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Match speaker/amp/subbox upgrade
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05-20-2022, 02:48 AM | #1 | |
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Match speaker/amp/subbox upgrade
So I just wanted to share my experience for people considering the same.
First my upgrade of the speakers, I am quoting a post from a different thread here, which gives my impressions of the initial speaker upgrade, still driving them from the headunit: Quote:
Now the Match PP 62DSP enters. It comes with all cables needed to install the amp, so wiring needed to be done, it is basically plug & play, just need to figure out where to mount the amp. I started with assembly on the passenger seat, just to hear the difference. I also bought the bluetooth optional upgrade, to get bluetooth in my car. Here starts the problem. The amp promises 720W but the fuse for the input is 20A, with 12V my calculations say 240W, so that 720W has to be peak. I also got the Match PP7E-D for the trunk. This was also connected on the passenger seat before installation. With the amp connected, and without the sub connected I did feel like I got some more bass on the lower volume. Raising the volume however. Whew that sounds BAD suddenly. The subs under the seat roll over completely, and in total I probably gained something like 5% extra volume, with the trade off of the subs sounding horrible. Add that every 10 second the music sets out for about 1 second before coming back, and then playing pretty bad again. Fair enough, the manual said to download the appropriate software for the car and upload it to the amp. I did that, and nothing changed at all. Same different day... Disconnecting everything and driving it all from the headunit and suddenly everything is better. I lose some bass a low volume, I'd like to have what the amp gives me there, but at higher volume, the bass sound exactly how they should, and the trebbles are sounding good too, with almost the same volume. Adding the sub into the mix then, with the amp. Here you get more bass, but of course because it was on my passenger seat. This sub however, also rolls over with the subs under the seat, and with the sub attached the cutting of audio doesn't change at all, again same different day... So it seems like it isn't a power issue when the amp sets out, but the clip LED does not light up. In the manual it says this LED with light up if the input is overloaded. Turning the input sensitivity did almost nothing at all, I do hear a small volume difference, but audio still cuts at the same volume, this knob does nothing for that, and it does the same with or without the extra sub, so it seems to me like the amp just can't do it, and I feel like I gained nothing here, but paid a substantial amount of money. The bluetooth however is a nice addition. The radio keeps playing the CD but once there is any input on the bluetooth this is cut off, and you control the volume on the phone. Here the speakers sound better, just playing from spotify, but it still isn't great. I figured an audio CD might not be the best to play good audio from, but spotify didn't change much to be honest. I lost bass with bluetooth though, because the headunit has the bass turned up a little, but the volume knob and any settings on the radio headunit is bypassed. I have packed down the amp and sub, and awaiting return as I am more than just disappointed in this. The speaker upgrade is an upgrade, but this expensive amp/sub upgrade just isn't worth it at all. The plan is to use this money on a hi-lo converter, then throw in an amp in the rear, add a bigger 10" or 12" sub, depending on space, and run 2 extra wires from that amp to the subs under the seat, so I drive all bass from an amp, and the other speakers from the headunit, as the headunit clearly does the job pretty well already. So I cannot recommend the amp and sub upgrade, at least not for this car. Still not sure why it cuts out, but now it's kinda moot. The solution I want now seems to cost about half, but should give me what I want. It is very appealing just to throw everything into the original wiring, and I'd like to pay that extra money for that, if it worked as advertised, but really it does not. Sorry for the small rant, just really disappointed in this, and wanted to share for others considering the same. |
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05-20-2022, 01:52 PM | #2 |
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It's unclear how the parallel wiring between the doors and floors are
separated with the kit. This is something that is necessary when upgrading to a 6 channel amp in a base system. By subs I guess you mean the floors . The under seats in base system are utter crap. I would have had a talk with Audiotech Fisther. Also did you attempt to adjust any of the amp parameters if you had it installed correctly. Was the plug and play cable for a Base system or for a Hi Fi system. early model cars had the parallel split made in the door sills and not at the underseat connector. Most kits have no way around this but should tell you how it's done. The other thing is the 62dsp is not that much of a bump in wattage per channel still it should be a lot better than stock. Last edited by ctuna; 05-20-2022 at 01:58 PM.. |
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05-23-2022, 02:01 AM | #3 | |||||
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I agree that the subs under the seats are crap, but after upgrading to Match subs they sound pretty decent, just expected more punch with the amp connected, but I got the opposite. Quote:
I did mess with "input sensitivity". I guess that is what's normally referred to as input gain. It was turned all the way down as it came, turning it up increased volume by very little, no other effect. The higher volume from doing this at the top end got the speakers to sound absolutely horrible. Quote:
The cable that came with the amp plugged right in, it didn't seem to waste any wires inside the connector. From what I can tell there is a split before the door, where one wire runs to the sub under the seat, and the other to the speaker in the door, but that's just from looking at diagrams. Quote:
Maybe it was a monday model I don't know, but for sure it didn't satisfy me, and changed the whole system for the worse in my opinion. It was very appealing with the plug & play stuff, but I'll be looking at doing it custom now. Instead of 2x6.5" sub in the trunk I am looking at 2x12" with a big amp in the back, should give me what I'm looking for, I hope. Back when I was a teenager all my friends had crap cars with insane audio, it's what most people would do, but I never did that, and I still think it's something you have to do at least once, so now is my turn, before she starts wanting kids at home. |
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05-23-2022, 03:56 AM | #5 | ||
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I believe the match speakers are 6", and they fit very snug, not sure if there's even room for 8". But since I already upgraded I'd hate to replace them again, then I'd rather run them on an amp together with a big sub in the back. As far as I understand I need to tap into the front left and right channels using hi-lo converter, then take the output to an amp. Various kits for this are available, so I think that should be the way to go. I just expected way more for the price I paid for this match system, but going full custom should allow me to do what I want. I also want to open AUX in the radio, and get bluetooth that way. I know someone who should be able to do that. |
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