speaker amp

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adey
Joined: Wed 11 Jan, 2006 18:12
Posts: 58

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: swindon

speaker amp

Post by adey »

hi everyone just got my first zed a 2ooo 2ltr in topaz blue .i have just replaced the head unit with a pioneer deh-p77mp and have been reading on this forum about speaker amps on the left hand side speaker do all z3 have this and if mine has where can i find out about bypassing it or removing it
siwilson
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 09:54
Posts: 790

  M roadster S54
Location: Horley

Post by siwilson »

Welcome!

Not all Zs have this, but if yours is a UK spec with the basic setup then it probably does. My old 2000 model 2.0 did.

Its a booster amp designed to be driven by a low power head unit, so your new pioneer will be overdriving it as you turn up the power. Removing the amp will certainly improve the sound quality. You should also replace the standard footwell speakers as they are not the best.

Bypassing it is a bit of a PIA as there is a single connector to it that brings in the left and right inputs and power and sends back the output to the drivers side speaker. I don't like cutting the factory wiring, so I desoldered the connector from the amp and made up a bypass connector.

Image

You could run new wiring to the footwell speakers, but remember to leave the standard wiring connected to the head unit as well. There are tweaters in the doors that are fed from this as well, but they do not go through the footwell amp. If you have bought a BMW to ISO adapter then just scotchlock some additional speaker cables to the front channels on that.

Image

Hope this helps.

Mod Edit: Image links changed and post re-attributed to siwilson. R.
2001 M roadster S54 Laguna Seca Blue
adey
Joined: Wed 11 Jan, 2006 18:12
Posts: 58

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: swindon

Post by adey »

hi thanks for quick reply will have to have a look at weekend i know it has std iso connector if i keep std speakers i take it i would have to go for bypass but if i put new ones in then run new wires but leave all original wires as they were
adey
Joined: Wed 11 Jan, 2006 18:12
Posts: 58

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: swindon

Post by adey »

hi thanks for quick reply will have to have a look at weekend i know it has std iso connector if i keep std speakers i take it i would have to go for bypass but if i put new ones in then run new wires but leave all original wires as they were
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Bloke
Joined: Mon 27 Oct, 2003 22:09
Posts: 1111

  Other roadster
Location: London

Post by Bloke »

Shame no spare front footwell speaker. :( :( :( :(

Im looking for one if anyone has one :lol: :lol:


Bloke
adey
Joined: Wed 11 Jan, 2006 18:12
Posts: 58

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: swindon

Post by adey »

well i must be one of the lucky ones some one had already been there and removed the amp and replaced speakers with a pair of kenwood 80 watt speakers so replaced them with pioneer 160 wattt and replaced rear ones as well sounds excellent i think the unit looks good as well
adey
Joined: Wed 11 Jan, 2006 18:12
Posts: 58

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: swindon

Post by adey »

well i must be one of the lucky ones some one had already been there and removed the amp and replaced speakers with a pair of kenwood 80 watt speakers so replaced them with pioneer 160 wattt and replaced rear ones as well sounds excellent i think the unit looks good as well
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SpaceMonkey
Joined: Tue 08 Dec, 2009 15:24
Posts: 174

  blank.gif
Location: Wallington

Post by SpaceMonkey »

If the original poster of the guide can re-host the pics I'd be most grateful :wink:
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

Pic poster was actually siwilson. Anyone have the pics?

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Image
siwilson
Joined: Fri 19 Jun, 2009 09:54
Posts: 790

  M roadster S54
Location: Horley

Post by siwilson »

Send me a link and I'll send you the pics.

My 2000 odd posts got 'orphaned' after we got hacked once and now I can't edit them. I also lost my hosting space when I canned Virgin.
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

I can host them for you if you like, Si, and I am sure a mod can edit that post to point the IMG tags to the new location, but if not we can always add another post below. In fact this info should really be in the Knowledgebase...

The two pics are AMP_Bridge.jpg and Amp_connector_pins.JPG.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Image
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SpaceMonkey
Joined: Tue 08 Dec, 2009 15:24
Posts: 174

  blank.gif
Location: Wallington

Post by SpaceMonkey »

siwilson wrote:Send me a link and I'll send you the pics.

My 2000 odd posts got 'orphaned' after we got hacked once and now I can't edit them. I also lost my hosting space when I canned Virgin.
That would be great if you don't mind please my man :wink:

leekrow@yahoo.co.uk If you can title it speaker amp pic & I will then rehost them & post the pics on here for everyone else too.

I agree with Robert, this should be in the Knowledge Base :idea:
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

Pics now re-hosted. Would a kind moderator please edit the above post by "Guest" to use the pics from their new location.

Image

Image

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Image
maccers
Joined: Fri 07 Jan, 2011 12:07
Posts: 141

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Epsom

Post by maccers »

Where would the amp be if it were a factory fitted item? I mean where on the car would it be?

I am planning to install a new head unit and speakers, using the internal wiring, other than running RCA 's to an amp, then running speaker wire back to the speakers.
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Post by Robert T »

maccers wrote:Where would the amp be if it were a factory fitted item? I mean where on the car would it be?
The amp being discussed here is on the back of the left-hand footwell speaker. If your're replacing them, then the amp will come out with the speaker and you shouldn't have a problem.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Image
maccers
Joined: Fri 07 Jan, 2011 12:07
Posts: 141

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Epsom

Post by maccers »

Ah, i see....thanks for that. I have not taken them out yet, so maybe mine have been replaced too, although the rears look standard and the tweeters on the door are standard.
Frank.A
Joined: Mon 20 Jul, 2009 21:15
Posts: 875

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Twixt York and Hull

Post by Frank.A »

Check out this thread for pictures.

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... so+adapter
Image

2000 Topaz 2.8 Individual.

Youth would be more useful if it came later in life!
barbancourt
Joined: Wed 30 Jan, 2013 09:45
Posts: 132

  Not specified

Re:

Post by barbancourt »

Robert T wrote:
Image

Cheers R.
Just did this today, though due to my soldering skills, it's not as pretty as the one posted. Could have just cut and spliced, but I also didn't want to hack my factory wiring harness. My car has a Kenwood head unit installed and after performing this fix, I went from having crappy sound to having pretty decent sound. Especially for the stock paper speakers. Before the fix, the front speakers were barely audible. They played really low, even with the fader set all the way up front... and when I did that they were popping and crackling like crazy.

I thought the paper cones were destroyed, but when I removed them, they looked like they just left the factory. This is a "must do" for anyone who changes the head unit and has the symptoms I described above. Was thinking about getting the Bavarian Motorwerks speakers (and still might), but that has dropped in priority now to "low". I think an Infinity Basslink with these speakers will be enough to get me through for now.

I guess that means a Raid steering wheel is getting bumped up to "high importance" now. :D
ImageImageImage
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Robert T
Site Admin
Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: speaker amp

Post by Robert T »

Now that I can, I have changed the image links and reattributed the post by Guest back to siwilson. I'll leave this here for a few more days for people to comment and then move the whole thread to the KB.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Image
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