Author Topic: RCD310 - opinions  (Read 3695 times)

Offline steven_9709

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RCD310 - opinions
« on: 19 October 2009, 10:47 »
Now my car's locked for production, there's no chance of trying to persuade the wife that a dynaudio upgrade is absolutely necessary  :sad:

So, those of you that haven't upgraded your stereos and have the bog standard RCD310, what are your opinions on it? Is is ok for a standard stereo?
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Offline R32UK

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #1 on: 19 October 2009, 10:50 »
I think its ok... but you have probably just saved yourelf a big wad of dosh. Get an aftermarket RNS510 and you will never look back. esp with the £1000 saving in your back pocket :wink:

Offline FroGTI

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #2 on: 19 October 2009, 13:25 »
The mid-range RCD510 is standard here on the GTI, but I had the RCD310 in a Golf Plus about 5 years ago. As far as I can recall they both sound identical, it's just that the RCD510 looks a lot nicer and suits the GTI's interior better than the 'old' 310. Somebody on here recently had a loan car with the RCD510 and said it didn't sound as good as his own car's Dynaudio system. All I can say is the RCD510 is good enough for my ears.
« Last Edit: 19 October 2009, 13:27 by FroGTI »

Offline mac7

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #3 on: 19 October 2009, 13:54 »
I didn't detect any audible difference between the RCD310 and the RCD510. The Dynaudio option is what gives a real and noticable improvement. But as FroGTI says, the 510 looks more at home in the Mk6 dash, especially when your lights are on at night.
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Offline andykram

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #4 on: 19 October 2009, 17:51 »
As a serious hi-fi addict the Dynaudio upgrade is the one thing I really wanted. But due to the cost of the car (and since I wanted parking sensors and other bits) I did without it. Consequently, I have to live with the 310 and find it fine. I stick the bass and treble on full and it's perfectly adequate for my Heavy Rock music.
Bearing in mind the tyre roar and what have you you have to listen over I just didn't think it was worth the expense. And as R32 says, I might get an after market RNS510 at some point but only for the sat nav, not the sound quality.
I'm sure you'll be able to upgrade the speakers anyway if you want even more oomph from the 310.

Offline Rolfe

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #5 on: 19 October 2009, 19:27 »
I stayed with the 310 because I actually didn't like the big screen of the 510.  I'm a classical music buff, and I think it's OK.  However, having said that, I'm not writing poems to it - I'm not sure it's as good a sound as the standard stereo in my old Peugeot.  (I was listening to an opera on Radio 3 when I picked up the new car and it was still on after the handover.  I thought the Golf's sound was OK, but I wasn't bowled over.)

The iPod input is great though, and I find the radio gets and holds reception in places where the Peugeot's radio lost the signal.

I'm open to upgrading sometime in the future, but having said that, Ill probably end up not bothering.  Honestly, it's a perfectly OK system.

Rolfe.

Offline Rolfe

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #6 on: 20 October 2009, 21:43 »
Mmmm, I tried some Wagner this evening, mainly to test the continuous-play capability from the iPod. (Wagner goes on for hours without a break, and the track divisions are merely arbitrary - you certainly don't want any gaps.)

First observation, it plays without a break, perfectly.  No gaps and no stuttering.

Second observation, there's some quite impressive sounds coming from that thing.

Maybe leaving it stuck on Monteverdi (which I'm trying to learn for a concert in a couple of weeks) wasn't showing it off to its best advantage.

By the way, tickets are only £8, snip of a bargain.

http://www.wherecanwego.com/Search/ViewEvent.aspx?e=308214&h=Edinburgh+Monteverdi+Vespers+%281610%29

Rolfe.

Offline Exonian

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #7 on: 21 October 2009, 04:57 »
The jury is out for me on the RCD310. It's okay but nothing special. I think I'll wait until someone flogs their RCD510 for about £300 and change to one of those.
As said above and in many other threads, the RNS 510 can often be bought for under £600 so you really did yourself a £££ favour buy speccing the 310.
‘25 8.5R, ‘23 8R, ‘20 8CS, ‘19 135iX, ‘19 TCR, ‘17 Ed40, ‘17 GTD, ‘15 7R, ‘13 GTI PP, ‘11 GTI, ‘09 GTI, ‘98 Ibiza Cupra, ‘05 GTI, ‘06 Polo GTI, ‘04 GT TDI, ‘05 Fabia vRS, ‘02 GTI T, ‘03 Ibiza TDI 130, ‘01 Leon 180, ‘89 mk2 16v, ‘99 Ibiza TDI, ‘96 VR6, ‘98 Ibiza TDI, ‘92 VR6, ‘88 mk2 8v, ‘92 Polo G40, ‘91 mk2 8v, ‘89 mk2 8v, 205 GTI 1.9, ‘83 mk1 GTI, ‘80 Scirocco GTI, plus some others I’ve forgotten 

Offline keelaw

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #8 on: 21 October 2009, 05:54 »
well given the RCD510 is selling on ebay for 400 quid minimum, i don't think it was a bad spec.  rcd310 selling for 200 quid so arguably you could have saved 150 quid.

agree RNS 510 is a complete con at circa 2,000 quid!!

Mk6 Golf GTI 5dr, DBP, Monza Shadow, Xenons, ACC, RCD510, Park Assist, Camera, Lux pack.... and now bluetooth.... and now DSG!


Offline Exonian

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Re: RCD310 - opinions
« Reply #9 on: 21 October 2009, 06:10 »
well given the RCD510 is selling on ebay for 400 quid minimum, i don't think it was a bad spec.  rcd310 selling for 200 quid so arguably you could have saved 150 quid.

agree RNS 510 is a complete con at circa 2,000 quid!!


I agree, VW priced the RCD 510 very well, and also agree the RNS is very expensive. I'm sure they have their reasons though!  :shocked:
‘25 8.5R, ‘23 8R, ‘20 8CS, ‘19 135iX, ‘19 TCR, ‘17 Ed40, ‘17 GTD, ‘15 7R, ‘13 GTI PP, ‘11 GTI, ‘09 GTI, ‘98 Ibiza Cupra, ‘05 GTI, ‘06 Polo GTI, ‘04 GT TDI, ‘05 Fabia vRS, ‘02 GTI T, ‘03 Ibiza TDI 130, ‘01 Leon 180, ‘89 mk2 16v, ‘99 Ibiza TDI, ‘96 VR6, ‘98 Ibiza TDI, ‘92 VR6, ‘88 mk2 8v, ‘92 Polo G40, ‘91 mk2 8v, ‘89 mk2 8v, 205 GTI 1.9, ‘83 mk1 GTI, ‘80 Scirocco GTI, plus some others I’ve forgotten