VW Tiguan Mk2 Helix Audio Upgrade

[andy3781]

Hi all,

I currently have a mk2 2017 VW Tiguan with the standard audio system, not the optioned Dynaudio version. Now although it actually sounds perfectly acceptable for a basic system, I'm a bit of an audiophile when it comes to home audio, so I would just like a bit more clarity and depth in the car while keeping things OEM looking.

So retrofitting the Dynaudio system is not an option to me as one it would be quite pricey to find all the components and then its going to be a whole load of hassle to get it coded and fitted etc. Going down the aftermarket route is also not something I want to do as its getting away from keeping the whole thing OEM which is my main concern. So I was just wondering if anybody has any experience of fitting the dealer upgrade Helix amp / boot mounted subwoofer? Now I did actually buy this setup secondhand for my Mk7 Golf R which was a nice simple worthwhile upgrade and it did sound much better than I was expecting so a decent alternative to the Dynaudio, but I ended up selling the car without removing as I really didn't have the time.

I bought a plug in dongle which codes the system's DSP to the specific car which at the time was the Golf MK7. Now I can't actually find any information to suggest that this can be coded to work in the Tiguan Mk2 hence the reason for this post. If I knew that there was a code to work then I wouldn't have any hesitation in buying the same thing again you see!

Thanks in advance for any help!
Andy

[jakesmith]

I upgrade the audio in every car I own. I had Dynaudio in my mk1 Tiguan and whilst the volume and range was OK, it was still pants compared to even a basic aftermarket setup. One of the problems is that the doors were plasticky and with any bass they would rattle.

You can upgrade the system and keep it looking 100% oem. I don’t know how the Tiguan outputs it’s audio but whatever it is, you can buy a Audison Bit 10 and properly convert the speaker lines to de-equalised RCAs then run a 5 channel amp to power new speakers in the stock locations and a small sub in the boot. Make sure to sound-deaden the doors. You should be able to do all this for well under £1k and you’ll have something in a different league to Dynaudio.

Those factory upgrade systems are proper rip offs IME, I’ve tried Bose and B&O so far and ripped them all out.

[andy3781]

Cheers for the reply. Yes I’ve done exactly the same to many cars I’ve owned in the past, but as I’ve got older and had less and less time to mess around with cars stereos I’ve basically just settled or just gone with whatever is the factory upgrade at the very least. Most are crap like you say, BMW’s I’ve had with the “premium” audio sounded terrible, Mercedes with the Bose, again completely pointless. Having said that the stock audio I have in the Tiguan doesn’t actually sound that bad in comparison to them, it’s just missing some low end fill and a bit of volume. Hence the reason I quite liked the Helix upgrade I did in the Golf as that did improve things quite nicely without clogging overboard in any respect.

I completely agree however that a aftermarket setup is by far the best way to go for sheer sound quality etc, I’m just not in the game of paying car audio shops to fit stuff that I know will never meet my OCD standards. I like to do things myself but just haven’t got the time these days, but also don’t trust other people to do a satisfactory job. The case being, when trim is removed it never does just go back in properly or ever sound the same again, there’s always something that will rattle regardless of how much “brown bread, silent coat, dynamat” you stick in the door. I’ve done it, I know. But in also know I’d be removing it back and forth until it was resolved. I digress.