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Thread: How To Install Amp to Stock Head Unit.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Tyler,Tx(903)
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    2000 BMW 328i

    Question How To Install Amp to Stock Head Unit.

    alright so i have a 2000 328i and i was wondering how or if i can install a sub and amp to my stock head unit..

    and if i can how do i do it....or what do yall suggest i do..

    or if i want to get it installed what all do i need to buy..

    cheapest route first please lol


    pleeease help me

    NOTE:i am not audio savy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Tyler,Tx(903)
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    23
    My Cars
    2000 BMW 328i
    no help????????????

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
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    USA
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    E90, E36, F10, E38, E23,
    search function, it's been covered
    -

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Tyler,Tx(903)
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    2000 BMW 328i
    my bad

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    USA
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    E90, E36, F10, E38, E23,
    your car will be the same as any non dsp car (so standard sound and hk cars)
    -

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    uk
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    bmw 318 is coupe
    e36 or e46?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Tyler,Tx(903)
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    My Cars
    2000 BMW 328i
    it's an e46




    and sorry if this has already been posted but i still can't find a thread that attends to my direct question's....


    please help lol

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
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    canada
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    bmw 328ci, mercedes clk 320
    hey ill help you out, i have done it on 2 of bmw's. Ok well first you will need to locate the colour codes on your wiring harness for your speakers from your head unit or from your Stock amp which will be located most likely in the trunk behind the carpet, or behind the seat. I have a convertible, but the amp is located behind the rear panel on the left. Anywho, one you have found your speaker wires, you can get a set of Audio cables or use the audio connector they supply with your new amp. If you going to use the RCA cables you have to snip of one end, and then solder FRONT LEFT -, FRONT LEFT +, FRONT RIGHT -, FRONT RIGHT +, to the corresponding audio cables L -, L+, R-, R+ (rca cables).

    Make sure that if you getting the wires from the stock amp, make sure it is the input into the amp, because if you have the output from the stock amp you will blow your new amplifier. If your going to the wiring harness from the Headunit, you will obviously be taking the speaker outputs, which basically lead to the stock amp. Once your done that, you need to find the remote wire(ACC) from which ever harness your using. This will tell your amp to turn off and on when you put your key in the ACC postion.

    Now the rest is self explanatory, Run your Power and Ground, its pretty easy since your battery is already in the trunk. Use 4-8 Gauge. Make sure your ground is a good groung, if there is paint where you plan on mounting the ground, just sand it down a little with sandpaper.

    Once you have all that you can connect all corresponding wires to your amp and box.

    BATTERY
    + -
    . .

    . .
    ^ ^
    RCA CABLES(Audio)---> AMP
    REMOTE(ACC)--------> AMP

    and than connect you - and + wire from your speaker output on your amp to your sub.
    If you are looking for the basics this is it, if your looking to go into something with more power, you can get a capacitor. Also you can cut ports in the rear on the upper deck to allow the sound and ventillation to come thru. Well i hope this is not to confusing and i hope it helps. If you have any questions feel free to email me or respond on here. lkarims@aol.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    The Eagle's Nest
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    bf.c e34 contour
    since you are not savvy i'll give you the simplest answer.
    take it to a professional.
    just as the average joe might could change his own oil and maybe the gearbox and diff oils, but would not rebuild his own engine,tranny or diff...
    well audio sometimes requires knowledge & tools and experience

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Alternatively, you can buy a line-level converter (my local walmart has them for like $10) or buy an amp that can accept your speaker wires as input. You can get some wire splicers, T taps I think they're called (radioshack) and tap the wires going to your rear speakers, that way you don't have to mess with the factory amp, just find the wires coming off the woofers in your rear deck. With the T-taps, you don't have to disconnect or solder anything.

    I am not familliar with the E46's factory system, so I am unsure whether they use balanced inputs like in some E36's. If so, you'll need to use the speaker wires for signal as tapping the factory amp's input won't be compatible with about 95% of the aftermaket amplifiers out there.

    Don't be discouraged by people telling you to take it to a professional because you don't know Nobody is born with this knowledge.

    Adding a sub and amp is probably one of the easiest audio mods and a great way to learn





    Quote Originally Posted by luke162 View Post
    hey ill help you out, i have done it on 2 of bmw's. Ok well first you will need to locate the colour codes on your wiring harness for your speakers from your head unit or from your Stock amp which will be located most likely in the trunk behind the carpet, or behind the seat. I have a convertible, but the amp is located behind the rear panel on the left. Anywho, one you have found your speaker wires, you can get a set of Audio cables or use the audio connector they supply with your new amp. If you going to use the RCA cables you have to snip of one end, and then solder FRONT LEFT -, FRONT LEFT +, FRONT RIGHT -, FRONT RIGHT +, to the corresponding audio cables L -, L+, R-, R+ (rca cables).

    Make sure that if you getting the wires from the stock amp, make sure it is the input into the amp, because if you have the output from the stock amp you will blow your new amplifier. If your going to the wiring harness from the Headunit, you will obviously be taking the speaker outputs, which basically lead to the stock amp. Once your done that, you need to find the remote wire(ACC) from which ever harness your using. This will tell your amp to turn off and on when you put your key in the ACC postion.

    Now the rest is self explanatory, Run your Power and Ground, its pretty easy since your battery is already in the trunk. Use 4-8 Gauge. Make sure your ground is a good groung, if there is paint where you plan on mounting the ground, just sand it down a little with sandpaper.

    Once you have all that you can connect all corresponding wires to your amp and box.

    BATTERY
    + -
    . .

    . .
    ^ ^
    RCA CABLES(Audio)---> AMP
    REMOTE(ACC)--------> AMP

    and than connect you - and + wire from your speaker output on your amp to your sub.
    If you are looking for the basics this is it, if your looking to go into something with more power, you can get a capacitor. Also you can cut ports in the rear on the upper deck to allow the sound and ventillation to come thru. Well i hope this is not to confusing and i hope it helps. If you have any questions feel free to email me or respond on here. lkarims@aol.com
    Last edited by ogwap; 02-01-2008 at 04:12 AM.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    bf.c e34 contour
    that would work great if he only wanted to amp mids... and no tweeters.

    amping a bandpassed signal = bandpassed amp out

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
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    Hamburg, NY
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    1996 m3 sold
    im a car audio installer, your best bet for the best sound out of your amp and sub is buying an aftermarket deck. and i would have to agree with attack eagle jsut take it to a professional. i work at circuit city we charge $60 labor for an amp sub install. if you don't know what you're doing spend some cash and have it done right. i coldn't even begin to tell you the stories of cars i've seen where people don't know what they're doing, fck it up, then i get to fix it.
    1996 bmw m3

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    USA
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    BMW
    I thought that's what he wanted: "how or if i can install a sub and amp" I guess it is open to interpretation what he will be running on the amp, but I read it that he wants a sub and amp for the sub.

    OP, whatever the case may be tap the right signal wire for what you're going to be running on the amp.

    Quote Originally Posted by attack eagle View Post
    that would work great if he only wanted to amp mids... and no tweeters.

    amping a bandpassed signal = bandpassed amp out

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
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    245
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    Dauer EB110
    Quote Originally Posted by Cjones1690 View Post
    alright so i have a 2000 328i and i was wondering how or if i can install a sub and amp to my stock head unit..

    and if i can how do i do it....or what do yall suggest i do..

    or if i want to get it installed what all do i need to buy..

    cheapest route first please lol


    pleeease help me

    NOTE:i am not audio savy


    Your stock head-unit has a very clean balanced differential full-range 5 volt output going to the factory amplifier in the trunk. You can easily tap onto this signal using a Line Output Converter that is capable of accepting a balanced differential, like a Soundgate LOCPRO. You can also use an after-market amplifier that is capable of accepting a balanced differential and just cutting the ends off a set of RCA's and splicing those into the wires carrying the audio signal from your head-unit to your stock amplifier.

    The easiest place to make you connections is at the factory amplifier on the left side of your trunk. The factory amplifier plug is actually comprised of two individual plugs. Remove the black plastic shroud from around the plug, and you’ll see that there are now two separate plugs, one black, and the other grey. The remote turn on wire is located in Pin #10 in the grey connector.



    You can tap the following wires for full range audio, they'll also be in the factory amp harness.
    -Blue w/Red stripe (FR+) and Brown w/Orange stripe (FR-)
    -Yellow w/Red stripe (FL+) and Brown w/Orange stripe (FL-)
    -Blue w/Black stripe (RR+) and Brown w/Orange stripe (RR-)
    -Yellow w/Black stripe (RL+) and Brown w/Orange stripe (RL-)


    Here's our d210.e46 subsystem installation guide, which will give you step by step directions on how to install any amplifier into your car.
    d210.e46s Sub System Installation Guide

    I hope this helps and feel free to contact me if you have any other audio related questions.
    Paul N. Wielage
    pnw@bavsound.com

    Bavarian Soundwerks | Audio Solutions for YOUR BMW
    www.bavsound.com | p: 404.963.8857

    BSW | Audio Solutions for YOUR BMW
    www.bavsound.com | 404-963-8857



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  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    canada
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    bmw 328ci, mercedes clk 320
    well there you go buddy, you can feel confident in these directions, i used to install these things all the time, but yea like i said probably easier just to tap of the signal from your amp. Well i hope i have answered your questions, as well as everyone else here.

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