e39 sub amp install

[gixer6]

i have an 01 530i with DSP. i am planning on installing a mono sub amp tomorrow, but after reading through tons of archives i am still confused about the best way to get the signal.

from what i understand, i can get an amplified sub signal from the harness that went to the factory sub enclosure, but will be stuck with the factory crossovers. i also read about getting the signal pre-amplification, but in another thread read that that was only for standard (non-dsp) systems.

i have a line out converter that i can use. and i would obviously prefer to get a full range pre-amp signal and use my aftermarket amps crossover and eq.

anyone with experience please let me know what the best way to get the signal is. thanks alot!

[Gregs///M]

If you want signal before the crossover, you will need to get it before the amp. You can tap your factory amp input signals at the amp in the trunk. I do not have the wire colors on hand but you can find that diagram on this site.

I tap the right rear and left rear speaker leads from the amp input. Your new amp can handle the rest.

Remote turn on wire is white.

NOTE: do not use your line output converter. its designed to tap signal after the amp or amplified signal whereas you are grabbing signal before the amp or non-amplified.

I like to take a cheap pair of short rca's and cut off one end then solder the leads to the wires. Left signal and left ground to one rca and the same with the other rca. I then use barrel connectors to attach a new RCA lead. This is just my favorite way and sends a true low level output into your new amp.

If you want to use the line out converter, make sure you connect it after the amp. Either way is OK to use and you will not notice a difference in sound. Although some LOC have adjustable pods to help tune your sub amp.

I prefer method #1

[gixer6]

If you want signal before the crossover, you will need to get it before the amp. You can tap your factory amp input signals at the amp in the trunk. I do not have the wire colors on hand but you can find that diagram on this site.

I tap the right rear and left rear speaker leads from the amp input. Your new amp can handle the rest.

Remote turn on wire is white.

NOTE: do not use your line output converter. its designed to tap signal after the amp or amplified signal whereas you are grabbing signal before the amp or non-amplified.

I like to take a cheap pair of short rca's and cut off one end then solder the leads to the wires. Left signal and left ground to one rca and the same with the other rca. I then use barrel connectors to attach a new RCA lead. This is just my favorite way and sends a true low level output into your new amp.

If you want to use the line out converter, make sure you connect it after the amp. Either way is OK to use and you will not notice a difference in sound. Although some LOC have adjustable pods to help tune your sub amp.

I prefer method #1

thanks alot for reply. yeah i would much rather get a full range pre-amp signal, but i read that this was not possible in the DSP systems. i am also having trouble finding color diagrams for the factory harnesses. the only one i can find is this from bmwtips.com:

The pinouts for the 15 pin connector are:
PIN - CONNECTION
1- Sub 1 +
2- Sub 2 +
3- LH Rear loudspeaker + (Touring LH rear speaker ground)
4- Radio on/antenna signal
5- RH rear loudspeaker + (Touring RH rear +)
6- Sub 4 -
7- Sub 3 -
8- Terminal 30 connects to Fuse 56
9- Sub 1 -
10- Sub 2 -
11- Touring LH rear +
12- Touring RH rear -
13- Sub 4 +
14- Sub 3 +
15- Terminal 31 connects to Ground Point

but im not sure which pin is which number and they are in different locations at the amp side, and factory sub enclosure side. which makes it impossible to tell. so could you direct me to a good place to try to find info on how to go about getting the pre-amp signal? (which harness, colors for wires etc) thanks again.

[gixer6]

anyone else? im about to install the amp after the factory amp with the LOC unless anyone knows where i can get a full range preamp signal.

[Jason@BavSound]

You're not going to get a full range signal in that car..

PM me for an install guide. You'll be done in no time!

[DouglasABaker]

i have an 01 530i with DSP. i am planning on installing a mono sub amp tomorrow, but after reading through tons of archives i am still confused about the best way to get the signal.

from what i understand, i can get an amplified sub signal from the harness that went to the factory sub enclosure, but will be stuck with the factory crossovers. i also read about getting the signal pre-amplification, but in another thread read that that was only for standard (non-dsp) systems.

i have a line out converter that i can use. and i would obviously prefer to get a full range pre-amp signal and use my aftermarket amps crossover and eq.

anyone with experience please let me know what the best way to get the signal is. thanks alot!

Here is the deal. You have 2 choices - choose whichever you'd like.

1. You can get a full-range signal, but you'll need to discard your DSP amp and replace it with a 4 channel amp for your component sets in addition to your mono amp for the sub.
2. You can get an already crossed over signal after the amplifier (and associated c/o's) for use with your mono amp.

I've got a blog over on M5Board.Com that tells you how to do #1, and #2 has been covered in depth. Just look in the blogs for my name. It also has pinouts and wiring diagrams (I think - if not, email me).

Let me be crystal clear: There is NO way to get a full range signal in a DSP vehicle and still retain volume control (in other words, if you tap before the amplifier in your car it will be full volume bass ALL the time). Your radio is capable of a volume related RCA output, but not with DSP.

Also, as for LOC's, that really depends on your amp. If it can handle a 5V+ (generally known as speaker level or high level) input signal then you don't need them. If it can't, then you do. Post your amp model and I'll tell you.

Doug

[Paul at BSW]

Lets be clear here, the way a DSP system works is the head unit (or tuner module in the trunk if equipped with navigation) sends a left and right audio signal that is set at a constant level. It also sends a data signal to the DSP amp that tells it to turn the output volume up or down, to fade and balance the sound, and also other information like EQ settings.

Because the audio signal coming from the radio is at a constant level you won't be able to attenuate the volume coming out of the sub if you use this signal with the DSP amplifier still connected. You will instead need to tap the amplified signal going to the subwoofer(which is not amplified), and use a LOC on this unless your amp can accept speaker level inputs.

If you want to keep your factory head unit there is a way to use it to send a 4 channel signal an aftermarket amp. You will need to disconnect the power going to the head unit and tuner module and then disconnect the DSP amplifier. When you reconnect power to the head unit it will not see a DSP amplifier in the system and will act like a non-DSP head unit. Meaning you will get an attenuated signal coming from the radio's outputs. Unfortunately, you will only have one set of left and right outputs , so if you want to control fade then you will need to re-pin the missing spots in the harness to connect to the rear left and right channels of the radio.

The reason you need a LOC on some amplifiers and don't on others is due to the output of the stock head unit is a 5v balanced output. This will damage amplifiers that aren't meant to accept a balanced input, because its sending signals on both the "+" and "-" signal wires. The way a balanced signal is different than a standard signal is this;

Standard audio signal : "+" has audio signal,
"-" is ground to chassis, no signal sent.
Balanced audio signal: "+" has audio signal,
"-" has inverse of audio signal

An amplifier that accepts a balanced input, takes the signal sent down the "-" wire of the RCA and inverses it so that it matches the signal sent down the "+" wire. This will delete any noise that is collected through the signal path after the source unit, because noise on the "-" wire will be out phase with the noise on the "+" wire.

Hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to pm/email me.

[DouglasABaker]

...You will need to disconnect the power going to the head unit (or tuner module) and then disconnect the DSP amplifier.

I agree with everything that Paul said, but want to make one slight modification:

You need to disconnect power to the head unit AND the tuner module in addition to removing the DSP amplifier. If you simply remove power to the tuner module (but not the head unit) then the system does not fully recognize the removal of DSP.

Otherwise, not surprisingly, everything Paul said is spot on...

d-

[Paul at BSW]

Thanks Doug for clarifying, I just fixed it.

[macbookproaudio]

so which output would you guys put the LOC on? the sub 1 and 2 sub 3and 4 or the rear speakers?

[DouglasABaker]

so which output would you guys put the LOC on? the sub 1 and 2 sub 3and 4 or the rear speakers?

The rear speakers don't get a full range signal, so you must therefore us the subwoofer outputs. Which ones you choose is irrelevant.

Doug

[WhatsBFc]

so how did the install go?

[norcalb1mmer]

dont want to resurrect but im in the same boat. I have a 98 non dsp and have been researching the best way to get a signal for my alpine m450 mono amp. read that I can tap pre amp by using the rca directly but also read that it is a balanced signal and my amp may not take balanced signal. Also watched the video from bsw using the amplified signal after amp using a LOC. But might get engine whine noise. hmmm just confused which route to take.

[GSA1]

dont want to resurrect but im in the same boat. I have a 98 non dsp and have been researching the best way to get a signal for my alpine m450 mono amp. read that I can tap pre amp by using the rca directly but also read that it is a balanced signal and my amp may not take balanced signal. Also watched the video from bsw using the amplified signal after amp using a LOC. But might get engine whine noise. hmmm just confused which route to take.

Your Alpine does not, in fact, accept a balanced signal. You have several choices: Try the LOC, but get a good one and hope for no noise; try a cheap one for 18.00 at Walmart to see if you do get noise; post your alpine on Craigs and find a JL or other that is plug and play (meaning accepts differential balanced input). I just went through this with an alpine mrd m605, a Cadence, and finally a JL that worked great. You will need either a 2 channel or a 4 channel LOC depending on whether you are trashing the factory amp or just robbing some of the 4 channel signals for a bass amp.GL

[norcalb1mmer]

thanks for the tips gsa.

[lagrancampana12]

I have an e39 with DSP. What is the procedure of the istall? I know that the white wire is the Remote turn on but I am un sure as to how i can istall the amp and woofer at an inexpensive cost. does anyone know of a link or a wiring diagram that they can help me with? I am a beginner and know little about audio. Please help. Thank you.

[rogan]

go to bsw website and find the install info on their e39 subwoofer page

[Mambrake]

I am new to this, I have a 2006 BMW 530xi and I need the wiring diagram for the amp so I could connect a converter to the back speakers cable and add a bigger amp, I would also want to know the remote wiring. Mambrake2@yahoo.com

I need a diagram for a 2006 BMW 530xi amp wiring, I am trying to find the remote cable and the two back speaker cables to connect a converter and add another amp..mambrake2@yahoo.com

[CR1777]

Just do what i did change your head unit rewire the whole car..lol..



pioneer 980bt head unit.



My doors and deck speaker's,O2 OM5200 5 1/4 inch. Midrange, 200 Watts, 4 Ohm (Oxygen Audio OM-5200)



rockford fosgate power 600.4 for the highs and matrix line driver for a cleaner signal.



mounted on top of the box rockford fosgate power bd mono 1500.1 pushing 2 rockford fosgate p3 12's.



ported into the arm rest.


and on the right side of the spare tire i have mounted a 400 amp batcap.

[Chillwill]

Cr1777 Nice kick butt system

[CR1777]

Cr1777 Nice kick butt system

Thank's took awhile this is my 3rd set up had to get the box tuned right.

[ChadALEX]

Can someone hook me up with the install guide for this job? Im trying to to do the same thing

aftermarket amp/sub. I have 6 disc & navi system with DSP

[DennisCooper]

Hi Chadalex,

There's no 'wiring' diagram. You'll need to search out various threads here and over all the other BMW forums so you can evaluate what you'd like to do against the specific aspects of the oem setup in your car. There's multiple different directions you can take, and each has a different cost aspect associated with it along with differing levels of audio performance increase.

If you *must* keep the oem DSP speakers, then you will need to spend a significant amount more on the GAS E39 specific crossover and then spend perhaps at least a day wiring it all in. It's not a simple or straightforward job, it's fiddly and if you get things wrong, you'll have a mess of wires to fault find and troubleshoot. If you get it right, then it'll make a substantial increase in performance for you, but perhaps not as much as getting new quality 2 way component speakers instead.

If you don't mind ditching the DSP and the DSP speakers, you have much more choice of products/speakers and then also your subwoofer and it's enclosure which you'll need to make 'fire' through the ski hatch.

So read around, decide on what kind of sound quality increase you want, determine a budget and then look for solutions that fit.

Cheers, Dennis!