix." "Oh, WOW! That's a big difference," he immediately exclaimed. He became more and more impressed as the song continued and we switched back and forth between the modes. I was playing Devin Townsend's "Higher," which has a good range between bass and acoustic highs. Of course, my Rockford Fosgate subwoofer reached lows that cannot be touched by the factory speakers.

As we exited the car, he finished by saying "I feel like something's been missing from my life." :D That was funny!
 
mk717

mk717

Ready to race!
Location
Camp Hill, PA
Car(s)
2016 A3 Quattro
StealthGTI said:
I got my hands on a Helix demo switch that allows me to switch between "Original" and "Helix" sound. It's almost always in Helix mode, but I thought the novelty of hearing a before and after sample would be cool, even if only briefly. I don't have it installed yet, but I did plug it in to have a listen.

I shared the difference with a coworker. I started with it in the "Original" position. "That actually sounds okay," he said. Then I switched it to "Helix." "Oh, WOW! That's a big difference," he immediately exclaimed. He became more and more impressed as the song continued and we switched back and forth between the modes. I was playing Devin Townsend's "Higher," which has a good range between bass and acoustic highs. Of course, my Rockford Fosgate subwoofer reached lows that cannot be touched by the factory speakers.

As we exited the car, he finished by saying "I feel like something's been missing from my life." :D That was funny!
Click to expand...
You're running the Helix setup with a different sub?

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
C

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
I'm running a much simpler setup overall, but heavily inspired by StealthGTI. Helix with the sub outputs going to an AudioControl LC2i (which needs some adjustment still) that feeds an aftermarket amp/sub. Built a small amp rack and using a sub box from Uberstealth Audio with a 12" sub. All under the hatch floor. I love it and my wife approves.

I'm running Anderson Powerpoles to quickly disconnect the sub and allow me to pull the box out if I need to access the spare. The spare will come out without removing the amp rack.


Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 
mk717

mk717

Ready to race!
Location
Camp Hill, PA
Car(s)
2016 A3 Quattro
Cuzoe said:
I'm running a much simpler setup overall, but heavily inspired by StealthGTI. Helix with the sub outputs going to an AudioControl LC2i (which needs some adjustment still) that feeds an aftermarket amp/sub. Built a small amp rack and using a sub box from Uberstealth Audio with a 12" sub. All under the hatch floor. I love it and my wife approves.

I'm running Anderson Powerpoles to quickly disconnect the sub and allow me to pull the box out if I need to access the spare. The spare will come out without removing the amp rack.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Nice. Thanks for sharing.
 
StealthGTI

StealthGTI

Autocross Champion
Location
Newport News, VA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Hello,

Cuzoe said:
I'm running a much simpler setup overall, but heavily inspired by StealthGTI. Helix with the sub outputs going to an AudioControl LC2i (which needs some adjustment still) that feeds an aftermarket amp/sub. Built a small amp rack and using a sub box from Uberstealth Audio with a 12" sub. All under the hatch floor. I love it and my wife approves.
Click to expand...

Nicely done! And thanks for the mention. My next car will not have a ham radio or bother with a voltage inverter. So its subwoofer system will be less complex, but probably still overkill because I like the voltage-controlled power switching. :p

The reason I went away from the LC2i was because it seemed "throaty," really punching up the bass around 50-70 Hz. That could be the way Helix processes sound to maximize the output of its 6-inch subwoofers. I'm not sure. If were to try something different, I'd see how it sounds running the Helix subwoofer output directly into the high-level input of my amplifier, which has a 45-Hz boost function that may overcome the 50-70 Hz punch. For now, I'm leaving well enough alone. ;)

Take Care,

Scott
 
C

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
I feel like the bass is a little overblown in that range as well. I haven't done too much in the way of adjusting because I'm still breaking in the sub.

My suspicion was that a combination of cabin gain, roll off and the tight suspension of a new sub (which I don't want to push to fall excursion, yet) was causing that boost. My understanding from what I read was that the LC2i flattens speaker input before processing but that may be wrong.

At some point I want to use equipment from work to measure the frequency output from the Helix sub outs and the head unit. I could never find a definitive answer on whether it's rolling off low frequencies. I would assume the helix is rolling them off but the accubase on the lc2i could be used to fill that back in.

Hopefully the problem is a roll off somewhere in the signal chain. If so the LC2i can theoretically solve that and I will adjust overall level with my sub amp which has a remote gain knob. If it's cabin gain I may end up needing more processing like what you're running.

My immediate next step is to sound deaden the doors and replace the factory speakers with an Infinity reference component set some other forum members paired with the Helix system with good results. Hopefully that improves the mid-range response which will help in overall balance.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 
L

Lurchalicious

Ready to race!
Location
NKY
Question to all helix soundbox users - I am debating on upgrading my door speakers, however due to the small wattage supplied by the helix dsp/amp im leaning towards the soumatrix xtase.

Has anyone else upgraded their door speakers on this helix setup?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top