2nd Gen Non H/K audio improvement mod

[cmcveay]

At the request of miniMUM, I'll post this info in a new thread so we don't hijack the 2010 HK thread.

 

This only applies to the 2nd Gen gang, the 1st Gen folks are able to swap out head units so you aren't tied to the fully integrated unit. I don't remember if this also applies to the 2nd Gen cars with the NAV system but the 17+ pages of the thread on NAM will answer that question.

 

I did this mod last Saturday (in the rain) and it took about 20 minutes and cost nothing more than the time. I'm no audiophile but I do like the improvement of the audio quality so, for me, it was a very worthy mod considering the time and expense.

 

Here's a link to the long and very detailed How To on NAM to do this. I'll cut and paste a couple of pieces of information to give you an idea of the work. It involved removing two interior panels (no tools needed for removal) to gain access to the connector and then some patience to do the work. Don't be intimidated when the posts go into details about molex tools and brass pipes and dremel tools. At the end of the thread, you'll find that you can do this without all of that. I used 4 toothpics and a pair of needlenose pliers. The pliers came in hand to put the panels back in.

 

If anyone would like to hear the difference, I live in Annandale and I work at the Navy Annex (near the Pentagon) and you are welcome to come hear it. If you'd like to jump into the mod and would like one on one assistance, give me a shout, I don't mind helping. By the way, I followed the pin-to-pin part below, not the colors as it is far faster to do that (for me).

 

 

Front/Rear Channel Swap How-To

 

What you will do - by wire color/pin number:

 

 

FR = front right

FL = front left

RR - rear right

RL = rear left

 

ORIGINAL SWAPPED

sig color what pin sig color what

 

TTHL- BL/SW RL- 2 MTVL- SW/VI FL-

MTVR+ GE/BR FR+ 3 TTHR+ BR/OR RR+

MTVR- GE/SW FR- 4 TTHR- GE/RT RR-

MTVL+ SW/RT FL+ 5 TTHL+ BL/BR RL+

MTVL- SW/VI FL- 6 TTHL- BL/SW RL-

TTHR+ BR/OR RR+ 7 MTVR+ GE/BR FR+

TTHR- GE/RT RR- 8 MTVR- GE/SW FR-

TTHL+ BL/BR RL+ 10 MTVL+ SW/RT FL+

 

Colors:

 

SW black

BR brown

RT red

OR orange

GE yellow

VI violet

 

What you'll do (by pin number):

2 --> 6

6 --> 2

 

3 --> 7

7 --> 3

 

4 --> 8

8 --> 4

 

5 --> 10

10 --> 5

 

Enjoy, for the money/time this takes, I feel it's very much worth it.

 

Craig:rock: