Looking for recommendations: Upgrading radio, speakers.

AndyR83 · 02-07-2012, 04:38 PM

Hello,

I am currently doing some research and planning to upgrade the radio and audio components in my 2008 E92 335i. I obviously do not have factory nav or iDrive. I know I want in-dash nav and bluetooth for sure. I've been "out of the loop" on car audio innovations for about the past 10 years, so I'm wondering if there are any other cool techie gadgets that they have started to put into radios that I might not even know about.

I have an Android phone (Droid RAZR) and I currently plug it in to the "Aux in" on my stock radio and stream music that way. My phone has an app that lets me stream files directly from my desktop PC at home (MotoCast) so I have access to my entire library of music and movies rather than just what will fit on an ipod or sd card. I often utilize this to play episodes of TV shows or something on my phone, but using my car's speakers to I can listen while I drive to work (obviously I don't watch it though!) If there's any way to integrate this streaming of my library from home I would like to do so, however I also have an 80GB iPod that I could use if not.

As for speakers, I know very little about my options. From what I have read, there is a significant reduction in the audio quality of the factory components when an aftermarket radio is installed. In anticipation of this, I'm hoping to upgrade them as well. I listen to mostly hard rock and heavier stuff, so I'm looking more for high sound quality than thumpy bass that rattles windows ten blocks away.

I hope this isn't too open-ended of a thread. I'm a relatively new BMW owner and haven't been on these forums too much. I saw a sweet E92 with an "E90post.com" window sticker in a parking lot recently, and that caused me to come check out the site.

Thanks!

VP Electricity · 02-07-2012, 07:12 PM

If you have a US 2008 335, your car has the Premium sound system in it. EVen though you don't have iDrive, you have the top of the line sound system, branded "Logic 7", and called "Top HiFi" in BMW nomenclature.

The Premium "Top HiFi" systems use the vehicle's fiber-optic infotainment network (called MOST) to send audio to the stock amp. The stock amp is not able to be retained with any HU swaps, as nothing else works with the MOST network in that manner.

If you change out the Professional head unit, you will be disabling your ASSIST, your Bluetooth handsfree, your iPod input, your SAT tuner, your HD Tuner, and your Rear PDC parking sensors, IF you have any of those options.

There is a head unit from a company called Dynavin which fits in the Pro CD spot with some parts they supply, if you want nav.

If you don't want nav, you just want USB and BT streaming, you can add some external devices which will work on the MOST.

We have helped some forum members out who have done the Dynavin swap with a "Logic 7 retention package". It uses the JBL Logic 7 processor and a small 2-channel amp for the underseat woofers, and it retains all 13 speakers and the Logic 7 "surround" feature.

The first thing to be clear on before you start on an upgrade is, how do you feel about the Logic 7 surround feature? If you like it, we go one way, and if you don't like it or don't care, then we go another. Personally, I'm not a fan, but some are.

You can get GREAT sound in your car with just a front and underseat upgrade, leave the rears stock, and delete the center and sides. Or, you can keep all the speakers, and get much better sound than you have now, without changing any of them, with the JBL I mentioned.

02-07-2012, 04:38 PM	#1
AndyR83 Major 60 Rep 1,024 Posts Drives: E92 335i FBO Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: PA iTrader: (5)	Looking for recommendations: Upgrading radio, speakers. Hello, I am currently doing some research and planning to upgrade the radio and audio components in my 2008 E92 335i. I obviously do not have factory nav or iDrive. I know I want in-dash nav and bluetooth for sure. I've been "out of the loop" on car audio innovations for about the past 10 years, so I'm wondering if there are any other cool techie gadgets that they have started to put into radios that I might not even know about. I have an Android phone (Droid RAZR) and I currently plug it in to the "Aux in" on my stock radio and stream music that way. My phone has an app that lets me stream files directly from my desktop PC at home (MotoCast) so I have access to my entire library of music and movies rather than just what will fit on an ipod or sd card. I often utilize this to play episodes of TV shows or something on my phone, but using my car's speakers to I can listen while I drive to work (obviously I don't watch it though!) If there's any way to integrate this streaming of my library from home I would like to do so, however I also have an 80GB iPod that I could use if not. As for speakers, I know very little about my options. From what I have read, there is a significant reduction in the audio quality of the factory components when an aftermarket radio is installed. In anticipation of this, I'm hoping to upgrade them as well. I listen to mostly hard rock and heavier stuff, so I'm looking more for high sound quality than thumpy bass that rattles windows ten blocks away. I hope this isn't too open-ended of a thread. I'm a relatively new BMW owner and haven't been on these forums too much. I saw a sweet E92 with an "E90post.com" window sticker in a parking lot recently, and that caused me to come check out the site. Thanks!
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02-07-2012, 07:12 PM	#2
VP Electricity Brigadier General 289 Rep 3,201 Posts Drives: F34 xDrive Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: portland oregon iTrader: (3)	If you have a US 2008 335, your car has the Premium sound system in it. EVen though you don't have iDrive, you have the top of the line sound system, branded "Logic 7", and called "Top HiFi" in BMW nomenclature. The Premium "Top HiFi" systems use the vehicle's fiber-optic infotainment network (called MOST) to send audio to the stock amp. The stock amp is not able to be retained with any HU swaps, as nothing else works with the MOST network in that manner. If you change out the Professional head unit, you will be disabling your ASSIST, your Bluetooth handsfree, your iPod input, your SAT tuner, your HD Tuner, and your Rear PDC parking sensors, IF you have any of those options. There is a head unit from a company called Dynavin which fits in the Pro CD spot with some parts they supply, if you want nav. If you don't want nav, you just want USB and BT streaming, you can add some external devices which will work on the MOST. We have helped some forum members out who have done the Dynavin swap with a "Logic 7 retention package". It uses the JBL Logic 7 processor and a small 2-channel amp for the underseat woofers, and it retains all 13 speakers and the Logic 7 "surround" feature. The first thing to be clear on before you start on an upgrade is, how do you feel about the Logic 7 surround feature? If you like it, we go one way, and if you don't like it or don't care, then we go another. Personally, I'm not a fan, but some are. You can get GREAT sound in your car with just a front and underseat upgrade, leave the rears stock, and delete the center and sides. Or, you can keep all the speakers, and get much better sound than you have now, without changing any of them, with the JBL I mentioned.
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