HELP - Installing Subwoofer on Business Radio System

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Exactmax

Active member
Hello,

After owning my Z4 for only two days I already miss the subwoofer from my old car. Currently the Z4 has a Business Radio System installed (so no speakers behind the seats near the bottom).

What is the best way around installing the subs in the enclosures behind the seat? Will it need an amp etc? If any one can point me in the right direction that would be amazing.....

Look forward to hearing from you all :)
 
just to follow up on that thread - I would have been doing EXACTLY that, if I hadn't found I had carver in my car (wasn't listed as installed!).

The subs he used are very good, and installing them where he did is a great location imo. very good acustics!
 
Good thread, thanks for that. I have no problem fabricating the speaker enclosure but I am newbie when it comes to doing the wiring etc... Can anyone recommend a tutorial for that or a place where they have got theirs done (London based).

Thanks
 
I am wanting to see if its possible to remove the radio and install a rca line output from the headunit to my active sub in the boot? Can anyone tell me if this is possible and where I can buy the adaptor/wiring loom for the mod? Many thanks
 
nope.. no RCA pre-outs on the back of the tereo.
you need to take some high-level outputs to an amp instead.
bascially, run two sets of speaker wire, one set from each of the rear-most speakers you have (one left, one right) and feed these to your amps high-level input.
if you don't have a high level in, then you need a different amp, or a different headunit.

afriad I cant recommend anyone london based, but any decent audio shop will know what i'm on about and should be able to help :)
 
Thanks for your help 'SK93'. In my old car I had to run a 'power on' cable from the headunit to the subwoofer so that when you turned the radio on it turned the subwoofer on. By connecting the high-level outputs to the subwoofer, does this mean that the subwoofer is always on and can drain the battery?

Thanks in advance ;)
 
Exactmax said:
Thanks for your help 'SK93'. In my old car I had to run a 'power on' cable from the headunit to the subwoofer so that when you turned the radio on it turned the subwoofer on. By connecting the high-level outputs to the subwoofer, does this mean that the subwoofer is always on and can drain the battery?

Thanks in advance ;)
Click to expand...

You will still need a remote to turn on the amp. If you don't mind spending some money I would recommend the JL Audio Cleensweep. Worked a treat in my old BMW, even provides a remote for the amps. There are other ways of course. :D
 
Currently I have the Fusion EN-AT1100 active subwoofer which was taken out of my old Mini. I want to use this again and I am really not sure how to go about it!

I have had a look at the JL Audio Cleensweep and it looks quite complicated to setup, are there any tutorials about installing a active subwoofer into the Z4 (I've had a google and cant find anything relevant). Is there not an wiring harness/adaptor that can plug into the back of the radio and convert to RCA for the low-level inputs on the subwoofer?

Thannks
 
you don't need the Cleansweep... you don't even need RCAs.
That active subwoofer you have already has high-level inputs built in as standard.

all you need to buy is:
1x 4m of standard speaker cable
1x 4m cable (for remote amp switch)
1x 1.5m earth cable
1x 1.5m power cable
1x 15amp inline fuse block
3x quicksnap wire splices


start with the 4m speaker cable... run this cable through from the boot, down either side of the car, behind the dash and up to the back of the stereo unit.

looking at this pinout connect the positive speaker wire (the one with the black line) to pin #3.. connect the negative speaker wire to pin #14.
this will give you a bridged output.

connect the other end of the speaker wire (the bit in the boot) to the high level inputs on your amp.

run the other 4m wire along a seperate route than the speaker wire, to the back of the stereo (if the speaker went the left side, run this the right side).

again, looking at the back of the stereo, connect it to pin 16.

at the other end of this wire, connect it to the remote terminal on the amp.

cut 25cm off the end of the power cable, then connect one end of the longer part into the fuse block, then the other end into the amps positive terminal.

next, connect the short part of the power cable to the spare end of the fuse block, and then the free end to the positive terminal of your battery.

now, connect the earth cable to the negative terminal of the amp, then the free end to any clean, unpainted part of the car - it's advisable not to connect it directly to the battery.



and that should be that.

remember, disconnect the battery and keep disconnected until everythings wired up completely!
 
IMPORTANT:

my post is just advice.. i've NOT done this in the zed myself, and cannot confirm that the pinout is correct!
If you know how to use an ammeter, you should easily be able to verify which pins you need (looking for a positive rear left, a negative rear right and a positive 12v supply that is only active when the stereo is on).

Also, I don't have your amp, or it's tech specs and again am only going off what I read on the net, so double check what fuse you need before buying.

finally.. i reckon 4m is too much wire, but better to have more than not enough :)
 
Thanks for the infomation SK93, but I think it still over my head slightly. Are there any other ways around the problem? When I had my old Mini Cooper S I bought a plug and play solution that plugged into the back of the radio and created an RCA output (you can view it here http://www.newministuff.com/new/shop.php?action=productshow&id=632)

Now I know that the BMW Z4 radio is different from the mini but can this be used for the Z4? or does anyone know of a similar plug and play solution?

Thanks
 
I don't think there is a direct plugin solution.
there are quite a few "generic" solutions, but there really is no point in downgrading to low level signal.
The chances are you're either going to get some sort of electronic noise from the step down and then step up.. and probably some signal loss too... unless you're willing to spend a good deal of money.

It's a shame you're down in London, otherwise I'd pop round and sort you out in about an hour :(
it really is easier to do than it sounds!
 
Yeh it is a shame that I'm not local to you. I might have to just go to a stero shop and talk to them and see how much they will charge to do it for me. I have just read that the standard radio system has an amp at the back of the Z4 boot behind some material lining - is this true and if so then can I use that to run the subwoofer and power-on lead?

Thanks
 
no.. the amp is in the carver system.. not thee other stereo versions.

if you've got cubby holes behind the seats you dont have carver.
if you dont then you alreay have carver subs...

i dont think you could use that amp.. and if you DO have it, then you've got a problem if you want to change subs.

have a look in your boot. if youve not got an //m, then look under the front floor carpet in the boot. the amp is stuffed next to the battery.
 
I went and had a look at my car and I've got the empty cubby holes behind the seats and no amp in the boot next to the battery! It would be really helpful if someone has done a tutorial of this mod with some pictures? Anyone fancy doing one?

Thanks
 
All you need to wire the Fusion EN-AT1100 upto your headunit is a standard amp wiring kit including a phono lead and a high to low level adapter...

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/celsus-lc2-adjustable-converter.html

Wire the adapter upto the back of the headunit using these to patch into the rear speaker outputs.....

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_216731_langId_-1_categoryId_165626

and you'll have your low level output to connect the phono lead to. Then run the phono lead to the boot.

Power and earth is in the boot already so there easy and if we're talking about a roadster then pull up the rear boot carpet and there is a purple/white stripe wire that can be used as a remote wire for the amp.
 
yeah.. you could do what unleash says... but I still maintain you dont need to buy the converter - your amp has a highlevel input :)

didn't know about the purple/white stripe in the boot - that's good to know :)
 
Thanks for that - how do I know where the rear speaker output cables are? and how the other cables attach to the back of the radio? From the image of the Celsus the end of the cables look like they need soldering?

Thanks
 
set your stereo to left read speaker only, then connect an ammeter to the back of the stereo and check for signal ;)
then do the same for rear right
or... look for a pinout for the stereo.

(hint: there might be one already posted on this thread)
 
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