10-13-2017, 06:16 AM | #1 |
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F30 amp wiring / harness
Hello,
I have an F30 with HiFi (US stock?) speakers and I'm looking forward to an Eton speaker system: - 2x B 195 Neo - B 100W (front, back maybe later) , but I have the stock HiFi amp which I doubt will be able to provide enough power to the speakers. I have no problems installing the speakers in their sockets, saw all the possible videos about that. But I have one big question mark on how I connect the speakers to the amp, if I purchase something like an Eton 150.4 amp. There's the Eton BAK Y-cables which connect the subs to the amp, but then what? How does the amp get the signal? This is my current amp: I'd love to hear that it doesn't need to be replaced if I just install the Eton speakers/subs, but since the stock speakers sound so basic in the HiFi system I doubt it. |
10-13-2017, 07:10 AM | #2 |
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Don't. The input and output connections used by BMW are proprietary, so you must get an amp specifically made to replace the stock BMW amp.
If you're going to make changes the first thing you should switch is the amp, as that's where you'll get the most potential improvement. You may well find that the stock speakers sound perfectly fine with a better amp. I haven't found a single instance yet where replacement speakers provide definitive objective data that prove the claims made for their superiority to the OEM drivers. |
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10-13-2017, 07:57 AM | #3 |
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The only plug&play amp that I could find is the Bimmer Tech BT_PP82DSP, which is $900. I think that's a bit too much to spend only on an amp, and was thinking of a more simple solution involving a custom harness (I saw the Technic harness mentioned throughout the forum), but I need it shipped in the EU.
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Hanzo Nagamoto17.00 |
10-14-2017, 01:57 AM | #5 | |
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10-14-2017, 08:10 AM | #6 | |
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7ch balanced-inputs. The requirement that the amp have balanced inputs complicates matters. You'll find that these don't exist at low price points. |
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10-18-2017, 06:28 AM | #8 |
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Thanks for the info guys.
I wasn't expecting to spend that much for an audio upgrade, not sure if it's worth it especially if I have to make cross-continental orders. Best case scenario, will grab a pair of Focal IFBMW-SUB V2 at ~$400 and see how they improve the current stock HiFi experience. |
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10-21-2017, 12:45 AM | #9 |
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I changed my base system speakers to Focal (Inc tweeters) & Match subs.
This is a great improvement, however if you use a high res player into the Aux port it takes it to the next level. Fiio X3II, music stored as Flac Fiio has a DAC and amp |
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10-25-2017, 06:29 AM | #10 |
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Xsapper , and after the speaker upgrade, isn't there any distortion at high volume?
I mean, since the stock amp can power up 5x25watt to mid range speakers and 2x40W to Subs, and all the speakers and subs have more watts than that, doesn't the amp insert distortion in the speakers where a powerful enough amp would insert correct signal? |
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10-25-2017, 08:20 AM | #11 | |
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If you replace a stock driver with one that does have significantly more excursion than stock then the stock amp might not be capable of delivering enough power for the replacement driver to reach x-max, and therefore it won't reach its full acoustical output capability. That's why replacing the speakers alone may not have much effect, if any, other than placebo effect. |
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10-26-2017, 04:56 AM | #12 |
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Thanks Billfitz, I keep seeing this ping-pong between upgrading the amp or drivers. I found the stock Match PP82DSP (not bimmertech) in my country for almost half the price, but need to check with the retailer if the Match PP82DSP has the F30 harness adaptor.
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10-26-2017, 07:55 AM | #13 |
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That's what you must be sure of, as the output connection of the BMW head unit is not generic. Also, if you're going to switch amps you need to at least double the power compared to stock to make it worthwhile. Doubling power may seem like a major improvement, but that's only a 3dB increase, which is not much. To sound twice as loud requires a 10dB level increase, and that requires ten times the power, and nearly four times the speaker cone excursion.
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10-26-2017, 01:19 PM | #14 |
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Doubling the power means connecting the amp directly to the battery, that wouldn't have been an issue.
The problem is that the retailer doesn't have an F30 harness, and I don't think that harness exists for F30 with HiFi, just for standard audio, because the PP-AC13A harness indicated on the Match website is for standard audio only: And I don't see how this PP-AC13A harness can be connected to the stock HiFi harness: So from what I see it, I have just 2 big fat options: 1. Aftermarket amp (JL XD600/6) + Technic harness 2. Bimmertech PP82DSP with harness included Both involve shipping from US... |
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10-26-2017, 02:05 PM | #15 | ||
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10-27-2017, 06:51 AM | #16 |
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Actually you do pay more based on where you live ...
I just went on https://www.bimmer-tech.net/ and added the PP82DSP in the cart, after I selected my country I had a +23% tax (which also applies to other EU countries, I think all of them), that brought me to a total of $1106. I asked the support guy from the chat about this tax and this was his response: We have a several shipping locations. Apparently there is a tax added when an item (in this particular case an amp) is being shipped to Romania. You can also take a look here: https://www.bimmer-tech.net/information/shipping And if it weren't enough, that 23% tax doesn't include Romanian customs which is another ~20%. It's incredible how some shops come up with stupid taxes just because they want to... |
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11-03-2017, 02:43 AM | #18 |
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Ok so after I contacted them, the bimmertech support dude was awesome and offered me a discount, reducing that exact tax amount (not including customs though).
BUT !!! Here's the deal - I had a closer look to the Eton BAK: http://www.eton-gmbh.com/en/products...e/product/bak/ , I thought these cables offer the possibility of using a separate amp just for powering up the subs, but it's even more awesome that it somehow also routes mid signal to a separate amp. So you can use a 4 channel amp to power the subs and front mid-highs. I'm so happy, will definitely put my hands on a complete Eton kit. |
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11-03-2017, 11:41 AM | #19 | |
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That Eton cable is not for HiFi systems -you have a HiFi system
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11-08-2017, 02:04 PM | #22 | |
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Works perfect for me :-) |
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