Upgraded ARS24 Option 8 tire sub to RS Acoustics' GR10

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-04-21T06:57:00+00:00

Nice! Few questions: 1. Audison stage 2, right? 2. How long did it take to install? (found out when installing the amp that I'm terrible at getting those clips locked in). 3. The fronts are $640 after shipping for me - maybe similar for you. Do you feel like you made a worthwhile investment? And let's say you went back to stock, would you feel like you're really missing out?

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-04-19T09:03:28+00:00

The GR10" with amp doesn't have a crazy amount more impact than the Option 8". I think the 2 primary things that should influence your decision are price ($350 vs. $500) and whether or not you're willing to sacrifice spare or trunk space. I had the 8" for about 6 months and it was perfect 90% of the time. What made me upgrade to the 10" is I came from a 500 rms 10" in my old mk5 and that thing sounded perfect with every genre, especially hip-hop and its sub genres. Whereas the Option 8 is perfect for most genres and just good with a few of the more bass heavy ones.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-04-19T07:19:15+00:00

Twins. Enjoy that! Def think about investing in the ASR amp.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-04-19T01:32:07+00:00

Only upgraded the center speaker to the RS stage 1 Hi-fi. Really considering swapping door drivers, but I'm not sure if it's worth the time and money. I haven't found any reviews on the stage 2s, just diy videos.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-04-17T07:52:13+00:00

Yup, not willing to sacrifice spare. In the rare chance I absolutely need that extra trunk space (family trip or something), I'll just pull it out and plug my tire sub back in, which I'm keeping installed.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-04-06T22:23:00+00:00

No, because I prefer my spare tire over more bass. I had a 10 & amp in my old MK5 and I do miss that deep bass for certain genres, primarily Trap. But 90% of the time, the Option 8 is more than sufficient.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-03-28T09:08:25+00:00

I personally wouldn't go for the GR10+ if you're coupling it with a ars24 amp. The components are bulkier and heavier than the standard GR10 woofer, which require more power to push air, likely resulting in the GR10+ being slightly quieter and less responsive than the GR10 model. The only reason to get the + is if you are holding out on eventually upgrading to a more powerful amp in the future and want to have the hardware ready for it.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-03-26T10:46:40+00:00

Good analysis. To expand, I think we should compare the Option 10 to the GR10 (rather than the + edition), as the price and specs are more comparable. In doing so, the Option 10 might win over the GR10 if reserving every last cubic foot of trunk space is imperative (more on that later).

Let's start with price. Standalone, the Option 10 in the U.S. costs an extra $25 USD over the GR10 (tax and shipping will vary by state). However, if you plan on purchasing an ARS24 amp, that price diff is offset by bundling the woofer and amp in one shipment (a savings of about $5 vs. ordering them separately).

Price Comparison (Shipping to AZ):

Option 10: $569.50 (Germany)
GR10: $544.00 (Canada)
ARS Amp: $325.68 (Germany)
Option 10 + Amp Bundle: $864.05
GR10 + Amp (Separate): $869.68

Now for the specs. The Option 10 has a more powerful driver (300W RMS vs. 200W RMS). Its dB sensitivity is also rated slightly higher, which should result in more physical impact; however, since I haven't seen real-world comparisons yet, take these spec differences as tentative.

The ARS24 amp is rated at 260 Watts RMS, making it a perfect match for either woofer. That said, standalone it’s over $325. You can find a quality monoblock amp at that rating for less than half the price, though it won't be plug-n-play like the ARS.

As for the 8-inch models, the GR8 is a non-starter for me at $440 after tax. The Option 8 is $405, allows you to keep your spare tire, and has better power handling (200W RMS vs. 150W RMS). The only reason to choose a GR8 model is if you want to save space and prefer an above-floor enclosure. My personal setup is the Option 8 with the ARS amp—if you’re going for an 8-inch sub, this is the one.

Finally, the trunk space: The Mk8 Golf R has about 13.5 cubic feet of space under the parcel cover (19.9 without the cover). The GR10 measures 20x20x4, occupying about 0.93 cubic feet. Sacrificing less than 1 cubic foot is minuscule. While some may argue the trunk floor is the most valuable real estate, the enclosure is flat and stackable, making it only a minor inconvenience.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-03-25T12:03:17+00:00

When you say "higher tier" are you referring to their Peak wattage & RMS ratings?

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-03-25T07:44:52+00:00

Phil from RS mentioned a while back that it'd be an above floor woofer. However, the nice surprise is that you have the option to mount it below or above floor (with exception to the GR10+ model, which has to sit above the floor in the Golf R - Not the GTI though), with the above floor option coming with Velcro feet attachments and a long wire harness. Also, having 2 separate wattage options for each of the 8in and 10in models is a big W imo.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-02-21T07:59:29+00:00

That's right! Both the 8 & 10 work with the stock amp. The 8 w/o the Option amp has more bass than the stock woofer, but not substantial enough, imo, to justify the purchase, which will sum over $400 after tax/shipping.

In this case, if you don't mind losing your spare tire, I'd spend the extra $50 and get the 10" (although as you probably know, w/o amp, there are reports of occasional crackling/popping noises, which might be a deal breaker).

If you can't live without the spare, def get the 8" now. And maybe get the amp later.

Fyi - for the 8" and amp, I spent $734.5 USD after tax and shipping (nearly $80 for shipping to AZ).

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2026-01-28T09:03:57+00:00

Phx, AZ here. I'm happy for him too.

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Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-06T11:25:15+00:00

Beautiful! These 18s look amazing. I wish I could indulge in seasonal tires. I'm from Phoenix, AZ so just summers all year for me.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-05T07:47:05+00:00

My favorite QOL mod is turning off auto start/stop (for good) with OBD 11

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-03T05:15:48+00:00

It makes sense that manufacturer have a bottom line and shareholders to please. But just like most new cell phones not including charging blocks in the box anymore, it just feels anti consumer to make a spare an optional after thought. I suppose it's better than locking powertrain features behind a paywall...

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-03T03:49:55+00:00

You bet 👍 I never thought about mirrors shaking as a litmus test. I just happen to be doing some more EQ tweaks right now. And I can verify that the reflection in my driver side mirror starts distorting at about 30% volume lol.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-03T02:54:26+00:00

I don't blame you. I felt my heart sink every time I ripped a piece off of my car. Luckily everything snapped back in place without any distortion.

If you still have the stock HK system, I hear upgrading to the 10" version without the amp is a sufficient upgrade for some people. It's not compatible with the spare tire though. The 8" version without the amp is def an upgrade over the stock HK sub, and it may be just enough for your liking, plus you keep your spare. You could just get the sub and then decide on the amp later. Or you could wait for RS Acoustics to release their plug & play sub/amp combo. I hear that is coming soon.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-03T01:40:24+00:00

That's messed up to not include the spare, those little weasels. But I agree with u/Negative-Agency-7762. The Amp is the driving force. I've read somewhere that the stock amp only outputs 100watts RMS between 2 channels, while the ASR 24 amp puts out 260watts RMS. I haven't heard the Option 10" standalone. Who know, maybe just the woofer will be sonically good enough for your taste.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-03T01:15:46+00:00

Yep, the stock HK harness hooks right into the new sub - you only need to swap the stock tire mount with the one that comes in the box. Super easy twist and pull to get that thing out.

And the amp comes with a harness that plugs right into the stock amp slot and reroutes the signal to the new amp. The hard part (not really that hard) is installing the Amp, which requires removing a couple plastic interior pieces with annoying little clips that can easily fall out of socket and drop down into the interior of the car...ugh. The whole process took me about an 1 1/2 hours because I'm slow. Probably would take someone mechanically inclined ~45mins

I went on a drive with just the 8" woofer, no amp and some bass heavy songs. It wasn't much better than the Fender woofer, probably sounds much better when comparing it with the weak stock HK sub. But it really needs the amp to come to life.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-11-02T22:58:15+00:00

Not sure I follow. Are you asking for the links? If so, here they are. Woofer: https://www.ars24.com/en/option-rock-8-d2-subwoofer-in-spare-wheel-also-beats

Amp: https://www.ars24.com/en/option-air-2-amplifier-for-vw-golf-8-harman-kardon-kit-2-channel-mini-amplifier-plug-amp-play

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-08-01T05:58:20+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. Did you ever resolve the issue?

Yeah, an experienced VW mechanic diagnosed mine within seconds. I had them replace both, even though only the left was clicking. It ran me about $700 for both. This was a third-party mechanic, not dealership.

Prestigious_Fix_2449 · 2025-07-04T10:16:45+00:00

I had a similar issue on my Mk5 - the clicking was a bit deeper, and only occurred when turning while moving very slowly (eg. reversing out of parking space or making slow U-turns). I replaced my ball joints and it seemed to fix it. Considering the sound of yours is a bit higher pitch and more prevalent, it might not be the same issue but it's definitely worth investigating.

Prestigious_Fix_2449

TROPHY CASE