Radio installation T6, Rear speaker retrofit for van

Hello,

The radio composition audio installed in the T6 typically has 2 speakers in the doors with 2 speakers connected in parallel in the A-pillars.
However, the radio has 4 speaker outputs, so that an additional 2 speakers can be added in the trunk (with VCDS coding at the radio).
Useful, if the van is converted and has a rear bench/sleeping seat installed.
Unfortunately, I didn't find the option to configure the rear speakers and the basic radio during the new purchase, and it wasn't mentioned either.

So, I quickly removed the radio and the cargo area's headrests.
The most sensible solution, in my opinion, is to route the speaker cables upwards and along the roof towards the rear, through the A-pillars.

The roof trim can be easily removed by unscrewing the plastic clips. The connecting strip is carefully detached from the roof with a flat-head screwdriver.

To remove the radio, you first need to remove the trim piece around the radio. One starts with a flat lever tool (e.g., a "sachel") and a protective surface underneath to prevent scratches.
First, remove the lower 4 screw heads, then use a longer screwdriver to remove the upper screw heads from below.
The radio can then be removed.

If, at some point, you want to install a reversing camera (not supported by Composition Audio), it is advisable to run a video cable alongside the speaker cables.

We will continue soon.

Best regards, Rainer

BTW: Can anyone recommend decent 2-way speakers with a grille?

Furthermore, I seem to be getting a bit too frustrated, trying to find the VAG part numbers for the connection pins on the radio connector using a search engine... I'll have a look in my junk box, maybe I don't even need to buy any.
Edit: Nothing found, but they are called "ISO female connectors" and are available everywhere on the web.

The Composition Audio Radio in the T6 has approximately 25W "sticker power" per channel, so the speaker should be able to handle 50+W if the radio is ever replaced.

Best regards, Rainer

Build a separate two-way system with offset tweeters. Position these appropriately towards the listeners. The bass is not directional, but the highs/mids are. When adjusting/equalizing, make sure the "stage" is acoustically in front of you, and not behind you.

Hello,

Thank you for the tips! Perhaps I should also mention that installing the locally placed high-quality speakers is not straightforward, as the installation space is limited.

Right above, there is already a cover with a bag and light for the sliding door, so the gray plastic cover of the heater was intended as the installation location.
On the opposite side, I don't have a real idea yet, as a furniture line is being installed there. Possibly, into the metal covering on the back left, then there will still be a gap between the furniture line and the roof where the sound can go up.
Acoustically, far from perfect.
Ideas are welcome.

Best regards, Rainer

Hello


What are the drawbacks of using flat in-built speakers in the rear tailgate/door panels?

Also, es gibt auch den netten Nebeneffekt, dass man, wenn man die Tür offen hat und draußen entspannt, auch etwas Musik nach draußen bringen kann

The BMW E39 model had the speakers mounted in the roof at the rear.
This could definitely be achieved with plastic or wooden consoles. Could it be painted or reupholstered with fabric/leather?


Greetings, Mpire

Mpire wrote:

Hello What are the drawbacks of using flat in-built speakers in the rear tailgate/door panels? Also, es gibt auch den netten Nebeneffekt, dass man, wenn man die Tür offen hat und draußen entspannt, auch etwas Musik nach draußen bringen kann The BMW E39 model had the speakers mounted in the roof at the rear. This could definitely be achieved with plastic or wooden consoles. Could it be painted or reupholstered with fabric/leather? Greetings, Mpire

The tailgate is a great idea! However, then the table goes in there. In the ceiling is a sleeping loft.

Nevertheless, a great suggestion with the tailgate, I'll check if there's enough space.

Best regards, Rainer

The bus now has speakers in the rear door. Was was a right mess, trying to lay the speaker cables properly.

The result: It didn't blow me away.

In my A6, the factory-installed radio is used, which powers both front speakers. I also installed a 4x40W Carpower NANO-404 amplifier (sine wave output) to power the two speakers in the rear doors.

I must say: awesome. The planned installation of a subwoofer has been dropped, as it is simply not necessary. Clear, high notes, when someone is banging on the drum, feel like getting hit in the crotch, a bass guitar like a chainsaw in the back.
Overall, the radio sounds much better than in my wife's A3 Ambition, which already had speakers installed in the front and back.

Okay, and now Rainer is installing 2 rear speakers in the bus, and the result is: average-sounding highs, the bass is best described as a rumble.

What the hell.

Okay, so: First, I tried the radio with the front door speakers, and as expected, it wasn't amazing, but it was okay.
So, the rear outputs have been unlocked using VCDS, some Schlaukopf wrote in the datasheet that the installed Radio Composition Audio has a power of 4x25W.
Today, while installing, I heard on the radio: 2.4A power consumption . This results in a minimal power consumption of 31.2W at 13V.
For all 4 speakers plus the radio, of course.
Obviously, the 4x25W power rating is a fake.

The next step was with the 13cm speakers from Kenwood, the product description promised: 320W
I already knew that this wasn't about AC power, but I was hoping for something more than the ridiculous 40W AC rating that's listed on it!
Ok, it shouldn't be too bad, just install the 13cm things. Measured and marked... but the hole in the cardboard is only 118mm. So, the next one is a fake.

I'm not happy with the current state. I don't want to be making a lot of noise and disturbing people or causing a commotion in the pedestrian zone, but I do want to get something more than just a little noise out of it!

Sometimes, good ears like mine can also be a curse.

Images of cable installation will be coming soon; it's not entirely straightforward.

Best regards, Rainer

Can the cutout be enlarged? If not, then adjustable spacer rings create space for the slightly larger speakers. -> Is there space under one of the front seats for a small subwoofer?

It's possible that your car stereo only has two power amplifiers. If you only use two outputs, then it might be just enough. However, with the radio's own power consumption, you can probably expect around or even less than 10 watts of actual channel power. If you then connect four speakers to it, the power is divided among them.

The best option would have been an original radio. In normal conditions, they have 10 A fuses, and after deducting the radio's own current consumption, you can expect 20 to maybe even 25 W to be usable.

Hi,

Thank you for the tip! After re-listening and comparing, the sound is approximately the same as the A3 Ambition of my wife. She says it's okay... but I don't.

Unfortunately, diagonal braces in the tailgate complicate the installation of larger speakers. However, it might be possible to squeeze 16cm speakers in there.

The fundamental problem is the extremely weak amplifier in the car radio. Just now, I quickly checked the web, but it seems that for corresponding radios, you can find everything except the technical specifications of the amplifiers.

Subwoofer: No space under the front seats, as everything is already occupied (2nd battery, 230V fuse, charger, power outlets).

Best regards, Rainer
Look later again.

But you probably don't have two sliding doors, right? Then you have space on the wall behind the driver's seat to mount a small but definitely active subwoofer (i.e., with its own amplifier) upright. The bass is not directly audible, and the time differences between the bass and the mid and high frequencies should not become too great. Securely mount it so that nothing rattles or vibrates unintentionally. I just hope that the radio can provide an extra output for external amplifiers, and that I don't have to go through the unfortunate route of using a high/low adapter to extract the required signal from the speaker outputs.

The weak final stages of the car radio might just be enough for the mid and high frequencies. However, they shouldn't have to expend energy on the bass, which is not needed. Presumably, you have no other option than to largely turn down the bass using the equalizer. If you want to verschandeln it properly, then the remaining speakers should be properly dampened so that each system can really only receive the part of the frequency spectrum that it is designed to handle.

My suggestion is definitely not the optimal solution. However, the original radio should definitely be kept and with this makeshift solution, any further modifications will remain makeshift. I would give up on the factory radio. Any other radio can do more and definitely sounds better - even for under 100 EUR.

Quote:

But you probably don't have two sliding doors, right? Then you have space on the wall behind the driver's seat to mount a small but definitely active subwoofer (i.e., with its own amplifier) upright.

Okay, so there's a furniture line there, but there should still be space underneath.

I think you're right, though. I'll see if I can get a different radio that fits properly into the dashboard. Fortunately, the radio installation can be completed quickly.

Best regards, Rainer

Does the radio somehow connect to the car? For example, does it need something for the steering wheel controls or similar? If so, JVC/Kenwood or Pioneer - there are vehicle-specific adapters for practically all needs. Otherwise, you can of course also buy "something".

If it's only intended to be a radio, then I would recommend paying attention to DAB+, as there are certainly developments happening in the countryside as well. In Germany, there is massive construction, although there are still areas that are not yet served, and according to the wishes of some national media outlets, there should still be such areas.

If you value a 2DIN and a navigation radio, then don't rely on a single provider for navigation software. There are now several well-functioning radios with the Android operating system on which you can also get another navigation software running if you're not satisfied. Some require online navigation, while others don't. Please do some research and set your own priorities. When using in a campervan, it might also not be a bad idea to have a weather app with severe weather warnings or something to quickly research fuel prices and addresses of gas stations running. A great thing about these devices is that you can easily be directed to the relevant location after doing your research.

Yes, I was also aware of Android Radio.
Not so easy to get reasonable technical specifications for the parts in 2018, it usually requires some research with the respective manufacturer.

Best regards, Rainer

You usually buy quite conservatively, too. Take a look at Kenwood/JVC navigation radios with DAB+ in the 2DIN format. These devices are usually well-developed, and Kenwood/JVC also releases software updates relatively quickly if problems arise. My 2012 Kenwood still receives updates. The last two didn't offer much more, but they help radio listeners whose reception of individual programs was impossible due to transmission parameters that were not intended for them at the time. Note that it is the broadcasters who use non-standard parameters, and the radio developer still responds to this. For Kenwood/JVC, there are also adapters available for many vehicles that allow you to continue using the existing steering wheel controls.

I also thought I had to die at the beginning of our Generation Six, because of what was coming out of the speakers (for the price), the intensive door insulation brought reasonable results, even with the original speakers. Since the thing only has the bass speakers at the bottom of the doors and the tweeters at the top, you can't really get much out of it. However, if you have the Trendline Cockpit, you can install a mid-woofer in the cup holders, which is expected to produce very good results.


At the back, you need to insulate it thoroughly beforehand, otherwise it will just rattle...and it also looks very gloomy in the MV...

Thank you for the tip! Installing insulation with self-adhesive bitumen mats is still pending, and perhaps other tasks can be completed then. After I had properly attached the rubber for the tailgate, by the way, the sound had also improved.
Otherwise, you can still install another radio or amplifier.
Yes, the original radio is not typically integrated with the car's controls, so there's no steering wheel remote control or anything like that.
As far as I know, the ignition and speed are controlled via CAN.

Best regards, Rainer