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Hi all, looking for some pointers. I've read the thread front to back and then back again but am struggling. I'll set my stall out; I have a MY2022 Ceed and am chasing some of the similar sound issues that seem to be present in the i30; a lack of rear volume and generally terrible sound quality.

For a few months now I've been trying to make improvements, as detailed here https://www.kiaownersclub.co.uk/thr...-suck-mine-does-and-here-is-a-solution.65048/, in short after discovering this thread I set about making the same improvements as the Soundupgrade. Pioneer TS-A series front and rear speakers, GM-D1004 amp and a T-Harness. Though rewarded with more volume and better quality, I got a fair amount of hiss.

I then replaced with an S1000a DSP and the hiss less audible but volume suffered despite being able to dial in a better EQ, I believe that the speakers were underpowered from the DSP alone. I also installed an underseat Pioneer sub with this which gives a good boost in bass to bring back some musical dynamics.

Step three was to install a line out converter which seemed to have things remaining static with respect to volume and hiss, finally with the amplifier installed once again, the hiss is back and very audible. Reducing the master volume in the SoundTune app reduces this but then means that the stereo is very quiet.

I have come to the conclusion that the gain multiplying effect is what is causing the hiss directly from the factory headunit (with the DSP and then again with the amp) and wondering if anyone has experienced or solved this with DIY installs in an i30 or those with an optioned SoundUpgrade have any hiss - to be honest I'd be very disappointed if that was the case.

Thoughts? Pearls of wisdom? Wasting my time?
Thanks for taking the time to read.

Al
 
Hi all, looking for some pointers. I've read the thread front to back and then back again but am struggling. I'll set my stall out; I have a MY2022 Ceed and am chasing some of the similar sound issues that seem to be present in the i30; a lack of rear volume and generally terrible sound quality.

For a few months now I've been trying to make improvements, as detailed here https://www.kiaownersclub.co.uk/thr...-suck-mine-does-and-here-is-a-solution.65048/, in short after discovering this thread I set about making the same improvements as the Soundupgrade. Pioneer TS-A series front and rear speakers, GM-D1004 amp and a T-Harness. Though rewarded with more volume and better quality, I got a fair amount of hiss.

I then replaced with an S1000a DSP and the hiss less audible but volume suffered despite being able to dial in a better EQ, I believe that the speakers were underpowered from the DSP alone. I also installed an underseat Pioneer sub with this which gives a good boost in bass to bring back some musical dynamics.

Step three was to install a line out converter which seemed to have things remaining static with respect to volume and hiss, finally with the amplifier installed once again, the hiss is back and very audible. Reducing the master volume in the SoundTune app reduces this but then means that the stereo is very quiet.

I have come to the conclusion that the gain multiplying effect is what is causing the hiss directly from the factory headunit (with the DSP and then again with the amp) and wondering if anyone has experienced or solved this with DIY installs in an i30 or those with an optioned SoundUpgrade have any hiss - to be honest I'd be very disappointed if that was the case.

Thoughts? Pearls of wisdom? Wasting my time?
Thanks for taking the time to read.

Al
First thought is that the sound quality has been improved by updating the head unit software, have you done this? You can get the latest software by visiting update kia.com
 
Thanks, yes, I'm on the current software version. Its the second firmware update I've done and I can't say I've noticed a difference between the factory base or either of the updates.
 
I have just upgraded the audio in my i20N (the audio seems very similar to the i30N and the drive units are identical). The front drivers were replaced with Hertz component (mid/bass and tweeters) and actively driven by an Audison amp with built in DSP (largely to overcome the extremely non-linear response from the head unit). There is also an Audison active sub-woofer And extensive panel damping to the front and rear doors as well as the boot floor. The rear speakers are unchanged and still driven by the head unit. The sound is truly transformed - vastly better.
 

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In the past I’ve done a lot of home audio DIY and so, with my newfound enthusiasm for car audio, I have decided to do a custom mount for the front mount tweeters. As standard these point directly at each other, across the dashboard. This means that, at best, they are listened to extremely off axis - which is terrible for crossover integration. Also, the way they are mounted, combined with the moulded speaker grill, is going to be causing massive diffraction problems.

Anyway, I’ve managed to buy the bits of door trim that hold the tweeters. Luckily this is a separate item that serves no other purpose but to hold the tweeters. By that I mean it isn‘t like the A pillar trim that often hides an airbag. I bought them from a chap on eBay who was breaking up a crashed i20 (these parts are identical between the i20 and i20N - the tweeters are also identical). So I’m going to modify them to take my new Hertz tweeters nude mounted and pointing more toward the listeners.

As an aside, I spoke to the parts department at my local Hyundai dealer (who were very helpful) and they told me these trim bits can only be ordered with the tweeters - and yet the tweeters can be ordered separately… which is just the typical kind of weird thing car manufacturers do! At least you don’t have to buy the entire door card 😎.
 
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Firstly, I have read ALL of the posts in here :D Massive thanks to you all for sharing the knowledge!
Second, I will be installing the Pioneer GM-D1004 amp, does anyone have a working link to the harness required? Some of the links on here seem to no longer exist or are not UK☹️

Cheers!
 
On Sunday I attended the first round of U.K. EMMA competition - this is an organisation that is entirely focussed on sound quality. I didn’t compete, I went to learn and experience some of the best car audio systems in Europe. But what I did find was that my, relatively humble, system does compare quite favourably with much more elaborate and expensive ones.
 
I had no luck finding the harness so I went with the Vibe POWERBOX65.4HYUNDAI4 which is an alternative to the pioneer, UK made and comes with the harness: https://vibeaudio.co.uk/product/pow...sound-hyundai-plug-and-play-amplifier-upgrade
I'm not sure if that is going to work in the I20N. As that harness plugs into the back of the dash mounted headunit.
Ours then goes into the Bose amplifier mounted in the back left just under where the subwoofer is mounted.
So not sure how the Bose amplifier will go getting a much stronger signal from the new amplifier.
The closest harness I have found is one for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Bose system. Which looking at both amps look identical and with the same outputs. I have ordered one & it arrived yesterday, so I can't quite yet confirm if it will work.
I will update here when I have tried it. If it plugs in all good, then I plan to split into the harness to match up to the Helix DSP & Helix amps that I have.
 
Firstly, I have read ALL of the posts in here :D Massive thanks to you all for sharing the knowledge!
Second, I will be installing the Pioneer GM-D1004 amp, does anyone have a working link to the harness required? Some of the links on here seem to no longer exist or are not UK☹️

Cheers!

The above looks very similar to THIS which was posted earlier on in the thread :cool:
 
Anyone got an alternative loom that can be used for the pioneer amp instead of the CT10HY07? Suppliers all seem to be out of stock and I want to order a loom that's been tried and tested