I was looking around for alternative speaker options without going to the cost and hassle of retrofitting a BOSE setup.
Simple I thought just fit some better quality upgrade speakers, on checking around I found some 165mm MAC audio speakers which were apparently a direct bolt in replacement. This along with some wiring adapters to convert the standard OEM plugs to the new speaker connections should mean an easy plug and play upgrade, simple.
Yes I know the more experienced of you will be shaking your head but I had checked with the audio suppliers and they assured me this would fit and was used by them in A2’s they had fitted.
On receiving the speakers and removing my OEM speaker to compare it was clear there was zero chance of the new mounts (for an A3) fitting, they were wrong in every single dimension. But the speaker was almost the right size so despite the company offering to return my money I decided to see what I could do to mount them.
I started by disembowelling the OEM speaker
The fixed supporting brackets need to be cut out before the magnet can be removed.
The wiring adapters to convert the standard OEM plugs to the new speaker connections did not fit an A2 either (by now I was not surprised) so I cut them off and removed the old wires and soldered the new ones on. The idea being I could use the OEM wiring and plug with no changes.
I also cut the A3 mounts horizontally and pop riveted them to the A2 mount to provide a larger mounting ring for the new standard size speakers (165mm)
It was then a simple job to screw the new speaker to the front of my Frankenstein speaker mount.
Its a tight fit but does not foul the front door stop and uses the original mounts and wiring and plugs meaning no cutting or changes to the door, wiring or trim.
To my ears these sound much better than the originals offering more base and much less distortion at volume, so much so I have bought a couple more and have done the same again but this time for the rears…
Simple I thought just fit some better quality upgrade speakers, on checking around I found some 165mm MAC audio speakers which were apparently a direct bolt in replacement. This along with some wiring adapters to convert the standard OEM plugs to the new speaker connections should mean an easy plug and play upgrade, simple.
Yes I know the more experienced of you will be shaking your head but I had checked with the audio suppliers and they assured me this would fit and was used by them in A2’s they had fitted.
On receiving the speakers and removing my OEM speaker to compare it was clear there was zero chance of the new mounts (for an A3) fitting, they were wrong in every single dimension. But the speaker was almost the right size so despite the company offering to return my money I decided to see what I could do to mount them.
I started by disembowelling the OEM speaker
The fixed supporting brackets need to be cut out before the magnet can be removed.
The wiring adapters to convert the standard OEM plugs to the new speaker connections did not fit an A2 either (by now I was not surprised) so I cut them off and removed the old wires and soldered the new ones on. The idea being I could use the OEM wiring and plug with no changes.
I also cut the A3 mounts horizontally and pop riveted them to the A2 mount to provide a larger mounting ring for the new standard size speakers (165mm)
It was then a simple job to screw the new speaker to the front of my Frankenstein speaker mount.
Its a tight fit but does not foul the front door stop and uses the original mounts and wiring and plugs meaning no cutting or changes to the door, wiring or trim.
To my ears these sound much better than the originals offering more base and much less distortion at volume, so much so I have bought a couple more and have done the same again but this time for the rears…