Yep... VAG-COM (and VW's dealer scanner) can "see into" the OEM headunit. I'm not sure how accurate any codes the headunit might throw would be, but I know you can definitely play with settings and clear code in the headunit. I'm guessing that they aren't actually stored in the headunit itself, but in the "audio" section of the main ECU's memory.

As far as the Monsoon system... no... no problems. I actually love mine. It's probably the best factory audio system I've ever had. There are some that look down their nose at it... which is their right. But it's just fine and dandy for what I want out of a car stereo.

The distortion you're getting out of your speaker could be a couple of different things. The speaker could be going. This typically begins to affect only a particular range of the speaker... and will eventually grow until everything you play will have the same distortion (or the speaker cuts out all together).

But the more likely culprit is actually the mounts, grille and batting they use for the speaker. These things tend to resonate with a specific range of notes, making it sound like distortion from the speaker. Sometimes this can be solved by pulling off the door panel, tightening the mount, and repacking the speaker in higher quality (stiffer) batting. There's some stuff that's supposedly guaranteed not to resonate... but I can't think the name at the moment.

 

I remember I use to hate on the Monsoon (right Carl?) until when my drivers went (supposedly they did, I have my doubts...oh well, new speakers were put in), I had VW install Dynamat before they put the new speakers in. BIG difference. I then got a subwoofer, and I am now the happiest camper out. My system does all I need it to do and then some. My advice would be to install some Dynamat or similar sound-deadening material around the speaker...it'll cancel out any resonance and make a world of difference.

As for the error codes, a dealer's scantool can tell you what's up with that.

 

Dynamat! That's it! Thanks Justin... I was pulling my hair out trying to remember the name of it

 

Dynamat! That's it! Thanks Justin... I was pulling my hair out trying to remember the name of it

Come to think of it, I forgot the name too, and then I saw that I had a little bit of it in my closet.

They make a kit specifically for door speakers, it's precut, and it costs about $30 or so. That's what they used in mine.

 

Thank you for the information. I have noticed that my CDs sound very good, radio pretty good, but cassettes are pitiful. I guess that is due to the sound quality of the cassettes and not my player? I did have much better sound with cassettes in my pickup truck.

 

What's the difference between the regular head unit and the "Monsoon" tagged head unit?

 

What's the difference between the regular head unit and the "Monsoon" tagged head unit?

For one the Monsoon system has an amp...I think it has a couple more speakers, but can't remember exactly what the stock system had.

 

For one the Monsoon system has an amp...I think it has a couple more speakers, but can't remember exactly what the stock system had.

The Monsoon system does have two more speakers, in addition to the amp... but the total number of speakers depends on whether we're talking about a hardtop or a 'vert.

The hardtop with standard (non-Monsoon) headunit has 6 speakers.
The hardtop with Monsoon headunit typically has 8.

The NBC with standard (non-Monsoon) headunit has 8 speakers.
The NBC with Monsoon headunit has 10.

Go figure.

At least, those were the set-ups in 2004 when I bought Kermit. 2005's and 2006's might vary somewhat.

 

oh ok, so chances are that there is no difference between head units. I guess the only difference would be the extra speakers and amp that comes with the monsoon system.

 

Quite possibly.

The main thing that it might not have is the outputs for the Monsoon amplifier.

 

Antoine-

AFAIK, the ouputs are speaker-level, and if I can get a hold of a non-Monsoon deck, maybe I can figure out if it'll work.

 

The non-monsoon decks have a built in little amp and connector on back for an "amp hookup", which some people who add amps to it buy the little blaupunkt connector that plugs right into it. But AFAIK, the monsoon decks dont have the built in amps that the non monssson ones have because of the external amp. As to why monsoon and non-monsoon decks are not swappable.

Adding better speakers definaltely adds to the sound clarity and definition of the system. Although higher quality speakers are harder to find for the monsoon added speaker sizes, IIRC, the added midrange on the dash is 3.5".

The cd changer error seems like the cd changer probably has gone bad, or maybe just a loose cable.

 

oh ok, so chances are that there is no difference between head units. I guess the only difference would be the extra speakers and amp that comes with the monsoon system.

Ah... no... the headunits are different too. You can't use a non-Monsoon headunit in place of a Monsoon one or vice-versa... which you would be able to if the decks were actually the same internally.

One has line-out for the amp, one has amp'd out.

 

I remember when I did my line-outs that the non-monsoon could use the Blaupunkt line out adapter, but they didn't know about the monsoon ones...well, I purchased one - 'cause they were cheap and it is true...the line out blaupunkt adapter did not work on my monsoon head unit...but the power on lead did. So I used the power on lead and ended up doing the line level outs instead.

So there is a difference in the line-outs on the two heads.


Here's the monsoon diagram...don't know if anyone has a non-monsoon, but would like to have it for the Tech Library.
http://dehon.org/antoine/newbeetle/NewBeetlePDF's/vw.nb.wd.45.pdf

 

Okay, now i'm confused. I thought that the amp out on the back of the radio was what he monsoon amp plugged into. So it uses the same plug as the speakers do on the non monsoon. Soo, does the monsoon deck have line level output going though to the amp or speaker level output? I thought i saw once that a monsoon deck had no heatsink on it to cool the internal amp (as to why i said that they dont have one). Now I'm confused a bit. Can anyone verify that the audio output on the monsoon decks are line level only?

 

The Monsoon amp is located in the trunk...not on the unit.

I believe, and I'm sure I will be corrected, that the outs on the head wire to the amp and then the speakers get their wiring from the amp as with most aftermarket.

There IS however an additional output on the back of the monsoon head that say "AMP" and it also appears on the non-monsoon. On the non-monsoon you can get an adapter to work as line-outs...but there isn't any connections on the monsoon heads.

Confused yet?


Here is the line out adapter that fit older non-monsoon's that I purchased and only the on-remote worked on the monsoon.
http://www.continentalimports.com/f00e500014.html

Check this old thread...
http://forums.newbeetle.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12393

 

Blue plug - Changer or MP3 input
Green Plug - ????
Yellow Plug - Line Out (non-monsoon only)
Brown - Monsoon amp (non-monsoon speaker outs???)

 

I was confused because i thought that the monsoon deck used the amp connectors i saw on the back of my non monsoon deck to connect to the monsoon amp. (that's aloota monsoons)

So, the speaker output on the back of the deck goes to the monsoon amp to get amped to the speakers, i know that, i just thought that the output from the deck came from that smaller connector in hte monsoon system. So does the output on the back of the monsoon deck give line level or speaker level?

 

Looking at the schematics I posted earlier I would guess line-level. Only since it goes to the amp to get the power then to the speakers.

I clipped my line-level converters to the harness below the head unit for my 2nd amplifier.

 

I was confused because i thought that the monsoon deck used the amp connectors i saw on the back of my non monsoon deck to connect to the monsoon amp. (that's aloota monsoons)

So, the speaker output on the back of the deck goes to the monsoon amp to get amped to the speakers, i know that, i just thought that the output from the deck came from that smaller connector in hte monsoon system. So does the output on the back of the monsoon deck give line level or speaker level?

Line level, AFAIK. Though I've also heard that the Monsoon "amp" is simply a cross-over... so I suppose one can't assume anything.

Antoine has the connectors dead-on. Yellow is for control of the Monsoon amp (power control out as well as the ground) and may have subwoofer out... but the brown, I'm pretty sure, feeds it the individual channels (again, line level). For non-Monsoon decks, the brown connector is "speaker level" out straight to the speakers.

The green connector is for miscellaneous input for things like clock sync'ing (data clock, not like "12 o'clock" clock), remotes, and telephone muting.

There's also a black connector that contains the dreaded "K-wire", as well as the main power and power control lines (in).

 

By the diagrams yellow is not Monsoon...it is a line out for non-monsoons, but is disabled for the monsoon unit.

Take a look at the schematic link I posted.

The monsoon amp does have a heat sink body (If I remember correctly) so I think it is indeed an amp.

 

By the diagrams yellow is not Monsoon...it is a line out for non-monsoons, but is disabled for the monsoon unit.

Careful... it's not entirely disabled. As I said, Yellow still has the power control line (switched 12v +)... and it's the same line that the Monsoon amp uses for it's power control circuit (even though, oddly, the schematics you posted don't indicate it... in fact, the schematics don't show any power input to the amp that I can tell). That's all I was saying.

 

Sorry - gottcha.

Here are pics of the location of the Monsoon amp in the back driver's side of the hatch.

There is an input/output harness on the far side.

 

The Monsoon amp has two plugs on it. One has the +/- wires for RF, LF, RR, LR speaker outputs from the headunit. The other contains, among other things, the + and - power connections. The second plug also has the +/- for the 8 speakers. The Monsoon amp is not just a set of crossovers, it's an actual amplifier too. I've taken the cover off of mine (don't use it anymore since putting a full aftermarket stereo in) and it's got all the same properties of basically any aftermarket amp.

One small correction to one of the replies on the 1st page: ALL the NBCs have a 10-speaker stereo, not just the ones equipped with the Monsoon stereo.