Audio Upgrades - Mk4 - Monsoon eqp'd

[benIV]

There's a million different headunits on amazon ofc, but they make me nervous for actual compatibility and functionality. Anyone have any experience with a particularly not too expensive headunit they'd recommend that would tie in and function with a stock monsoon a4? Or should I just replace the whole system? I don't have a pri

 

[Fahrvegnugen]

a cheap replacement of the whole system is still $1000+. I tested some solutions at a stereo place and they didn’t sound as good.
I found the best solution is to get whatever is wrong fixed at www.unitedradio.com.
My amp died so I sent it there and it came back fixed. I find my blown speakers sound better than what I could buy without building a new system from scratch. Even the speakers I’d probably get from vw because of the proprietary setup

 

[benIV]

It’s definitely a thought. Thanks!

 

[GlowBugTDI]

The biggest problem is that the headunit that came in our cars isn't that amazing and the speakers were kind of set to match it. I think the speakers can handle a bit more then the head unit (for a while at least), but I can max a head unit no problem in these cars. I think the monsoon came with plastic cones and not paper which helps. I've switched mine out for the plastic cones, but everything is still limited by the headunit.

Pioneer makes good headunits. My brother has a pioneer headunit with rockford speakers in his 97 toyota camry. They easily supply enough sound for his 12" kicker in the back. I've driven that car quite a bit and like the sound system. I prefer a bit less bass then him and even with the kicker off the system performs well.

 

[Matt-98AHU]

Big fan of the RCN210 for Mk4s.

Still looks OEM and close enough of the time period, but modernized just enough with Bluetooth and a built-in microphone. They're available on Amazon now, too. I used to buy 4 at a time off AliBaba. These are actual OEM VW radios for the Chinese market, but the buttons are in English, and the default language is set to English as well. You can select Mandarin as the second other language if you want... heh

https://www.amazon.com/BODENLA-RCN210-Stereo-Bluetooth-31G035185/dp/B09FPCYWXP/

If you have a 2002 or newer Mk4 that has the "quad lock" connector on the back of the radio (which would be ANY of the factory double DIN units) you will want this adapter as well:

https://www.amazon.com/Steering-Control-Adapter-Decoder-Simulator/dp/B09N7ZKSTF/

First, if you have steering wheel buttons on a 2002 or newer car, this will enable them to work. Secondly, this makes it 100% plug and play, translating the switched power and dimmer circuit signals from the car's data bus to the newer generation CAN bus and different connectors that this radio uses.

So, even if you don't have steering wheel buttons and your car originally had a factory double DIN, you still want this adapter anyway to make it a 100% plug n play affair.

 

[Zak99b5]

Not to divert this thread, but....

My son just bought an 01 Jetta that has a Kenwood HU in it. It appears that the car originally had a Monsoon system, as there's the "amp" in the trunk under the parcel shelf. My daughter replaced her double din Monsoon in her 05 Golf with the RCN210.

So the question is, anyone know of an adapter that can go from an 01 car's harness to the quadlock plug on the back of a Monsoon HU so my son can use it?

 

[Matt-98AHU]

Not to divert this thread, but....

My son just bought an 01 Jetta that has a Kenwood HU in it. It appears that the car originally had a Monsoon system, as there's the "amp" in the trunk under the parcel shelf. My daughter replaced her double din Monsoon in her 05 Golf with the RCN210.

So the question is, anyone know of an adapter that can go from an 01 car's harness to the quadlock plug on the back of a Monsoon HU so my son can use it?

Not very easily, no. The double DIN Monsoon gets switched power and dimmer signals via CAN bus, and the 2001 doesn't have CAN bus at all going to the radio. It has those two individually wired to the radio.

You would have to not only find a wiring adapter that goes from ISO to double DIN, but it would need a converter that takes the analog signals for switched power and dimmer and translate it to CAN bus data for the Monsoon to work as the factory intended.

 

[Zak99b5]

Thanks. Perhaps Litke could whip something up for him. If not, nbd.

 

[cuppie]

Not to divert this thread, but....

My son just bought an 01 Jetta that has a Kenwood HU in it. It appears that the car originally had a Monsoon system, as there's the "amp" in the trunk under the parcel shelf. My daughter replaced her double din Monsoon in her 05 Golf with the RCN210.

So the question is, anyone know of an adapter that can go from an 01 car's harness to the quadlock plug on the back of a Monsoon HU so my son can use it?

Looks like this will do it:
VW ISO To Quadlock Adapter RCD330 Plus RCD510 Conversion Cable for VW Golf Jetta Polo Seat | RCD330 Plus | RCD340G
Recommend contacting the seller to verify. But, it looks like the right thing.
I just Google searched 'VW ISO to Quadlock Adapter'

The issue (as some others noted) is that the later DD Monsoon HU doesn't have a switched power supply - it's a CAN signal.
The adapter that I found has a CAN lead - but, I'm pretty sure that the 2001 Golf is a 1J0- CCM (read: low-speed CAN), which the later DD Monsoon HU isn't going to understand (as it was used in later 1C0- CCM cars (read: high-speed CAN.)

 

[Matt-98AHU]

Looks like this will do it:
VW ISO To Quadlock Adapter RCD330 Plus RCD510 Conversion Cable for VW Golf Jetta Polo Seat | RCD330 Plus | RCD340G
Recommend contacting the seller to verify. But, it looks like the right thing.
I just Google searched 'VW ISO to Quadlock Adapter'

The issue (as some others noted) is that the later DD Monsoon HU doesn't have a switched power supply - it's a CAN signal.
The adapter that I found has a CAN lead - but, I'm pretty sure that the 2001 Golf is a 1J0- CCM (read: low-speed CAN), which the later DD Monsoon HU isn't going to understand (as it was used in later 1C0- CCM cars (read: high-speed CAN.)

That *might* work if you can also splice in the CAN bus converter from the original ISO->ISO w/CAN adapter that these radios default come with.

 

[Zak99b5]

The RCN210's supplied harness (of which I have two) has a little black plastic box. Would that be the CAN adapter?

 

[SoKYTDi]

Years back, I bought and installed a cheap (for an Alpine) single-DIN and trim kit from Crutchfield. I think I paid around $175 for it -- CD, Bluetooth 3.0 (told you it was years back!), USB. I transferred my 2 8" Kickers and 100w amp (can't remember the brand right off) from my S10 into my MkIV Golf. I lost a little cargo space, but not all that much. I think I replaced the front door and dash speakers with some JL Audio gear, but I wouldn't quote me on that. I probably have around $700 total in my setup.

I ultimately ditched the pocket shelf that comes with the trim kit in favor of a 3-gauge mount for my oil pressure, boost & pyrometer gauges.