[gIzzE]

No, no need. You are coding the factory head unit to turn on features such as telling it there is a usb connector, bluetooth fitted, and whether it is connected to the Alpine amp, hifi amp etc. etc.

With an aftermarket head unit you just buy one with all the things you want.

[snerkler]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

No, no need. You are coding the factory head unit to turn on features such as telling it there is a usb connector, bluetooth fitted, and whether it is connected to the Alpine amp, hifi amp etc. etc.

With an aftermarket head unit you just buy one with all the things you want.

Oh right, so coding has nothing to do with the car being recognised by the BMW diagnostics computers then?

[gIzzE]

Well yeah it has.

Car has a file in it called the vehicle order and it lists all the options fitted to the car, if you edit this and say remove the radio which is option sa662, you would then write a new file to the car, it would update all modules and leave out the radio completely.
This is the ideal, but then you would have to add it again if you wanted to sell the car and put the oem radio back in.

It would only make a difference is you were diagnosing the car, not to the stereo.

[snerkler]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Well yeah it has.

Car has a file in it called the vehicle order and it lists all the options fitted to the car, if you edit this and say remove the radio which is option sa662, you would then write a new file to the car, it would update all modules and leave out the radio completely.
This is the ideal, but then you would have to add it again if you wanted to sell the car and put the oem radio back in.

It would only make a difference is you were diagnosing the car, not to the stereo.

OK, thanks.

I've decided I'm definately going down the aftermarket head unit route, and will worry about swapping the head unit back around if/when I have an issue with the car, or depending on how complicated/expensive it is might get it coded (remove sa662) and then just reinstate it when I come to sell.

I was going to go for a single DIN as prefer the look of this over a double, but not now I've found out it can't be centred. So a double DIN it is, most likely the JVC KW-AVX740, as this is really the only on that fits the bill. The only downside is the lack of EQ settings ( only has a 3EQ), but you can fine tune the different frequencies, crossover etc, so hoping this might be enough (see video below from around 41s. The video is the 640, but the controls are the same as the 740). I just need to crank the mid range right up.

[snerkler]

How quickly do companies tend to offer software updates? I've got the iphone 4 and will be upgrading to iOS 5 when it comes out (hopefully in the next week or so) so if I buy a stereo now any idea how long it will be before the stereo will be compatible? Would I be better of waiting to buy the head unit until the software upgrade is released? I'm not bothered about playing media files via bluetooth, I just want the phone function.

[snerkler]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Files from sd or usb will be the same.
There is an app you can use to drag files from iTunes to an android phone, download that and use it to drag to your usb or sd card, you will keep them in a proper order than and it will write an index file so it will show you your card/stick contents straight away, it won't have to read through them all.

Do you happen to know what this app is called? Is it the double twist app?
Cheers

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by snerkler

I just need to crank the mid range right up.

Down, you want to crank the midrange down, the oem system has it right up and that is why it sounds sharp and edgy and no warmth.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by snerkler

Do you happen to know what this app is called? Is it the double twist app?
Cheers

Not sure, it was for all android phones I think, but that will do the same.

[snerkler]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

Down, you want to crank the midrange down, the oem system has it right up and that is why it sounds sharp and edgy and no warmth.

Really?? I find it hollow. But you know a damn sight more than me so will take your word on that

[gIzzE]

It sounds hollow as tyhe mid range is drowning out the bass, you want to calm that mid range down to make it sound fuller.

[snerkler]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

It sounds hollow as tyhe mid range is drowning out the bass, you want to calm that mid range down to make it sound fuller.

Interesting. It's a shame that it's so lacking in this area as there's certain parts that are excellent.

[gIzzE]

Agreed.
The mids are from 125hz with the alpine and it does this but pretty well, take the pressure of the subs away from it and it sparkles even more, then add an amp and some decent subs and things start to really sing.

[Per Hansson]

gIzzE; Interesting info, may I ask what setup you use now?
You wrote earlier in the thread you where using a Vibe Litebox Stereo 2
But in the quoted post below you say Alpine?

Originally Posted by gIzzE

The professional is compatible, however, it has even less mid bass.
It is EQ'd so there is 6db gain around 50hz and again at 15,000hz.

I put an old business unit back in mine when I first intsalled the Alpine until I cold get the unit coded, it sounded much fuller.

Problem is that sort of sound is the Alpine sound.
They do sound thin in the midrange, all Alpine head units do too.

I don't really know what else to add.

[gIzzE]

Swapped the car for an X1 and put the Alpine system in, but finding it too sharp sounding so working our which way to go.

I have got a JL XD400/4 amp that I bought off here, great amps and my favourite Class D amps, but thinking it may just be easier to add a second amp and some earthquakes.
If I do put the XD400 in I will swap head units, but do prefer the oem look, so a bit undecided.

I guess as it is a second car I don't want to throw too much money at it, and even worse too much time, I don't enjoy installing this stuff at all, just the results.

I know I could whack a Nakamichi CD400 in there with the JL amp and it would sound lovely, but I don't want to have a featureless system, which is what that will be.
As much as I want a nice sounding system, and if I admit it that is my priority, I still want all the gadgets etc. so I end up compromising and regretting it.

[Per Hansson]

gIzzE: So If I'm reading you right you say you had the Alpine Retrofit installed but swapped your Headunit for the Business version to get rid of the equalization.
Was this on the newer model BMW's that need coding according to the Alpine installation instructions or was it for the original version which does not need coding?

[gIzzE]

Newer head unit, my car is mid 2010 build.
The pre 2010 cars have a different crossover that reduces the output to the tweeter by 6db.

[stowey]

Just been quoted £709 to have the kit fitted. However, when I asked how much it was for the kit alone i was told £350 inc VAT. And apparently thats discounted too.

Have all the prices soared over the past couple of years? Or is this BMW being nice and greedy charging £350 for 2hrs labour once more?

Whilst I'm quite capable of fitting the kit myself, I'm wanting to keep the years warranty I've got on the car. However, £350 is a whole lot of cash to be spending on a job i could quite easily (and moreover happily) do myself.

[Frobius]

I think the price seems to have gone right up recently.. which is shit as I will be ordering one soon.

[stowey]

Or you could go one stage further and pay £772 as i was quoted by another dealer this morning....

[Rik-330]

Hi

I installed the alpine upgrade to my E90 several weeks ago. The install is extremely straight-forward and sounds 'ok'. I wasn't expecting anything earth-shattering, rather a quick install with some improvement keeping the stock look, so mission accomplished.
I have the Professional headunit and it is recommended to run the amp in Pos 2, which is fine for the door speakers and tweeters however there is very little from the subs as they have been cut by -4db. Pos 1 is much better for the subs however it is then too harsh for the other speakers .
As there are no external switches to make adjustment on the amp, is there anything inside the amp that could be adjusted to give you a combination of Pos 1 & Pos 2 ?
Ideally I want the Pos 1 setting for the subs and Pos 2 setting for the door speakers and tweeters.

Rik

[gIzzE]

Pos 2 just reduces the rear(sub) channels by 4db, shouldn't effect the mids and tweeters.

What year is your car, was it the later install or earlier one?

[Rik-330]

Car is an '06.
The subs are noticeably better on pos 1, but the tweeters appear to distort a bit on pos 1 compared to what they are like on pos 2