A4 stereo thing

[SaamG@aol.com]

BOSE and Audi have always made it difficult to upgrade.  A lot of speakers
are actually mounted to panels via brackets, and many have amps piggy backing
behind their magnets or hidden elsewhere in the car.

I cut all the wires after looking at the diagram behind the radio.  I left
enough there to tap into it later if need be, and it has never "needed be"
with the 5 Audi's I have owned, ALL of which have had radio upgrades.  Then I
ran direct leads when necessary to reduce alternator noise, and to make up
for the skinny wires Audi sends into the cabin.  BTW- your stereo's cool
gimmick of turning on after the key is pulled is an Audi-only trick and is
due to the head unit and a relay, from what I learned at Dealer Bob's.

They are the most difficult cars to work with.  The wires are short, there is
more than 1 ground, you will need an antenna adapter, and wear some
latex/plastic gloves when you work because getting back there will tear your
fingers up.  Do not give the car to a radio butcher.  They have NO idea how
to handle Audi's and will start drilling holes and getting the nibbler out.

Allow a lot of time- my 1990 Coupe Quattro took 10 hours.  Of course, I had
to pull all sorts of tricks since I have no room and very poor rear speaker
arrangement.  But nothing is like an Audi with a good stereo.  I am running a
sony minidisk head unit, 200 watts, 10 disc changer, 6 new speakers and two
6.5" bazzoka tubes with refitted drivers and insulation in the rear.  The
Bazookas are strapped to the spare wheel, the amp and cd changer fit in the
Coupe's "MAGIC POUCH" in the trunk, and the rear speakers replaced the
bracketed set.  I reshaped the brackets and mounted the speakers behind them,
stuffed the side panels with insulation.  The A4 will be a lot easier.

Good luck- and forget crutchfield.  They suck.  They have always sucked.

Saam
1990 Coupe Quattro.
(A6Q for mom and A4 1.8T Q coming soon)