I have a 99.5 A4 without bose, and am trying to upgrade the system. Thinking about 5.25" components in the front, 6.5" coaxial in the back. I have a few questions:
-First off, should i replace the audi concert head unit for an aftermarket unit?
-Second, how hard is the actual installation of speakers and an amp, possibly a sub. Should i have it done professionally? I have little experience, but I am good with figuring stuff out.
-Finally, any brand recommendations? I was thinking eclipse or JBL.

Thanks for the help.

 

To give you an idea....

I have had to A4's

1st 96
Current 99


Both installs were a pain.

As far as aftermarket speakers. Look in Electronis section. There's a weblink I posted a year ago for all factorsy sizes on speakers for AUDI. Up to 2000 I believe.

I would go with Kenwood All around. I had that setup in my old car.

I currently have an Alpine 9847 I am very happy with the sound this unit produces. I just finished wiring my amp & subs. I started at 12noon with a friend didnt finish to alitte after 5pm.

Were talking a clean install not half-***. The Volkswagon wire harness... is complicated. In theory when you connect harness it's suppose to connect all speakers. Not on an AUDI. It was liek this on my 1996a4 I was hoping it would change with my 99.5

What happens is once you connect reciever & harness. you only get sound from front speakers. NO SOUND FROM REAR. So you have to splice into rear speakers Run speaker wire all the way to front.

Maybe I am wrong and theres easier way to do this.

I'll help any way I can.

 

so you cant use the existing speaker wires? what about adding an amp

 

You have to run speaker wire from REAR of car to front (to headunit)

I am sure you can tap into AUDI factory harness. I have no clue which on is for rear tho. Much faster to run my own wires.

AMP?


You have to run 4 Gauge cable from battery to trunk (or where-ever u want amp)

 

I thought the install was fairly easy. I would not recommend using factory wires. I personally like JL for speakers and amps. Unless u want to make some custom adapters u will need sonthing like this
http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Speaker_adaptors/audi.htm

Good luck

 

If you do the reading and research, there is no reason you cannot do it yourself. But don't half *** it or you will burn your car. I have done it on both my A4's as well (98.5 and 2000). Both times is was a large undertaking, pain in the *** running wires and cable. But I went above and beyond what I needed to do. I wanted amps hidden so I built a false floor in the rear for the amps to be under, etc... Run your own cable - don't use factory wiring.

An install is what you make of it. If you simply want to throw it all in there and not car how it looks, just as well to get it done at Best Buy. If you care about how it looks and feels, and don;t want to pay large sums out th ***, do it yourself and take your time - you will thank youself.

 

i have a 00 and with the way the head unit (i have bose system), i figure ill just leave it as is since it wouldnt look right replacing it .. so i just got an amp and sub installed using the converter tapped into the rear speakers. i work at circuit city once a week so i had the guys at CC do the install for me. they did a nice clean job on it and only took them like 1-2hours. cost about 60bucks (discount) for the install.

im running ESX Q1752 amp + (1) Eclipse SW8000 Sub. sounds good to me

 

you will need to make or check on ebay for speaker adapter plates installing a head unit can be a pain in these cars speaker are pretty easy compared to some cars that i has done (i was a car audio installer for 5 years) i replaced my fronts with polk momo componets and did polk momo coaxial in the rear with a pioneer deh-p5700 head unit i soulds a whole lot better then it did before but these speakers are not good for bass but i am planning on doing a 12' polk momo sub here pretty soon. you should look at the polk momo's or the db series speaker the db's arent that expence and the sound da#m good for what they cost i think ciruit city had a buy one get on half off on the polk db's but they also need to be in a system with a sub to get that nice clarity blend