[nadams5755]

you can use vagcom to tell the radio it's got a factory amplifier (choose volkwagon soundsystem) and you'll get a variable low-level output, upwards of 4vrms. there's some linearity/auto-eq issues. they're really apparent when the volume's above 20. so i'd adjust gains as if 20 is maximum volume.

you can grab an aftermarket radio and a idatalink maestro to keep the factory controls, it's probably the best way to better source. then into your amplifiers. down the road, add a sub and dsp.

 

[nadams5755]

i was able to fit an image dynamics idq 62 in the doors, which were 2-7/8" deep. however, i needed a 1-1/4" spacer to do it. glued together 3/4" and 1/2" rings together to get 1-1/4" spacer. i also ground down some plastic ribbing behind the speaker grills.

1" baffle wasn't deep enough, 1-1/2" baffle was too much. 1-1/4" was just right.

that basket thing in the door sucks.

i couldn't get the window motor assembly to stop resonating in the doors. i could minimize it by wedging some CCF under the motor assembly. i aborted door-mounted midbasses to kick panels.

 

[nadams5755]

close, no sheet lead in the doors. if i had to do it again, i'd try it. sheet lead's easier to work with than mlv.

cld on the door frame and door card. ccf+mlv sandwich behind the door card. JT put a layer of cld over the factory 6.5" openings.

cld, ccf, and mlv on the floors. sheet lead and extra ccf on the front floorpans as well.

 

[nadams5755]

a couple friends have the chinese radios. their price is appealing but the software is pretty inconsistent. the cpus are insufficiently cooled so they thermal-throttle.

i wanted a volume knob, so i went w/ a sony xav-av210 and later with a stinger heigh10. the stinger's plastics match the mk6 interior quite well. variable optical-out to the dsp works good.