Hi guys! First post here.

I have a 2001 A4 1.8T named Sabrina. As of late, my stereo (Symphony) has been giving me problems. If I listen to anything AM/FM, it sounds normal (as good as radio gets, anyways). However, if I play a CD or use a tape adapter to connect my iPod, the speakers on the right side of the car sound practically dead, and the speakers on the left are halfway there. The sound is very hollow and thin, and the bass sounds blown out. I've been looking at aftermarket head units and I'm having a hard time finding installation kits. What do you guys recommend?

 

If youve already made sure that your fade/ballance conrtols are adjusted to the middle at least, try this:

(maybe someone messed with it before you?)
The"secret EQ"

To access the EQ all you have to do is turn off your car and remove the key. Then hold down the number '5' on your CD changer/Radio preset control and power on the head unit.

You will see '55555555' if your radio is in stock form. These numbers represent 4 EQ settings each for front and back. They are, in order from left to right (courtesy of LCP on the AudiWorld forums):

1. Front low bass
2. Front mid bass
3. Front midrange
4. Front treble
5. Rear low bass
6. Rear mid bass
7. Rear midrange
8. Rear treble

To adjust the settings, use your volume **** to change the flashing digit to a value from 1 to 9 (1 being the lowest level, 9 being the highest) and press P.SCAN to go to the next digit. When you get to the end it will wrap back to the first digit.

 

Welcome to Audiforums hitman, I think ive actually seen pictures of your car somewhere, pearl white? anyways thats a really odd problem with your stereo, i know in my car (96 a4 2.8Q) i had the delta cassette player and the head was ridiculously dirty so it wouldn't play well, and the volume dropped like crazy from radio to tape, literally i would have the tape player cranked all the way up to be slightly satisfied. it could be possible that your tape head and cd lens are both dirty and that is why that is happening. As far as aftermarket goes, i believe you can get a dash kit for your car off of e-bay. That is where i got mine along with the wiring harness, although watch out because if you have amplified speakers in the back you will have to run some new wiring and snip a couple wires to get everything working properly. Good luck and btw if that is your car i saw online...nice ride

 

Over the summer, I didn't have this problem. I did have problems with the sound before, but somehow the problem solved itself. I left for school in August, and didn't drive the car for a while. I come back a month later, and I run into this. Do you think a deck cleaning tape/laser cleaning CD would do any good? And by the way, that isn't my car you're thinking of. Sabrina is charcoal, maybe I'll post some pics sometime...

 

the head cleaner and lens cleaner would probably be where i started trouble shooting. not really sure what else it could be other than wiring because you said it was one side and not the other. It could possibly be your head unit going out. Try to find a new symphony head unit in the classifieds section. That would be my next bet. good luck

 

Well, I played around with the fader and balance yesterday and, strangely enough, it turns out that all four speakers are working. I also messed around with the 'hidden' EQ, but the sound is still somewhat blown out and dirty. Does this necessarily eliminate a wiring problem?

 

well, you dont have bose.. and the stock system sucks ***

i would get 4 new speakers, and a 4 ch amp.. youd be golden then

 

So would you say it is better to replace the speakers than the headunit at first? If so, why is the amp necessary?

 

Try spraying all the buttons, potentiometers, with RadioShack Contact Cleaner.
Turn each fader button after spraying.

 

A dirty contact could be causing all of this?