Re: Stereo install notes for those curious...(Thank god forBlaupunkt)

[BRIT4VWS@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/5/99 6:18:52 PM Mountain Daylight Time, 
sinclair@prospro.com writes:

<< In regard to the rear speaker thread:  The self-amplified rear speakers in
 my '88 90 are ITT of Germany.  Don't know a thing about them, but they don't
 sound too bad.
 
 Couple of post-install tidbits for others who might be wondering:
 
 1)  As Mark McCulley noted, running powered high-level outputs to the
 factory amped rear speakers will result a volume bias to the rear channels,
 but the fader solution worked for me as well (fade forward a tad to equalize
 the volume).
 
 2)  The wiring for the rear amped speakers was a tad bizarre.  The rear
 speakers each have an independent positive wire, but share a common ground.
 The solution on my system was to connect positive wires normally - one to
 the RR and LR, but to omit the left rear negative wire since the factory
 harness only supplies 1 negative wire but 2 positives.  Both rear channels
 are putting out sound, but the negative off the right rear is the only one
 connected.  Wiring both negatives together into one is the other option, but
 I wouldn't recommend it.
 
 3)  The factory amped rear speakers also need a power lead to continue to
 function.  I found that the remote (aka REM) lead (usually a blue wire on an
 aftermarket headunit) supplies the proper signal to the rear amps.
 
 4)  The Blaupunkt Toronto is a very nice unit for anyone in the market.
 It's one of the last units on the market available with orange/amber
 illumination to match Audi interiors, and it is a feature packed unit.
 Sound quality is excellent, and the unit looks great in the car.  The
 Blaupunkt interface and controls are very subdued and clean compared to
 other units I considered.  Looks "at home" in the Audi dash/console.  Fit
 and finish are excellent - no cutting or filing was necessary.
 
 5)  To get around the "diversity" antenna system - 2 FM leads, front and
 rear, I bought a Y-jack from a local stereo store as recommended by a fellow
 lister.  I cut off the OEM German plugs, soldered in new Motorola type FM
 plugs that I picked up from Radioshack ($1.50 for two) and plugged those
 into the Y jack, then plugged that into the back of the headunit.  The FM
 reception is great.  I'm picking up stations I've never heard before!?!?  I
 think this can be attributed to the Blaupunkt's FM tuner - it's clearly a
 step up from the OEM FM tuner.
 
 If anyone would like more info on the Blaupunkt unit - opinions or
 otherwise - drop me a note.  Thanks again to all those who responded.  Once
 again, this list has proven to be a great resource!
 
 -Dan >>

Dan,

	I have a little trick for you that might surprise you.  Just in case 
you didn't notice, the back of the Toronto has the exact same power/supply 
block that your original factory radio did.  It isn't hard to figure out that 
the location of the power and switch lines aren't the same.  That is the bad 
news and this is the good news.  That is the one of only two things that 
Blaupunkt changed about their deck from the original Audi Hidelburg deck.  
This also means that the low level or pre-amp outputs on this radio are the 
same as factory.  If you own a car with factory amps that was made in 1988 
and later you luck out on this deal (not sure about Bose systems).  This 
radio will allow you to have a plug and play upgrade to better sound not 
tricks necessary except two minor wiring details.  If anyone is interested in 
learning more about this go ahead and give me a mail.  I have full details on 
my installs and quick little short cuts you can make.  You can do this 
install without cutting one single wire on your cars wiring harness.  Hope to 
get a few questions from this it is one of my favorite subjects.  Sorry for 
being long winded.

Britton 

87 4000 CS quattro
88 Jetta with Aktiv speakers
73 Beetle with Aktive Speakers
85 Quantum soon to have Aktiv Speakers

Aktiv is Volkswagens version of the same amplifiers found on rear speakers of 
pre 92 80's and 90's