Installing a noise-cancelling mic in Golf TDI

blueclaws

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
Location
Berkeley, CA
TDI
'21 Golf TDI
Hey TDIClub peeps,
I've got a '12 Golf TDI, and unfortunately experience a lot of complaints about noise when I use my car's bluetooth phone connection. I know this is a common issue, but I'm sick of it and am trying to fix it.
Some people have gone into the firmware of the car to manually increase the microphone volume, but I'm convinced that still wouldn't solve the main issue: ambient road noise coming through the mic.
From my research, it seems a higher-end bluetooth set up on late model Jettas comes equipped with two mics: one regular mic and one mic to cancel background noise (I think the radio with the '7' part no. prefix is the dual mic, as opposed to the '2' and '3' versions).
Here's my question: Has anyone on this forum attempted to yank (or buy) a Jetta dual mic system and install it into a Golf TDI?
Cheers,
-peter
 

Fixmy59bug

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, NV
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE
I don't recall the radios ever ending in 2, 3 or 7. I think you may be talking about the PR codes for the bluetooth modules (Being 9W2, 9W3, and 9W7).

Although the module has nothing to do with the microphone that is used in the car.

Further, I have never heard of a dual mic system. I have checked ALL of the late model cars in ETKA (Vw's Electronic Parts Catalog) and vw uses the same mic for all bluetooth systems.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.
 

blueclaws

Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2012
Location
Berkeley, CA
TDI
'21 Golf TDI
Hey Robert,

You're right, I guess the correct term is the BT modules ending in '7'. Is it fair to say the module is usually part of a audio/video package on a car, which the dual mic might be a part of?

The thread that I got the '7' lead from is here, for what it's worth:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5479948-2012-Jetta-Premium-Crap-Bluetooth-Quality

"I have had this problem from the get-go, with the BT. I joined this forum specifically because I saw Muggsy77's post, and was amazed that so many others have not had the same problem,since it appears to be kind of endemic on various VW forums. A couple of the TDI forums, in particular, have extensive discussions on this topic.

Briefly, my experience has been that outgoing audio intelligibility (from the car) is tolerable if and only if the car is traveling at or below about 30 mph, no windows are open, and the blower is either off or on the lowest setting. If any of these conditions is changed for the "noisier," outgoing audio intelligibility deteriorates very rapidly to actually zero, where I have to drop the BT, and use the phone directly. I've used this under all signal levels, and with two different phones, including an iPhone and an older LG VX8300. Identical symptoms. I don't have the Nav system. There are apparently three versions of the audio/nav/BT interface (I don't recall the p/n prefix, but the versions are 2, 3, and 7). I have the 2 version, I believe. The 7 version (which has the super-zapola MFD, etc) contains the dual-microphone active noise-canceling audio chain, so it's something that VW seems to know about. I agree with the poster who asked to have the mike on the driver's side, for a nice change. I actually go hoarse from trying to shout, at times. It's not the phone or signal atrength, because even voice-dialing is a real challenge, and that's just car-to-phone BT, not involving external signal levels.

I'm with you, Muggsy -- there's something odd going on. I suspect that VW may have switched microphone suppliers in mid-stream, and is reluctant to own up to it, given the recall/retrofit implication. The noise is definitely road noise, as if there is inadequate acoustic isolation of the mike. It's real, and it's a major showstopper for reliable phone use with the car's BT." - Guy with a 2010 Jetta
 

Yvettes Sherpa

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Location
Winchester CA
TDI
2013 Golf TDI
I have a 2013 Golf and have no problems with my BT. I do have the nav so I'm not sure if that changes anything. The first time I called my wife she didn't know I was in my car.
 

I800C0LLECT

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2012
Location
Williamsburg, VA
TDI
2012 Jetta & Passat
I heard of people moving the mic and adding padding of sorts to it to help decouple it from the vibrating panels. I'll probably use duct seal when I pull it apart.
 
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