DirtY BMW speaker amp

[Coffee331]

So....I put in a new head unit today. Wired it in then turned it in expecting it to be sounding good...but no it sounded just as bad as the old head unit. Became mildly depressed then googled "BMW z3 stereo" decided to attack the speaker "amp". Bypassed the amp....all is well; my little Z sounds like a proper car
If you haven't bypassed this supposed speaker amp, do it as soon as you can. It's the most awful piece of awful hateful crap you can imagine

 

[GazHyde]

Totally get where you are coming from, and amazing what difference removing that amp does. Always been a weak link in the system which is I guess why they removed it on later Zeds.

 

[Rudyrov]

I presume that's a fake engine start button?
What did you use for crossovers for the front speakers (mid range / tweeter), and I presume you are running full frequency to the behind seat speakers.
Do you have a sub, and if so, what is happening there?

 

[Coffee331]

no it's not fake, works 100%, pointless addition I know.... I just wanted to install for no reason

 

[littlefeller]

what the heck are speaker amps?

 

[GazHyde]

what the heck are speaker amps?

In this case an amp attached to a speaker. A "feature" of the early Z3 audio systems.

 

[littlefeller]

are they any good? mine is fairly early (98)

 

[GazHyde]

are they any good? mine is fairly early (98)

No, they are atrocious. Nothing more than a small circuit board really. Best bypassed as per the first post.

 

[littlefeller]

fitted a new blaupunkt head unit this weekend, might give coffee332's answer a go and bypass them, i can always un bypass them if i change my mind. soon gona fit a bass driver in the cubbyhole between the seats so i will need another amp for this.

 

[Dino D]

I don't think the early cars had them (mine had the HK upgrade with seperate amp in the boot though).
Best advice ever is just to leave all the original wires in places and run new wires for replacement speakers and be done.

 

[Coffee331]

fitted a new blaupunkt head unit this weekend, might give coffee332's answer a go and bypass them, i can always un bypass them if i change my mind. soon gona fit a bass driver in the cubbyhole between the seats so i will need another amp for this.

If you do this picture is helpful

 

[littlefeller]

very useful, thanks

 

[Low Rider]

no it's not fake, works 100%, pointless addition I know.... I just wanted to install for no reason

I think the start button looks great

 

[Coffee331]

I think the start button looks great

Thank you

 

[littlefeller]

has the added advantage of stopping folk smoking in the zed im a smoker but i never smoke in cars, it ages the interior, not to mention burns in the seats

 

[Coffee331]

has the added advantage of stopping folk smoking in the zed im a smoker but i never smoke in cars, it ages the interior.

I still have the lighter tucked under the gear stick. Thinking of using it to install a usb charge point on the left side across from the start button.

 

[littlefeller]

there were discussions on this recently, the parts to do this are really cheap on ebay, good mod and really handy too

 

[Low Rider]

I still have the lighter tucked under the gear stick. Thinking of using it to install a usb charge point on the left side across from the start button.

Good idea

 

[zedonist]

Cue the gentlemen's club interior thread, more wood and ruching than you can shake a stick at...

 

[Rudyrov]

So, with regards to the start button... Does it replace the key start function or did you keep that and say just turn the key to ignition and hit the button? I would ;love a little detail