[fdiprete]

Originally Posted by Technic

I forgot... if you are getting the EQS, make sure that all the inputs are set to "balanced" and the outputs to "isolated". You can do that by opening the cover and setting a series of jumpers identified in the owner's manual.

Mine came with one input set differently from the other two from factory. Not likely to happen again but just to be in the secure side and also that setting the jumpers that way reduce considerably any "hiss" that you might encounter.

I pulled the cover and this unit had 1 set to balanced and the rest of them set to unbalanced.

I set them all to balanced.
(ground was already set to isolated)

You rock man.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by fdiprete

I pulled the cover and this unit had 1 set to balanced and the rest of them set to unbalanced.

I set them all to balanced.
(ground was already set to isolated)

You rock man.

Damn... I bought mine two years ago and you got one now with the same messed up set up.

In-freaking-credible...

[fdiprete]

Yeah, and it's random too. Looks like the assembler just stuck the jumpers on the board wherever.

The manual states that the jumpers are set to balanced by default. I would have believed the documentation and wondered what the heck was going on if I had not taken the thing apart to check it.

[fdiprete]

I got the equipment wired up in the car and sitting in the trunk. I didn't mount it yet because I wanted easier access to the EQ settings while I tweak it.

Technic is %100 correct about the setup.

The EQS is doing it's job of shaping the signal from the HU. The -attenuation I use for the mid range is massive. I can actually hear the rest of the spectrum now.

The 4 channel amp is definitely enough to power the factory door/deck speakers. A huge improvement.

The 2 channel amp is working hard to power the seat subs. I have the low pass filter on and the gain up on that amp. Any more power though floors the factory subs. It's still a huge improvement over the factory amp.

I do get the slight hiss. I think that the HU is the source. This might explain why the stock amp rolls off everything in that frequency range. Adjusting the EQS input sensitivity is key. Too low and I get the hiss with the HU off.

The alpine amps rate their input at 200mv to 4v. The peak indicators on the EQS are 2v and 5v - I'm using the 2v range.

The black wire is my remote. I measured it at 11.58 Volts.

I may try using Y adapters off the rear input on the EQS input for the Sub input. The internal rear channel bonding is making adjustment more difficult.

The deck factory speakers produce no bass whatsoever. Does anybody know if there is a passive crossover on those speakers? If not I am thinking that my amp HP filter may be stuck on for those input channels.

Still tweaking !

All in all the setup is really helping. The difference is huge.

[fdiprete]

Here's how I handled the wiring to the existing harness:



The harness I made for the after market gear mates with the molex connectors now on the harness and the original amp can be plugged back in when I sell / trade in the car.

Works like a charm.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by fdiprete

Here's how I handled the wiring to the existing harness:



The harness I made for the after market gear mates with the molex connectors now on the harness and the original amp can be plugged back in when I sell / trade in the car.

Works like a charm.

That is an excellent job...

[Technic]

Originally Posted by fdiprete

I got the equipment wired up in the car and sitting in the trunk. I didn't mount it yet because I wanted easier access to the EQ settings while I tweak it.

Technic is %100 correct about the setup.

The EQS is doing it's job of shaping the signal from the HU. The -attenuation I use for the mid range is massive. I can actually hear the rest of the spectrum now.

The 4 channel amp is definitely enough to power the factory door/deck speakers. A huge improvement.

The 2 channel amp is working hard to power the seat subs. I have the low pass filter on and the gain up on that amp. Any more power though floors the factory subs. It's still a huge improvement over the factory amp.

I do get the slight hiss. I think that the HU is the source. This might explain why the stock amp rolls off everything in that frequency range. Adjusting the EQS input sensitivity is key. Too low and I get the hiss with the HU off.

The alpine amps rate their input at 200mv to 4v. The peak indicators on the EQS are 2v and 5v - I'm using the 2v range.

The black wire is my remote. I measured it at 11.58 Volts.

I may try using Y adapters off the rear input on the EQS input for the Sub input. The internal rear channel bonding is making adjustment more difficult.

The deck factory speakers produce no bass whatsoever. Does anybody know if there is a passive crossover on those speakers? If not I am thinking that my amp HP filter may be stuck on for those input channels.

Still tweaking !

All in all the setup is really helping. The difference is huge.

There is a cap between the OEM 4" and the 1" components, but that is to separate the mids from the highs. Bass is supposed to be concentrated in the 8" underseat woofers.

[jonywalker]

Originally Posted by fdiprete

Here's how I handled the wiring to the existing harness:



The harness I made for the after market gear mates with the molex connectors now on the harness and the original amp can be plugged back in when I sell / trade in the car.

Works like a charm.

Excellent! I should undo my installation I think.

[fdiprete]

I decided to break out the connections with individual connectors as follows:

one for power and ground - only used for re-connection. (2 pin)
one for all of the speakers (12 pin)
two for the input channels - one for front / one for rear (4 pin each)
one connector for remote power (black wire) (1 pin)

I used female pins on the harness side and male on the amp side.

Molex parts easily ordered from Newark Electronics
http://www.newark.com/jsp/content/pr...display=single

[lucassilva]

Where did you find the part numbers for those connectors?
If I am not mistaken the logic 7 is running from a MOST fiber, so we would also need to to tap on the speaker side... Would this be the same harness?
If so, part numbers, PLEASE!

Looks awesome!

[Technic]

Originally Posted by lucassilva

Where did you find the part numbers for those connectors?
If I am not mistaken the logic 7 is running from a MOST fiber, so we would also need to to tap on the speaker side... Would this be the same harness?
If so, part numbers, PLEASE!

Looks awesome!

Not "also", but only... you cannot disconnect any of the inputs (power, ground, remote, fiber optic inputs or any diagnostic/communication signals) from the Logic7 amp or you will not have any audio outputs.

Only the speaker outputs (9 channels) in the Logic7 amp can be tapped this way with Molex connectors to interconnect with aftermarket equipment.

[lucassilva]

Originally Posted by Technic

Not "also", but only... you cannot disconnect any of the inputs (power, ground, remote, fiber optic inputs or any diagnostic/communication signals) from the Logic7 amp or you will not have any audio outputs.

Only the speaker outputs (9 channels) in the Logic7 amp can be tapped this way with Molex connectors to interconnect with aftermarket equipment.

OT, please excuse the ...

Technic, looking at this diagram will this be a good set up? I would be using the LC8 just to "sum" up the signals and then the EQ will be done at the zapco. This would be active crossover setup as shown.

[lucassilva]

BTW, to the OP, what speakers did you go with?

[fdiprete]

Originally Posted by lucassilva

Where did you find the part numbers for those connectors?
If I am not mistaken the logic 7 is running from a MOST fiber, so we would also need to to tap on the speaker side... Would this be the same harness?
If so, part numbers, PLEASE!

Looks awesome!

Thanks

I do not have a logic 7 system. I have the Professional HiFi systems which is all copper connected between the head unit and factory amp. The fiber in my car is for the MOST bus for connection between sources (head, sat radio) which is not part of my modifications.

There are other posts concerning the logic 7 system that may be more accurate for you.

I edited my post to include the Newark Electronics catalog page for molex connectors.

[fdiprete]

Originally Posted by Technic

There is a cap between the OEM 4" and the 1" components, but that is to separate the mids from the highs. Bass is supposed to be concentrated in the 8" underseat woofers.

Makes sense. The factory 4" drivers are just weak in the mid bass range.
Looks like speaker replacements may be in order down the road. Since I've been bleeding money recently I'll live with it for now.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by fdiprete

Makes sense. The factory 4" drivers are just weak in the mid bass range.
Looks like speaker replacements may be in order down the road. Since I've been bleeding money recently I'll live with it for now.

I think that you can "fix" that 4" weakness with the EQS.

IMO, the basic configuration of the E9x OEM sound system is pretty good: two 8" woofers centrally located providing the bass and several satellite components all around the car providing the rest. My problem with this setup is the crossover points; the 4" drivers are asked to reproduce bass that simply is too much for the driver size.

I think that a dedicated -at least a 10"- subwoofer in the trunk has to be added to this configuration to fix this issue of the 4" trying to reproduce what physically is not that effective. The sub can take care of anything below 100Hz, the underseat woofers can be set from 50Hz to 300Hz, the 4" from 250Hz to 3KHz and the tweeters above 3KHz. This way the 4" will do what it is supposed to do, voices and the upper range, and the bulk of the sub/bass/midbass will be in bigger, more powerful drivers.

I have the same issue with the Individual Audio in my E90 M3; I had no other choice but to get it with the M3 that I wanted. To be an OEM system it is simply impressive, but that is like saying that it is a great looking tranvestite (sorry for the visual). The amount of DSP (time alignment, cancellation, EQ) that the OEM amp does with the audio is just too damn much, the bass is strong but the midbass and voices are muddy, artificial. The speaker are supposed to be aftermarket-grade, but the crossover points and that DSP are killing the underlying great setup here.

Thanks for the connector idea, I was ready to get a used OEM amp and get the connector from there.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by lucassilva

OT, please excuse the ...

Technic, looking at this diagram will this be a good set up? I would be using the LC8 just to "sum" up the signals and then the EQ will be done at the zapco. This would be active crossover setup as shown.

I would recommend the JL Audio Cleanweep and summing module for this particular upgrade, as you need to sum and de-EQ the Logic7 outputs, not just sum; the LC6i will not de-EQ. Otherwise you will have a very hard time adjusting the Zapco DSP to overcome the Logic7 DSP processing.

[lucassilva]

Originally Posted by Technic

I would recommend the JL Audio Cleanweep and summing module for this particular upgrade, as you need to sum and de-EQ the Logic7 outputs, not just sum; the LC6i will not de-EQ. Otherwise you will have a very hard time adjusting the Zapco DSP to overcome the Logic7 DSP processing.

I was thinking this could be done at the zapco, but are right will take a lot of work if we are able... as if the cleansweep it will be done quickly...
Thank you! Will have some pics of a SQ setup for the e92 in a few weeks!

[hybris]

I have a car with the hifi system, but would still like to use the 555 amplifier if possible, as it could run all my speakers and provide output to another sub via the line out.

As I understand I cannot use the pnp harness, but looking at the back of the pnp 555-amplifier, (http://www.gspr.com/blau/images/pnp_tha475_34_300.jpg - 475 amp but I assume it looks more or less similar) couldn't I just cut and extend the front/rear speaker cables coming from the head unit in the back of my car (close to the original amplifier) and put the bare wires into the PNP-socket on the 555? Or make some kind of connector that fits into the holes?

Also, do we know for certain that the subwoofer channel of the 555 is capable of running two SWS-8 (I guess the total load will be 2ohms) ?

Grateful for any comments / answers.

[Technic]

The issue that I see with your proposed THA555 + OEM HU + HiFi is the balanced outputs of your OEM HU.

I would assume that the THA555 is balanced inputs compatible, but there is no clear reference in its documentation that it is. You see, the PnP harness works straight with the OEM HU in the non-HiFi system but it is because the OEM HU ouputs in that system are just high level non-balanced that power the OEM speakers directly. So the line output converter built-in into the THA555 can take care of them.

You should send an email to Blaupunkt for clarification of what kind of inputs their THA line of amps can accept. If in fact they are balanced input compatible then you will have two options with your HiFi system: use the PnP harness in the back of the OEM HU and run an extension to your amp location or you will need to cut the 4-channel inputs of the OEM amp and either connect those OEM wires to the THA high level connector or just convert those OEM wires to RCA plugs and use the THA low level inputs.

Because you will have to also cut the OEM speaker ouput wires from the OEM amp if you want not to run new wires to your speakers I think that using the Molex connectors idea above is your best route for all the OEM wires connections into your THA555.

If you use the high level inputs of the THA you will have a signal sensing remote turn on already built in, so there's no need for a separate wire to turn on your amp. If you use the THA low level inputs you will need a separate remote turn on signal.

And yes, the THA555 sub ouput is stable at 2 ohms, so you can connect two SWS-8 (4 ohms version) in parallalel to that sub output.

Originally Posted by hybris

I have a car with the hifi system, but would still like to use the 555 amplifier if possible, as it could run all my speakers and provide output to another sub via the line out.

As I understand I cannot use the pnp harness, but looking at the back of the pnp 555-amplifier, (http://www.gspr.com/blau/images/pnp_tha475_34_300.jpg - 475 amp but I assume it looks more or less similar) couldn't I just cut and extend the front/rear speaker cables coming from the head unit in the back of my car (close to the original amplifier) and put the bare wires into the PNP-socket on the 555? Or make some kind of connector that fits into the holes?

Also, do we know for certain that the subwoofer channel of the 555 is capable of running two SWS-8 (I guess the total load will be 2ohms) ?

Grateful for any comments / answers.

[hybris]

Okay. Do you happen to know of any alternative 5 channel amplifiers that support balanced inputs, or how I can tell from the specifications that it does?

Like this planet audio amp supports switchable input sensitivity and seems to support a quite wide range of input voltage, is it safe to assume that it will accept the input from my head unit?

http://www.planetaudiousa.com/main/499

[Technic]

I don't think that you need to discard that quickly the THA555, just ask Blaupunkt about the topology of inputs (balanced/differential, un-balanced) that it support. I think that it will, but I'm just not sure 100%.

The Alpine PDX-5, the JL Audio G6600 and the Zapco DC650.6 are options, but they are quite expensive.

That Planet Audio amp doesn't specify what topology of inputs it support, neither.

In the worst case, you can always get a differential to non-differential line output converter and use any 5-channel amp that you want. It can be passive, http://www.myradiostore.com/noise-fi...dc-loc4-t.html , active, http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/pr...2&l1=17612&l2= or even a combination of active converter with processor, http://www.mobileaudiocontrol.com/pr...duct_id=231512 .

Originally Posted by hybris

Okay. Do you happen to know of any alternative 5 channel amplifiers that support balanced inputs, or how I can tell from the specifications that it does?

Like this planet audio amp supports switchable input sensitivity and seems to support a quite wide range of input voltage, is it safe to assume that it will accept the input from my head unit?

http://www.planetaudiousa.com/main/499