Where is 2003 e85 z4 audio amplify location?

Pupa.aqua · Post by **Pupa.aqua** » Sun Dec 17, 2023 6:35 am

Hi,

I bought a 2003 e85 3.0i z4. It contains only six speakers with business CD. The sound seems to be not good enough. I want to upgrade aftermarket amplifier and speaker by myself. However, I cannot find amplifier location. Does anyone know where it is?
Thank you.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Dec 17, 2023 9:21 am

The oem amp is next to the battery.

Note that with the 6 speaker system you don’t have an amp.

Zedebee · Post by **Zedebee** » Sun Dec 17, 2023 10:49 am

The head unit is the amp in a 6 speaker set up. It is possible to add speakers into the door blanks, which should be prewired in a 2003 and the speakers are the same as the ones behind the headrest. Upgrading to the standard 10 speaker “hi-fi” is possible but requires finding a power amp for the boot and bass speakers for behind the seats. I am not sure if the wiring loom is pre installed though, but they do come up for sale from time to time. Upgrading to the “top hi-fi” DSP system seems to be virtually impossible.

There are plenty of threads on here dealing with aftermarket upgrades if you don’t want to stick with OEM.

pvr · Post by **pvr** » Sun Dec 17, 2023 11:03 am

Yes, I did not make that clear they you don’t have an additional amp on the 6 speaker system and only the head unit itself.

Pupa.aqua · Post by **Pupa.aqua** » Mon Dec 18, 2023 5:29 pm

That means the power by business CD to speaker without amp is low. That’s why audio quality is bad

. If I locate oem amp near business CD. Could I jump business CD audio output as oem amp input and output from amp to original 6 speaker?

Zedebee · Post by **Zedebee** » Mon Dec 18, 2023 8:35 pm

I don’t see why not, although you will need to find a power supply for the amp. It isn’t going to work with the DSP amp, so make sure you get the non-DSP hi-fi amp and the (behind the seats) sub-woofers too.

Pupa.aqua · Post by **Pupa.aqua** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 10:53 am

I found the mux figure as below. The speaker connection seems only for 4 i.e. FR/FL/RR/RL.
1. Which one is the front 6” speaker pin connection?
2.If I want to add door 4” speaker, which pin I can connect? Is parallel circuit ok?

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Zedebee · Post by **Zedebee** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 11:44 am

In parallel with the tweeter. In an early car, the wiring should already be in place.

Pupa.aqua · Post by **Pupa.aqua** » Sun Dec 24, 2023 10:12 am

Got it.
Which pin is rca signal out? If I want to connect to amplify. It’s need. I cannot find any pin seems to be like.
Thank you.

Zedebee · Post by **Zedebee** » Sun Dec 24, 2023 3:28 pm

I’m not an expert on car hifi, but I had a look at the pin assignments for the 10-speaker hi-fi amp. There are 20 outputs (2 each for 10 speakers) but only 8 inputs from the radio (the 8 speaker outputs that you have identified). There is no separate RCA connection.

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Pupa.aqua · Post by **Pupa.aqua** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 9:49 am

Hi,

This version is more clear. Since my system is 6 speaker version. Where is the link of this figure? I want to find 6 speaker pin out figure.
Many thanks.

Zedebee · Post by **Zedebee** » Mon Dec 25, 2023 12:04 pm

Here is the pin out for the Radio. Pin out is the same for 6-speaker, 10-speaker and DSP.

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