Upgrading the Polo's speakers (need advice)

Chat about your 9n Polo (inc GT and Fun)
panda
Silver Member
Posts: 355
Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2006 6:14 pm

Post by panda »

upgrading to gamma from beta is a b***h because the h/u's in these modern VAG cars are paired to the ECU of the car. When I bought my polo it had no ICE, I sourced some standard second hand stuff which the previous owner paid for, went to fit it and it wouldnt work due to needing coding to the cars ECU. I found it was cheaper to fit a nice pioneer headunit. I managed to find a black one with blue/red illumination that matches the dashboard really well.
Then I swapped my speakers for alpine ones which I was told should be a straight swap. They were not, needed custom MDF spacers making (thanks dad, lol)
You can now buy spacers tho I think. Not that hard to fit new speakers.
AKs_SlickPolo
Gold Member
Posts: 823
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 4:30 pm
Location: London. Drives: Silver 9N 1.4 16v

Post by AKs_SlickPolo »

Mjmills - you would need a special lead. Should be able to on Beta's too, don't need to upgrade.
panda wrote:upgrading to gamma from beta is a ***** because the h/u's in these modern VAG cars are paired to the ECU of the car. When I bought my polo it had no ICE, I sourced some standard second hand stuff which the previous owner paid for, went to fit it and it wouldnt work due to needing coding to the cars ECU. I found it was cheaper to fit a nice pioneer headunit. I managed to find a black one with blue/red illumination that matches the dashboard really well.
Then I swapped my speakers for alpine ones which I was told should be a straight swap. They were not, needed custom MDF spacers making (thanks dad, lol)
You can now buy spacers tho I think. Not that hard to fit new speakers.
I was refering to Gamma as I thought all 9Ns came with that :?

It probably didn't work as at some point VW changed the old K-Line for a CAN-BUS system so newer stereo's wouldn't work on cars based on the older system.
jrw
Silver Member
Posts: 455
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 7:21 pm
Location: Cannock, West Midlands
Contact:

Post by jrw »

Get VW MFD Sat-nav and you wont look back. Fitted this in my Bora and before the speakers sounded pants but now they are rich and full of bass.

Some people actually think I have a sub. Just ask Gra-GT if you want a 2nd opinion! Plus the fact that you are getting 5inch colour mapping and the option to plug a dvd player into it.

Gra-gt has the vw upgraded speakers in the back (off me when I sold the polo) and they sound a lot better than the stock ones running off the GAMMA unit.

MFD is plug and play, just plug the loom in, attach the GPS aerial to the passenger airbag unit, put the code in and away you go. £350 from ebay.
mjmills
Bronze Member
Posts: 102
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:24 pm

Post by mjmills »

hi again, i was googling around and am i right in saying that the beta has an output of 2 * 20 and the gamma 4 * 40 and the MFD has an output of 4 x 40?

I really am asking, i know that looks like a rhetorical question, but it isn't, i have no idea, car stereos are new teratory for me.

In regards to jwr:
jrw wrote:Get VW MFD Sat-nav and you wont look back. Fitted this in my Bora and before the speakers sounded pants but now they are rich and full of bass.

Some people actually think I have a sub. Just ask Gra-GT if you want a 2nd opinion! Plus the fact that you are getting 5inch colour mapping and the option to plug a dvd player into it.

Gra-gt has the vw upgraded speakers in the back (off me when I sold the polo) and they sound a lot better than the stock ones running off the GAMMA unit.

MFD is plug and play, just plug the loom in, attach the GPS aerial to the passenger airbag unit, put the code in and away you go. £350 from ebay.
will i find that an upgrade to a Gamma will have the same kind of increase in sound quality (i would like an mfd but i can't really afford 350!, would rather spend 50-100)
grantvw
New
Posts: 42
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 7:26 pm
Location: Sheffield

Post by grantvw »

hi i've got a 3dr e55 polo i put speakers in the rear of my car about 6 months ago now and it was a pain in the arse you need to make your own wiring if you havent already got some also you need to buy the speaker mounting plates captive nuts clips for the panel (recomended as they dont always come of without breaking) speaker grills and the most inportant thing the speakers i would recomend getting the upgraded base speakers from vw which are about £100 with vat they have built in tweeters and my prefrence is to stay with a gamma radio or sat nav system i find the sound quality is much better plus its all o.e.
Grant
jrw
Silver Member
Posts: 455
Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 7:21 pm
Location: Cannock, West Midlands
Contact:

Post by jrw »

It was the GAMMA that I replaced, and that sounds absolute pants in comparison to the MFD!

You can pick them up for £300 now off Ebay - Well worth it!
mjmills
Bronze Member
Posts: 102
Joined: Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:24 pm

Post by mjmills »

ah, sorry about that, my mistake, looks like i need to look into a mfd! Cheers for the help
Post Reply