Looking for aftermarket stereo with flush fit in Z3

[Remotion]

Sony RSX-GS9

[Watch Carefully]

I bought a low profile 32GB USB stick. So it barely sticks out. It's ~$12.
https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Cruze...ding=UTF8&s=pc

Paul

Thanks, Paul. I have ordered a Kienzle head unit, so may just need one of these.
Brad

EDIT 11/02: Kienzle arrived and I've ordered a 64GB Cruzer. Hope to get the head unit installed this weekend.

EDIT 11/04: Installation was temporarily thwarted by incompatible harnesses. I ordered an adapter that should enable me to connect the new Kienzle (DIN ISO) to the harness compatible with the original (Alpine C33?) head unit. Also, I ordered an adapter plug for the antenna, because they also do not match.

EDIT 11/14: The harness adapter arrived yesterday (Monday) from Germany, and the antenna plug had come late last week. And, as luck would have it, I had to leave home last night on business, returning Thursday evening. Perhaps this weekend upcoming, I'll get this whole thing installed and sorted. I've uploaded >10,000 songs onto my memory stick, and still have 1/4 of the space available.

[Remotion]

I bought a low profile 32GB USB stick. So it barely sticks out. It's ~$12.
https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Cruze...ding=UTF8&s=pc

Paul

These are great sticks, I am a dj, and I have missed about 10 of them too.

[Watch Carefully]

I am a dj

You said it:

[ZGator]

Sony RSX-GS9

woa, I have seen this before, if you have this installed in your car I would love to see your setup!

There are a lot of feature packed units out there, I have a great sounding/tuneable Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS, but the gloss black plastic and weak display leave something to be desired. I would happily pay more for something that was matte black, less plastic and that looks better. I will eventually go the route of something more like this relying on a smartphone display when required for Bluetooth/Nav/music apps/Android Auto etc.

[Remotion]

You said it:

I might be as weird, but not as gay.

No I dont have oil money... I have nice sony unit but not that. Jehnert door cards and my own sub design with 2x tangband w6-1139SG.
Actually all of my amps are class-D and all of my speakers have neodymium magnets. That helps keep weight in check.
That sony is epic unit nonetheless.

This is my bass design, (SG now not anymore heavy ferrites)

And carbon sandwitch overlay on top of that.
Moc up:

Finished

[JamieOurada]

I think the Porsche Classic radio would be pretty cool in a Z3 (minus the Porsche logo of course) https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessor...ghlights/navi/

[deni2s]

I think the Porsche Classic radio would be pretty cool in a Z3 (minus the Porsche logo of course) https://www.porsche.com/usa/accessor...ghlights/navi/

That's Becker then.

[deni2s]

There are a lot of feature packed units out there, I have a great sounding/tuneable Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS, but the gloss black plastic and weak display leave something to be desired. I would happily pay more for something that was matte black, less plastic and that looks better. I will eventually go the route of something more like this relying on a smartphone display when required for Bluetooth/Nav/music apps/Android Auto etc.

Sony unit looks great, probably sounds too, but I think it doesn't have a radio, that's main reason why I choose Pioneer DEX-P99RS as sometimes I'm getting tired of my own music collection and prefer to listen to something new. Less plastic, more glass, looks better than any other Pioneer HU. Works seamlessly with new iPhones, charging them at the same time when I am listening the music and using navigation on the phone.

[JamieOurada]

That's Becker then.

As far as I can tell, that Porsche radio has nothing to do with Becker... It would be cool if it was available in a non-Porsche version, but I've not seen one.

[raubritter]

Just a quick heads up for anyone like me (who doesn't want a cell phone involved in audio system and wants to keep large music collection all on one 64GB+ USB stick that stays in head unit). A lot of these head units (at least the cheaper ones) have strange limits on either the size of the USB stick or the number of folders. I had a Sony media player headunit that I realized too late has a 128 folder limit. I keep my stuff organized in artist folders, album folders, etc so those 128 don't go very far at all.

It's aggravating that this is just a stupid choice Sony made in software that they could change if they wanted to. I had to replace it with a (equally plastic and crappy looking) Kenwood just to be able to access my music collection. Seriously, why can't they make these things less plasticky and horrible looking??

This probably won't apply to many people, but just thought I'd mention it. You usually have to dig into the specs or manual to find the GB / number of folders limitations. The ones that play lossless (wav etc) files generally have much higher limits.

[lisaliyan]

I found a site: www.seicane.com
Hope you can find a good one.

[brother]

I know I'm very late to the party here, but I'm glad threads like these stick around so they can continue to help people like me over the years! I'm liking the look of the Kienzle MCR1116 BT (thanks for posting pictures!). I see some in stock on eBay and am about to pull the trigger. I was hoping you could confirm wether or not I need to purchase any adapters, can I just pop the OEM BMW Business Radio out and put the MCR1116 in? How is the bluetooth reception, does it work well for playing music/phone calls? I know some bluetooth is spotty, or disconnects constantly.....

Thanks for your help,

[mpire]

Either you get a euro style blaupunkt head unit that is designed to sit flush, or you get a spacer so that whatever you do get sits correctly in the center console.

I used this spacer. Just sand it down a bit on the outside to fit, then hit it with some flat black spraypaint so you don't see it.

https://www.amazon.com/Metra-89-30-3...6727994&sr=8-1

[tigerdog2000]

... I was hoping you could confirm wether or not I need to purchase any adapters, can I just pop the OEM BMW Business Radio out and put the MCR1116 in? How is the bluetooth reception, does it work well for playing music/phone calls? I know some bluetooth is spotty, or disconnects constantly.....

You definitely need an adapter (or two) between the 1116 and the Z3. BMW uses a bizarre, locking connector on the back of the radio. The 1116 uses DIN-standard connectors and pinouts, common on many European radios. I bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Scosche-BW01B...01N4AV4JH?th=1 and used it to mate the BMW chassis connector to the wiring harness that came with the radio (note, I bought only the bare connector, not the full kit. I like solder and shrink tubing, not crimps.)

I have mine bluetooth-paired to a motorola Z2 phone. Music works perfectly, no skips or disconnects. Phone calls are also good - as clear as you can get when trying to talk hands-free in a top-down car. I used the included sticky-bracket to mount mic under the instrument cluster. This keeps it out of sight and out of the wind (see photo.)

These days, the ultimate would be the reborn Blaupunkt Bremen https://www.blaupunkt.com/en/nc/prod.../single/19059/ but it's around $500 and it's not sold in the US (go figure.)

[DelGue]

I have some sort of Pioneer stereo/cd unit. It works great but sticks out from the console about 2+ inches, and looks liked it was installed by cavemen. I can see no way it will fit flush, so I'll probably be looking for something that will.

[delvec]

2" is a lot...It should set close to flush with the dash. Either the stereo depth is to long or the stereo holder is to shallow and not the right one for your stereo.

[tigerdog2000]

I have some sort of Pioneer stereo/cd unit. It works great but sticks out from the console about 2+ inches, and looks liked it was installed by cavemen. I can see no way it will fit flush, so I'll probably be looking for something that will.

Advantage to Kienzle and Blaupunkt, then. If you get the ones without CD mechansim, the unit itself is very shallow, leaving lots of room behind for the wiring harness adapter to go from DIN on the radio to the weird locking connector in the Z3 wiring harness. In my case, the adapter was pretty bulky by the time it was done. Either of these units should work well for you.

[DelGue]

2" is a lot...It should set close to flush with the dash. Either the stereo depth is to long or the stereo holder is to shallow and not the right one for your stereo.

It looks like it's way too long for the stereo holder.

- - - Updated - - -

Advantage to Kienzle and Blaupunkt, then. If you get the ones without CD mechansim, the unit itself is very shallow, leaving lots of room behind for the wiring harness adapter to go from DIN on the radio to the weird locking connector in the Z3 wiring harness. In my case, the adapter was pretty bulky by the time it was done. Either of these units should work well for you.

Thanks., I appreciate it.

[smoothsix]

Gotta laugh a bit at "buy a Grom, what more do you need". I've heard that line a few times in my day. Hadn't even heard of this particular device, was just checking the forums as I've got a Bremen SQR 46 on the way for my Z3M.

I bought a Dension Ice>Link. Remember those? Promised text on your head unit while you play off your 30pin-connected iPod. Worked great, when it wasn't crashing. Flipping DIP switches, as I recall, and unplugging the thing and plugging it back in while driving down the road. It never worked well with the text displaying though. If you kept the text off, it mostly kind of sort of worked. I think mine was pre-Dension though. None of this fancy plastic packaging. Just a circuitboard stick wrapped in electrical tape.

icelinkplus_02.gif

http://old.dension.com/icelinkplus.php

When that took a terminal dump, I bought a DICE. That worked great, for a few years. A lot better than the icelink. Did the text display, as I recall. I think still 30pin in those days. Was originally independent (I think?) and then was later bought by some company.

g531iBMWT5V-F.jpeg
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-mWKrV3...e-for-BMW.html

another 8 or 10 years ago I bit the bullet and bought the new hotness, the Mediabridge. Back before it was bought by Audiovox. That became abandonware too. But god, for a few years, it was like living in the future. Actual bluetooth in my Z3M. External mic. Text display. Like magic. USB input too, if you reach behind the seat for the floppy cable.

g2201502NiS-F.jpg

slid around in the trunk, in the old cd changer spot, like most of em.

Every few weeks or months it would fail to boot and you'd have to rip the plastic cover off the cd changer area, unplug the cable, plug it back in, and it would work again.

Until a year or three ago, heading to a track day, no tunes for me. Looked into firmware updates (no), etc etc. Recently I just drive around with headphones on.

Finally bit the bullet. SQR 46 on the way. I'm sure I'll end up going down the path of upgrading the whole system now that i've got the ball rolling, but I'm hoping against hope to have it arrive from the UK in time for my next track day. Gonna be a long 3 hour drive without good audio, otherwise.

[tigerdog2000]

Finally bit the bullet. SQR 46 on the way. .

Please keep us posted on the SQR 46. I'm wondering if it looks as good as the pictures - and if it's as good as it seems on paper. Good luck going back to the future - or maybe it's days of future past?

[Mr Bingley]

Well, it certainly has the right look.

[s8ilver]

I guess I got lucky. I'm going on 5 years with my Mediabridge in my Z3 Coupe and it's never missed a beat. I'm surprised how well the mic works too. I bought the car that way, so no clue how long it's been installed.

That SQR 46 looks great. If my ancient Pioneer ever dies in my M, that'd be a perfect replacement.

Sent from my SM-G975F using Tapatalk

[BimmerBreaker]

Am I the only one who listens to the FM radio?

[s8ilver]

Am I the only one who listens to the FM radio?

Not a chance. I'm probably 3/5 Spotify, 1/5 CD, and 1/5 radio. I'd give up FM in my M though because I drive it so infrequently, and only drive it just to drive it.