Speaker upgrade

[calculon]

After reading Richn83s post ( http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26892.0.html ), I finally decided to check out why one of my rear speakers was crackling and why there was a lack of fullness coming from the rear speakers. I've bought the GTI around a year ago and knew the previous owner had done "some" tuning. Unfortunately, the dealer didn't quite know what. Later I found out there was an airride system and other stuff installed :( Because I like to keep things OEM, I wasn't so happy.

Anyway, back to the speakers. This is what I found:

ruined (rear) tweeters:


Yep, that's how you install a tweeter:


And that's how you run cables:

Default VW connectors are gone :(

Minor crack in this low/midtoner:


Crossover:


After some googling, I found out this is a Focal Polyglass 165 V2 compo set, which shouldn't sound that bad. I'm not too sure if that crack does any good ... I'm not really at home in ICE installs, but I know that's not how you mount a tweeter.

Moving on to the front, I was expecting the same thing but hey, everything seems original!

Made in Belgium:


So I have:
- original 6 speakers in the front
- 2 focal midtones in the back with a crossover

I was looking at this set before I knew about the damage done in the back:
http://www.etongmbh.de/en/products/upgrade-audio/systems-with-amplifier/ug-vw-golf-5-f-golf-5-frontsys-with-amplifier/1/pid/153/


Replaces all the front speakers, adds an amplifier (should fit neatly beneath the RNS), replaces the front crossover and keeps oem connectors

+

http://www.etongmbh.de/en/products/upgrade-audio/systems-without-amplifier/ug-vw-golf-5-r-golf-5-rear-system/1/pid/157/

Replaces the rear speakers, but then I need to get some original connectors from the stealer ...


Thoughts? What would you do? I'm not looking for something loud, I'm looking for something that sounds full and crisp (eg like in the new Seat Leon).

[Richn83]

That rear install looks terrible    Sorry to see that someone previously bodged the car 

Good to see the front is still intact and those rears look exactly like the front I installed down to the tweeter design so they are probably the rear upgrade pack 

If you did decide to go OEM again at the rear then you might need to replace that black plastic bit to make sure the speaker sits right as the originals would have been rivetted in place rather than screwed.  Also looking at that picture was there paper over the speaker!!!?

The first upgrade set looks like the OEM sound pack as that only has 8 speakers with amp so worth checking if its 8 or 10 speakers also the amp might need room to cool that an the RNS might make alot of heat.

[Richn83]

Calculon not sure if this would be any good in a 3 door but this system from a superb looks to be the same as a full 10 channel golf upgrade system with amp on mounting bracket for under passenger seat would just need the loom too and from the head unit for the amp.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150578492415&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_847

[simonp]

How did air suspension not get noticed?! Did you not look in the boot?

[calculon]

That rear install looks terrible    Sorry to see that someone previously bodged the car  

Good to see the front is still intact and those rears look exactly like the front I installed down to the tweeter design so they are probably the rear upgrade pack  

If you did decide to go OEM again at the rear then you might need to replace that black plastic bit to make sure the speaker sits right as the originals would have been rivetted in place rather than screwed.  Also looking at that picture was there paper over the speaker!!!?

The first upgrade set looks like the OEM sound pack as that only has 8 speakers with amp so worth checking if its 8 or 10 speakers also the amp might need room to cool that an the RNS might make alot of heat.

Not paper, but ducktape ;)

Yep, cooling below the RNS might be an issue ...

Calculon not sure if this would be any good in a 3 door but this system from a superb looks to be the same as a full 10 channel golf upgrade system with amp on mounting bracket for under passenger seat would just need the loom too and from the head unit for the amp.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150578492415&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_500wt_847

Mm, I'll dive into etka to see if they are the same. If so, quite a cheap upgrade :-)

How did air suspension not get noticed?! Did you not look in the boot?

Off course I did look into the boot. The air suspension was reverted to the original. Only after installing the RNS I found tubing and wiring for the compressor that used to be in the boot ... Recently removed all of it!