Ok so I purchased a Clarion DRX9575Rz deck last week to be installed in my car. It's clarion's top of the line in dash cd player and runs about $800. I setup an appointment to have it installed @ Abt in Morton Grove, IL. On the day of the install, my installer pulls out my radio and begins to check the wires to see which goes where and such. He attempts to use a VW wiring harnass for my car, but they are not even close to matching. He spends about 60 minutes just trying to figure out which wires are to what, and also figures out there's going to be some more custom labor than we had originally figured. I make another appointment the next day from 4-9pm for my cd player install AND some interior neon blue lighting for the footwells (pretty good looking at night - especially because my car has onyx interior & my clarion deck has a blue color screen saver on the active matrix display) The switch for the lights is on that blank piece of plastic next to the rear & front fog light buttons. Good integration.

Anyways, I get a call from Abt last night to tell me they ran into the following problem: Audi's rear speakers are pre-amplified, but the fronts are not. Also, the deck I got (as most high-end decks are) is also preamplified. This makes my front speakers unable to connect to the deck because they aren't amplified. So I had the choice of buying a small amplifier for my front speakers or not having any front speakers. I am buying a Rockford Fosgate 100 A2 amp monday for my fronts. The unfortunate thing is, that amp will be useless when I do my entire system, so if any of you Audi owners want it in a few months, it'll probably be for sale.

Total cost (neon lights/deck/custom labor): $1500

One very nice setup, IMO though. It's really cool to pull next to me at night because you can see this blue lighting very faintly illuminating me and my passenger from underneath the car. I plan on ordering some Wet Okole seat covers in blue/black soon to compliment the lighting as well. I'll try and post pictures if I can find the time.

Sincerely,

Marcus Frost
99.5 1.8tqm

I am an acoustical engineer and have spent 9 years working with many different types of audio systems including home theater, stereo reproduction facilities, post recording track suits, audiological engineering and physcho acoustical research. I know what I am talking an\bout when it comes to any amplified or live acoustic presentation of sound. All of the gear you have mentioned is really hyped up gear for the masses. Very similar to what BOSE does. Most everyday people walk into a store and see that name, hear the loud sounds and think 'WOW' they are not truly impressed with the sound, they are impressed with the implied and or intrinsic value of the name.

Many people confuse acousticaly impressive with acoustically correct. Impressive is loud and thumpy with sharp highs and vibrating lows. Acoustically correct is natural volume with smooth transients, accurate lows and precise crisp highs. When you listen to you Clarion and Fosgate mix, it will impress you. Then put in a CD of something that has alot of truly defined highs, lows and mids. It sounds good but then try it in the stock Audi player. Granted, you will not be able to play it so loud that you ear drums cannot tell the difference between distortion and relevance, but you will notice that you hear things that you never did before.

No matter how hard you listen, you cannot hear everything in Eric CLaptons un-plugged if you are using a Clarion head unit and fosgate amps. In order to achieve their energy, they sacrifice stereo imaging and sonic warmth to gain watts for the next punch. The stock Audi stereo is a very good one and if you listen to Clapton, you will hear certain lip smacks and his finger nails on the guitar body. You have to trust me on this. I played the same game as a kid and went for all of the glitz and punch. If you really want to truly enjoy the pure sense of what the producer and artist intended on you hearing, you should go with tube amps if possible or a high end, Sony amp with a Macintosh or Alpine head unit. Your stock Audi unit is a very VERY good unit and you can easily unlock the potential by replacing some of the speakers and using better cable. Try it before you spend all of that cash.

I have a Nak MB 75 deck, two PPI PC amps, MB Quart front component set, stock rears, and Boston 12" Proseries sub in a sealed box.

With your experience and knowledge, I'd be interested in knowing what you think of these maufacturers.

Thanks,
Mark

I'm running a Sony ES minidisc head unit with pioneer amps and infinity kappa speakers. The stock unit cannot even come close respect to imageing or sound pressure. I'll compare classical music anyday. The only stock unit that even came remotely close was an E class mercedes benz that I was in about 6 months ago.

I still think the stock head unit exhibits
remarkable clarity and definition. Unless you are talking a lot of dollars, the improvement will be minimal.

MOre ROI for amps and speakers

0.02

1996 a4 2.8 qm

When I'm talking stock unit I'm talking the stock system. The Sony ES deck and speaker quality gives the clarity. You want SPL try 350 watts RMS with 105 db signal to noise and 0.04% THD rated @ RMS output. Aftermarket component speakers with crossovers and subwoofer. You think a stock Audi system can keep up. Keep smok'in it and by the way learn to read. I already mentioned the amps/speakers.

:) If you forgive my pun :).

walk into any auto stereo store, and talk about the stock "unit".
They will either think you are talking head unit, or ask "huh?"
try "system".

P.S.
Relax, Sony is still mass market stuff.
And getting into spec wars is the worst thing to do:
350 Watts RMS means?
over what frequency range?
what IM distortion?
at what supply rail voltage?
What's the damping factor?

email me if u wish to continue this offline....
:-)