Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Not really a problem as such but a question (mods please move this thread if I've posted it in the wrong place).
I had the passenger door off last weekend to fix a broken window regulator. In doing this I spotted a mystery plug that wasn't connected to anything and it seemed to be connected / part of the audio wiring than runs further up to do the tweeter speaker.
My car is the crappy 6 speaker standard stereo system, but the plug looks like one of the ones that would plug into the mid range door speakers if the car had them, except it doesn't look like an aftermarket / someone's fiddled with it plug (plus the blanking speaker plates are still in place). What is this mystery plug, any ideas? It's a March 2003 production car (2.5 auto) so a relatively early car). Picture below for reference.
I had the passenger door off last weekend to fix a broken window regulator. In doing this I spotted a mystery plug that wasn't connected to anything and it seemed to be connected / part of the audio wiring than runs further up to do the tweeter speaker.
My car is the crappy 6 speaker standard stereo system, but the plug looks like one of the ones that would plug into the mid range door speakers if the car had them, except it doesn't look like an aftermarket / someone's fiddled with it plug (plus the blanking speaker plates are still in place). What is this mystery plug, any ideas? It's a March 2003 production car (2.5 auto) so a relatively early car). Picture below for reference.
- Attachments
-
- 20230205_124511.jpg (75.03 KiB) Viewed 603 times
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 3355
- Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2020 10:37 pm
- Location: North Hampshire
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Exactly that, I think. Early cars where all fitted with the same loom regardless with what options were fitted, hence things like cruise control are a plug and play retrofit. However the audio loom for Stereo (6-speaker), HiFi (10-speaker) and Top Hi-Fi (10-speaker DSP) all have different part numbers, so I may be wrong, although this difference may just be to do with the wiring for the extra amp in the boot for the 10-speaker systems and the 30v feed to the bass drivers for the DSP system.
2003 Maldives Blue 3.0i auto
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14686
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
So I wonder if simply plugging a speaker in would work then?
Or would it need an amp to feed that one?
Got to be worth a quick check surely?
If it works let us know as 'll be adding a couple to wifey's car as well.
Or would it need an amp to feed that one?
Got to be worth a quick check surely?
If it works let us know as 'll be adding a couple to wifey's car as well.
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Found a bargain price full top end hifi speaker set on eBay and that's sitting in my garage now. I will swap out the mid range ones behind the seats and then give the doors a try too. I'll report back either way! I know you can get the mid range door speakers working off the standard head unit, so fingers crossed!
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 3355
- Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2020 10:37 pm
- Location: North Hampshire
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
If you have the top hi-fi speakers, remember the bass drivers that go in the cubbies behind the seats will ONLY work with the OEM Carver DSP amp.
2003 Maldives Blue 3.0i auto
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Thanks for confirming this, I do vaguely recall seeing this previously though wasn't completely sure. For the moment I was just planning to swap out the behind the headrest mid range speakers and add the second set of mid range speakers into the blanks within the doors.
I'd like to go all in at some point, you can find the amps on ebay at times but the wiring harness is hard to find and I think getting that all around the car is beyond my ability so I'd have to pay someone to do it. Definitely a job for the future!
One question on the tweeters though. The top hifi tweeter speakers don't seem to have the high pass filter fixed into the wiring like the basic 6 speaker ones. If I am swapping out the standard 6 speaker tweeter for the top spec hifi unit, but running it from the standard head unit (and not an amp for now), do I need to wire in that high pass filter?
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 3355
- Joined: Tue Sep 29, 2020 10:37 pm
- Location: North Hampshire
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
That’s too hi-fi for me I’m afraid, hopefully one of the audiophiles will be able to help. bigwinn has recently stripped a car with top hi-fi, he may have a loom available.
2003 Maldives Blue 3.0i auto
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe
Previously: Maldives Blue 2.5i manual (its back!) and another, and a Monaco Blue 3.0Si coupe
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Just realised I have another question, the top hifi footwell speakers have a 2 ohm impedance and the standard basic setup ones have a 4 ohm impedance. Now I have tried to get my head around this but I'm struggling! I think using a 2 ohm speaker could make the head unit run hot / be generally a bad idea, though I'd welcome views on this.
Also I stupidly thought you could replace the behind the headrest ones just taking the grills off, but you've got to take the whole rear end of the car out, it's absolutely horrendous! Worried I might have bitten off more than I can chew here!
Also I stupidly thought you could replace the behind the headrest ones just taking the grills off, but you've got to take the whole rear end of the car out, it's absolutely horrendous! Worried I might have bitten off more than I can chew here!
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2022 4:08 pm
- Location: Wichita, KS, USA
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
The Top Carver DSP system doesn't have any in-line crossovers because the signal processing was done by the amp. The radio sends two channels of audio to the amp where it is summed and distributed to each speaker, including the 10ohm Carver subwoofers. This is different than the basic 6 or standard 10 speaker systems where the radio puts out 4 channels of audio and each set of speakers has a built-in crossover.Rossi1001 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 10:14 pmOne question on the tweeters though. The top hifi tweeter speakers don't seem to have the high pass filter fixed into the wiring like the basic 6 speaker ones. If I am swapping out the standard 6 speaker tweeter for the top spec hifi unit, but running it from the standard head unit (and not an amp for now), do I need to wire in that high pass filter?
If you're just trying to swap speakers, I don't know that you'll get any benefit from using the DSP components.
I've recently had to fight with a car that had aftermarket audio installed in place of a gutted Carver DSP system and I learned that the "Top HiFi" is essentially a custom-fit system that cannot be modified and cannot be easily swapped into a non-DSP car.
Bright Red 2004 3.0i Manual
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Thanks for such a detailed response and secondly, bugger!OneFastMac wrote: ↑Sun Feb 19, 2023 8:41 pmThe Top Carver DSP system doesn't have any in-line crossovers because the signal processing was done by the amp. The radio sends two channels of audio to the amp where it is summed and distributed to each speaker, including the 10ohm Carver subwoofers. This is different than the basic 6 or standard 10 speaker systems where the radio puts out 4 channels of audio and each set of speakers has a built-in crossover.Rossi1001 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 18, 2023 10:14 pmOne question on the tweeters though. The top hifi tweeter speakers don't seem to have the high pass filter fixed into the wiring like the basic 6 speaker ones. If I am swapping out the standard 6 speaker tweeter for the top spec hifi unit, but running it from the standard head unit (and not an amp for now), do I need to wire in that high pass filter?
If you're just trying to swap speakers, I don't know that you'll get any benefit from using the DSP components.
I've recently had to fight with a car that had aftermarket audio installed in place of a gutted Carver DSP system and I learned that the "Top HiFi" is essentially a custom-fit system that cannot be modified and cannot be easily swapped into a non-DSP car.
Do you think my best best is to forget the DSP kit (and sell it) and go down the aftermarket route for some new door, front footwell and tweeter speakers, leaving the behind the seat ones alone as its a nightmare to change them?
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2022 4:08 pm
- Location: Wichita, KS, USA
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
It might be worth your time to search to see what other owners of the 6 speaker system have done to improve their audio systems.
When you say "DSP Kit" what components do you actually have?
Bright Red 2004 3.0i Manual
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
I have all the speakers, 2x door and 2x behind your headrest mid range, 2x footwell speakers, 2x tweeters and 2x behind the seat subs but no amp or loom. I got a good price for the lot on ebay so bought it on a whim.OneFastMac wrote: ↑Thu Feb 23, 2023 11:43 pmIt might be worth your time to search to see what other owners of the 6 speaker system have done to improve their audio systems.
When you say "DSP Kit" what components do you actually have?
-
- Member
- Posts: 201
- Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 12:58 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
I have a 'Top Hifi" 10 speaker DSP loom in the loft if you are after one. I bought it as a combined satnav/audio loom and carefully stripped out the satnav wiring part when I did a satnav retrofit. It has all plugs, grommits etc. Couple of cut wires I think, where there was some wiring crossover with sat nav part of loom, but I know I made a note of what was what and went where.
E85 3.0i SE Sterling Grey, 2004
E89 20i SDrive M Sport - Mineral Grey - Sold
E89 20i SDrive M Sport - Mineral Grey - Sold
-
- Member
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2022 5:36 pm
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
Apologies for such a slow reply, been manic at work recently! I am still undecided on this and whether to go ahead with installing it all, I would definitely need outside help, it's beyond my abilities, though I saw another forum post this weekend of someone who was happy to help with this sort of thing, which is what makes this forum such a wonderful place! I'll PM you though just to see how much you'd want for it .Mojito wrote: ↑Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:21 am I have a 'Top Hifi" 10 speaker DSP loom in the loft if you are after one. I bought it as a combined satnav/audio loom and carefully stripped out the satnav wiring part when I did a satnav retrofit. It has all plugs, grommits etc. Couple of cut wires I think, where there was some wiring crossover with sat nav part of loom, but I know I made a note of what was what and went where.
Oh and I finally managed to test the mystery wire this weekend. It fitted perfectly into a mid range speaker, however no sound came out of it at all, so perhaps as mentioned above, as it is an early car, the loom for the hifi loom is partially there, albeit at least in the car doors? Though there is nothing in the boot loom wise that is visible.
-
- Member
- Posts: 943
- Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2019 12:12 am
Audio upgrade, mystery door wiring?
The door midrange speakers for the non 6 speakers set up are fed separately straight from the amplifier, that's why your not hearing any sound. Be careful with matching ohms as it'll play havoc with the Headunit due to resistance or so I was told by an electrical engineer a while back.Rossi1001 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 19, 2023 12:43 amApologies for such a slow reply, been manic at work recently! I am still undecided on this and whether to go ahead with installing it all, I would definitely need outside help, it's beyond my abilities, though I saw another forum post this weekend of someone who was happy to help with this sort of thing, which is what makes this forum such a wonderful place! I'll PM you though just to see how much you'd want for it .Mojito wrote: ↑Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:21 am I have a 'Top Hifi" 10 speaker DSP loom in the loft if you are after one. I bought it as a combined satnav/audio loom and carefully stripped out the satnav wiring part when I did a satnav retrofit. It has all plugs, grommits etc. Couple of cut wires I think, where there was some wiring crossover with sat nav part of loom, but I know I made a note of what was what and went where.
Oh and I finally managed to test the mystery wire this weekend. It fitted perfectly into a mid range speaker, however no sound came out of it at all, so perhaps as mentioned above, as it is an early car, the loom for the hifi loom is partially there, albeit at least in the car doors? Though there is nothing in the boot loom wise that is visible.
Ive done a couple DSP retrofits and happy to help as I have a dsp amplifier and a loom from my 2007 Z4M Roadster that I parted outt last year
2008 Z4MR Ruby Black, Sepang Hell, Carbon Weave
2006 Z4 3.0si Montego Blue, Imola/Black individual
NCS/ISTA diagnostics & coding in Midlands - pm me
2006 Z4 3.0si Montego Blue, Imola/Black individual
NCS/ISTA diagnostics & coding in Midlands - pm me