head upgrade need help

[karlow]

I'm in the process of replacing the head on my 93 325is. I have seen some post but, I'm not clear on one issue. I have the 10 speaker system, and I plan on using the factory amp for now. When you attach he new radio to the original amp, do you use the high outputs or the line outputs? What I have seen looks like they wired up the std high (5-20 watt) outputs to the input of the amp. I the correct? It is not what I would expect. If not do the std. line outs have the correct levels?

KP

[JPWheelr]

either, it does not matter.

There are people on here who will disagree with me and insist on only using the preamp signal. I have never used it, and have never had a problem. I always use speaker level.

[karlow]

That's a strange answer. I would expect that eather you would be overdriving the input to the amp, or you would be under driving it with pre-amps, if it was expecting a larger level signal. How could it have that wide an input range? OK maybe I have this wrong. I have never measured a pre-amp signel level. Prehaps it's just high impedance, and not just low voltage. Driving a 10K input with a amp that's expecting a 4 ohm load is not likley to be an issue. You are likley to get better fidelity if you use the pre-amp outputs. They would avoid the extra level of amplification and associated noise. Does this make sinse to you guys?

[Ken@BSW]

You wire it with a wire harness adapter for your car. Just like adding a head unit to any other car. It works flawlessly.

[karlow]

I have the harness that plugs into the car. My question has to do with the radio end of the harness. Does it need to be attached to the radio pre-amp outputs (typically RCA jacks) or is it OK to use the connections ment to drive the speakers (typically wires)? The only DIY I have seen seems to be using the the speaker connection. I'm a little confused here. Of couse the only radio (some low end Pioneer CD) I have laying around only has 2 preamp outputs. I spent about an hour last week splicing RCA plug onto the harness (for a radio I do not have yet). Now I think I need to cut them back off.
Thanks for the assist. Now do I need to go to Best Buy and blow $140 on a new CD player or should I save it for the front end rebuild and through in the Pioneer?

KP

[JPWheelr]

no, you were perfectly clear.
high or low, speaker or line, it does not matter.

[Ken@BSW]

I have the harness that plugs into the car. My question has to do with the radio end of the harness. Does it need to be attached to the radio pre-amp outputs (typically RCA jacks) or is it OK to use the connections ment to drive the speakers (typically wires)? The only DIY I have seen seems to be using the the speaker connection. I'm a little confused here. Of couse the only radio (some low end Pioneer CD) I have laying around only has 2 preamp outputs. I spent about an hour last week splicing RCA plug onto the harness (for a radio I do not have yet). Now I think I need to cut them back off.
Thanks for the assist. Now do I need to go to Best Buy and blow $140 on a new CD player or should I save it for the front end rebuild and through in the Pioneer?

KP

I don't understand where you got these idea's for RCA connections, but, I'll try to explain. RCA's are for sending a speaker signal to other devices, mostly for external amplifiers. For installation of a new head unit into an early E36 you need the following parts:

http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/pr...I=352/_cid=302
http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/pr...I=350/_cid=302

The top link is the proper antenna adapter for your vehicle, and the bottom link is the proper wiring harness adapter. You simply wire the wiring harness adapter, to the wiring harness that came with the head unit.