dave s

I want to upgrade the sound in my non-Bose A6 2.7 and I want to keep the head unit. I
was first going to spend twice as much but after getting keyed in SF I think that I will
have less to spend. I was thinking about an amp like 40x4. The problem is that I don't
think I can do it myself and amp installs can be expensive. I might try to stretch and get
some new fronts too, but the stock speakers in the A6 are bigger (6 or 6.5in) and they
might be able to handle more power well.

Are the rear speakers separately powered? When I turn the car off I hear the back
speakers for about a second longer after the fronts go off.

Has anyone tried a new amp with the factory A6 speakers?

Should I be picky with the installer and try to find someone who has worked on an
MY2000 A6 before or does it matter?

What are some recommendations for the amp and possible fronts that will keep the total
under $600?

Will some installers let me bring in my own components or will I have to buy from them?

How much more will it cost to remove the factory sub and put the amp in the passenger
side trunk compartment? I would really like to put the amp in a low pro place so I won't
have to worry about throwing my bike or snowboard stuff in the back and it will be pre
wired for power and signal(probably only rear).

Thanks in advance for the help.<p>David

A6 2.7t Ming/Melange
S4 wheels, Dark Tinted Windows
Nav, Conv, Cold, Park,

siberian

I don't know if the rears on the a6 are self powered, but if you are just looking for basic improvement over stock, you can get a decent 4x50 amp for mid- $300's. (but make sure you get one with some sort of built in cross-over and I'll explain why later on) Installation with power- signal cables and accessories should run about $150 bucks, which should include a speaker level to line level convertor to run a signal to the amp. If the rears are self powered, you can do one of two things.... 1. bypass the built in amps and see if you can run wires from the new amp right to the rear factory speaker terminals... or 2. buy new rear coax speakers- a decent pair would run around $150 to $200. Now run the front speakers of the new amp and filter out the stuff below 60 hz (using the amp's built in crossover) and this will TREMENDOUSLY improve the sound of them right out of the box. They won't be trying to play low frequencies so you can play them louder with less distortion... and they will sound better with cleaner power running them. Depending on your level of "audiophile snobbish-ness" this may be enough for you. (speaking from first hand experience, currently I have my front stock A4 4" speakers running off an old Clarion 30wpc amp and a 10" JBL sub in the trunk. That's it. And this system SMOKES the stock system.) It's a work in progress and I'll be upgrading the rest soon, but there is hope for casual audio enthusiast to get decent sound out of the stock speakers.

If you want a greater improvement from there, then swap out the fronts for a good set of separates. There are MANY MANY good speakers out there you could get starting out in the high $200's to low $300's or so. I won't recommend a brand because everyone has their own taste. This guy likes Boston, that guy likes Quart, I like Diamond. (you get the idea.... just go listen to different brands in your price range and find one that sounds the most pleasing to your ear)... however I will say some of the more popular brands are Boston, Polk, MB Quart, ADS, Diamond, Focal, Image Dynamics, Kicker, Rockford Fosgate, Kenwood, MTX, Eclipse... all of these lines make excellent quality products, but the prices vary by a wide margin!... as well, some are more widely available than others. So some might be difficult to audition if not available at a local dealer.

The beauty of this is that you can do all of this in stages. Start with the basic amp and maybe rear speakers (if the amp bypass idea doesn't work). That will keep you within your budget and give you immediate gratification for your $600 bucks. Then, a few months later (or whenever) if you save some extra cash and decide you want to upgrade the front speakers, then go ahead and spend more money. The amp and wiring is already there... all ya gotta do is swap the speakers. You may even decide to get a sub. You can get TONS of tight deep bass from a single 10" sub in a small .75 cubic foot sealed enclosure. You wouldn't believe the stuff you miss on a stock stereo because it can't produce low frequencies worth a sh*t! I'm not talkin' about just dance and techno either... this is for ANY kind of music. Even friggin Pavarrati would sound better!

The best advice I can give you is to PLAN AHEAD for upgrades. This way you can use the basic groundwork you've laid (the amp) and build from there without having to go back and re-do something. Buy an amp that has internal crossovers. If you only use the stock speakers, then you'll need the crossovers to filter out those lows from the smaller drivers, thus improving the overall sound quality. If you end up going with new front speakers, chances are they'll come with their own crossovers, in which case you won't need the amp's crossover.... but it's nice to fall back on it just in case.

Beware.... we've all started out with casual upgrades to our systems. Some of us, however, get bitten by the bug... then there's no turning back my friend. Then you start wanting more and more.... and spending insane amounts of money on your stuff. It happens. I'm a victim too! But ya know what.... I LLLLLLLLIKE IT!

Oh, one final thing... as for which installer to use, It's always best to find someone who is familiar with the idiosyncracies (I'm sure I butchered the spelling on that one!) of your car. That way they know how to remove interior trim panels without breaking them... they know where the best place is to route power wire through the fire wall and to the trunk without causing noise problems in your system. So by all means, yes, try to find someone who has done A6 installs b4. If you can't, then use this message board to find out from other A6 owners how their cables are routed, then suggest that to the installer you end up with.

May the force be with you

MoBrazen

First, S.F. = San Francisco? If so, go to City Car Radio on Pacific & Van Ness & talk to John Ko and Ricky, 415-771-2039. Tell them "Daryl" sent you. My S4 is there right now for a 2-week surgery procedure. They know their stuff and they know a service tech at Royal Motors who helps them w/Audi installs.

2. A lot of installers will let you bring your own components or they may be able to special order them for you and give them to you for less than retail. Something to consider . . .

3. The amount of power you want depends on the quality of the speakers you buy. If you stick with the factory speakers, you can get a cheaper amp, but if you upgrade the speakers, be ready to shell out a bit more for a better amp. I personally am a Phoenix Gold fan, but you can run between PG, PPI, Xtant, and Eclipse for just front speaker action.

4. I'm not an A6 expert, because I have an S4, so take these comments as general guidance for you. I think if you get new speakers and an amp, you will easily hit or go over your $600 budget, unless you have a hook up. That is something else to consider.

Expectations:
Front Speakers = $200-$300 (Diamond, MB Quart, Boston Accoustics, Image Dynamics, and a few others)
4-ch Amp = $199-$499 (depends on brand & power)
Install = $100-$175 per door
4-ch Amp install = $75-$150


Boys, feel free to chime in if I missed anything . . .<p>"I'm that Blue Menace in your rear view!!!"<ul><li><a href="http://www.phoenixgold.com">http://www.phoenixgold.com</a</li></ul>

siberian

is your car the blue that's sort of a light bluish-lavenderish color. I can't describe it but it's really a different color. I saw an S4 with that color and I really liked it. I have a Santorin Blue a4 and it was lighter than mine. Is that the color of your car?

Just curious.

MoBrazen

Yep, I bought a Nogaro Blue (blue you described) S4. It really stands out in any crowd, night or day. I also have the Blue Alcantara (suede) seats to match. Nogaro Blue & Imola Yellow are special colors exclusive to the S4 (unless you get a paint job), that's why I chose it. Anything else?<p>"I'm that Blue Menace in your rear view!!!"

dave s

<p>David

A6 2.7t Ming/Melange
S4 wheels, Dark Tinted Windows
Nav, Conv, Cold, Park,