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Author Topic: VW speaker upgrade kits  (Read 55584 times)

Offline Richn83

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #30 on: March 28, 2011, 11:15:00 pm »
Not planning on going that far Glidn I havent got any plans to go beyond the upgraded speaker install in the front (well at the moment)  :grin:  I havent been completely happy with the sound quality in the GTI since I got it before the RNS was fitted I used to drive around with the stereo off.  I'm also trying to keep the car OEM so that anything which is too difficult to revert can be left in the car if I ever sell it on. 

Have you done something along those lines in yours?

When I get round to doing the other door I will try and get a better right up and stages of the process if people are interested otherwise its fairly difficult to show how good speakeras are without decent sound recording gear  :ashamed:

5Dr Black GTI, DSG, Leather, Xenons. Retrofitted - Cruise, RNS 510, MFSW, Armrest, Skoda BT, 6cd changer, Monza II's, VW speaker upgrade kit, Lux pack, High-line, new CAN gateway, Polar FIS info display, R32 tinted rear lights, RVC

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Offline No-fear

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #31 on: April 02, 2011, 09:54:55 am »
Richn83, I have read this thread and I am asking about the extra wiring kit, I assume it is not needed as everything is in the kit for a straight swap. Will seriously consider this as a upgrade.
Looking forward to more reports from you.
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Offline GLIDN

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #32 on: April 04, 2011, 06:42:50 am »
Not planning on going that far Glidn I havent got any plans to go beyond the upgraded speaker install in the front (well at the moment)  :grin:  I havent been completely happy with the sound quality in the GTI since I got it before the RNS was fitted I used to drive around with the stereo off.  I'm also trying to keep the car OEM so that anything which is too difficult to revert can be left in the car if I ever sell it on. 

Have you done something along those lines in yours?

When I get round to doing the other door I will try and get a better right up and stages of the process if people are interested otherwise its fairly difficult to show how good speakeras are without decent sound recording gear  :ashamed:

I have done this on a few guys mk5's here in New Zealand. In all honesty it makes a pretty good increase. It defers the back waves of the speakers off everywhere but back to the speakers.
You can usually run the speakers a little louder than current plus the front's seem to more bassy. etc. Another big bonus is the car becomes more quiet inside from the reduced road noise.

I have not had my mk5 since the 25 Jan 2011, only got it back on Friday 1 April 2011. No April fools joke I'm afraid.

But will be doing this to mine when the speakers eventually turn up.


Offline Richn83

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #33 on: April 04, 2011, 09:41:10 am »
Well after a painful Sunday I have fitted the driver side speakers all went well apart from the mare I had with the door controller and electric folding mirrors!

Got some basic pics of the install I was busy cracking on with it to take too many as I was changing almost every component in the door not just the spekaers but the controller mirror switch and mirror unit itself!

So you start with this


How to is remove your door trim this is achieve by prying up the driver side door handle and switch block (note the handle itself is made of two bit of plastic dont pull both up as the bit under neath needs to slide back to unclip not up!)

Once you have the handle off unplug the electric window switch and mirror control switch, slide the remaining part of the handle backwards out of its holders to fully reveal the two screws, remove this and put somewhere safe.

Next remove the screw up at the front of the door by the tweeter sail, followed by the 3 screws along the base of the door that sit inside little recesses.

Next is the hard part as you need to use a trim tool or your hands to gently pry the door poppers that run up either side of the door front and rear edge I started at the bottom and worked my way up.

once it popped the door is hanging over the top of the door frame so you need to lift it up and un-hook it but very carefully as you only have a few inch's spare for cabling slack and you will need to remove the speaker cable to the mid range and the door controller cable which is released by moving the pink purple leaver.

The only remaning thing holding your door card on to the door is the handle release, this is a cable that is simply clipped into a holder so un hook the end of the cable and you can then unclip the plastic triangular guide that sits behind it releasing your door card and leaving you with this


The easiest bits to do first is switch over the cross over for the new speakers, this is held in with 3 long bolts as expected its a straight forward swop with identical plugs and fixing points, follow this with the mid range which is held in place with 4 screws.

Now the simple bits are done I tackled the woofer which is held in with 6 rivets, using a metal drill bit and a hand held drill I drilled the heads of the rivets out releasing the speaker but on both sides I was left with stubs.


which I managed to eventually drill out or used pliers to make small enough to fit through the door the issue here is they spinn so using a handheld drill is the best option to avoid damage to the door and I attacked at various angles until the stub fell out.  :scared:

Once out fish the stubbs out from inside the door there is a drain at the tip of the door if you push them along they will eventually fall out.  Then re-rivet the speaker into place with the plug at the top, the aperture for the speaker is shaped with a flat surface at the top so you will find it difficult to install it the wrong way round.

Tweeter next, there is a screw that holds the plastic sail in place remove this and the sail will pull away it is held in place by 3 clips so start at the bottom where the cables disappear and work your way up, once off remove the foam backing and use a knife to scrape the melted plastic off the 3 posts and the tweeter will pry up and come away from the housing.


The speaker fitting kit comes with a double sided foam ring for securing the tweeter and has the holes in the plastic to sit on the 3 posts the kit advices using glue to re cement the top of the posts but I found the self adhesive ring sufficient as the rough posts also held the unit in place (I struggled to pull it off the post as I trial fitted without the adhesive ring  :ashamed: )

You now have to reattach the tweeter sail and make sure the new cabling is secure and out the way of the fasteners, before re-fitting the door card you need to remove all the clips that might still be stuck in the door using a coat hanger is shown on you tube for this job and it works too a point but be prepared to get incredibly annoyed with it.

Refit everything in reverse order but I would suggest once you have re-hung the door card with everything plugged in that you test all speakers and switches are working before re-attaching the poppers on the door card.

Then repeat for the other side  :surprised:


5Dr Black GTI, DSG, Leather, Xenons. Retrofitted - Cruise, RNS 510, MFSW, Armrest, Skoda BT, 6cd changer, Monza II's, VW speaker upgrade kit, Lux pack, High-line, new CAN gateway, Polar FIS info display, R32 tinted rear lights, RVC

To Come...NQSBBK, highline CCM.

Offline alexperkins

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #34 on: April 04, 2011, 09:46:00 am »
cannot wait to hear these!


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Offline Richn83

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #35 on: April 04, 2011, 09:49:08 am »
Drive back last night was great nice clear sound and I could have the sound at the point where I couldnt hear a thing without it feeling droll and muffled like with the standard speakers, if the driver mirror was doing what it should have been then it would have been a great drive as I had the coil packs done and some new plugs in and the car was feeling brilliant frisky wanting to rev and much better mpg than normal  :evilgrin:

5Dr Black GTI, DSG, Leather, Xenons. Retrofitted - Cruise, RNS 510, MFSW, Armrest, Skoda BT, 6cd changer, Monza II's, VW speaker upgrade kit, Lux pack, High-line, new CAN gateway, Polar FIS info display, R32 tinted rear lights, RVC

To Come...NQSBBK, highline CCM.

Offline alexperkins

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #36 on: April 04, 2011, 09:52:00 am »
You better be at the JnH this month  :signLOL:


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Offline Richn83

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #37 on: April 04, 2011, 10:03:03 am »
You better be at the JnH this month  :signLOL:

Date dependant I think it would be rude not too  :drinking:

5Dr Black GTI, DSG, Leather, Xenons. Retrofitted - Cruise, RNS 510, MFSW, Armrest, Skoda BT, 6cd changer, Monza II's, VW speaker upgrade kit, Lux pack, High-line, new CAN gateway, Polar FIS info display, R32 tinted rear lights, RVC

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Offline ChiefyGT32

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #38 on: April 06, 2011, 01:12:58 pm »
OooooooO i am really tempted for this...lets see how long i can resist. What are the results like anyway?  :congrats:

Offline Richn83

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #39 on: April 06, 2011, 01:27:17 pm »
There is a comparison video a bit further up Left side changed right side standard, you cant hear the bass as camera microphone is no good but the mid and treble is much better defined, in person the bass is better and the sound is more whole and rounded with good clarity I now find myself with the volume higher than I could stand with the standard setup.

I also havent had any issues with rattling door cards, guess the OEM fitment helps with that.  I am hoping to be at the next JnH meet so peeps can have a listen and form their own opinions as sound systems are very subjective.  I like it alot though  :evilgrin:

5Dr Black GTI, DSG, Leather, Xenons. Retrofitted - Cruise, RNS 510, MFSW, Armrest, Skoda BT, 6cd changer, Monza II's, VW speaker upgrade kit, Lux pack, High-line, new CAN gateway, Polar FIS info display, R32 tinted rear lights, RVC

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Offline jeynesey

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #40 on: April 11, 2011, 07:43:55 pm »
Looks good pal  :happy2:

Once you had the rivets out I assume the speakers just screwed into the holes?

Offline alexperkins

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #41 on: April 11, 2011, 07:44:43 pm »
The new kit comes with replacement rivets mate  :happy2:


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Offline jeynesey

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #42 on: April 11, 2011, 07:46:51 pm »
Im not buying the kit, just replacing speakers  :wink:

Offline alexperkins

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #43 on: April 11, 2011, 08:53:12 pm »
If you are just replacing the speakers, youll normally need to either...

rivet the new ones in

or

get the speaker adapter plates to mount the new speakers in properly and screw those in


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Offline Richn83

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Re: VW speaker upgrade kits
« Reply #44 on: April 11, 2011, 09:47:46 pm »
As Alex says the new speakers where rivetted into place if you wanted to use screws you would need to have something to provide a threading point for them as the holes are more bolt sized than screw sized.  As mentioned you either need proper adaptors or you need to rip out your existing speaker and use the plastic to create a speaker housing.  Reason for this is even the standard speakers wouldnt have enough clearance to the second door skin if the housing didnt hold them an inch and a half to two inches away from the inner door skin.

Not sure if that makes perfect sense but basically you need an adapter to fit normal speakers.

5Dr Black GTI, DSG, Leather, Xenons. Retrofitted - Cruise, RNS 510, MFSW, Armrest, Skoda BT, 6cd changer, Monza II's, VW speaker upgrade kit, Lux pack, High-line, new CAN gateway, Polar FIS info display, R32 tinted rear lights, RVC

To Come...NQSBBK, highline CCM.