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My MK7 stereo upgrade

c31561

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Coast, USA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
My one issue with the Fender Audio system is the EQ. That infotainment CD player in the glove box, could you remove that and pop in an EQ or a head unit with one build in?

The kicker for both changing the HU and adding an EQ is that the Fender system includes a DSP/amp combo (Under the drivers seat) that you need to work around. It is programmed from VW at the factory and I don't believe there is an interface to allow for changes by the end user. It is not so easy to just add an EQ after the glove box Infotanment system as it feeds right into the factory DSP. Which may or may not tweek the signal again anyway.

You either have to work with the factory DSP it or build a system around it. If you research factory stereo integration, you will get an idea of what you can do.
 

c31561

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Coast, USA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
c3156 there is a way changing the fender system to a standard system which allows you to take the outputs from the back of the headunit and run a DSP.

Awesome, I never found that thread while searching (but I don't have a Fender either). Great info for those with the Fender stereo installed!
 

flipflp

Autocross Newbie
Location
PNW
Car(s)
'16 Golf R DSG
Great post! I've been researching different options for keeping the OEM HU in my car, and I was pretty set on doing a simple LC2i or LC7i setup and keeping it passive. I've known JL to have some good options as well, but I was really only familiar with the clean sweep unit. Your combo of the Twk and Fix82 is VERY nice, giving you correction, and digital conversion, plus a ton of tuning capabilities, but what I like even more is the other version of the Fix, the Fix86. Basically the same unit, but instead of a single stereo RCA out which would need to be processed for F/R/Sub, the 86 has 3 sets of analog outs but drops the optical digital out.

For someone looking for a little bit more but isn't going active speakers that Fix86 is a pretty sweet unit.

http://www.jlaudio.com/fix-86-car-audio-processors-system-tuning-98103
 

tex1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Texas, USA
So,.. how much of a difference did sound deadening the car make to the interior noise level? Was it worthwhile in that regard .. or just marginal ,.. ( ignoring the other benefits )?

Thx
 

c31561

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Coast, USA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
So,.. how much of a difference did sound deadening the car make to the interior noise level? Was it worthwhile in that regard .. or just marginal ,.. ( ignoring the other benefits )?

Thx

I was just driving yesterday with the stereo at low volume and I was thinking, "It is so quiet in here, I can really pick out the notes of the music". (The Soundaktor is turned off too).

I say worth the effort if you want to get rid of the road noise and general body vibrations. This is the first time I have done the vibration damper and MLV combo and all I can say is "Wow". It is definitely worth the extra money to buy a roll of the MLV. Can't wait till the warmer weather and I can take out the carpet to install under the seats.
 

tex1

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
Texas, USA
So,.. I had some RAAM MAT CLD sheet and ensolite closed cell foam left over from my previous car (2014 Mazda 3 hatch ) that I sold coz I could not live with solely because of road noise despite extensive work to address the issue )

I spent a couple of hours treating the hatch floor (about 60% coverage with the mat, 100 % coverage closed cell foam on top of that, replaced the stock carpet etc and finally a sheet of mass.loaded vinyl just below the flat cargo carpet . The stick spare wheel area rings like a drum .. despite whatever meager CLD VW put in.

Well worth it . The roar from the rear has been significantly reduced.

Essentially the same as the soundskins treatment mentioned here + some mass loaded vinyl that I picked up from Home Depot online https://www.homedepot.com/p/4-ft-x-8-ft-Acoustical-Barrier-DB348X96BX/100663624
 

c31561

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Coast, USA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Finally had time to work on the rear door speaker installs. Would be kind of nice if my kids cars would stop breaking down so I could work on my own car :p

Getting the door panel off is pretty straight forward and a lot less connectors to undo. In the rear doors the Focal's I am running require the use of a passive crossover as the woofer and tweeter are integrated together. It has to be mounted somewhere, but if you look at the door and the door panel, you will see that it is a very snug fit. No room to mount the crossover to the door and I didn't want it hanging inside the door and potentially banging around.

The only open space I could find to mount the crossover was in the door handle area. Since it is mounted to the door panel, I had to makeup a MOLEX connector to allow for removal of the door panel. Not to difficult, just took a little while to get all of the new wiring made up.

Here is a shot of the door panel, I used a piece of shipping foam to ensure the crossover didn't wiggle around. The black round component on the door panel is the factory tweeter, which I just disconnected since I don't need it. Edited to also show a pic of the complete rear door. You can see the MOLEX peeking through the MLV as well as the new speaker with directional tweeter.
 

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George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
That is really nice! Wow, Focal K2 that is some money. Great information. Interesting on the speaker mounting brackets.

I have the Fender system so am starting off slow, built subwoofer, sound dampening, and Focal 6A1 component speakers; fronts only for now. Going to stick with the stock tweeters for now. Trying to do the upgrade in a cost effective way. I am around $500 now so I understand this can get expensive.
 

YellowC4S

Ready to race!
Location
Michigan
I may have finally sourced a MOST150 interface for anyone who's interested.
 

chup

New member
Location
NoVa
I love your setup, I used to be an installer and those focals were my favorite speakers we sold. I just got an '18 GTI this weekend and I'm currently debating what to do about the audio. I might do something similar, but keep the factory speakers for now and just run a DSP/5-channel/stealth 10". Also considering taking the easy way out and getting the helix system but I doubt I'd be satisfied.
 
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Maxhawk

New member
Location
GA
Hey C3156,

How much room do you think there is behind the A-pillar for a deeper speaker? I see that the TN53K is 19mm deep, so 3/4". Do you think something that was 1¼" deep would fit? I want to use a 2" speaker that would let me cross over at a much lower frequency (300-500 Hz) than a tweeter can.

Thanks for the write up. It's a great reference to prep for my own upgrade in my 2015 GSW TDI when I'm ready.
 

c31561

Go Kart Champion
Location
East Coast, USA
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Maxhawk,

The Focal tweeters are actually about 1" deep when you use the mounting cups included (which I did). The factory tweeters are about the same. Without pulling off the a-pillars, it would be tough for me to say if 1-1/4" depth is to much.
 

Lurchalicious

Ready to race!
Location
NKY
Great post - I have a question I was hoping you'd answer. I see for your front doors your amp'd the mid and tweeter independent of each other. Did you run new wire from your tweeter back to the amp and use the factory wire to the mid in the door (splicing in before the door inside the car)?
 
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