Amp upgrade suggestions for 676 stereo

B

Braveatom

Member
 London
Hey, I’m keen on upgrading the amp with my 676 stereo with 9 speaker set up (11 if you include the door tweeters)

So far, it appears it’s either the Audiotec Fischer Match8 (the Match7 now discontinued) or Musway M6V3 are the only drop in replacements, is this the only options? I think the Musway would need a connector plate too. Not cheap though.

Annoyingly I haven’t seen one second hand either here or on eBay / Facebook, which I’d be happy with, like hens teeth.

I’m not against wiring in a different model so open to suggestions, but ease is preferred.

So, what have you done, and what would you recommend? I’ve upgraded the door / footwell/ shoulder speakers so this is the next logical step to better audio.

Thanks!
 
Match 7 is still available...
https://www.cen.uk/match-up-7bmw-plug-and-play-7-channel-amplifier-8-channel-dsp-bmw-hi-fi-systems?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5-uuBhDzARIsAAa21T_Mnlx2PhluIrKgZf9LPKs9qQohIGJAMagWsj9ps-FoJgjiu_508PMaAtaFEALw_wcB
 
I used the Match 7 with good results but added a separate Alpine amp for the sub woofers..

I’m surprised there’s a Match 7 in stock as it’s been obsoleted for a while.

A Match 8 is a better proposition if you don’t want to have under powered subs without an additional amp.

The Musway has been used by some folks again with good results..but I would say the Match is a bit better.

In most cases some frigging of the wiring is required as the E89 uniquely has woofers as well as subs..

Need better subs as well….the 676 ones are not that wonderful…

All IMHO..

See..

https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=116918
 
Thanks for all your input.

I'd been watching a few of these amps on eBay, and been offered the Match7 for £575, and the Musway for £515, both new - given the lack of other options I may go for one of these. Bit more than I wanted to spend but also the cheapest they've been for some time.
 
Due to some good fortune - paid for a job I’d written off months ago, and eBay’s recent 20% off - I picked up the Match8 BMW. Massive improvement, even just out of the box. However, the footwell woofers aren’t working, which seems to be fairly standard, as you say.

What are the options here? I’d like to drive them all off the same amp, being 8 channels it makes sense. As far as I can tell, the supplied loom doesn’t have the right wires in place though?

I’m learning about the DSP software so maybe there’s a setting there to an activate the channel, but it’s not obvious, yet.

Are the only options to either jury rig the extra wires in (no idea how) or ditch the centre channel and run the woofers through that? Or is there a better way?

There isn’t a specific z4 setting file on the Audiotec Fischer website either, which may not be helping.

Thanks!
 
The harness is for 3/5/7/x series so doesn’t know about the woofers..

You have to break out the two woofers cables that are wired together ..originally they are both driven as one summer channel..which imho is daft..that are patched and end near the amp wiring and then cut the harness in some way or another ..

Yiu can use VCP to re assign channels to suit..

So yiu have to decide as you have 9 possible speaker sets to drive but only 8 channels…

Personally I’d drive the two subs off one channel and use the other 7 channels to drive the other 7 speaker sets,,assuming you’ve actually bought the match 8
 
Thanks again - fortunately I didn't completely redo all the boot trim, so is easy to get it back out again! It's definitely the Match UP8 BMW.

Will investigate further, and see what I can do.
 
The new version of the DSP pc s/w does a good job..if it helps I can send my match 10 version for the e89 which although it’s a little different with 10 channels will give you an idea of how to set it up..

Have you got a decent Mike yo set up the time /phase alignment and parametric equalisation?

Pm me your email address and then you can load it in your DSP v5 s/w to get a start..that is if you need any help..
 
B21 said:
The new version of the DSP pc s/w does a good job..if it helps I can send my match 10 version for the e89 which although it’s a little different with 10 channels will give you an idea of how to set it up..

Have you got a decent Mike yo set up the time /phase alignment and parametric equalisation?

Pm me your email address and then you can load it in your DSP v5 s/w to get a start..that is if you need any help..
Click to expand...

Thanks that would be great - PM'ing you now, any help appreciated. A mic is very much on the cards, just wanting to get the base install set up first, before getting int the perfect set up. Slightly annoyed the woofers have put a spanner in the works.
 
Yup the woofers don't figure in most suppliers plans..IMHO a decent woofer makes a big big impact!
 
It’d be a shame to loose them, that’s for sure. I’ve upgraded the speakers and from looking around they add punch to the sound - from my experience even with the stock amp that’s the case.

I’ve taken the match loom off, and been comparing the standard Match 8DSP amp outputs to the Match 8BMW, alongside the main connector to the BMW hardness and think there are a few options to this- long story short, one of the channels on the BMW match variant is unused. I’m sure you know this, but slowly understanding the problem.

I’m gonna spend a bit of time with it tomorrow to conjure up a few solutions and will not doubt hit you up again for some sage advice.

At this stage, I’m guessing the standard 8DSP with a Technics harness would likely have been a better solution, at slightly more cost, but think there’s mileage here.
 
Not sure what an open Technics harness achieves ..the standard match 8 new harness with minor changes imho is your best option..

As you are learning it’s never easy on E89s..they look like E90s but not just quite close enough..
 
The techics suggestion was just because its reasonably plug and play - it'd use all the channels on the amp, and could be wired up relatively easily. Just exploring options.

Right now, I've hit a roadblock. I thought swapping on the Match loom amp side, to use the unused channel would be the fix - but I'v done that, and no dice, but that could be my bodge not connecting.

However, Im starting to think what I need to do is adjust the wiring where it goes to the BMW loom. I've looked at the BMW connector and the match connector, and can see missing pins.

So to clarify, which pins need swapping around?

Thanks again - im happy to hack around, but my knowledge of electronics and BMW specifics is pretty basic. I haven't wired a stereo into a car for 20 years- much simpler back then!

IMG_7001.jpegIMG_7012.jpegIMG_7013.jpeg
 
I used the Match 7 BMW version..the connector lined up with the exception of the woofers where I cut the sub woofer cables on the adapter harness ..spliced the woofers in there and then drove the subs from an additional amp back to the other part of the spliced wires..relatively simple..no pin changes were required..

I don’t know about the Match 8 loom..

You need the Match 8 wiring loom pin out and newTiS wiring diagrams to figure it out..
 
ah, ok, yeah, I think this is gonna be a different route. I have access to newTIS. According to Audiotec Fischer the looms are the same, but I think I need to step back and think about this. Once again, thanks for the help...
 
The match 7 adapter has a different part number to the match 8..

You need to sit in a darkened room and slowly work it out..

As an aside I had incipient heart failure today as I was fitting the match 10 to my 677 system..

There were two floating cables which need to go the rear centre speaker..both labelled with a +ve label..going into a completely different slot on the molex…sorted it out no will try n power up after lunch..

As an aside AF sound set up for E89 doesn’t include subs..go figure..
 
Ha, yeah, plug and play this isn't! I realised the Match 7/8 looms were different yesterday evening - initially I must have seen on a dealer site they were offered as the same, but the AF site makes it clear - the wire colours and number of connector blocks are different, for starters.

I've done some research, and it looks like there are 2 missing pins on the Match loom on the BMW side that don't exist, which feed into the woofers. Im not sure if all that needs to happen is to wire these in - either using the spare output from the amp, or making one of the sub connectors feed into this. I have ordered pins / parts from eBay to see if it works. I'm not even sure the spare channel is actually useable on the BMW variant, but it is on the standard Match8DSP.

In the third photo above its the 2 pins on the bottom left which power the woofers - which I <think> are 41 & 42, according to newTIS.

How this is then resolved in the DSP software will be a different story.

I guess I'll find out this weekend if it is this is simply rewiring, or the amp blows up... I'll keep the post updated once theres progress one way or another. Good luck with yours!
 
Mines came alive after a firmware update to the remote Director box..just need to install a new CIC unit as the original is dying..

Yet to run a system test which I can’t do till I put the new CIC unit in tomorrow
 

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Wow, that’s quite the upgrade. Did you manage t get it sorted? - that does look like a lot of work though! Are you putting in a new iDrive unit, or an MMI with a screen?

I’ve decided to replace an older MMI box to the Mr12Volt one, for better audio quality - it came today, so another job on the list… it’s funny how this happens. Originally Looking for cheap / reasonable / easy amp options and now in the dirt with wiring looms and other upgrades to on top… it’d hurt if it wasn’t actually quite fun!
 
Braveatom said:
Wow, that’s quite the upgrade. Did you manage t get it sorted? - that does look like a lot of work though! Are you putting in a new iDrive unit, or an MMI with a screen?

I’ve decided to replace an older MMI box to the Mr12Volt one, for better audio quality - it came today, so another job on the list… it’s funny how this happens. Originally Looking for cheap / reasonable / easy amp options and now in the dirt with wiring looms and other upgrades to on top… it’d hurt if it wasn’t actually quite fun!
Click to expand...

The old idrive is in place..the DSP/amp has a remote head that allows you to change the sound stage ..in my case different stages for roof up /roof down/roof down windows down..

I have a Mr12 Volt MMI box sitting on the MOST bus..

My main issue is the CIC unit is dying and causing great difficulties setting it up…I have a new CIC unit but it’s not been programmed for my car and I’m having K/D CAN data bus issues which prevents it from being remotely programmed…may have to send it off to have it bench programmed,,heh ho..
 
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