Mostly OEM Audio System Hurts my Ears at 1/3 Volume

[Maiden69]

Just my observation, the audiocontrol dsp software is complicated vs audison bit. I'd suggest anyone looking for a dsp to try the software before you buy.

Yes, Audio Control is not the easiest of them all, but once you have used it a few times it's not that hard. This guy have a few tutorials on it, he makes it sound a lot easier than what it is.
https://www.youtube.com/c/CarAudioFabrication

 

[Cuzoe]

Well if the OP is gone, haha... @George Ab yes it has a 30 band parametric EQ. Thanks for the link, I'll watch this weekend, but I want to be lazy, haha.

@Maiden69 I watched a few of those videos for setting up the AudioControl. It doesn't look too bad. I've spent days entering antenna calibration data into systems without a GUI that use the serial out of an old Thinkpad converted to a 1/8" headphone style jack in a Lear 25 via Hyperterminal (or Putty if I'm lucky). No feedback while you're doing it but you know you goofed when it doesn't work in the end.

Question now is Stereo Integrity M25 tweeter and (preorder) TM65 MkIV Midbass? This would give me a top to bottom Stereo Integrity system, meaningless I know but I like the thought of it. But I'm also impatient, and though my BM MkV sub does not disappoint, it shipped a few months after the initial prediction, and that was years pre-pandemic.

Or Audiofrog GB15 and GB60 combo? This is way more than I want to spend so I would be looking for a deal on both used (which again, impatient). I could probably swing a GB15 and GS60 combo new. My research suggests the GB15 is more important in a 2 way setup, as it's comfortable down to 2k, and maybe a bit lower.

The M25's on sale for $200 right now seems like a good deal so I might just pull the trigger. Any suggestions for a good mid to go with them? Figure on crossing at 70-80 and around 2k.

 

[Adurm]

Maiden, i think i used the wrong word to describe the audiocontrol. Not sure how to sum it up. The problem i had with it was when i moved a slider to adjust the output level of one channel, the other channel moved as well. But it didn't appear to move until i went out of the set i was working on and came back. Also makes you have upper limits to your crossover ie 5kto20khz. Like bandpassing it. Not simply a high pass 5khz. Maybe there's been an update. But i was not impressed with the functionality. Spec wise, it's great and that's what pulled me in. 10v output, yes please.

 

[bobloblawGTI]

Yeah it’s still possible he has an autobahn package though.

Time to Wait and see when he come back to the party

The 2019 SE could be equipped with Fender and DCC via the optional Experience Package (source: I have one)

 

[Maiden69]

@Cuzoe , if it was me, for this car I would not dab into Audiofrog or Stereo Integrity separates. The acoustics and lack of noise dampening in this car will kill it for me. And at my age, a full sound deadening job as I used to do it out is not going to happen. I think I'm going with a simple set up, probably Focal Performance or ISU 165 / JL C2 or C3 component system on the doors, mid-bass in the rear door and a single 10/12 with Audio Control LC 5.1300 or D 5.1300.

@Adurm , which Audio Control did you used? LC series can be used as high pass only. You can chose the range between 30-300hz or 500hz-5khz, just select the band and adjust with the potentiometer. On the D series is the same, but in the app. For ch 3-4 you can set it as a bandpass to run mids/mid-bass, but ch 1-2 are high pass only.

 

[Cuzoe]

@Maiden69 My car is fully sound deadened already... doors, hatch, under the back seat, under the cabin carpet, B/C pillars and a little above the headliner.

I'm happy with my sub setup as is. My front stage is going to be powered by the D-4.800. If I even decide to leave the rears connected they would be running off the stock head unit. And I would keep the fader up front 99% of the time. The C3 setup doesn't look to be any less expensive than Stereo Integrity separates. The C2/C3 tweeter recommends crossing at 4k and I want to cross around 2k. The Audiofrogs are for sure more than I want to spend so a great deal used is the only way I would end up there.

 

[Maiden69]

@Cuzoe I would get the C3's if they end up on sale. Definitely keeping the speakers close to $300. My GTO had Infinity Kappa front and back with a 12W3v2, and I rarely used the backfill... now I just do front, and depending on the sound I may add mid-bass to the rear doors. I need to do some research in subs... so far either a JL 10WT1 or a Focal P25FSE. I may go the easy route and use LizardSkin or another spray on deadener on the doors. I still have enough X-Mat to do the entire trunk area. That will give me enough to be content with the car. I should bring it to my MK4 GLI sound levels.

​

 

[El_bigote_AJ]

The 2019 SE could be equipped with Fender and DCC via the optional Experience Package (source: I have one)

Oh nice, that would seem to be the best way to go with an SE then - cause what’s left from the autobahn, Dual zone AC and navigation?

Edit: back to original waiting…

Wasn’t an option for 2018-

https://carbuzz.com/cars/volkswagen/golf-gti/2018-volkswagen-golf-gti-se



But was for 19 -

https://carbuzz.com/cars/volkswagen/golf-gti/2019-volkswagen-golf-gti-se

 

[Adurm]

@Maiden69 it was a dm 810. I might not have known about the 1 2 channels being high pass only.

 

[bobloblawGTI]

Oh nice, that would seem to be the best way to go with an SE then - cause what’s left from the autobahn, Dual zone AC and navigation?

Yeah pretty much. Plus the driver assistance stuff I guess (adaptive cruise/lane assist/park assist). I'm pretty happy with it, feels like a unicorn car to some degree.

 

[jakealake18]

Apologies for disappearing for a while - I didn't have much time this past week to log in. I'm more confused now than before, though. I'll try to fill in the blanks here:

• It's a 2018 GTI SE. The audio system doesn't say Fender anywhere, so I have to assume it's a base audio system. Everything I've read said that I have a 4 ohm system.
• The rear doors have tweeters in them, which was really confusing to me when I installed the system in April because everything I read said that the 2018 was a 6-speaker setup, not an 8-speaker setup. I can pop the rear door panel off later to double-check. I know the stock woofers have the impedance stamped on them, so I can verify that as well.
• I installed the Match MS 62C-VW.1 speakers myself. The set included woofers, tweeters, and crossovers. So, the front woofers and tweeters have been replaced and are being run through a new crossover fed from the original woofer wires. I was a little uneasy with this setup but everything that I read said that the woofer wire is full range and the tweeters are fed off of it anyway.
• The crossover doesn't appear to have a slope even though the manufacturer's website says that it should. There are only 6 terminals on the crossover: In +/-, Tweeter +/-, and Woofer +/-. Every other component system I've ever installed had 7 terminals with two options for the Tweeter + connection. There's no switch or anything else that I can find on the crossover that would toggle between 6 db / 12 db, either.

@Adurm the speakers I replaced were a Hertz component system but the previous owner for some reason took the crossovers and just wired the Hertz tweeters and woofers directly into the stock wiring. It sounded horrible.

 

[El_bigote_AJ]

Apologies for disappearing for a while - I didn't have much time this past week to log in. I'm more confused now than before, though. I'll try to fill in the blanks here:

• It's a 2018 GTI SE. The audio system doesn't say Fender anywhere, so I have to assume it's a base audio system. Everything I've read said that I have a 4 ohm system.
• The rear doors have tweeters in them, which was really confusing to me when I installed the system in April because everything I read said that the 2018 was a 6-speaker setup, not an 8-speaker setup. I can pop the rear door panel off later to double-check. I know the stock woofers have the impedance stamped on them, so I can verify that as well.
• I installed the Match MS 62C-VW.1 speakers myself. The set included woofers, tweeters, and crossovers. So, the front woofers and tweeters have been replaced and are being run through a new crossover fed from the original woofer wires. I was a little uneasy with this setup but everything that I read said that the woofer wire is full range and the tweeters are fed off of it anyway.
• The crossover doesn't appear to have a slope even though the manufacturer's website says that it should. There are only 6 terminals on the crossover: In +/-, Tweeter +/-, and Woofer +/-. Every other component system I've ever installed had 7 terminals with two options for the Tweeter + connection. There's no switch or anything else that I can find on the crossover that would toggle between 6 db / 12 db, either.

@Adurm the speakers I replaced were a Hertz component system but the previous owner for some reason took the crossovers and just wired the Hertz tweeters and woofers directly into the stock wiring. It sounded horrible.

- if you had fender you wouldn’t have even been able to install the helix easily.

-all rear door Card have the tweeter grill but non fender/dyna cars don’t actually have a tweeter on the back side.

- yeah With the slopes I’d seen that before too, till my last set of CW components - to access the slop toggle I had to open the crossover case to get to the switch. - if you cannot see a switch on the box I’m sure that’s the case here too.

 

[jakealake18]

- if you had fender you wouldn’t have even been able to install the helix easily.

-all rear door Card have the tweeter grill but non fender/dyna cars don’t actually have a tweeter on the back side.

- yeah With the slopes I’d seen that before too, till my last set of CW components - to access the slop toggle I had to open the crossover case to get to the switch. - if you cannot see a switch on the box I’m sure that’s the case here too.

Here's a picture of the 4 ohm tweeter in the rear door panel of my 2018 GTI:

Here's a picture of the insides of the Match crossover. I can't see anything that would act as a switch for the slope:

Here's the important part of my VIN so you don't think I'm crazy ("J" is 2018 according to the VIN decoders):

 

[Adurm]

So back to square one then. I, for one, am happy we talked about fender being 2 ohm and the problem of putting mismatched ohms in. May have helped another member who stumbled upon this thread.

@jakealake18 what was the fate of the Hertz?

 

[El_bigote_AJ]

Yup, back square one for sure, cause that’s odd you have rear tweeters in the base - my 2019 doesn’t have them.


Yeah def don’t look to have a slope option built in- the owners manuals claims it, so I would reach out to audiotec-fisher to see what the deal is, and what slope is built in now.