DAB Radio

[Jess]

Hi all

Looking for some advice on radio's please. My 1999 z3 doesn't have a radio installed so I am looking to purchase an aftermarket one preferably with Bluetooth built in.

My question is would a DAB radio work in my zed? I don't want to buy something with DAB which I am sure will cost extra if it won't work! If it will work then is there anything extra I will need to purchase or do to ensure it works?

Does anyone have any recommendations of a good aftermarket radio that they have fitted?

Any help & advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Jess

 

[Nodzed]

Hi, yes DAB will be fine in a Z3, I have one the DAB aerial is separate to the analogue one usually a very thin wire on the windscreen

 

[Mattbee]

I’ve got a Continental branded VDO head unit that has DAB and is quite a good match for he Z interiors. The antenna is stuck up in the top corner of the windscreen amd is quite inobtrusive.

 

[Jess]

Thank you @Nodzed & @Mattbee that's really helpful

 

[Scooblitz]

Buy Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB Car stereo DAB+ tuner, Bluetooth handsfree set, Retro design | Conrad Electronic

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That's as nice a DAB radio with bluetooth and modern functions I know of. Blaupunkt is a bit on the more expensive side but it looks very oem and 90s retro with the orange red hue.

Can be done for much much less though.

Looking into a DAB radio in the future but aux cable and phone is my method for now.

 

[mwpe]

I have a Kenwood which looks OK, you can select the correct illumination colour and it has bluetooth hands free for the phone. It also has a useful rear USP port which is on a cable to put in the glove compartment so that you can play music from an invisible stick. I have had it for a few years so there are probably newer models with the same or better spec.

 

[Jess]

Thanks @Scooblitz & @mwpe more food for thought, thank you

 

[137699]

Worth checking if you have the amp & HK audio upgrade in your car? If you do, then you won't get the best out of it with aftermarket kit as the amp gets bypassed with the standard wiring harnesses.
Mine had the aforementioned kit and someone had put a nice Sony unit in, but it sounded gash, so I retrofitted an original BMW/Blaupunkt unit and the difference in sound quality was chalk & cheese.

If you do go for an OEM unit, like me you can plug in a Bluetooth module to the CD changer port & use your phone to stream DAB stations.

 

[Scooblitz]

I have an alpine unit in at the moment and I do believe I have the Harmon kardboard and subwoofer from factory. Doesn't sound good.

Didn't realise this would bypass the amp.

Never thought about adding Bluetooth to the amp.

 

[137699]

You don't add Bluetooth to the amp - you add it to the headunit - there's an aftermarket kit that mimics a CD changer so it plugs into the CD changer port on the original BMW headunits.

 

[Scooblitz]

You don't add Bluetooth to the amp - you add it to the headunit - there's an aftermarket kit that mimics a CD changer so it plugs into the CD changer port on the original BMW headunits.

I think think something along these lines but perhaps an aftermarket version might be very handy for me with a few future mods in mind. I can see this is for cd43 only headunits.

 

[137699]

So they say but I can’t understand why as the same cd changer function exists on most of the cassette head units also.

 

[happytadpole]

I bought a Pioneer SPH-10BT because it's relatively cheap and less garish than most. No DAB/CD but has Bluetooth and a built-in phone holder - you use your phone as the display/source. However, the connection can be a bit glitchy and it's not as intuitive to use as it could be. Halfords sells a harness adaptor too; not massively hard to fit yourself.

Pioneer SPH-10BT Smartphone Receiver | Halfords UK

Shop the latest Pioneer SPH-10BT smartphone receiver at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

 

[AthensGA]

A previous owner had installed a Kenwood KDC-X501 unit in my car and a few months after I bought the car I was having difficulty operating it so I went online to find a manual. The manual was 182 pages long !! Just one indication about how complicated the unit is. One nice feature is that the face comes off so it can be locked in the boot when the top is down.

 

[IonAphis]

I bought a Pioneer SPH-10BT because it's relatively cheap and less garish than most. No DAB/CD but has Bluetooth and a built-in phone holder - you use your phone as the display/source. However, the connection can be a bit glitchy and it's not as intuitive to use as it could be. Halfords sells a harness adaptor too; not massively hard to fit yourself.

Pioneer SPH-10BT Smartphone Receiver | Halfords UK

Shop the latest Pioneer SPH-10BT smartphone receiver at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

Hey happytadpole, did you run into any issues with clearance with the phone and the air vents or it sticking out and interfering with the gear shifting? How's the clamp force, does it slip when in vertical position? Thanks in advanced!

 

[happytadpole]

Hey happytadpole, did you run into any issues with clearance with the phone and the air vents or it sticking out and interfering with the gear shifting? How's the clamp force, does it slip when in vertical position? Thanks in advanced!

I use it horizontally, but the clamping force is pretty good and it takes my Samsung S10+. But it can't handle thick cases. Doesn't interfere with vents or gearchange but it does get in the way of the unit's display a bit..