stellatariche

Hi.

I have a 2001 A8L. The previous owner ripped out the Bose Symphony unit, replaced the door speakers, and generally made the thing sound terrible.

Here is what I did to fix it.

(1) Replace the single-din head unit with a hacked Pioneer AVIC-D3. I also installed the optional Bluetooth module, ipod connector, a 30Gig ipod, and new microphone (See install pics below)

(2) Replaced the front door speakers (previously 4" Eclipse coax) with 5.25" Kenwood components. I had to modify the Bose wave guides in the doors, mount the new tweeters and crossovers. A Dremel tool and Dynamat is your friend.

(3) Installed new amps (a 4 channel and separate sub amp), an Alpine Imprint EQ processor (in the side panel where the previous Bose amp went)

(4) Installed dual 10" JBL subs in a sealed box

(5) Made a fake "wall" to hide all the subs, amps and a butt-load of wires.

The Imprint processor uses a calibrated mic to EQ and time correct your system. It seriously rocks now.

Here are some pics:





















I like to keep the factory "stealth" look as much as possible - and my kids throw their backpacks and golf clubs (OT: since when is golf now a high school sport. When I was a kid....) in the trunk every day, I wanted to hide and protect my amps/subs/processors/wires from them.









And here is the car itself:

balla915

How did you remove the 3 HVAC vents to get remove the 3 screws?

stellatariche

http://leadfreedesign.com/audi_radio_install.pdf

This is a 49 page PDF document (size = 1.1M) I put together with component locations, wiring diagrams and instructions on removing and reinstalling the HVAC vents and controls, the center console and radio.

It also shows how to remove the front and rear door trim to replace/upgrade the speakers.

I put the GPS antenna under the dash above the instrument cluster. There are instructions on removing the cluster (no need to disconnect the cluster connectors). There is a shelf back there to mount the GPS (or XM/Sirius) antennas with double stick 3M tape. Clear line of sight to 8+ satellites.

I would suggest removing the speakers in the rear hat shelf (from inside the trunk) and just using the factory grills with holes into the trunk. That way the sub will better vent into the car (I tried it both ways)

The PDF shows all the wiring connections that you will need to install your new head unit, including backup wires, VSS, illumination, power and ground, and steering wheel controls.

It also lists the proper Metra connectors for an A8 to make life a little easier.

You'll need to run pre-amp out wires to the trunk (driver's side) and power/ground/remote-on to the rear battery (passenger side). The rear seat bottom comes out with two screws just below the bottom front of the rear seat (move the little carpet covers)

Hope that helps. Feel free to email/call me if you have problems. My contact info is on the website www.LeadFreeDesign.com (I'm the CEO).

- John Taylor

GregLo

great job did mine in virtually the same way ,just used the scosche kit instead, same deck D3 and same false wall covering sub 12inch Diamond Audio sub
Directed 300D

PDXA4

That is a nice install guide...

stellatariche

Hi. Here are some additional install pictures:


To tap into the existing door speaker wires, they are on the brown Bose harness in the right rear trunk. As these were already cut, I'm not sure which are L/R/F/R, but these feed back into the door speakers:



Here is the Alpine EQ (Alpine PXE-H650 IMPRINT sound processor) in the left rear trunk cubby:



And I re-did the face plate to better match the existing dash:



I still do not have the steering wheel controls integrated. The PAC-AUDIO SWI-PS does not seem to work. Any ideas?

Thanks

- John

ceroberts75

Very nice.

I am looking to install the avic-z140bh into my 01 a8l.

I keep looking for an install kit for a8,to no avail. Looking like I am going to have to get an a6 and dremel it down a bit.

I drafted up prints and created a wood kit that completes the car, including the upper consoles and the moon roof grill, and the radio trim.

after I fit the kit, I will make a template and have another piece made so it all looks factory and hides all the black. I'll have to take pix and post for you.

Adjuster

Metra A6 kit, and belt sander, lots of measure/trim/detail work, and it works great.

Kenwood DDX719 head unit.

Correct plug/wire harness and ebay 4 RCA plug ground loop isolator that killed the amp thump and engine whine/noise for less than 30.00.

To get the A6 kit to fit, you have to measure and cut it down on both sides. The Kenwood unit fits so snug, it does not need any screws or such, but is a "Slide in fit" that is so tight, you have to really work to get it in there, and out if you need to pull it for any reason.

It allows for full phone Bluetooth use, iPod attachment and control, or I could even stream audio from a phone if I wanted such as Pandora.

And for under 100.00, there is an app for my phone that will link with and show up on the screen for full Garmin nav via the smart phone.

What I gave up was the upper part of the center dash display, it' not just dark, but the rest works fine, shows temps, mpg etc.

Also the CD changer in the trunk needs to be removed, since it does not talk with the Kenwood. Neither does the stock Nav system or phone modules that are all in the back still.

What I have left over is a RNS d, CD changer, OEM Nav, OEM phone module.

I'm still using the OEM Bose speakers and amps, and I have to point out that I pulled the passenger door, and just about as soon as I looked over the Bose system, I put it back in and am VERY happy with it. It is a very high quality speaker/tweeter setup, and unless you are going to spend more than 1,000.00 to upgrade, and build custom housings, or find/adapt speakers to work with the existing Bose ones, you will not get any better sound by screwing with the doors.

Perhaps adding a subwoofer can add some bass, but I'm not into rap, and my 80's rock sounds just fine with what I have now from Bose in the stock locations. (And from what I've read, if they go the stock speakers are available from Bose, and at prices that are not too bad, so why change what works fine if I don't need to?)

I love that my phone works with the stereo now, and that my iPod is able to be controlled from the Head Unit with zero problems. The S8 does not have buttons on the steering wheel for the stereo anyway, just shifting, but since I never use them for that, I've THOUGHT about using them for up/down, on the left for volume, and up/down on the right for track/station. wired up, they would not be too much, but I don't really need it, as you can just touch the screen to do both.

ceroberts75

ok, so I am installing a avic-z140bh, so far, it has been going good.

I am getting a nasty amp "pop" on start and shut-down.

so I installed a ground loop isolator as suggested, but it is bulky and while it does dampen this noise, oddly, I get a small whine and a loose connection on one of the RCA connectors. :/

so I took it off.

I believe there has to be another way to dampen that pop...

also, I seem to be having a challenge with the speakers not working.

in the front, both the tweeters and the main speakers are working.

oddly, I have to cover the phone speaker that is ALSO playing which is located by my left butt cheek because it sounds bad.

in the back seat, the two bose subs in the rear deck sound bad, and the tweeters in the doors are not working. this is where the issues are.

does anyone have any idea what that challenge may be and how to fix it?

I have a 2001 a8l with bose setup.

Adjuster

My first guess is your wires to the speakers are not setup/attached to the right outputs on the head unit. (Metra adapter used?)

I did mine, checked to see if the right speakers were hooked up, and everything before I put it all away into the dash, so it was easy to move wires around, and make sure left and right, front and rear were correct etc.

Also this can rule out your mystery speaker issue, as clearly someone has the phone speaker wired into your other speakers.

The dual Ground Loop Isolator I used from eBay is/was a blue one, with 4 RCA plugs, and another 4 on short cables. They just plug in between the Bose amps, and it solved all my whine noise, and amp turn on/off THUMP! noise.

There are a few copper wrapped parts in there, and some small surface mount PCB stuff, but nothing was loose, and it fits back under/behind my Kenwood just fine.

This is what mine turned out like.