Choosing Double Din Head Unit , Will it fit?

The Dean

Member
Hello,

I bought my a2 last week and im going to have a new stereo fitted. It single din but i want a double din unit such as the the Pioneer AVH 3100dvd and AVH 3200bt. The problem is I have to move my Climate control down to the bottom(where the tray is) to fit everything in. It looks like the housing needs cutting away as it curves inwards. Has any one done anything similar? Know a compnay who fits this? or alternative stereos?

Any help would be appreciated!

Dean
 
You will need a double DIN dashboard because the climate control mouting is not the same as the lower cubby holder in the single DIN dash. So even if you cut the CC unit to the rounded edges of the lower section, the mouting is still in correct. And when you do get a double DIN unti to fit, you'll need to order some spacers because the audi panel is wider than standard DIN size.

You'll find lots of references if you search for retro fit RNS-E
 
If you've got a single DIN dash, you can't fit a double DIN unit - period!

There's no way of successfully moving the climate panel down to the bottom and even if you did, when you measure the climate panel, it's larger than 1 DIN, so won't go into the slot there anyway.

The only option is to fit a new dash!

Cheers,

Mike
 
Cheers for the prompt reply guys, this site is amazing!!!

You have helped me make up my mind. Im not gonna rip apart my car so im gonna look at the parrot module mki9200 as its mainly the bluetooth audio streaming and handsfree talking i want. Is there any better on dash alternatives to the parrot? Or better alternatives full stop!!
 
Deppends on budget - if you've the funds, an Audi integrated BT system and multifunction steering wheel is the best bet and will look factory, but the Parrot is a good alternative - I've fitted a couple in the past with no problems, other that the audio streaming, which goes to the front speakers only.

cheers,

Mike
 
Hi Mike,

Is there any way of getting the sound through all 4 speakers as that could be annoying? My Budget is £400 thats prob not enough for what you mentioned but is there anything better then the parrot systems?

Thanks for you

Deanr help
 
Not that I know of - it's just a limitation of the system I'm afraid.

For £400 you can get the basic Audi BT unit fitted, but no MFSW or audio over BT.

Cheers,

Mike

PS What device are you looking to use with it? Might be an idea to keep BT for phone calls only and then get an iPod interface too.
 
If bluetooth streaming is your main concern, there are A2DP dongles from £30. Standard 3.5mm headphone jack and charges via mini USB. A connect2 line-in module wired to the dongle plus a bit of DIY wiring to take current from the harness and keep the dongle powered. I thought about this setup a while ago and all for a very modest price. But of course, this doesn't give you bluetooth handsfree, but I personally don't like having my phone conversation in the open...
 
Im looking to use it with my Blackberry storm Mike. Cheers Humps but i do want the bluetooth handsfree. Last Question, Is it hard to fit the parrot if you have no intial knowledge?
 
It's not hard, but if you've no knowledge of auto electrics, then get someone else to do it - you can easily mess something up.

One other option is to have a basic BT unit for the phone side of things and then an interface for music (something like the Dension GW100/300 which allow 3.5mm jack inputs and USB inputs respectively). This way, you get ultimate music quality and good simple BT functionality too.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Is there any way of getting the sound through all 4 speakers as that could be annoying? My Budget is £400 thats prob not enough for what you mentioned but is there anything better then the parrot systems?
Not that I know of - it's just a limitation of the system I'm afraid.
There are two ways of fitting a parrot BT car-kit, the "standard way", with the Parrott attached to the speakers loom (in fact, only the front ones) and thus bypassing the headunit, OR if the headunit has a phone input (that's not just the phone mute, that's like an AUX in, but mono - it's usually in the mini-ISO inputs), the Parrot can be plugged to this input and then, the sound comes from all 4 corners.
Another advantage of this: if you listen to a CD, it pauses for the time of the call and then resumes where it had stopped, while with the "speakers bypass" method, the CD continues to play in background (barely audible)
 
But the trouble with this is that the phone input on A2 headunits (factory ones) are all mono inputs, so you don't have this option.

It can be done with extra looms and diodes etc, but it's messy and not a proper installation.

Cheers,

Mike
 
I'm so glad this thread has been started; it's made my options so much clearer!

I have an iPhone 3GS and many miles on the motorway mean I need a full hands-free system.

Stupid question alert: if a cradle is fitted for the 3GS, can this easily be changed in the future, if I change my phone? Is there a better alternative, or is it best to place my phone in the tray under the climate control?

Also, while we're on the audio subject, can a CD multichanger be fitted to a car with Bose Concert CD player?
 
Or you can buy an aftermarket headunit which offers built in BT and allows both audio over BT and handsfree BT, plus it goes to all four speakers.
You do need fascia adapators though as audi radio is wider as mike pointed out earlier

Thats what I did

John
 
Mike

Just reading the thread, as you are the guru on A2's would you be willing to perform a dash swap and retro fit a double din unit.

if so what sort of costs would be involved - or is it really not worth it.

trouble is, geting a pucka A2 is getting almost impossible, this will be my 2nd A2 so it will have to be a late model, and most late models are pretty basic spec.

I would really want Sat Nav - RNS - does the car need to have DIS to dispay the sat nav on the dash? - i guess so.

Heated Leather - leather easy enough what about the heated part?
Cruise
heated mirrors
PDC

Are all these retro fittable?

thanks

John
 
I would really want Sat Nav - RNS - does the car need to have DIS to dispay the sat nav on the dash? - i guess so.

Heated Leather - leather easy enough what about the heated part?
Cruise
heated mirrors
PDC

Are all these retro fittable?

thanks

John

I think all are retro fittable if you've got the money to have them done.

Yes i think you do need full DIS to get the full benefit, this is something i've been looking into trying to find scrapped A2's with double din still in them is getting harder as well, i've allready got my RNS-e just need the dash now to fit it in ;)

Phil
 
Hi Dean.

As it happens I have the set up you are looking at.

Parrot mki9200 and blackberry storm.

It works well. As mike sald it only streams to front speakers and it uses its own amp, so not quite the same sound quality as the audi head unit.

But pro fit looks good and makes easy to use with the screen.

I see you are in Manchester, I am going up to Mike Skipton's in march to get some mods and oil change. I would be happy to meet up so you could see and hear the set up working and how you get on with it.

Feel free to pm me if you have any questions or want to meet.

Hope this helps

David
 
But the trouble with this is that the phone input on A2 headunits (factory ones) are all mono inputs, so you don't have this option.

It can be done with extra looms and diodes etc, but it's messy and not a proper installation.

Cheers,

Mike
I only fitted a Parrot once, and it was not to a factory A2 headunit, but to a Blaupunkt aftermarket unit in our former Golf IV. Although the input was indeed mono, the sound came from all 4 speakers, and the headunit displayed "phone" during a call.
A2DP streaming works too, but not stereo of course. The interesting feature is that it worked too with the vocal guidance of the built-in GPS of my mobile phone.
 
I had my Parrot MKi9200 fitted yesterday. I hadnt managed to read the second page of this post or might of held back. As everyone pointed out the sound comes only through the front speakers. However, the guy at the installation shop said if I get a rear amplified iso cable(something like that) he will hook up the rear speakers. Does this mean the all four speakers are mono or stereo?

Cheers
 
Hi Dean

Keep us posted how you get on with sound to the rear.

I would be very interested in if this is possible.

Cheers David
 
Back
Top