Upgrading the stereo player

[bob850i]

My original factory radio is inoperative, along with the CD changer in the trunk (1991 850i). Rather than fool with them, I have a good Blaupunkt radio/CD that will fit and plays well. What issues do I need to be aware of in removing the old sound system and hooking up the Blaupunkt? Thanks.

[rockytt]

Only a couple:
1) Get an aftermarket BMW radio harness for a similar vintage car
2) Connect up the SPEAKER wires from your new BlueDot to the harness - don't forget the amp turn-on lead and antenna lead. (Everybody forgets those)
3) For the antenna cable (it's really short btw) you'll need an adapter (looks like this)
4) Enjoy!

(To remove the old one, there are two small doors on the left/right of the face on your existing HU - flip 'em up and there is a small torx-like fitting that needs to be unscrewed. You can use a small jeweler's screwdriver if it's an exact fit. You don't need to remove this screw-it won't come out anyway-but just loosen it all the way. Then slide out the radio and unhook the wires from behind)

[lawlshane]

Sorry to bump an old thread but this is admittedly my first time installing an aftermarket stereo so I am just asking for clarification's sake.

I bought a Pioneer MVH-P8200BT to replace the stock head unit, which hasn't worked since I bought the car despite getting two different codes from two different BMW dealers.

I did consider the CD43 but I got this at a really good price on Boxing day and it's one of the more tasteful aftermarket head units I've seen. Not quite as garish as a lot of the typical ones with lights and buttons everywhere.

Anyway, I also bought the Scosche BW01B adapter as well as the appropriate antenna adapter. Is there anything else I will need before installation?

[rockytt]

Should be all you need. Make sure that the speaker wires are connected on the harness as the amp(s) in the trunk utilize high-level inputs.
Also, make sure that you connect up the power amp + power antenna cables on the wiring harness. It's really P+P, folks just run into trouble when they skip some of the wires or overthink things

[sleepy81]

the stock head unit, which hasn't worked since I bought the car despite getting two different codes from two different BMW dealers.

I guess that means the radio is locked, asking for a code??
If you have the old stealer service records and contact a stealer which worked on your car, they should have the correct radio code on record when you supply the VIN.

[lawlshane]

Yeah, that was my first action. I then went to another nearby dealer and they gave me the code from the first dealership in addition to another code that they said to try if the first code didn't work.

The previous owner died (RIP) and I purchased the car from his wife so I can't ask him any questions about the radio but I have a good sounding replacement so I don't mind really.

I'll be putting it in on Saturday

[Timm]

This info might help. I fitted a Becker unit in my 840ci last week:

http://www.meeknet.co.uk/E31/Becker/...dianapolis.htm

[Koizumi]

Out of curiosity, does the Becker unit work with the Dice iPod system?

[revtor]

Out of curiosity, does the Becker unit work with the Dice iPod system?

Perhaps Dension offers a product for Becker head units, but Becker already has an excellent iPod interface as option: The Becker Remote Kit. Please note the Becker Remote Kit only works with the genuine Becker head units (Indianapolis 7920/7921/7922/7923/7925/7850/7851/7852/7853/7855 and Indianapolis Pro 7950/7951/7952/7953/7955) - not the BMW versions (Indianapolis 7969). The BMW versions have a different cd changer interface that is incompatible with the Becker Remote Kit. The BMW head units are however compatible with BMW cd changers, so an iPod interface that works with a head unit like the BMW Business CD (CD43) might work with the Becker/BMW Indianapolis as well. Best confirm with the interface manufacturer first, though...

Also note the Indianapolis does not have navigation maps for North America...

[lawlshane]

Just did it, thanks for the guidance everyone. Timm, your site is wonderful by the way.


It looks pretty out of place still but it's not as "out there" as a lot of other aftermarket decks. That iPod cable sure is ugly though. I'll find a better way to hide that when it's not so cold.


Illumination and screen colours are pretty close to BMW's orange illumination


Long exposure because..why not.

Thanks again rockytt and Timm.

[Timm]

Our pleasure! A black Ipod cable and plugs would help!

[rockytt]

Does your new HU also have a rear jack for the iPod? If so, there are some OEM options (ok - essentially one other option )

[prit singh]

Great site Timm very impressive detail.

[Dr. T]

Does your new HU also have a rear jack for the iPod? If so, there are some OEM options (ok - essentially one other option )

Just did it, thanks for the guidance everyone. Timm, your site is wonderful by the way.


It looks pretty out of place still but it's not as "out there" as a lot of other aftermarket decks. That iPod cable sure is ugly though. I'll find a better way to hide that when it's not so cold.


Illumination and screen colours are pretty close to BMW's orange illumination


Long exposure because..why not.

Thanks again rockytt and Timm.

Hey Lawlshane, that's a nice looking headunit. It caught my attention as well a couple months ago before I got a Becker unit. Is it Sirius capable? How is the sound quality?

Out of curiosity, does the Becker unit work with the Dice iPod system?

I believe it does but without text readout. The Becker traffic pro was never able to do this. It has a rear RCA aux input into which I have a dual cable with aux in (for aftermarket Sirius unit) and an iPod input. Both need to be controlled from their respective units.

Does your new HU also have a rear jack for the iPod? If so, there are some OEM options (ok - essentially one other option )

I believe not. This was the problem with the MVH-8200. Only front USB input, so you get stuck with the unsightly cable coming right out of the front of the head unit. Guess that will be fixed in the re-design....

Perhaps Dension offers a product for Becker head units, but Becker already has an excellent iPod interface as option: The Becker Remote Kit. Please note the Becker Remote Kit only works with the genuine Becker head units (Indianapolis 7920/7921/7922/7923/7925/7850/7851/7852/7853/7855 and Indianapolis Pro 7950/7951/7952/7953/7955) - not the BMW versions (Indianapolis 7969). The BMW versions have a different cd changer interface that is incompatible with the Becker Remote Kit. The BMW head units are however compatible with BMW cd changers, so an iPod interface that works with a head unit like the BMW Business CD (CD43) might work with the Becker/BMW Indianapolis as well. Best confirm with the interface manufacturer first, though...

Also note the Indianapolis does not have navigation maps for North America...

Revtor, I believe the newer Becker units are out of the question because they are Euro only for both maps and also do not allow for AM radio reception in N America.

[lawlshane]

I believe it is Sirius and XM ready. I will check the box when I get home to confirm. With a bit of tweaking, the sound quality is excellent, though I don't really have many car audio systems to compare it to. If there's ever a Toronto 8 meetup in the spring and if we're both present, you can be the judge if you'd like

Yeah, the lack of a rear USB/iPod interface is a drawback. I'm thinking of buying a right angled USB extension and running it along the side of the unit and into the cavity behind the head unit with the other end poking out of of the side around where your knees would be. I'd (hopefully) put some sort of cradle or container for the iPhone where the other end of the USB extension comes out, which would also contain and hide that ugly white cable. I don't think I worded that very well.

[Bimmerman44]

TIMM,
Do you have or know where I can find a Diagram/Cutaway/Layout of the speaker positions in an e31 particularly the '95 840 model?

Thanks,
Bimmerman44

This info might help. I fitted a Becker unit in my 840ci last week:

http://www.meeknet.co.uk/E31/Becker/...dianapolis.htm

[rockytt]

Don't know about a diagram-but it's pretty simple:
3 speakers in each of two boxes under the rear speaker grilles
One in each kick panel and then a mid/tweat combo underneath the grille in the door.

[Bimmerman44]

Rockytt,
Thank you so much for your response. I'm upgrading with Polk MM Series and JL Amp. Already installed the Becker Traffic Pro. The Traffic Pro is the one system I could get that somewhat blended with the flow of the center console. It came with GPS antenna, Navi, AUX input and harness for plug and play, IPOD connection etc. Really wanted the Becker Cascade Pro but the NAV software was European based. We'll see how this works out.
Lee

[rockytt]

Good luck with it
You'll want to run new wires as the OEM system was really an integrated one (built-in crossovers, etc) It's really best to treat it as a fresh install and not try to piggy-back onto what's already there. (Been there/done that and wasted a lot of time trying it. You've got the HU installed already, just run all new wires/RCA cables + you'll be good to go)

[m6bigdog]

Good luck with it
You'll want to run new wires as the OEM system was really an integrated one (built-in crossovers, etc) It's really best to treat it as a fresh install and not try to piggy-back onto what's already there. (Been there/done that and wasted a lot of time trying it. You've got the HU installed already, just run all new wires/RCA cables + you'll be good to go)

For the early model E-31 with the 4 channel system you're correct about the integrated wiring harness for the speakers however models built after 9/93 have the individual speaker wiring that went all the way back to a bridged 10-channel amp with an active crossovers before the bridged amps.

The E-31 has several variants and the early model requires more upgrades to match the OE level of the late model cars.

I would suggest using the Top HIFI Harman Kardon 320watt amp from an late model E-36 p/n: 65 12 8 366 472 as it is a Plug & Play with the E-31 late model wiring harness. After that upgrading woofers in the front & rear enclosures to 5-1/2" 2-ohm HKs p/n: 65 13 8 366 459 in order to get the power out of this amp takes some fabrication experience, however a good sounding system can be had for $200 off eBay with no rewiring effort. The OE mids and tweets are good enough unless your going to upgrade everything for $k bucks.
And if your really ambitious you can install a sound switch to use the spatial DSP in the HK amp.

[cartoonz]

they all have individual speaker wiring...

[Bimmerman44]

For the early model E-31 with the 4 channel system you're correct about the integrated wiring harness for the speakers however models built after 9/93 have the individual speaker wiring that went all the way back to a bridged 10-channel amp with an active crossovers before the bridged amps.

The E-31 has several variants and the early model requires more upgrades to match the OE level of the late model cars.

I would suggest using the Top HIFI Harman Kardon 320watt amp from an late model E-36 p/n: 65 12 8 366 472 as it is a Plug & Play with the E-31 late model wiring harness. After that upgrading woofers in the front & rear enclosures to 5-1/2" 2-ohm HKs p/n: 65 13 8 366 459 in order to get the power out of this amp takes some fabrication experience, however a good sounding system can be had for $200 off eBay with no rewiring effort. The OE mids and tweets are good enough unless your going to upgrade everything for $k bucks.
And if your really ambitious you can install a sound switch to use the spatial DSP in the HK amp.

M6bigdog,
Please explain " in order to get the power out of this amp takes some fabrication experience".

bimmerman44

[m6bigdog]

M6bigdog,
Please explain " in order to get the power out of this amp takes some fabrication experience".

bimmerman44

The stock low range drivers are 4-ohm & 4" or 4-1/2" speakers and the HK's are 2-ohm & 5-1/5". Not a direct fit and in order to fit the HK's in the stock speaker enclosure takes some fabrication experience.
The HK woofers are 2-ohm and that allows the HK amp to produce twice the output power from the same amp driving a 4-ohm speaker.

[m6bigdog]

they all have individual speaker wiring...

Unfortunately, their don't.
The early model audio system has a spliced speaker common for each channel (somewhere in the harness), not individual +&- wire for each speaker and that prevents using individual amps for each speaker. If you look at the ETM you will see how the speakers are wired. Therefore, a 4 channel amp with a passive crossover is all you can use with the early audio wiring harness. The late model cars (after 9/93) have a 10 channel amp with an active crossover.
The latter is much more desirable because with the speaker connected directly to the amp the bass will be much tighter and the passive crossover reduces the dampening factor which makes the bass more distorted.

[cartoonz]

Nope, you're wrong on that. You just don't see where because you're looking at a book.

There is, indeed, a complete twisted pair running from each separate speaker (with the exception of the rear pods, which have a passive Xover circuit to drive the tweet in the pod) all the way to the trunk. The place where the grounds go common is right before the plug into the amp in the trunk. Since you're not going to use that plug on a new amp anyway, with a little help from the ETM to read what wire drives what speaker, you can easily separate each speaker pair and use the factory wiring.

Now, if you are going to do this, you're best bet is to drive each individual speaker with its own amp channel and mount an active Xover/EQ in the trunk before the amps. I did this with 2 Alpine PDX amps, which stack beautifully into the OEM amp rack and drive some insane CDT component speakers all around. You do have to run an extra pair to each rear pod to drive the tweets, but that's it.

While you might not think the stock speaker wires are worth a crap in this situation, that's a fallacy too.