[waldo22]

I found this amazing thread a while ago, and I thought I could deal with the factory audio, but my disappointment finally got the better of me, so I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade my audio system.

It took me 3 days to get through this whole thread, but it was worth it!

I originally was going to buy the Flax series ( PS165FXE and PC165FE) as @pro suggested, but based on feedback from many folks including @p__x recent feedback on the amp making such a huge difference, I decided to go with the Focal Inside "plug-n-play" system instead, IS VW 165 and IC VW 165, and pair that with the Kicker KEY200.4 amp.

I just couldn't justify spending an extra $300 for the Flax series when the Inside series makes such a nice difference when paired with an amp.

I was able to get the IS an IC from Amazon.de, along with the Focal SPK-SIM adapter for $460 including shipping, tax, and currency conversion, which is pretty good.

I bought the Kicker Key200.4 amp from Crutchfield. They are always great, and it's worth paying a bit more there... but not twice as much for the Focals.

Based on everything I've read, and my own experience installing car audio, I've got some tips:

• Don't solder! Use butt splices instead. This is what VW recommends. It's much easier, and much more secure. Solder is brittle and can break, particularly lead-free solder.
  • Klein Tools 3005CR Ratcheting Insulated Terminal Crimper - $30 as of 11/10/23
  • --OR-- Off-brand ratcheting crimper, looks the same. Hilitchi tools, NOT Hitachi Tools, haha - $16.50 as of 11/10/23
  • --OR-- for tighter spaces, this looks just like the one I bought from RadioShack ~20 yrs. ago! Strips and crimps insulated and non-insulated - $20
  • Here's a nice box of 340 various heat shrink butt connectors for less than $23
  • ...or a cheaper box of 100 from a different brand for $10
  • Or you can buy individual bags of 210 connectors for $9 (currently $7 with $2 coupon) if you'll do a lot of other projects
  • Power and Ground are 14 AWG (gauge), and use the Blue 16-14AWG butt connectors
  • Speaker wire and remote wires are 18 AWG and use the Red 22-16AWG butt connectors
• As @mitigating suggested, don't waste your money on the ridiculous Focal ISO adapter. It's not made of gold. Several good options:
  • Search AliExpress for "MQB Extension" or "Quadlock / Quad Lock Extension". This 10 in. (23cm) one is $12.50 including shipping. This one is less than $16 shipped. I bought the $12.50 one, and it's great, with 18AWG speaker wire. Just have to cut speaker wires and splice it into the amp harness.
  • If you don't trust AliExpress, you can buy this Nulth "add an amplifier" adapter at Amazon for $31.50 after 10% coupon.
  • If you're itching to spend more than that, you can buy this PAC LPHVW02 amplifier harness at Abt for $59. Comes with harness already broken out with plugs to splice into your amp harness! The LPHVW01 is 40-pin for older VWs. Don't get that one.
  • MAKE SURE you get the 52-pin harness; I don't think the 40-pin is sufficient (missing the white connector).
• Instead of the expensive Focal Impulse amp harness, you can buy "Speed Wire", like this 18AWG Conext Link MSC918-10 10 Feet 9 Conductor wirefor less than $15.
  • 2 wires for each speaker (+/-) and 1 for the remote wire
  • you need enough length to go to the amp harness AND BACK to the speakers. 10 ft. should be sufficient, but I'll report back.
  • It also comes in 20 ft. length for $25.
  • Crutchfield sells their own brand of Speed Wire in 20ft. lengths for $25
• For a more "factory look", wrap your harness with friction tape (aka Tesa PET fabric tape). It keeps bundles together, deadens sound, and protects the wires.
• As others have said, order a bag of retractable door clips (3CN868243) and 2 or 3 A-pillar metal clips (5NA867276B) from your dealer
• I also bought this cheap rivet nut tool for $25 at the suggestion of @Jay_k. It comes with an M3, which shouldn't require drilling, just some M3 machine screws.

Finally, thanks to @Jay_k for the suggestion of the Kicker KEY200.4 amp. According to the docs, you aren't supposed to need the Focal Speaker Simulator (IHF06). You just press the "Radio Detect" button on the Kicker amp. However, according to @p__x, @fijshion and others, you still get a park sensor error. I'll try it both ways and see.

The docs say:

If you are using Hi-Level inputs, but your source unit cannot detect an audio system present or refuses to play audio out of one or more speakers, you may need to set Radio Detect to ON. This will activate a load resistor at the amplifier’s inputs and tell the source unit there are speakers present. Do NOT use Radio Detect if you are using a Low-Level input signal; doing so will greatly reduce the input signal.

The KEY200.4 also includes a "Fader" DIP switch, which allows us to just use the front L/R for input, driving all 4 speakers from that. That should help bypass that high treble drive that folks are reporting, but it breaks the factory fader.

Leave the fader switch to ON if you are running two sets of inputs (front and rear for example) to the amplifier. Set the fader switch OFF if you want to drive all channels from a single stereo input.

Hope this helps save folks some money. I'm planning on doing this at the same time I add the folding mirrors I got from Alibaba, and I'll also add some Dynamat while I'm at it. I'll try to take as many pics as I can!

 

[waldo22]

Kicker amp question... Where does the purple wire go?

The first switch needs to be down for the amp to power on. Also make sure to push in the radio detect button.

I know this is from April, but I don't believe this is correct. These 2 things are related. The "purple wire" that @p__x asked about should connect to the blue "Remote" wire on the Kicker harness, and when the first DIP switch is set up (to 12V) it turns on the radio when it gets 12V on the blue wire.

Can someone else verify this? I'm haven't looked at it yet, but I believe this is correct if memory serves.

 

[waldo22]

That would explain why radio detect didn't work for me.

Maybe; I don't know exactly how that works, but the Kicker manual makes it sound like just pressing the "Radio Detect" button would add the resistive load, so it's hard to say.

Maybe Kicker just doesn't simulate speakers in the way that VW is expecting?

I went ahead and ordered the Focal Speaker SIM from German Amazon.de because it would have been a lot more expensive to order it later due to shipping. I was careful to order the SIM and both sets of speakers from the same seller even though it cost me $15 extra for the speakers, because the combined shipping for all 3 items ended up being "only" $75. The cost of the adapter at $65 is still ridiculous, but I don't know what's required to construct one of those. If it's just some resistors, that's pretty irritating.

I was hoping with the Kicker we wouldn't need the speaker SIM, but I didn't want to mess around with it.

There's also been some debate around disconnecting the center speaker improving sound stage. @alfadude1 is the most recent who did it and felt it improved sound.

I saw that post. I'm planning on disconnecting the center speaker too, so we'll see how that goes.

 

[waldo22]

I tried with radio sim on/off had the same error, and so did 2-3 other forum members. So if you do everything like others, you'll get the same issue for sure.

Sorry I wasn't more clear; I saw where you and the others tried that, that's why I went ahead and bought the SPK-SIM cable, but I'm going to try it with the Remote wire hooked up and the DIP switch in the up position. I don't expect it to work any better than it did for you or @fijshion but I can still have hope!

 

[waldo22]

@edrex hopefully in the next week or 2, I'm waiting for parts to get here. I'm also adding folding mirrors to my doors, but I forgot to tell them I have the Cosmic interior, so they sent a black window switch. I don't want to pull the door panel off twice, so I need that before I start. Hopefully next weekend, weather permitting.

 

[waldo22]

Nah, all clear and reasonable. Keep us posted. I might pull the mid speaker and turn off fader this weekend as well.

Cool! Let us know how it sounds. I considered splicing the mid speaker in before the speaker sim and amp if I could find where the wires go, but if phone/nav/alerts work with it disconnected, that sounds easier and cleaner.

 

[waldo22]

also waiting on all the parts for my install as well. Same setup as waldo22 but i bought the overpriced harnesses...lol

Well at least those don't require splicing, except at the Kicker end if you're using the Kicker amp.

 

[waldo22]

Let me know how the install goes! I may have to make a trip to the triangle for you to help me out if I decide to upgrade.

Sure! These kinds of projects are fun to do together. No NCSU gear, though.

 

[waldo22]

Someone posted (@p__x ??) that you get better sound quality by disabling Wifi and Bluetooth on the infotainment system.

I have Wifi disabled, but I can't find anywhere to disable bluetooth. Did you mean disabling it on your phone?

If not, where can I find it?

Also, it's not going to be this weekend, or next weekend either. My kit isn't arriving for another 2 weeks!

 

[waldo22]

It’s under the bluetooth /phone menu.

Found it, thanks! It's under Settings -> Mobile Devices, but the "gear" button is at the top-right instead of bottom-left like all the other menus. Going there allows you to turn off bluetooth.

 

[waldo22]

Did you try turning on Radio Detect feature on Kicker before connecting Focal speaker simulator?
My understanding is that this feature does the same thing as Focal speaker sim as per manual:
"This will activate a load resistor at the amplifier’s inputs and tell the source unit there are speakers present."
Cheers

@p_x and @fijshion both said they tried that. I was thinking the same thing. I'll try it myself with and without the speaker simulator soon, but I think I'll probably have the same result as them.

 

[waldo22]

Fun! Do you happen to know how to keep bluetooth off? I was able to find the setting and turn it off, finally (gear at the top-right of "mobile devices" section), but it wouldn't let me use the phone until I turned it back on.

I was finally able to get the phone to work with Bluetooth off by removing the phone from mobile devices, plugging the phone in, adding the phone back, turning on bluetooth because it wouldn't let me add the phone with it off, then turning bluetooth off after the phone was added. Only then would it let me use the phone for music plugged-in without turning bluetooth on.

It's like it has to add the phone in "wired-mode" initially, and if it doesn't, it requires bluetooth every time.

It still won't let me use the phone to make calls with bluetooth off, but I can play music that way. It's a pretty big hassle.

 

[waldo22]

that's weird. I can do everything with BT off using wired. But sometimes it takes a few attempts to turn on Carplay. I don't mind though

Well I have a Pixel. Maybe it's time to get an iPhone.

 

[waldo22]

Yes:
11A035415 or
11A035415A or
11K035415 or
11K035415A

You can also use the program directly on the web without installing the D-Linker software:
CarProg2 (ifinterface.com)

 

[waldo22]

The ones with twitters are called "X" now.

 

[waldo22]

Did you try activating the Fader Dip? It just kills the rear speakers for me. I'm wondering if I do something wrong, or simply there's really just a single stereo signal here?

I've actually not installed my system yet I was waiting until the dealership looked at why my passenger door unlock didn't properly work before I took the door cards off, just so they wouldn't try to pull any warranty crap (even though that's illegal). Then it's been rainy and cold, etc. etc.

It's supposed to be nice Sunday and Monday, perhaps I can get it done then.

 

[waldo22]

Pardon my ignorance, but can someone just quickly explain/list all the parts that are needed, and if there is any instruction manual on how to do everything needed to get the system nice and bumping The link in the OP's post does not appear to work, so looking for some assistance

I believe "VW Sound" is meant to be premium sound, but I haven't heard it. Our stock non-premium sound is definitely lacking.

The OP attached a PDF in case the link went dead, so you should be able to download that. it still has pictures.

As far as "bumping", using the "Focal Inside" factory drop-in replacements that don't require modifications are a really nice improvement, especially when paired with the mentioned amps like the Focal 4.320 or Kicker 47Key200.4. I don't think many folks feel like they've needed a sub after the Focal + Amp upgrade, but if you want it to "bump", you may want that. Kicker makes other amps in the Key series that also have a sub output, if you feel you need that.

OP went with even nicer Focals, Focal PS 165 FXE Flax Evo in front (separate tweeters and woofers) and Focal PC 165 FE Flax Evo in rear (coaxial). These are pretty high quality. The fronts require installation of a crossover, and both fronts and rears require speaker mounting ring adapters and speaker harness adapters.

Here's my own writeup from earlier in this thread, pg. 32. I don't have pics, but I did link to the tools and other parts you may need.

 

[waldo22]

Can I just go to a car stereo installer and have them do it, or is this something people generally do themselves?

Yes, you can go to any good car stereo shop and they can install it. Most folks don't install it themselves; maybe not even most folks on a car forum, but we (on this forum) are crazier than most folks. I don't have experience with BestBuy and similar places, but my gut instinct would be to go to a local shop with good reviews.

And, would I have to order it myself or can an installer order it for me?

That depends on the shop. Some probably will install a system you bring, but they of course won't warranty it, and I'm sure they'd rather sell it to you. Crutchfield is almost always the go-to choice for things like this, and they even have phone consultants to help you pick out a system. With the Focal system referenced in this thread, I ordered it from Amazon.de (Germany) because it was nearly half the cost. This is unusual; Crutchfield is normally slightly more expensive, but maybe only 10% or 15% more. This is a weird edge case because Focal is a much more European-focused brand. If you're going to a shop, I'd ask them what they can order first.

Last thing, about how much are the parts and about how much would it cost for someone to install it?

See my post here (earlier in this thread). I was able to get everything, including speakers, harnesses, amp, and installation tools for about $700 to $750. The nicer Focal "Flax" series that OP used would have been $250 to $300 more. I don't have a good answer on installation cost. This isn't rocket science, but I would expect at least $300 to $500, maybe more. Others can comment better than me on this.

I don’t need something super intense so probably the option without the subwoofer if that still sounds like a much better system than the stock one.

I haven't finished mine yet, but feedback from most is that unless you're a super stereo guy, the subwoofer is unnecessary with a speaker and amp upgrade. I just like my music to sound clear and crisp at low to mid-volume, but some folks like to feel the bass thump in their chests, and that would require a subwoofer.

 

[waldo22]

Are you able to post a link to what you ordered on the German Amazon? And this is the amp and speakers? Main thing for now is that it seems like this is doable for not that much $ and minimal hassle. Thanks!

Crutchfield is the best around, but they are SO much more expensive than in Germany it just doesn't make sense.

Here are the German Amazon links:
Focal Inside IS VW 165 (fronts, separate tweeters) €169 plus €45 shipping, about $233 total vs. $380 at Crutchfield
(click "see all buying options", there's a seller with 100% positive feedback)
Focal Inside IC VW 165 (rears, with built-in "coaxial" tweeters) €129 plus €59 shipping, about $206 shipped vs. $330 at Crutchfield
(only seller has poor feedback, 73%. I ordered from them and they were fine, but YMMV)
Focal IHF06 Speaker simulator
Kicker 47KEY200.4 4-channel Amp, $240 at Crutchfield

I actually bought both the ISVW165 and ICVW165 from the poorly reviewed seller, extremeaudio, and everything arrived quickly and in good condition. That was the best way to make shipping affordable, since Amazon.de automatically adjusted the shipping for the combined items. It ended up costing "only" €79 or so for shipping.

If you want to get the nicer Flax Evo series that the OP bought:
Focal Flax Evo PS 165 FXE (fronts with separate tweeters and crossover. will need adapter rings) €330 plus shipping vs. $680 at Crutchfield
Focal Flax PC 165 FE - mis-labeled as PS165FE, but look at model number. It is PC165FE (rears with built-in "coaxial" tweeters) €219 plus shipping direct from extremeaudio*
*you can order direct from Amazon as the seller, but they say shipping in 6-7 MONTHS.

If you order everything from the same seller you'll save a bundle on shipping.

The cheaper "Focal Inside" series are supposedly really nice, don't require speaker adapter rings, wiring harness adapters, or crossovers (included with Flax series).

They are also $330 for both sets combined, before shipping, vs. roughly $600 for the Flax series.

Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[waldo22]

See my post here (earlier in this thread).