Audi A3 Rear Side Panel Speaker Size
The Audi A3 rear side panel accommodates a 1 inch speaker size, and also supports 3.5 inch and 6.5 inch speakers. Compatible speaker types across all positions include tweeters, midrange units, midbass units, and full-range units. These specifications cover the 2015 to 2018 model years.
| Year | Type | Size (inch) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Midrange | 3.5 |
| 2018 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2018 | Midbass / Full-Range | 6.5 |
| 2017 | Midrange | 3.5 |
| 2017 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2017 | Midbass / Full-Range | 6.5 |
| 2016 | Midrange | 3.5 |
| 2016 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2016 | Midbass / Full-Range | 6.5 |
| 2015 | Midrange | 3.5 |
| 2015 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2015 | Midbass / Full-Range | 6.5 |
Speaker Types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Tweeter | A small driver built for high frequencies, typically from about 2,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. It adds treble detail and clarity and is usually mounted near ear level or aimed at the listener. |
| Midrange | A driver for the middle of the audible range, typically from about 300 Hz to 5,000 Hz, where vocals and most instruments sit. It is often paired with a tweeter and a woofer. |
| Midbass | A driver tuned for upper bass and lower midrange, roughly from 80 Hz to 500 Hz. It has longer cone travel than a full-range unit, which supports stronger bass in doors and panels. |
| Full-Range | A single driver that reproduces bass through treble without a separate crossover network. It is the simplest replacement option and is common in factory audio systems. |
Additional Notes
- The Audi A3 rear side panel is a lateral mounting location within the vehicle's rear cabin, positioning speakers along the side walls rather than in the floor or rear deck.
- A side panel location places drivers at an oblique angle relative to seated occupants, which affects the perceived stereo width and soundstage depth of any speaker installed there.
- The 6.5 inch driver size accommodates midbass and full-range types at the rear side panel, a diameter large enough to move sufficient air for low-midrange and upper-bass frequencies typically spanning roughly 80 Hz to 500 Hz in a midbass role.
- A 6.5 inch cone in a side panel enclosure benefits from the structural rigidity of the door or panel cavity, which can act as a partial baffle and influence low-frequency extension.
- In a full-range role, the 6.5 inch driver at the rear side panel is expected to reproduce a wider frequency span without the support of separate high-frequency drivers, relying on the cone and surround material to manage upper-frequency dispersion.
- The 3.5 inch driver size at the rear side panel is listed as compatible with the midrange type, a diameter suited to handling vocal and instrumental frequencies generally occupying the 500 Hz to 5 kHz band.
- A 3.5 inch midrange mounted on a side panel can contribute focused mid-frequency detail from a position that supplements the primary larger driver without requiring the excursion demands of bass reproduction.
- The 1 inch driver size is listed as compatible with the tweeter type, a format standard for high-frequency reproduction typically above 3.5 kHz to 4 kHz, where short wavelengths allow a small diaphragm to operate efficiently.
- A 1 inch tweeter placed at the rear side panel radiates high-frequency content with relatively narrow directional dispersion, meaning the listening axis relative to seated rear passengers influences treble clarity at that position.
- The presence of 3 distinct speaker size slots at the rear side panel location - 1 inch, 3.5 inch, and 6.5 inch - indicates a multi-driver mounting arrangement within the panel rather than a single full-range position.
- The physical depth and cutout diameter available within the Audi A3 rear side panel must accommodate all 3 driver sizes simultaneously, constraining the mounting depth and basket dimensions of compatible replacements.
- The rear side panel location is generally more structurally constrained than a door panel, with less cavity volume behind the mounting surface, which can affect the low-frequency loading conditions for the 6.5 inch driver.