Stereo upgrade advice please.

[john-e89]

Little embarrassing but I've 'found' a brand new 800watt 4-3-2 channel Kenwood amp that I'd totally forgotten I had....

Sooooooo, my plan is to use the amp to run two mids and tweets up front, probably Focal ES KX2 K2 2ways, and either bridge the amp to run a pair of underseat subs or ones with their own built in amps, doesn't matter really.

So what do I need as far as a harness goes to plug into the headunit for remote turn on and signal...? I may throw a digital processor in there too to clean up the signal, but either way I need a harness, anyone know...?

Appreciate any input.

[Silverstar]

Has your car got the factory amp? or is it the base system? I don't think a custom harness exists for the E89 although if I am wrong I am sure someone will correct me, so you will probably have to make your own. Also depends if the amp has high level inputs, if not you could use line output converter. Maybe my old thread might help:

viewtopic.php?t=126024

[john-e89]

Has your car got the factory amp? or is it the base system? I don't think a custom harness exists for the E89 although if I am wrong I am sure someone will correct me, so you will probably have to make your own. Also depends if the amp has high level inputs, if not you could use line output converter. Maybe my old thread might help:

viewtopic.php?t=126024

I'm not too fussed about the fancy screen thingy Silver, I really just want to connect a digital processor to the head unit. Car has the 11 speaker system so will have an amp. Also I want to run my own speaker wires from the amp to the mids and tweets. So I guess apart from the head unit connection it's a standalone system.

[B21]

Not sure what it will achieve John, with an existing OE onboard amp / dsp all the levels and rolls off will be wrong and not easily adjustable..

I'd drive the footwell woofers and rear subs, preferably with speaker upgrades..I'd just upgrade the mid range and tweeters with some good OE alternatives from Audison or Eton or...

Just my two penny worth..because you are way off piste you will have to cut n shut your harness..IMHO

[john-e89]

I'm not explaining it very well....

OE head unit to a DSP,
DSP to the new Kenwood amp,
Remote turn on from the DSP to the Kenwood amp,
New speaker wires from the Kenwood to the front mids and tweets, no floor woofers, just mids and tweets,
Kenwood amp bridged to an underseat sub, or, just use it to signal a sub with its own built in amp.
Bypassing the cars OE amp leaving it redundant and unplugged.

[enuff_zed]

Will you still be able to hear that exhaust note once you've got Jim Reeves blasting out John?

[Silverstar]

I'm not explaining it very well....

OE head unit to a DSP,
DSP to the new Kenwood amp,
Remote turn on from the DSP to the Kenwood amp,
New speaker wires from the Kenwood to the front mids and tweets, no floor woofers, just mids and tweets,
Kenwood amp bridged to an underseat sub, or, just use it to signal a sub with its own built in amp.
Bypassing the cars OE amp leaving it redundant and unplugged.

As B21 says you would have to modify the existing wiring and make your own harness up, what I have got in my write up you can do without the 'fancy screen' by just tapping into the speaker wires that come from behind the head unit but that only applies to the base system where the head unit has a small built in amp.

It's more complicated in your case since you have a factory amp. What you are trying to do can be done but you need to check the signals coming to the factory amp and modify the wiring from there to your new amp. There is YouTube channel called 5 Star Car Stereo where they frequently do this sort thing, i.e. bypassing the factory amp to fit a new aftermarket amp. Well worth watching that channel, they are very helpful.

[john-e89]

I'm not explaining it very well....

OE head unit to a DSP,
DSP to the new Kenwood amp,
Remote turn on from the DSP to the Kenwood amp,
New speaker wires from the Kenwood to the front mids and tweets, no floor woofers, just mids and tweets,
Kenwood amp bridged to an underseat sub, or, just use it to signal a sub with its own built in amp.
Bypassing the cars OE amp leaving it redundant and unplugged.

As B21 says you would have to modify the existing wiring and make your own harness up, what I have got in my write up you can do without the 'fancy screen' by just tapping into the speaker wires that come from behind the head unit but that only applies to the base system where the head unit has a small built in amp.

It's more complicated in your case since you have a factory amp. What you are trying to do can be done but you need to check the signals coming to the factory amp and modify the wiring from there to your new amp. There is YouTube channel called 5 Star Car Stereo where they frequently do this sort thing, i.e. bypassing the factory amp to fit a new aftermarket amp.

So why can't I bypass the cars amp at the head unit...? As you say make a loom up just using speaker signals and the remote turn on.

[Silverstar]

So why can't I bypass the cars amp at the head unit...? As you say make a loom up just using speaker signals and the remote turn on.

Because the speaker signals you need in your case are coming from the factory amp and not the head unit.

[john-e89]

So why can't I bypass the cars amp at the head unit...? As you say make a loom up just using speaker signals and the remote turn on.

Because the speaker signals you need in your case are coming from the factory amp and not the head unit.

Ahhhhh ok, I didn't realise that, makes sense now. Thanks for that.

I used to build my own systems but that was a time when you had to avoid T Rex's and the like stomping around....

Never done one for years and it's all kinda passed me by.

[john-e89]

Will you still be able to hear that exhaust note once you've got Jim Reeves blasting out John?

Jim Reeves....? Cheeky chuff....!

He was bone and dust when I was born I'll have you know....

[Silverstar]

I used to build my own systems but that was a time when you had to avoid T Rex's and the like stomping around....

Never done one for years and it's all kinda passed me by.

I know what you mean When I upgraded mine in the Z4 a couple of years ago it was the first time since around 1995 that I built a car audio system. There were no DSP thingies back then, life was a lot simpler with my 8 band graphic equaliser.

[B21]

The kenwood lovely as it is is old tech..

Modern DSP with integrated amps would blow the socks of the Kenwood..

Far better to just buy a decent DSP/amp unit..

Appreciate that doesn't help you utilse the kenwood..

Best used for a subwoofer only on a 7 channel DSP/amp driving uprated subwoofers..as part of an integrated system..IMHO..

Those modern DSP/amps have custom harnesses for BMW.. although in some cases even they need a cut n shut to get round the unique wiring of E89 bs 1/3/5/7 series..

[john-e89]

The kenwood lovely as it is is old tech..

Modern DSP with integrated amps would blow the socks of the Kenwood..

Far better to just buy a decent DSP/amp unit..

Appreciate that doesn't help you utilse the kenwood..

Best used for a subwoofer only on a 7 channel DSP/amp driving uprated subwoofers..as part of an integrated system..IMHO..

Those modern DSP/amps have custom harnesses for BMW.. although in some cases even they need a cut n shut to get round the unique wiring of E89 bs 1/3/5/7 series..

Fair point...maybe best to sell it to a 17yr old with a Saxo and 40inch sub strapped to his headrest....

[B21]

The kenwood lovely as it is is old tech..

Modern DSP with integrated amps would blow the socks of the Kenwood..

Far better to just buy a decent DSP/amp unit..

Appreciate that doesn't help you utilse the kenwood..

Best used for a subwoofer only on a 7 channel DSP/amp driving uprated subwoofers..as part of an integrated system..IMHO..

Those modern DSP/amps have custom harnesses for BMW.. although in some cases even they need a cut n shut to get round the unique wiring of E89 bs 1/3/5/7 series..

Fair point...maybe best to sell it to a 17yr old with a Saxo and 40inch sub strapped to his headrest....

That would be a ‘good’ home..