Radio problem- Distortion gov???

[WusteHase]

Ok I've had this problem for a long time, just recently had someone mention a distortion governor or something. ie, if I turn up the bass and try to crank the volume, it keeps it at a lower volume. if I turn the bass down, it gets louder, the less bass the more volume. Now, I don't know about you guys, but there's nothing that I hate more than a bunch of scratchy tinny treble boosted music with no bass. Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about and maybe a fix for it?

Oh yeah, also, I know it's not the speed/volume thing.

[MKVGLI]

Ok I've had this problem for a long time, just recently had someone mention a distortion governor or something. ie, if I turn up the bass and try to crank the volume, it keeps it at a lower volume. if I turn the bass down, it gets louder, the less bass the more volume. Now, I don't know about you guys, but there's nothing that I hate more than a bunch of scratchy tinny treble boosted music with no bass. Anyone have any idea what I'm talking about and maybe a fix for it?

Oh yeah, also, I know it's not the speed/volume thing.


Mine did it too. It's to keep the speakers from blowing. VW has a specific setting the recommend. I bumped it up just a lil past that and I have no problems anymore. And it sounds great. enough mixture of bass treble and all. You want more bass get a bass tube or sub. You won't get it out of the factory system cause they were smart and regulated how much you can use before blowing the speakers

[WusteHase]

Vag commed it? I want that off...

[MKVGLI]

Vag commed it? I want that off... I don't think you can. It's in the radio not the ecu. if you adjust the knobs right it'll sound fine. You don't care if you blow your speakers?

[WusteHase]

I don't listen to them that loud. I'd just like my speakers to go past half volume, ya know? I drive with my windows down more often than not, and it gets hard to hear a good song if I'm doin my usual 80 or so. What's this recommended setting?

[zooyork155]

Sounds like it's time for an aftermarket headunit :upyeah:

[WusteHase]

yeah but that's also the sound of my last two pennies rattling around inside my piggie bank... I got a lot of stuff comin up these next few months, can't really afford to drop 300 on a new headunit etc. just hoped there was a quick fix for the stupid distortion gov.

[xtreem]

The real question is, do you have the premium sound system or not? It doesn't matter which head unit you have unless you have the NAV. The premium sound system comes with a digital crossover. I'm assuming you don't have the premium sound package from what you're describing

There's no such thing as a distortion governor that I've ever heard of. It takes more power to push bass frequencies that it takes to push mids and highs so, when you turn up the bass, the amp/headunit is trying to push all that power to the bass. Therefore the power to the mids and highs gets sucked away. Also... distortion occurs since the amp/headunit 4x20watt power cannot "cleanly" power the various frequencies This is the most common complaint about stock stereo systems.
So, now for the solution. Crossovers and amps. Unfortunately, you're going to have to plop some bucks down. There might be a "cheap" way to do a little improvement. A powered sub with a few bandpass filters. You'd have to put a high-pass bandpass filter on all 4 woofers in the car and then hook up a powered sub. That way, you can keep the bass on the headunit at half-way, really crank up the powered sub and viola, you have decent sound at 3/4 volume on the hwy.

[jtbizzy]

For the record, VW has a updated radio flash because I had the same problem where the radio would get louder when I turned the volume from 15 to 10 and would go down when I turned it from 10 to 15 or whatever the volume # happened to be. Just take it to the dealership and they will have an updated flash for it.

[WusteHase]

Yeah! See he's got it, that's what I'm talking about. And if you mess with the bass knob it affects how much louder it'll get.

[TurboMatt]

I don't think you can. It's in the radio not the ecu. if you adjust the knobs right it'll sound fine. You don't care if you blow your speakers?

Vag com does not only control the ECU.

[MKVGLI]

Vag com does not only control the ECU.

It controls the radio too? That's odd but I didn't know that.


But it's not so much a distortion gov. That may be what they call it i don't know, but it's just to keep the speakers from blowing from the bass. There is a flash but they didn't do it to mine they just put the settings to where VW recommends them. You would have to get them to show you. If that didn't work i'm sure it would defenately need that flash. But hell go ahead and do that anyway. I never had mine flashed and I can be running 100 down the road with my windows and sunroof open and hear mine perfectly. I've heard alot about MKV's having this problem. If you want i'll take a pic of where I have my settings at and post it or you can just take it in to the dealer.

[xtreem]

didnt' know about the flash. Good info. I have the '07 radio (Silver buttons) on my '06 TDI. (It's actually an 06.5 Special Edition). I don't have that problem.