This is what i use
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lol^^ I've almost bought one of those numerous times...I probably should.
Here's some neat info: https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/21/...in-production/....
449,00 €
I was sufficiently intrigued to find an English language vendor:
https://www.classiccarstereo.co.uk/c...sqr-46-dab-bt/
Their price is UKP 449, which includes 20% VAT that doesn't apply to an export sale. That nets down to UKP 374.15 tax free, or about $467.69 plus shipping and any US customs duty. You'd have to really, really want this. It's also not available until September (was August, was July...), so that'd be a soft date.
Neil
^^Hopefully this causes some lower cost similar styles to come out (either lower end Blau or other manufacturers).
I'm tickled a post I made got NeilM a bit intrigued. I'm usually a rung below...ha.
Put a blank off plate in, and mount a Dayton DSP-408 in the trunk. Bluetooth to that will sound better than the vast majority of head units, and you get full DSP functionality. And it's pretty cheap.
2011 M3 Sedan
2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD LBZ
1999 323i GTS2
1995 M3 - S50B32/S6S420G/3.91
1990 325is
1989 M3 - S54B32/GS6-37BZ
Hers: 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
Hers: 1989 325iX
I come back to this forum a few times a year in search of threads like this. Still have the old tape deck and 6 disc changer. Everything new is shiny or looks like it was supposed to impress teenager me back when i was a teenager. I really may have to go with a one of the Bluetooth DSP doodads and leave the tape deck.
In the mean time, a tape thing with the cord is what I've got.... with a lightning plug adapter. 40 years of tech (from tape to iphone) in one janky but functional solution.
Current: E36 BMW M3/4/5, F31 BMW 328i xDrive M Sport
Past: Mk6 Golf R APR Stage 2, E30 325i/4/5, E36 328iS/2/5
This interests me. Any DIY's on this mod?
Same boat as you. Not one aftermarket deck looks like it belongs, so I've kept the original cassette deck. I actually record mp3's onto cassettes and enjoy new music that way.
Last edited by xxxxxxx; 08-13-2019 at 07:21 PM.
CARS
02.92 325is / 06.72 2002 / 02.91 XJ / 08.04 R53 JCW
Installing a DSP-408 is exactly the same as installing any other DSP. You don’t need a DIY.
2011 M3 Sedan
2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD LBZ
1999 323i GTS2
1995 M3 - S50B32/S6S420G/3.91
1990 325is
1989 M3 - S54B32/GS6-37BZ
Hers: 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
Hers: 1989 325iX
To be honest, I'm not exactly sure how this would be done either, but it sounds like a clean design. Keeps the interior really minimalistic (CSL-ish) but still gives you full control of playing music on your phone... just no 'radio' I guess, unless you use iheartradio or something from your phone as well. A little cumbersome maybe to control... depends on how much you use it I guess.
TRM Coilovers 670F/895R | BBS LM | Corsa RSC36
Could one install a DSP (such as the aforementioned Dayton) and somehow still maintain a functioning head unit?
CARS
02.92 325is / 06.72 2002 / 02.91 XJ / 08.04 R53 JCW
i went with this one and couldn't be happier. nice price too.
https://www.amazon.com/JVC-KD-X360BT.../dp/B07HCK349X
'97 M3/2/5 340K and counting.
I'm a bit of an amateur audio nut. Most of my home stuff is driven through tube preamps and I even have my digital sources re-routed to a standalone DAC with tube preamp output before the receiver...
I have built insane car systems in days gone by too... For my E36 M3 Vert I do not want anything obviously aftermarket because they almost all look out of place.
I simply upgraded my CD-33 ("Business" tape deck made for BMW by Alpine) with the CD-43 ("Business" CD deck made for BMW and Rover by Blaupunkt) and added the Grom unit for USB, Aux, and Bluetooth connectivity.
First I upgraded to BavAudio Stage 1 speakers... improvement but not quite enough. Then Pulled out the HK 8" dual coil ib sub and replaced it with a pioneer 8" flat piston sub (also dual coil) in a spacesuit tight sealed box and running (from the HK amp's sub output to highlevel inputs) on a Rockford Punch 300W monoblock. BIG improvement.
Next I put in an AudioControl LC1200.6 6x125 amp to seperately amplify all 6 front speakers. Sounded great until it smelled like ozone and only sounded like buzzing LOL blown.
Then I put in Morel Elate 503 3 way components in the front that could handle the power. Sounds FANTASTIC now even with the top down!
Next... but no hurry Morel Elate 502 2 way components to replace the Bav rears (LOL learned my lesson to make sure I have the capacity before adding power) and finally the AudioControl LC 800.4 125x4 matching the front.
Note I am still using the HK amp to power the high Level inputs to all amps... not for the x-over capability but because that white "GalSpeed" wire provides the speed sensitive volume control which is very handy in a Vert.
Long story short... Head Unit isn't all that important anymore unless you listen to a lot of CDs (or tapes) because the biggest difference between the high priced units and the cheaper ones is the actual mechanism... if you're playing even a FLAC file (lossless and not as flat as MP3) you aren't getting much difference from one to the next. The limitation is the encoding and decoding of the digital file... it can only sound as good as it was ripped.
Spend your hard earned cash on speakers, then amps, then signal processors, and if you still have any left over after that you can look at Head Units.
Free advice from an older guy and worth every penny you paid for it.
Wanted to follow up as the OP...
I have a long trip planned for this weekend (Peoria, IL to Duluth, MN), and bluetooth/Aux port was a necessity, so I pulled a trigger. It's not perfect whatsoever...I want an OE looking unit, and this isn't that.
That said, it does allow for a 'redorange' setting that is very close to BMW amber, as well as adjustable brightness on the buttons and the text separately. It seems to work well with Bluetooth audio, and was all together less than $100 (mental and realistic budget for something not OE looking).
I do plan on de-chroming at some point...it's not overly obnoxious in person like I expected.
In retrospect, the other option on amazon includes a CD player (the KDC-BT23) and this unit is all black, no chrome. The only reason I avoided is I wanted the shortness of the non-CD unit (for wire adapters/etc). I also don't love the CD slot aesthetically. But...in this case I think the black CD player may look better out of the box.
Pics to be loaded tomorrow...but here's what I got. Amazon links to make life easy.
Kenwood KMMBT325
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Antenna connector
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Electrical adapter
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Maybe that'll help someone posting the other two items.
Last edited by Moron95M3; 10-13-2019 at 09:57 PM.
_________________________________
2000 BMW E39 M5 - Avus Blue
2008 BMW E92 M3 DCT (track car) - Interlagos Blue
2007 BMW E63 M6 6MT - Stratus Gray
Did you get a chance to put this in yet? I just came across that unit on Crutchfield, and it looks interesting. I can't seem to get rid of the grounding issue with the bluetooth integration module I installed awhile back into my 328i vert, and was thinking of trying a head unit. I had an Alpine in my previous 328i vert, but that one had the HK amp so I had a persistent buzz/feedback/hiss since I just installed it with a Metra harness and no wiring mods. I am curious if the UTE-73BT will have a similar issue with the stock Hi-Fi amp. Also curious as to how it looks, the other half hated the look of other aftermarket HUs I've put in other cars.
'19 MX-5 RF GT-S
'17 328d Touring
'98 328i Convertible
Last edited by Moron95M3; 10-15-2019 at 01:59 PM.
I recently bought a Kenwood Excelon KMM-X503. Definitely the best head unit I’ve ever owned. Comes with 3x2 RCA “5v” outputs. Built in Bluetooth and HD radio.
It has a 13 band eq which is great for fine tuning your sound.
Built in “DSP” as well, allowing you to set speakers sizes and distances for time alignment. crossovers for front / rear / sub with 10hz steps and adjustable slope.
The best part is there’s no annoying BS from pandora or iOS control hijacking your audio like some other head units have. I get in the car and before I set off driving my music is already playing from my phone.
I’m running it into a 5 channel amp in the trunk so I can’t say how good the onboard amp is.
The front and rear RCAs seem to be 4v while the sub output is lower around 2v.
Last edited by pandaboo911; 10-15-2019 at 05:57 PM.
Definitely feel like modding the stock head unit
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