Headunit upgrade/replacement

Post by **sync24** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:15 am

I am planning to upgrade my RNSe head unit in my 07 B7 RS4 to a 2012 one from an Audi A3, also being done at the same time is installation of the latest Audi MMI for iPhone connectivity + removal of the phone cradle and the installation of a new centre console. I want to bring the satnav up to date, improve the screen resolution/response speed and have the full capabilities of iphone playlists/albums ETC available. All this work planned has been quoted as just over a grand all in - but this still does not leave me with DAB capability.

Today - I have been toying with the idea of not getting all the work done and replacing the RNSe with something like the Alpine INE-W925R - Advanced Navi Station.
I originally wanted to keep everything OEM / stock looking but I am not sure the upgrade and installation work is really worth while doing.

I do like the look & features of the Alpine Unit and it does get good reviews but then again I do like the factory integration of the Audi components. Especially silly things like the SATNAV driving the colour DIS on the dash.

Has anyone gone down this route and bought a top end double end DIN unit that does it all [satnav/bluetooth/iphone/apps] - Are the wiring looms available to drive the DIS or is it a case of loosing that functionality and just use the screen. I could keep the old RNSe and put it back in the car should I ever want to sell [which is doubtful for the next few years]

I know it's a matter of personal taste - but deviating from OEM parts is very appealing and I can get everything I want for at least 200 quid less than I was looking at paying especially as the unit has DAB. I've some questions around the DAB Ariel as well and integration into the BOSE system but this looks straight forward enough. I'll also ask about the unit's capability to drive the DIS.

Appreciate everyone's opinions on this......

Thanks

Kev

Post by **MikeFish** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 12:35 am

I had looked at an Alpine previously. It was the 8inch 928 I was more interested in. I think it is pretty much a 925 with a bigger screen BUT no DAB as far as I can remember. I think DAB was the only thing the 925 did that the 928 didn't.
The only thing that stopped my doing it was that the Alpine has limited capacities for mp3 stored on a usb drive, and it's lack of decent support for lossless formats. My only option would have been to convert my FLAC collection to Apple lossless ans storing as much of it as I could on an iPod classic. This was still a compromise for me so stuck with the RNS-E and upgraded the rest of the system.
Oh, and you will defo lose the DIS for track information and sat nav directions.

Post by **PetrolDave** » Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:09 pm

MikeFish wrote:Oh, and you will defo lose the DIS for track information and sat nav directions.

For me that's the strongest argument for going with a 2010+ RNS-E plus AMI.

Note to sync24 - it's AMI not MMI.

Post by **HYFR** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:20 am

Interesting that VW have a kenwood unit which keeps DIS integration

Post by **PetrolDave** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:36 am

D_K wrote:Interesting that VW have a kenwood unit which keeps DIS integration

Link???

Post by **MikeFish** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:39 am

http://www.cartronics.co.uk/install-fac ... NX-521-DAB

Post by **Carl-1968** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 10:06 pm

Had a Pioneer double din Avh-3200bt in my B7 and the radio is rubbish. Now swapping it for a DaB unit as im fed up with it. Tried everything to improve the reception but nothing has worked and yet the Symphony unit I took out was fine

2

Post by **adsgreen** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:09 pm

MikeFish wrote:http://www.cartronics.co.uk/install-fac ... NX-521-DAB

Very carefully worded but afaik all ken wood units are media dis integrated. So it shows what track/song/radio station... Not nav directions.

Post by **MikeFish** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 11:12 pm

That might not be the one Dave was talking about though. I just did a search after reading his post and that is what I found. Interesting though that it's only the song info it displays and not sat nav as I wouldn't have thought to check that!

Post by **PetrolDave** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 6:47 pm

MikeFish wrote:not sat nav as I wouldn't have thought to check that!

For me that's what makes the OE units worth having, you can have the main sat nav screen showing something for the other occupants in the car to watch, but the driver still has the sat nav next turn instructions on the DIS.

Post by **MikeFish** » Mon Jan 28, 2013 8:04 pm

PetrolDave wrote:
MikeFish wrote:not sat nav as I wouldn't have thought to check that!
For me that's what makes the OE units worth having, you can have the main sat nav screen showing something for the other occupants in the car to watch, but the driver still has the sat nav next turn instructions on the DIS.

I'm in agreement with you, my point was that if I saw that te media info worked I might have just assumed the sat nav info worked too. I'd have been well annoyed if I bought it, fitted it then realised I'd been mugged off with carefully wording and ad lost the sat nav dis info.

Post by **rs4nz** » Thu May 30, 2013 12:36 am

Hi Guys,

reviving a slightly old thread but....

i am a bit pedantic and like keeping things OEM as well but lately ive been pretty keen to go down the path of an aftermarket double din unit as well, i am however completely confused about integration of the aftermarket unit with the audi bose sound system / amp. Have any of you done this ? and if so what sort of wiring / adapters do you need ? ive seen all sorts of harnesses and active adapters, references to needing it and not etc

I have a B7 2006 RS4, with a symphony head unit and as far as i know bose speakers/amp.

Cheers
Niro

Post by **PetrolDave** » Thu May 30, 2013 5:52 pm

rs4nz wrote:i am however completely confused about integration of the aftermarket unit with the audi bose sound system / amp.

The Bose system is actually really simple - it has 4 line level inputs (FL, FR, RL & RR) feeding a 5 channel amp, 4 for the main speakers plus a sub-woofer.

It has a microphone that in the interior light that monitors the interior sound and adjusts the volume AND frequency response of the amplifier to attempt to keep the "wanted" sound at the same level above the "unwanted" sound (road, wind and engine noise).

Post by **MikeFish** » Thu May 30, 2013 7:59 pm

Dave, where is the front centre channel fed from?

rs4nz
Sorry can't help you out here, I did it the other way round i.e. I kept the RNS-E and replaced the Bose amp and speakers. In fact the Bose is still there and takes just a couple of seconds to plug it back in to drive the speakers; handy if I wanted to work on the amps etc but still have some basic sounds.

Post by **rs4nz** » Fri May 31, 2013 12:48 am

PetrolDave
thanks heaps for that, have you replaced your head unit and kept the Bose amp by any chance ? i don't get what these Active adapters are doing and if i need them ?
e.g - > http://caraudiosecurity.com/ct53-au04-a ... em-adapter

being a bit noobish with sound systems, is an RCA out from an after market unit not line level in terms of signal level and impedance and are these active adapters required to convert the signal before sending to the bose amp ?

MikeFish
Kind of tempted to do this too but dont really want to rewire from the head unit and find a place for the amp etc

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