gti audio really that bad

[snakehips]

I love my RNS510 system except that I agree that the sound quality is pants. Can I get a decent improvement by just upgrading the speakers? I don't want to mess with the head unit at all.

[Hurdy]

Hurdy - how do you secure it on??

The false front has 2 pieces of thin plastic which are attached to the top and bottom of it. It is then simply a matter of sliding it into place

Here's a pic of the back.

[Hurdy]

I love my RNS510 system except that I agree that the sound quality is pants. Can I get a decent improvement by just upgrading the speakers? I don't want to mess with the head unit at all.

Upgrading the speakers will give you better sound quality, but the RNS still uses the DSP and so will cut certain frequencies at certain volumes.

Think of putting in speakers as putting twin turbo's on the R32 and then saddling it with a 5mm intake and 10mm exhaust

[DanoGTI]

LOL - good analogy

IMHO, and as a comparison, my Scooby had THE worst stereo I've ever had the misfortune of hearing (and that's after hearing the VW system ). So much so, that I only lived about 30mins away from the dealer. By the time I'd got home, I'd already bought a new H/U and speakers They were fitted within the hour!! 

My take is that I've currently got a VERY nice Bose system, so the failings of the VW system (regardless of how shiny the H/U is) are blatantly obvious
Change the H/U first, see how it sounds. THEN change the speakers. IMHO, whilst both are pretty awful, the H/U is the major culprit.

Dan

[snakehips]

I've just come from a Mazda with a Bose system so the difference was pretty shocking for me too. What exactly does changing the head unit mean? Can I literally change just the heads and keep the overall RNS510 system, or do I have to swap out the RNS510 itself?

[ifti]

The head unit is the entire unit - so changing your head unit would mean changing the entire RNS510 unit.

[snakehips]

The head unit is the entire unit - so changing your head unit would mean changing the entire RNS510 unit.

Hmm, in that case I'd like to try changing just the speakers for starters, though I do understand that's not the perfect solution. After 10 years in a company car I have no idea what's out there anymore. How much might I have to spend to replace all 8 speakers with something good?

[AlanD]

The HU really isnt hard to change, do a search and there is a nice simple "How To" guide for replacing it. Upgrading the HU will give you more wattage (power) to the speakers thus giving better sound. Add a small sub (or big lol) and amp in the back and your sorted, all for a fraction of the cost (depends what HU you buy) of buying JUST an upgraded VW unit.

[jphealy]

Is that "How To" guide on this site somewhere?  I'm awaiting delivery of an Alpine CDA-105Ri that I'm going to swap with my original RCD 300.  I've also ordered the single DIN dash converter part from VW.  I'll want the iPod cable coming into the glove box.  How easy will all this be to do, without any experience or tools?!

I could just bring it to the local car audio place and get them to do it for about £80???