R36 Dynaudio Retrofit Guide

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I recently upgraded the standard 250W, 10-speaker soundsystem in my 2008 R36 Passat with the Dynaudio system taken from a 2010 R36 Wagon being wrecked for parts.

The install was simple (~6 hours, including Dynamat) and everything was plug and play for my car - YMMV

UPDATE: There may be different versions of wiring loom used in the R36. There's at least one account of the plugs not fitting 'Plug and Play'. Once the issue has been investigated and resolved, I will post details here of any differences.


Dynaudio Parts

Here's a photo of the package as it arrived:



The following are details of the Dynaudio parts (also listed here):

Amplifier - 3C0 035 346 J - Lear brand, 10-channel, 600W
Front Tweeters - 3C0 035 411 D (81310) - 6 Ω, approx ?2 inch, ??W
Front Bass+Mid - 3C0 035 454 B (85771/T85770) - 8Ω (both wired to 4 pin plug), Bass: approx 7 inch/??W, Mid: approx 3.25 inch/??W
Rear Tweeters - 3C0 035 411 E (81180) - 4Ω, approx ?1.5 inch, ??W
Rear Bass - 3C0 035 453 B (84899) - 8Ω, approx 5.75 inch, ??W

Note: I measured the speakers baskets (not cones), left/right part#'s are identical
(will post more specs as they become available) - if anyone can help with details like speaker ratings (??W), crossover frequencies (X-Y Hz) etc, that would be greatly appreciated (thanks).

Second hand parts can be sourced online via ebay (I found ebay.de the best - select 'Weltweit'/'Worldwide' search).
New parts can be sourced through an OEM parts distributor and can vary widely in price (eg. ~$700-1200 for the amplifier).

Also, JKU.com.au (Sunshine Coast Qld) told me they could source and fit the system. The price I was given for the parts was higher, though quite comparable to the price I ended up paying - would have saved me a lot of time. I can highly recommend the service/expertise at JKU from my experience with a 'bricked' RNS-510 unit.


Original Parts

The original system was actually quite good and turned out to be a Blaupunkt (quite respectable). Here are the part numbers that I replaced:

Amplifier - 3C0 035 346 K - ?? brand, 8-channel, 250W
Front Tweeters - 3C0 035 411 - 5 Ω, approx ?1.1 inch, ??W
Front Bass+Mid - 3C0 035 454 A - 2Ω (both wired to 4 pin plug), Bass: approx 7 inch/??W, Mid: approx 3.25 inch/??W
Rear Tweeters - 3C0 035 411 A - 5Ω, approx ?1.25 inch, ??W
Rear Bass - 3C0 035 453 - 4Ω, approx 5.75 inch, ??W - has capacitor soldered across wires (I assume to act as a frequency filter)


Tools, Dynamat etc

I highly recommend picking up a set of door trim tools (blue plastic tools in picture below) if you don't already have some. They will help prevent you from destroying your trim and breaking the Christmas tree clips.



I used prep-sol for cleaning up the door frames prior to installing the Dynamat Extreme and I also picked up a couple of DynaXorb deflector pads to see if/how well they work.

I went with a bulk pack of Dynamat Extreme (9 sheets, 3.3m²) as I plan to install a sub down the track. On this install, I only used 4 of the 9 sheets (1 per door). You can some money buying the Dynamat online - but I was doing the install that day, so I just picked some up from Autobarn (Capalaba store in Brisbane - stocks a range of Dynamat products/packs).




Installation Steps
The times below are approximate and based on my experience (and memory) - once again YMMV

Amplifier - 0.25-0.5 hr
Rear Doors - 1.5 hrs + 1 hr
Front Doors - 1.75 hrs + 1.25 hrs
(I'll link these steps up as I create them)

I started with amp (easiest and biggest improvement), then the rear doors (in case I screwed them up) and finally the front doors. Each time, the 2^nd door took less time once I knew what I was doing.. (and wasn't taking photos ).

In general, the most difficult (strenuous) part of each door was removing the existing rivets and the most time-consuming was the Dynamatting.


Results (my subjective opinion only)

The Dynaudio system sounds great. Very clear highs/mids and the bass is tighter and more exact - the 1.5m² of Dynamat Extreme and 2x DynaXorb deflectors I used would also helping in that department.

The amp made the biggest difference, though the standard speakers had trouble handling all the extra power. The Dynaudio speakers provide better sound, though it's more of an incremental improvement - not proportional to $$ spent. Personally, I would still upgrade both amp and speakers if I were to start again.

The 250W Blaupunkt system was still really good and I think it had a little more 'doof', but that is probably because the bass is less controlled (more muddy) and because the Dynaudio amp filters out some of the really low frequencies.

I plan to add a sub for extra 'doof' anyway - thinking of a (removable) custom fibreglass box that fills the spare wheel (keeping this) and spills out into the extra volume opposite the tire removal tookit. Then then have a 10" or 12" mounted within the enclosure under a false floor, covered in OEM carpet =)

Update (2014-05-07): after listening to the Dynaudio system for a few days, it continues to impress with the clarity and exactness. A few times I've been listening to a track and heard subtleties I never knew existed, or thought "w0w I didn't realize the beat did that". The upgrade was time & money well spent.

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The following are the steps I took to replace the standard 250W amplifier in my R36 with the 600w Dynaudio version as part of an overall Dynaudio Retrofit

This worked plug and play for me. Absolutely no promises it'll also work for you.

UPDATE: There may be different versions of wiring loom used in the R36. There's at least one account of the plugs not fitting 'Plug and Play'. Once the issue has been investigated and resolved, I will post details here of any differences.

Parts:
Original Amplifier - 3C0 035 346 K - ?? brand, 8-channel, 250W
Dynaudio Amplifier - 3C0 035 346 J - Lear brand, 10-channel, 600W

Other amplifier part numbers are reportedly compatible (again no promises). Numbers that are believed to work and be 600W 'Dynaudio' variants are:
3C0 035 346 A, 3C0 035 346 C, 3C0 035 346 H, 3C0 035 346 P

I have also read reports from R32 owners that you can transplant amps from other models (the first 2-3 characters in the part# indicate model - eg. 3C0 035 456 A vs 1Q0 035 456 A), though I know of at least one account where this did not work in an R36 (using a Passat CC Dynaudio amp).

Also, the model-specific tuning is most likely done in the DSP part of the amplifier, so sound quality will likely be reduced going down this path anyway...

My recommendation is to only use the Passat (3C0) part for your R36 when it comes to the amplifier.


Steps:

1. Remove the Radio fuse. This was F19 on my fuse box, located in the back-right corner of the engine bay - read your manual to make sure you pull the right fuse
2. Slide the seat all the way back and tilt the bottom cushion all the way up (at the front)



3. Remove plastic amplifier cover by sliding it away from the seat. Removing the floor mat helped with this.
4. Remove the two bolts holding the amp onto the plate. Each have a 10mm socket and Torx screw option - my Torx bit seemed loose, so I used the socket. There are only two bolts at the front, I originally thought there were four (two front + two back) based on the amp.



5. Gently slide the amp out of the plate and manipulate to a position where you can access the plugs. There are clips on the top and bottom of each plug that need to be lifted while gently levering the plug out - a little fiddly, but possible. I used a small screwdriver to lift the clips and to apply gentle levering pressure on the plug (had to alternate between each a few times)
6. Clean up area under the seat and collect loose change. Once you remove the amp, there will probably be a bunch of fossilized french fries, dust kitties and hopefully money under there. I was lucky and found a dollar to go towards the subwoofer fund =)



7. Plug in the Dynaudio amp. The Dynaudio plugs are facing the opposite direction. Turn the amp upside down to plug it in. They should click into place.



8. Gently turn the amplifier back over (be very careful while twisting the wiring around) and manipulate it into place, slide it back into the plate. It's tight and fiddly, but possible - just take your time and be careful not to break/kink any wiring.
9. Replace the two amplifier bolts and plastic cover.
10. Replace Radio fuse.
11. Test it out! Turn on your head unit to ensure it all works ok and you get sound. Just be careful not to turn it up past ~60% or you may eject the Blaupunkt cones out of their baskets - my bass starting making 'blarp!' noises at that volume.


Success!

[RUFNIT]

Good to see you got it sorted.

MR

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Good to see you got it sorted.

MR

Thanks!

Hopefully, this will provide the next person wanting to do this with the info I had trouble finding.
- I can now stop spamming the forums with annoying Dynaudio questions and focus on the next project (maybe something simple like a Rhino/Ez-Lip/Mod).

RT

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The following are the steps I took to replace the rear door speakers (and interior handle) in my R36 with the Dynaudio equivalents as part of an overall Dynaudio Retrofit

This worked plug and play for me. Absolutely no promises it'll also work for you.

Installation is identical for both rear doors, other than being mirror images of each other.


Original Parts: (Blaupunkt)

Original Rear Tweeters - 3C0 035 411 A - 5Ω, approx ?1.25 inch, ??W
Original Rear Bass - 3C0 035 453 - 4Ω, approx 5.75 inch, ??W - has capacitor soldered across wires (I assume to act as a frequency filter)




Dynaudio Parts:

Dynaudio Rear Tweeters - 3C0 035 411 E (81180) - 4Ω, approx ?1.5 inch, ??W
Dynaudio Rear Bass - 3C0 035 453 B (84899) - 8Ω, approx 5.75 inch, ??W




Note: I'm currently investigating whether the speakers can be sourced from other VW models in the 10-speaker, 600W Dynaudio "Confidence" range (Eos, Passat, Passat CC, Touareg and Multivan). The VW part numbers vary between models, but there appear to be similarities in the size, impedance and ?Dynaudio? part numbers (eg. T85770 on the front Bass drivers). The Passat system at least is supposed to be specifically tuned for that model, which I would expect to be done in the DSP (where tuning is usually done) and not the speakers (?? somehow). I'll post any conclusion back here - any help is appreciated (including photos of labels showing part numbers).

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Door Removal Tools

I highly recommend a set of door trim removal tools. These will help prevent you from destroying your door trims and the Christmas tree clips. I picked up the set below (blue tools) for ~$15 from Autobarn:



Tip: If you happen to snap off any Christmas-tree clips, they can be re-attached using a smothering of epoxy resin (ie. Araldite) - I only broke two during the whole install, which is good for me (thanks to the plastic door trim removal tool)

Steps:

1. Using a plastic lever (door trim removal tool), gently lever off the plastic cover on the interior door handle. I found it easiest to start near the back and simply slide the wedge-shaped tool along the edge of the cover - very little levering required once you get it started.
2. Remove the 2x T30 Torx screws.



3. Remove the T20 Torx screw from the bottom of the trim. I only realized this was there when the trim was being difficult - was lucky not to break anything



4. Put a small flat-blade screwdriver in an easy to reach spot (eg. pocket, mouth) - you can thank me later for this step
5. Gently pry the trim off the door frame (using trim removal tools). Locate the Christmas tree clips as pictured in the photo below and use the claw tool to unlatch these - push it between the two parts of the clip and it will easily disengage. do not pull the trim from the frame yet, it is still attached by wires/cables
6. You may need to gently lift the trim to disengage it from the window ?clip - do not pull the trim from the frame yet, it is still attached by wires/cables


BTW - I couldn't help but admire how VW put a seal between the bass driver and the door trim to help port the sound into the cabin - das Auto

7. Whilst juggling the door frame and muttering profanities, unclip the speaker plug and electric window plug - this is where the small flat-blade screwdriver comes in handy
8. Unclip the door lever cable by first unhooking the cable from the latch. After completing the second door trim, I discovered it was much each to unclip the hook while lifting the door lever (ie. 'opening the door'). Once it is unhooked, there is a plastic clip to unclip. The cable should then easily come off.



9. The door trim should now come off (be gently in case it's still attached somewhere). Put it aside on a soft surface (like in your trunk/boot) - not on concrete/pavers like I have in the photo above ::

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You will need:

- Drill with 4.5mm or 5 mm bit (confirm this yourself before you start drilling - don't trust my memory). You may blunted a couple of these by the time you do 4 doors.
- Vacuum cleaner for catching nasty, speaker-destroying metal shavings (don't tell my wife that I used her Dyson ... even if the shavings don't make it past any of the filters and pose no harm to the vacuum anyway)
- Two rags, one for applying Prepsol, one for removing it - "Presol on, Prepsol off"
- T20 (Torx) screwdriver
- Two small flat-head screwdrivers, or something else to gently pry clips with
- Patience

NOTE: Keep in mind that metal shavings are (literally) attracted to the magnetism of the speakers and can destroy surrounds, soft domes and short-circuit/burn-out voice coils (if they get in there).


Steps:

Bass Driver Removal:

1. Unplug the bass driver and place the wire out of the way.



2. Using a Drill and Vacuum cleaner, drill the heads off the 4 pop-rivets that are fixing the bass driver to the door. As shown below, hold the vacuum underneath the drill to catch the shavings as they fall (I'm holding drill+vacuum in one hand and my phone in the other in this example, so it's a little inaccurate).



3. Gently lever the speaker from the door.
4. Drill out the remainder of the pop-rivets.

TIP: If any metal shavings make their way onto your shiny new (err 2nd-hand) Dynaudio speakers, these can be removed using something sticky - eg. sticky tape, Dynamat etc. Just be careful not to damage the speaker - especially the mids, that love to accumulate shavings on their sticky coating. Tweezers also work well to remove larger shavings.

Unfortunately in my case, the person removing the Dynaudios from the donor car didn't seem to use the vacuum cleaner trick, so I had to spend some time removing metal shavings before they were ready to install.


Tweeter Removal:
I found this to be really tricky on the first door. The second door was a lot easier (once I discovered how to do it).

5. Place door trim on soft surface (eg. carpet, cardboad, legs/lap). Alternatively, place trim on concrete/pavers and mutter profanities when you scratch the leather like I did in the photo below... (at least it should be easy to repair).



6. Unplug tweeter. This is a two part plug, you probably disconnected the door plug, but the tweeter will still be attached.
7. Unscrew the T20 Torx screw pictured below.
8. Loosen six clips (pictured below) holding the door handle in. These have a number of settings/levels, just loosen them for now as it is also held in by a ?latch that will be removed in the next step



9. Using one flat-blade screwdriver, fully open the clip at the top-left in the picture above, whilst simultaneously (gently) levering the ?latch next to the tweeter (pictured below) open and applying a small amount of downward pressure to help pop the handle out. You may need to loosen alternating clips and return to the ?latch a few times until it comes free and you can carefully push it out of the door trim.


The ?latch can be found underneath that annoying plastic guard and to the left of the tweeter.

10. Have a small celebration, you've completed one of the trickiest steps in the whole installation

Prepsol:

11. Soak one of the rags with Prepsol and apply to the parts of the door you wish to Dynamat, avoiding wiring, mechanics etc
12. Using a clean rag, remove Prepsol

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You will need:

- T20 (Torx) screwdriver
- Pop-rivets + gun, or screws or something else to fix bass drivers to door.

I used 4.8mm x 10mm pop-rivets, they sit loose in the hole but become very firm on tightening. I chose pop-rivets over screws as they do not have sharp pointy ends or the potential to come loose inside the door sometime in the future. They are also the factory option and hold the drivers firmly onto the door frame.


Steps:

Install Tweeter/Handle

1. Plug Dynaudio tweeter into door wiring - Plug and Play! (if not, you may have a cutting/soldering job ahead of you =S)
2. Maneuver tweeter/handle into door trim and click in place. You may need to apply a little gentle pressure and move the clips a little.
3. Replace T20 Torx screw

Install Bass Driver

4. Using a flashlight/torch, stick your head inside the speaker hole (your head won't actually fit, just use your eyes). If you don't already have factory sound-deadening installed on the outer door skin (like pictured below), consider Prepsoling the area and applying some Dynamat (being careful not to interfere with the path of the Window or other structures). Even with factory sound-deadening, it's worth considering extra Dynamat back there - it will not only improve your sound, but will also reduce road noise. If you're really hardcore, go to the trouble of removing the door frames and Dynamat the entire skin.



5. Check that the bass driver plugs into existing wire. If not, soldering/pain ahead.
6. Position Dynaudio bass driver onto door. It will only go in one way as there are matching notches in the speaker surround and door frame.
7. Affix using your choice of fastener (pop-rivet, screw etc). If using pop-rivets, be careful how much pressure you are applying - I accidentally put a couple of minor cracks in the surround by trying to create too much pressure on the first couple (or maybe the pop-rivets were too big?), nothing that would impact sound or structure, just a detail worth noting.
8. Plug bass driver into door wiring - Plug and Play! (or soldering)

Here's what it should look like.

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This step is optional, but highly recommended. Sound Deadening improves sound quality and reduces noise/interference.

You will need:

- Dynamat or similar sound-deadening material. I used 1 sheet per door and applied it fairly heavily - YMMV
- Dynamat, Fibreglass or Paint roller. A professional installer told me that he uses a fibreglass roller as it's just as good, if not better than a Dynamat roller, but costs less. I couldn't find either and went with a small (unused) paint roller I had laying around.
- Scissors and/or knife

Recommended:

- Cardboard sheet. Used to cut on, The Dynamat bulk pack comes with one that the sheets are folded in.
- Gloves or Band-aids. I opted the the latter. The Dynamat has an aluminum film that isn't sharp like tin, but will give nasty paper-cuts if you're not careful.
- Time. I found this part to be most time-consuming.

Note: be careful not to apply too thick a layer of Dynamat to the door frame, or you may have trouble getting the trim to sit flush against the door. Avoid putting Dynamat on the door shell like I have in the photo below (blue part), as this also makes it hard to get the trim to sit flush and you'll have to remove the trim again to cut away the excess

Steps:

1. Roll out the Dynamat sheeting on a flat surface. Ideally, you would have done this earlier to give it time to flatten out.



Applying one piece of Dynamat at a time.
I found it easiest and most effective to apply the Dynamat in small pieces, rather than trying to apply one large piece covering the whole door (like I tried on the first door, that is pictured below). I've heard that it's better to use large pieces for sound quality, but overlapping multitple layers is also good:

2. Cut the Dynamat into a shape that will fit a section of the door. Cut away any Dynamat that will cover door mechanics, wiring etc (do not cover over the wiring and components). Test fit the piece, re-cut, test-fit, re-cut - repeat until it is a good fit, or your piece of dynamat becomes too small to use. Overlapping the pieces are good, just remember you'll need to fit the trim back on, so don't make it too thick. Note: Do not cover the Christmas-tree clip holes or screw holes (though screw holes are quite forgiving)
3. Peel back the paper covering to expose the adhesive coating.
4. Carefully align piece into place and affix from one side/corner (like a registration sticker). Try to push it into the cavities as you go along - this will help prevent tearing when you roll it out.
5. Gently smooth out the piece with your fingers before applying firm pressure with the roller. Ensure that the entire piece makes contact to the surface of the door frame. The Aluminum film will stretch to a certain point before tearing - this is ok, just apply another piece (patch) on top of the tear.

Check the sound-deadening

6. Gently tap on parts of the door frame to ensure they are 'dead'. If you hear a 'thudding' sound, that is good. Otherwise, you may need to apply another piece to achieve the right 'thud' - overlapping is good (as long as you can still get the trim back on).

Here's what my finished door looks like:


Note: In the picture above, I tried using one large shape to cover most of the door - I later found it better to use lots of smaller pieces

UPDATE: I later found it was also worthwhile to put a couple pieces of dynamat on the inside of the door trim also (had one rattle on the driver door that was easy to get rid off). Just use the tap/add/tap/add method, and once again avoid the mechanics and electronics in the door trim.

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Steps:

1. Make sure all the Christmas-tree clips are open and in the door trim (not in the door frame, or on the ground). If any are closed, use the door trim removal tool that has a fork (like on a hammer) and pop them open. If any have broken off the trim, epoxy resin (Araldite) is good for gluing then back on.
2. Connect the wiring and door handle cable back to the door trim
3. Line up the window ?channel/seal and sit the trim in the ?channel/seal. the trim should sit snug up against the window with a small gap.
4. Apply gentle pressure to push the trim into the ?channel/seal.. I gave it a couple gentle palm thumps once I knew it was aligned.
5. Apply gentle pressure to clip the Christmas tree clips back into place.
6. Check for gaps along the edges of the trim. A small gap is ok, but if the trim is buldging out or Dynamat is clearly visible, I recommend removing the trim and removing excess Dynamat and/or opening/fixing Christmas-tree clips until you get a good fit (it's better to do this now).
7. Replace and tighten T25 Torx screws into handle.
8. Replace and tighten T20 Torx screw into bottom of door.
9. Replace handle cover.

Testing:
Note: you may be placing unbalanced load on your amplifier by having unbalanced impedance while using a mixture of Blaupunkt and Dynaudio speakers. It worked out ok for me, but you have been warned.

10. Turn on your head unit and make sure the volume is off, or at the lowest setting.
11. Adjust the balance fader all the way into the corner that the speaker has been installed to.


Testing the driver seat speakers

11. Slowly increase the volume until you are satisfied that the Dynaudio components are working as expected. I simply put my ear up against each speaker to ensure they worked (at low volume).
12. Celebrate!
- (or facepalm if you don't get good sound - time to pull the trim back off and troubleshoot).