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Thread: Best aftermarket headunit V2019

  1. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by propcar View Post
    interesting Jay, mine has some of the feedback noise as well but I'm not using an aux connection .
    The isolator I posted only reduces the interference when plugging a phone into the headunit while the phone is also being charged.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by jayjaya29 View Post
    The isolator I posted only reduces the interference when plugging a phone into the headunit while the phone is also being charged.
    Thing is I'm not doing any of that. I only connect the phone via bluetooth.
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  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by propcar View Post
    Thing is I'm not doing any of that. I only connect the phone via bluetooth.
    E36s have really bad grounding/wiring for audio systems to begin with.

  4. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by jayjaya29 View Post
    E36s have really bad grounding/wiring for audio systems to begin with.
    That is probably the cause
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  5. #30
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    This is what i use
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  6. #31
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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
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  7. #32
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moron95M3 View Post
    Here's some neat info: https://www.autoblog.com/2019/07/21/...in-production/....

    449,00
    Damn, that's one great looking solution...at a not so great price.

    Neil

  8. #33
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeilM View Post
    Damn, that's one great looking solution...at a not so great price.

    Neil
    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

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeilM View Post
    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


    %$#@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    sooo $#@!| my nakamichi, its this blau unit or the porsche classic unit.

  10. #35
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    ^^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.
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  11. #36
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    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.
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  12. #37
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    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

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by nick325xit 5spd View Post
    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.
    This interests me. Any DIY's on this mod?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan of Montana View Post
    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.
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan of Montana View Post
    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.

    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.
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  14. #39
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    Installing a DSP-408 is exactly the same as installing any other DSP. You don’t need a DIY.
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  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by nick325xit 5spd View Post
    Installing a DSP-408 is exactly the same as installing any other DSP. You don’t need a DIY.
    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.
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  16. #41
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    Could one install a DSP (such as the aforementioned Dayton) and somehow still maintain a functioning head unit?
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  17. #42
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    i went with this one and couldn't be happier. nice price too.

    https://www.amazon.com/JVC-KD-X360BT.../dp/B07HCK349X
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  18. #43
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeilM View Post
    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
    Now supposed to be available in October.
    And counting...

    Neil

  19. #44
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    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.

  20. #45
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    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.
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  21. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moron95M3 View Post
    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.
    I actually went with this exact same head unit a few months ago in my 98 M3. It doesn’t look very OEM, but I have to say I’m very happy with it. Cheap, easy, clean, and good functionality. I got over the non-OEM look very quickly.
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  22. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by dmc97 View Post
    I just picked up the Alpine UTE-73BT as well and will be installing this week. The price and features list was right and my audiophile buddy just put one in his Boxster and has been happy with it. There’s a good value Kenwood unit that looked slightly more period-correct but it didn’t have variable color at the price point that was better than the Alpine.

    I’ll share some photos of the Alpine on my build thread when it is in.
    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.
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  23. #48
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    Last edited by Moron95M3; 10-15-2019 at 01:59 PM.
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  24. #49
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    Best aftermarket headunit V2019

    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.

  25. #50
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    Definitely feel like modding the stock head unit


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