It’s all about the bass...

[Exonian]

There have been a few vids showing the HK sub in the boot.


If VW don’t come out with something along the lines of a Helix boot mount soon I might attempt a small Pioneer amplified sub under the passenger seat.
I don’t need Corsa-boy levels of amplified sound, just something to add that extra dimension to the standard unit at civilised volume levels.

[Darlo]

There have been a few vids showing the HK sub in the boot.


If VW don’t come out with something along the lines of a Helix boot mount soon I might attempt a small Pioneer amplified sub under the passenger seat.
I don’t need Corsa-boy levels of amplified sound, just something to add that extra dimension to the standard unit at civilised volume levels.

I will be interested to hear where you go with this. I didn’t go with the HK as it pushed me over the magic £40k on my soon to arrive R. I’m yet to hear the standard system but assume it will be on a par with my 7.5R.... I have the new car for 4 years so will 100% want to upgrade.

[fredgroves]

The standard Mk8 system is indeed much like the Mk7.5.

Its pretty good vs other manufacturer basic systems - mainly because it has A pillar tweeters.

It is a bit front passenger biased and even if you use the fader, the rears just don't seem to have the power.

Bass isn't bad, but not capable of reliving "No Sleep til Hammersmith" in an effective way. I expect to have my face smashed in by Lemmy and the boys

[Exonian]

Yes, I’d say the standard audio quality in the mk8 is probably very similar to the mk7.
It’s acceptable.

Being as I’m a trainee old fart (I’ve even recently started listening to half an hour of radio 2 lately to back up my geriatric in waiting credentials, but admittedly that’s because it’s Jo Wiley [who is one of those incredibly rare people who is actually genuinely very very cool] in the evening as I thread my way to work) I tend to play my music reasonably quietly most of the time but I do have the bass up quite high to combat the plethora of natural resonances cars make when driving which would otherwise get drown the low frequencies out. Trouble with that is when I have a funny five minutes and blast out a cracker of a tune the bass will then distort worse than the old school disco speakers did when the wannabe DJ got carried away.

The Helix sub would be ideal as it is properly engineered to redirect the bass away from the door cones and requires minimal fiddling with factory wiring to do so.
I’m reluctant to start splicing a brand new factory loom which an aftermarket amplified sub might require, even if it’s not exactly a full on system upgrade.

[Darlo]

I did email the seller of helix systems on eBay asking if they fit the mk8 a few weeks ago. He just replied saying send him the VIN for the car and he will check.

Whilst searching various possible options came up. But like you say, I really want to avoid messing with the wiring. My days of running cables and doing stereo upgrades are waaaay behind me.

Edit.... I found the like on eBay. Maybe work sending him your VIN number and see what he says.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Helix-Plug-and-play-Soundsystem-Subwoofer-000051419B-Original-VW-/173940289267?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

[Exonian]

I’ve sent my VIN to the eBay seller Darlo.
I strongly suspect the answer will be no as the Golf 8 doesn’t appear on any of the tech sheets.

Edit just got this back from them:

New message from: audi-vw-ahstoye (4,841Red Star)
Hi Andy,
according to Volkswagen, the Golf VIII is not compatible. But I can imagine that it will work anyway.
Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee it.

regards



*****************

I meant to add the the last post that I’d contacted Audiotec Fischer but have yet to hear back.

[fredgroves]

How does the Helix connect?

Presumably there is some sort of connector on the rear of the glovebox magic box?

On a Mk8 the magic box isn't there? Or at least not visible because there isn't a CD or SD card slots.

So the question is, where is the "brains" of the MIB unit in a Mk8 and does it have the same audio connector....

I'm guessing it has to have SOMETHING because HK needs to connect the sub somewhere but is that the same connector and interface has the old Dynaudio/Helix system? I'd not be surprised if it wasn't different, but you'd have to go hunting.

[Exonian]

That’s basically what I replied to the German dealer above.
Once my garage is clear of boxes and I can get proper access to the car my plan has been to try and remove a few lower dash panels and get up in under there with a torch.
I enjoy taking things apart to see how they work.
My mother once said that when I was a baby I climbed out of my cot when nobody was looking, dismantled her watch which was sat on a cupboard then climbed back in again. Personally I think it must’ve been a poltergeist but...

[fredgroves]

Yes, people hide things from me here because I take them apart to work out how they function... and often can't get it back together again

[fredgroves]

Exonian, courtesy of my friend Massimo...

The mk8 stereo gubbins is above the glove box, just not visible because you don't have CD player or sd cards.

Also here is the back of the it...




Audison make an audio upgrade and it definitely fits the mk8.

https://www.audison.eu/products/ap-560pp-io/

You can see the cables in that link.

Helix should work i think based on all of that.