PioneerAVH-X8700BT fitting help

[wuta3]

Hi all,

I have a BOSE concert setup in my A3 and bought a X8700BT unit to replace it. I have no idea what i'm doing or what I need. I have a PC9-410 cable but could not work out what on earth to do as the unit would not power on with lots of capped cables knocking about.

I also gather a custom cage/surround is required to fit the unit (which I don't have).

After a few hours of frustration, I give up! Is there a zero hassle kit? I have tried Googling but the connects2 kits don't specify BOSE or not and I don't want to waste any more money

Thanks in advance

 

[leshkin]

Easy

Do you have a MFSW?

Edit: And take a photo of the back of your head unit and any connectors going to it.

 

[wuta3]

Easy

Do you have a MFSW?

Nope, plain old steering wheel

 

[leshkin]

OK, that will make things cheaper. The reason I ask about taking photos is to confirm which connectors you have on main harness and the radio aerial, as many kits mess this up and you end up having rubbish radio reception.

 

[wuta3]

OK, that will make things cheaper. The reason I ask about taking photos is to confirm which connectors you have on main harness and the radio aerial, as many kits mess this up and you end up having rubbish radio reception.

Ok had a couple of glasses of wine but i'll head out and get pics now

 

[wuta3]

OK, that will make things cheaper. The reason I ask about taking photos is to confirm which connectors you have on main harness and the radio aerial, as many kits mess this up and you end up having rubbish radio reception.

OK, here's the pics. I have a connector to my R+L audio to a plastic dual socket, then something connected to the car socket that connects to that double socket. Plus a blue and white wire, some red wire and some random gray wires. See the pictures, I have no idea what i'm looking at past what probably needs connecting to something. Then there are some left over cables coming out of the dash, mainly the red socket, the yellow round one and the big black round one.

Additionally I have the fascia but not the metal cage/fitting

PICTURES

Informative, I know, I'm like an electrical engineer. I'm actually a software engineer so that probably explains a lot.

 

[leshkin]

OK, you have an ISO harness and an ISO diversity aerial connector, which none of the kits handle properly.. None that I've seen anyway. I'll take a look tomorrow and try to find correct bits for you.

 

[wuta3]

OK, you have an ISO harness and an ISO diversity aerial connector, which none of the kits handle properly.. None that I've seen anyway. I'll take a look tomorrow and try to find correct bits for you.

That'd be great, I really want to use this head unit as it is one of the few with Android car support! If I get it working i'll write up a new review for us.

 

[leshkin]

You will need a metal cage to lock the HU in place and for that Pioneer unit you will want it to be adjustable, so that you could move it backwards/forward until it sits just right. This is the one i'd use: https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/connects2-ct23au02a-audi-a3-double-din-fascia-panel-adaptor.html

Radio adapter is another interesting one - most kits include either a dual Fakra connector or an ISO DIN connector, but not a mix of both. You car has a large round (ISO DIN) connector and a single Fakra (mustard colour connector), which means that you will lose your diversity aerial and will have rubbish reception. I suggest that you try a dual fakra adapter (https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/con...twin-fakra-to-din-aerial-antenna-adaptor.html) with an extra converter cable to convert the car's male ISO DIN connector to a fakra and plug both, fakra and converted ISO, into the dual fakra adapter, then the single ISO into the HU. (not sure if that makes sense, but the end result should look like this (http://enfigcarstereo.com/ENFIG_AAA_VWAUD2.html)).

I've Googled ("Female Fakra To Female ISO") and found one on eBay (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-Fema...9?pt=UK_In_Car_Technology&hash=item2581318925).

Remember to connect the little blue wire from the aerial adapter to the blue wire coming out of your HU - this is remote on or AMP on, which basicaly powers up the radio amp in your boot when your head unit is switched-on.

Your Pioneer harness now needs to be plugged into your car harness. The one you already have is rubbish and will not work very well, so don't bother with it. This harness should work, but do double-check with the supplier before buying: https://www.dynamicsounds.co.uk/con...-system-interface-amplified-adaptor-lead.html

Good luck, that unit is very nice - I almost bought it before deciding on a Chinese Android one

 

[wuta3]

Thanks for the info! I'm beginning to think it might just be simpler to get a car audio place to fit it for me Seems like a pain in the **** unit / car combo

 

[downtothebone]

Having mine fitted this weekend ...

 

[leshkin]

It's actually relatively simple to do - just takes time, patience and some experience. Having the correct wiring harness and a correct wiring diagram helps quite a bit too

 

[wuta3]

So spoke to an audio place that do fitting, they recon they will use a Fakra booster? Legit? Seems like a hack to me perhaps?

 

[leshkin]

My understanding is that most kits do come with 'active' booster adapters (that piece of metal and a blue wire coming out of it), but lose the diversity functionality in some cases, which means you only use one of the two aerials and that means worse radio reception no matter how much you boost it. If they are confident that you will have no issues then get them to fit it and if you have issues with reception, replacing the aerial adapter to the solution I suggested is a simple plug and play change.

 

[wuta3]

My understanding is that most kits do come with 'active' booster adapters (that piece of metal and a blue wire coming out of it), but lose the diversity functionality in some cases, which means you only use one of the two aerials and that means worse radio reception no matter how much you boost it. If they are confident that you will have no issues then get them to fit it and if you have issues with reception, replacing the aerial adapter to the solution I suggested is a simple plug and play change.

Thanks for all your help, i'll get them to fit it and see how I go. Better than a hole in the dash! Thanks again

 

[leshkin]

Thanks for all your help, i'll get them to fit it and see how I go. Better than a hole in the dash! Thanks again

No worries mate! I hope you get this fitted soon - the HU you bought is very nice and I really think that Android Auto, or similar from Apple, is the way of the future for car systems - you will love it, I'm sure

 

[perry30sport]

A din aerial booster will work perfect in this car and have good reception.

The reason the unit isn't coming on is because the red ignition wire is not connected to anything. It's still coiled up with a elastic band around it. All radios need permanent, Earth and ignition to work. You have no ignition supply connected.

Once the red is connected and aerial boaster installed should all work perfect. This is a 20 minute job to do if have all the parts and know what doing.

 

[leshkin]

The reason the unit isn't coming on is because the red ignition wire is not connected to anything. It's still coiled up with a elastic band around it. All radios need permanent, Earth and ignition to work. You have no ignition supply connected.

I didn't even notice that

 

[perry30sport]

It's a very easy thing to miss and have lots of people walk in my shop with exactly same thing.

Pretty sure connecting that and a aerial booster and job done. You obviously got yo fit all the cage and fascia in correctly first too.

 

[wuta3]

Ok, well update: Took it to a place in Manchester that seemed to have good reviews online. It has static/noise coming from the speakers that increases with revs and anything electrical you use (like indicators)...

Not impressed. They also said they had to split a wire from the loom (after fitting). I swear if they have ******** the loom i'm going to be mad!

Other than that, it seems to work fine and I got USB in to the glove box and ash tray.

Volume seems OK, a tad gainy and tweeter-heavy but that might be an EQ issue with the HU

 

[millsy4002]

let me know how you get on with that noise, im currently finishing a chinese android unit install on mine similar to @leshkin. got rid of most of the buzz's and whines but still have one when i use my lights, not sure if its to do with the canbus. im gonna try a audio intereference suppressor from halfrauds

 

[leshkin]

Yup, you're probably seeing a case of ground loop interference, which can be resolved with a better harness in many cases or some have had success with a ground loop isolator which plugs in-line between the harness and car RCA connectors. These cost about £5 on Amazon vs £15-20 at Maplins or Halfords.

I'm having the same issue with my Chinese unit when rear speakers are connected (my fronts are Hertz components, directly amplified from the HU for now, so no issues there). I'm planning on using an isolator in the short term, but will be replacing all of the remaining Bose crud in the rear with better quality kit very soon, so not planning on having this issue then.

 

[wuta3]

Yup, you're probably seeing a case of ground loop interference, which can be resolved with a better harness in many cases or some have had success with a ground loop isolator which plugs in-line between the harness and car RCA connectors. These cost about £5 on Amazon vs £15-20 at Maplins or Halfords.

I'm having the same issue with my Chinese unit when rear speakers are connected (my fronts are Hertz components, directly amplified from the HU for now, so no issues there). I'm planning on using an isolator in the short term, but will be replacing all of the remaining Bose crud in the rear with better quality kit very soon, so not planning on having this issue then.

Considering I saw many twists and solders when I had a peek at what they were doing I think they made up a harness. No idea if that's a good or a bad thing but might explain it?

 

[leshkin]

Hm, they gave you an install that sorta works and left it with the interference? Sounds like taking pride in what they do is not one of their strengths :/ or they haven't dealt with Audi systems much.

The Connects2 harness has an active noise removal box and that removes 95% of the noise. I think that a good harness will get rid of the noise.

 

[millsy4002]

if i don't have any steering controls and i can't sort this noise ill go for the connects2, which one do i go for? (I've got quad lock not iso)

 

[downtothebone]

Thanks to Ash for helping to remove my stuck RNSE - a damn screw had somehow lodged itself in the pin mechanism for the lower key. Must have happened when I removed it two years ago when I was investigating Bluetooth fitting - just my luck. Anyway two years later and it's out - more driving around with removal keys sticking out of the dash.

Even better AVH-8700BT fitted and working fine - this is a great unit!! Still fiddling around with settings. It's only now I realise how poor the RNSE was and is ...

 

[millsy4002]

saw your motor on instagram, looks like a good unit

 

[downtothebone]

Is there a specific HU crossover setting for the subwoofer for Bose?

 

[The Governor]

I pop my head into these head unit threads every now and again to try to find a solution that doesn't cost an arm and a leg but solves the fairly crappy audio facilities in the A3...

I have a Concert, but the lack of USB/SD gets on my nerves, the AUX in is a bit fiddly to use, especially with my MFSW integration, and the audio isn't as good through it anyway.

Although it also didn't have USB/SD, my '09 3 Series had a far superior system. It's something I occasionally revisit thinking about then when I see the relative hassle of getting it sorted, I just consign it to the back of my mind with a "the next car will sort it out" thought...

 

[millsy4002]

after a lot of hassle I've finally got my android head unit playing nicely with no interference and full bose working properly. ill stick something on here soon after i finish with a few more bits and sort some pics, prob next week

 

[downtothebone]

 

[wilkins]

Evening fellas,

Reviving a few-months-old threat here, but I've just bought an AVH-X8700BT for my A3. The cage and fascia is on the way, as are a couple of USB cables to run into the cabin from the rear of the unit. Pretty excited to spend a day fitting this and an ashtray delete!

I don't have Bose or a MFSW, so I'm under the impression that I (hopefully) shouldn't run into any issues? I don't use the radio much, so I'm not fussed about a Fakra adapter. Would I definitely require a new harness, or does this depend on if I encounter any interference?

 

[millsy4002]

Depends on how it goes really mate, you might just be plug and play.

 

[wilkins]

Well I'll keep my fingers crossed. I'll post an update once it's hopefully all done and dusted to help anyone else out.

 

[wilkins]

Good evenings fellas,

Fitting the ashtray delete went well, although I made it a lot more difficult than it should have been! Encountered a (what should have been) foreseeable hitch with the X8700BT. Obviously the Pioneer harness doesn't connect to the Audi Chorus loom, so I am in need of an adapter.

I don't have Bose, MFSW or anything fancy, so it's literally the bare bones. Just wanting your opinion on these Connects2 harness adapters I've found: CT20AU02 ; CT20AU01

One comes with the twin fakra and the other doesn't (aerial isn't a big deal to me). However, one has the ignition and orange wire, but the other seemingly only has the ignition. I've found these on DynamicSounds and Ebay, but they state they're only for 09 reg upwards, despite Connects2 stating from 04/05 upwards. Does anyone have any experience with these?

This is what I have at the moment: (see photos)

Any input is appreciated!

 

[millsy4002]

The pioneer is a iso lead, Audi used Iso up to 06 then changed to quadlock in 07, (not sure why they didn't keep it off till the 08 facelift) that's why they differ. Both those look like they would do the job, but wait till someone else can confirm, not sure if your head unit has any DIS but may need a different lead with a canbus box to display it

 

[millsy4002]

Try

http://www.connects2.co.uk/Product/ProductItem/CTSAD006.2

 

[millsy4002]

I know you don't have MFSW but it should do everything you want ignition wise through canbus and DIS if your unit supports it, and all play nicely if you ever upgrade anything

 

[wilkins]

Thanks Millsy. My A3 doesn't have DIS fitted as standard (I can only see the clock and mileage), but if I was to get a canbus box, would this theoretically bypass the fact I don't have this as part of the instrument cluster and display the relevant details on the headunit (if it can do this)?

 

[millsy4002]

No it's more the other way round, so your head unit volume, radio or source would display on your dash