Welcome to a new series of Behind The Sound, this time focusing on the incredible stock look audio upgrade on the Audi R8 V10 that blows away the optional B&O system!
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• Video
This Audi R8 V10 has been delivered to us from a customer who wants an excellent quality audio upgrade providing greater clarity and bass, without sacrificing the stock look of the car. This particular Audi R8 was not specced with the Bang & Olufsen system, so we are upgrading it from the existing 2-way, non-amplified front end, to a fully amplifier 3-way Hertz Mille Legend set up.
As standard the Audi R8 contains tweeters in the dash, and a large 8" driver in each door. These cheap components used throughout the Audi range of cars lack quality, and provide a very basic sound system, especially with the lack of an amplifier. Had you specced B&O, the doors would also contain a mid-range speaker by the arm rest, and there would be rear speakers by the B-Pillar. The B&O system is amplified, but to a much more basic level than what is available from us.
To upgrade the car, we are fitting a 3-way Hertz Mille Legend front end. The Mille Legend range is Hertz's top level of products, providing excellent quality components that generate very clear sound. The tweeters are able to provide great clarity in a small form factor, while the woofers are all designed to perform very well at lower frequencies, due to the rollover edge design of the cone. This design allows the cone more freedom to move, helping create a better bass performance.
The Mille Legend tweeter is going to be fitted in a stock location in the dashboard, to maintain a stock look in the car. With larger tweeters, we are able to offer the option of custom A-Pillars, where we fabricate housings to better locate the tweeter on axis to the driver.
The 3" Mille Legend mid-range is going to be located in the doors, making using of the blanking point left available for the B&O mid-range speaker. We will need to fabricate speaker rings to mount this speaker in this location, and change the speaker grille in the door, but this continues to keep the system discreet.
Finally, the 6.5" Mille Legend mid-bass woofer will be tuned to play the lower frequencies, similar to a sub, and located in the factory location in the doors utilising 3D-printed speaker rings that match the housing style of the factory Audi speaker.
To run this new system, the Audison AP F8.9 Bit amplifier is being installed in a discreet location under the rear shelf. This amplifier provides 8 channels of amplification and 9 channels of processing power, allowing us to run the system fully active, making use of the additional channels by bridging 2 channels to each 6.5" woofer for additional power. The processing power allows us to completely tune the system to perform at its best in this environment, to suit the customers music taste.
The 9th processing channel is available on this amp should additional components such as a sub be added later. If the customer chooses to add a dedicated sub to the system, we can add either an active sub or an additional amp and connect it to the AP F8.9 to tune it in line with the rest of the system.
This new system will all be installed with oxygen free Connexions wiring, which will all be run alongside manufacturer looms to ensure the system is neat behind the scenes. All joins are soldered, and cables are heat shrunk and taped not only to avoid rattles, but also to ensure the whole install is tidy and protected, for a long lifespan.
Finally, the whole vehicle is going to be soundproofed using the Skinz 3mm layer. The skinz soundproofing is an adhesive sheet that adds density to panel work, helping with resonations for the sound system to perform, while also reducing rattles and road noise. The 3mm layer is provided as an A4 sheet size, and one sheet weighs roughly 500g, so some weight is added to the vehicle when soundproofing, but that is a small compromise for the difference it makes to the audio environment both for the system, and also for general comfort and enjoyment of the car.
Make sure you stay tuned to the full series on this car for more details on the soundproofing, components, amplification and tuning of the system, before we reveal the finished system!
Thanks for watching our video.
If you are interested in a similar install in your vehicle, please feel free to get in touch!
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