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03-19-2011, 03:59 PM | #155 | |
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I agree that it's totally weird that one kit would require recoding while the other doesn't, when the only thing that appears to have changed is the wiring harness. And the fact that the amp switch is set differently (do you have yours set to "2" rather than "1" btw?). I'd like to believe that the recoding stops the signal processing that the base stereo head unit is doing, but that's probably just wishful thinking on my part. |
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03-19-2011, 11:45 PM | #156 | |
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Yup. Planning to do the DIY. Got your instructions the other day and it looks extremely simple... A little time consuming but that's only because of the number of panels to remove... Only thing I can think of with the recoding is that perhaps it adjusts the front/rear soundstage to take into account the fact that the rears will still not be amped. The other possibility is that it adjusts the max volume down for "safety" reasons (something I can see BMW doing) - this would be a good reason NOT to get the recode done... - Harlequin |
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03-19-2011, 11:48 PM | #157 | |
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Just a thought... - Harlequin |
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03-20-2011, 02:07 AM | #158 |
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I don't know much about iDrive as it's not optioned on my car, but I think that there was an "old" iDrive that was equipped in early 1ers and replaced by a newer system from 2009 or 2010. In any case, I'm not familiar with how much audio configuration is possible by the user under either system.
What I've heard is that, in cars with the ampless base stereo system, the head unit amplifies the signal and also processes or equalizes it in an attempt to improve the sound (and perhaps compensate for the lack of tweeters). Forgive me for not being able to offer a more technical explanation, btw. Anyway, according to some, the recoding sets the head unit to "Hi Fi mode" (for lack of a better term) which sends out an unmolested signal to the amp. This is what I'd like to believe, but I keep coming back to why the older kit wouldn't require coding...? Unfortunately I don't think a definitive answer will be forthcoming anytime soon, as most people seem to be just speculating one way or the other. Even if there were a BMW tech on these boards who had done the install themselves, at best they could tell us whether or not they actually performed the recoding or not - they probably wouldn't know what exactly the recoding was doing since they likely just plug the car into a computer and let it do what it needs to. Oh well. I'm having mine done at the dealer anyway (tomorrow, finally!) so I will just trust that it has been done correctly I suppose. Maybe my service invoice will provide some clues to what has been done, but I'm not really counting on it. |
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03-20-2011, 04:12 AM | #159 |
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Unfortunately I don't think a definitive answer will be forthcoming anytime soon, as most people seem to be just speculating one way or the other.
Try a search on audio upgrades. "Technics" and "VP_something(?)" really know the bmw audio systems. I think they also use "Patrys" coding service - via the web. The three of them make a great expert audio/coding team. |
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03-20-2011, 05:36 PM | #160 |
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Slightly OT but where are the other 2 speakers in a 135i with base stereo system? I can only see two up front in the doors and two on the rear parcel shelf?
Should have 6 though?
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03-20-2011, 06:27 PM | #161 |
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Two 6.5 inch woofers under the seats (ie: in the floor of the car beneath the seats in a woofer housing - not IN the seats).
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03-21-2011, 01:51 PM | #162 |
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Yep, switch is set on position "2". Seemed to be the consensus after reading threads on here and other forums before I installed it.
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03-22-2011, 02:50 AM | #163 |
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Well, I can confirm that there definitely is reprogramming invovled with the new kit, even if I can't say excatly what it entails. I dropped my car off with the dealer yesterday at 9:30 in the morning, and when I called back at 5:00 pm they said they had finished fitting the HiFi but that the car was still hooked up to the compueter for programming and had several hours left to go. They kept it overnight! I really can't fathom how this could take so long...they had better not be charging hourly labor for this!
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03-22-2011, 02:53 AM | #164 | |
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Do you notice that your music is slightly too bright? Or does it sound well reproduced to you? |
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03-22-2011, 01:59 PM | #165 |
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Yeah I think I tossed up to have it set on 1 or 2 but went with 2 as others had done that successfully. I'm curious as to what head unit is standard for your market? Here the standard is Professional, not business so perhaps that has some bearing on the coding? Regardless I feel mine sounds fantastic for what it is. I have obviously tweaked the basic treble / bass though I struggle though to understand why anyones car would need so long hooked up just to recode for a stereo upgrade. That's time on a dealers system I would've thought would be charged out considerably. As in if it spent 6 hours on there then they would seek to charge that time rather than just 2 hours charge for 6 hours on it for example. Just doesn't make sense when it's only an amp and speakers...
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03-22-2011, 03:30 PM | #166 | |
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System sounds great. As far as the programming goes, they provided me with a print out of the "final report" from the programming station - basically a few pages of technical gibberish that would have been difficult to decipher in English, much less Spanish. But the point is, I think it's legit. If you're happy with the way your system sounds, then that's all that matters - and I have no way of knowing if the improvement in sound (if any) is worth a trip to the dealer for programming. But I can say that they are in fact doing something, whatever that may be (and if you do ever decide to get the coding done, make sure you change your amp switch to position 1 instead of 2, by the way). Oh, also, I have a US-spec car, so Professional HU is standard. Some of the Euro models here have Business HU standard, but it doesn't matter - according to the new kit, vehicles with both headunits must be coded. The old kit I think they were coding cars with Business HUs but not Professional HUs. Anyway, I don't mean to sound like a broken record about this whole coding bit - all that matters is we're not living with that awful base Stereo system anymore! |
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03-23-2011, 08:49 PM | #168 |
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Still waiting for my parts from Scmeidmann.com - guessing it will take about 3 weeks...
In the meantime I've picked up a set of Alpine SPS400s for the rear parcel shelf http://northfield.com.au/products?gr...pergroup_id=15 I know that the rears don't really need to be anything special but I couldn't leave those dodgy dual cone things in there... - Harlequin |
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03-23-2011, 10:16 PM | #169 |
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Check your PM...
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03-24-2011, 01:30 AM | #170 |
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Just spotted this on the BMW Car Club Victoria forum:
http://www.bmwccv.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=867
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03-24-2011, 05:43 PM | #171 |
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Bugger it. I just purchased the Alpine Hi-Fi upgrade from www.bmminiparts.com. It was under $400, so I also bought the carbon fibre interior trim kit. Whole lot came to $1450.
Considering BMW Australia charge close to $3,000 for the trim and $1500 for the hifi, I got a bargain!
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03-24-2011, 10:24 PM | #173 |
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No idea, will worry about that when it turns up. Anyone in Melbourne got a recommendation?
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04-01-2011, 09:43 PM | #175 |
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My carbon fibre trim and Alpine HiFi has arrived! Can't wait to install!
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04-04-2011, 03:49 AM | #176 |
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Got mine installed today... All I can say is:
DO IT!!! DO IT!!! DO IT!!! DO IT!!! It sounds FANTASTIC! - Harlequin |
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