Rear Speakers

A

AndyS

Member
 Gloucestershire
Sorry if this has been asked before but searched and couldn't find anything!
Has anyone here replaced the speakers behind the seats on a Business CD system?
I don't want to go to the extent of fitting subs in the cubbys with amps etc but the standard rears just sound a bit 'weak'.
If anyone has changed them, what with and was there much improvement?
Also, I enquired at my local car hi-fi shop about Dension Gateway 100's.
I was told they would have to do the fitting as they wouldn't know which unit to supply until they took the head unit out as BMW changed the wiring loom.
I'd looked at the Dension site before hand and was sure there was only one model specified for the Z4 so thought I could fit it myself.
Can anyone confirm whether there are two different units for an '04 business cd or were they talking rubbish!
Thanks in advance,
Andy
 
There was a change in the Business CD - the later playing MP3 encoded CDs. However a few members have fitter the newer CD player (black instead of grey - covered in the FAQ I think) and they are interchangeable, so anything about wiring changes is nonsense. The only thing that will make a difference to fitting is if you have a DSP amp, but they you would just need an additional box IIRC.

I have the GW300 - the same as the GW100 but with a USB port. Bought online - don't forget the cable (dock) from the GW100 to the iPod... I did :oops:

Fitting is very simple -
Disconnect the battery
Remove the centre air vents (fiddly but not complicated)
Remove 2 screws and take out the Business CD
Disconnect the cable "box" at the back of the headunit
Plug the Dension connector into the cable "box"
Plug the original BMW connector into the Dension connector
Reconnect the battery and test it's working
Feed the Dension cable into the glove box (there is a hole through from the headunit void)
Replace headunit
Replace the air vents
Fix the Dension kit in the glovebox.
Configure the text display on the head unit - IIRC the instruction we're in the box, but available online.
Basque in the glory of your own technical wizardry!

Personally, I think it's a great piece of kit!

One of the guys had a slight operation issue but that was solved by downloading a firmware update.

Have a look at this earlier thread for some more info - there is another link on that page which has some more details - and some pics of how it locates in the glovebox:
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=15930

Speakers... not sure on that mate, someone else will need to help you with that one.
 
on the standard sound kit there's no rear speakers or subs - my mums 2003 is basic and has cubby holes, mine has the subs in the cubby's so I am not quite sure what you mean by 'rear' speakers?

Mine is the non carver kit and they are defintely subs in the cubbys not speakers - god ive confused the hell out of myself now! :roll: :lol:
 
Rear speakers above the subs

m_z4install05_1.jpg
 
Thanks for the replies so far.
The guy in the shop was trying to tell me the head unit had a round connector or a square connector and he wouldn't be able to tell until he removed it. I knew there was an update to the head unit to allow the playing of MP3s - unfortunately mine doesn't.
I don't believe I have a DSP amp so in theory, just the basic kit will do the job.
Never mind, his loss as I'll now buy a Gateway 100 from somewhere else.

As to the speakers, above the cubby holes there are two round grilles - one either side.
Mine definitely has speakers fitted behind these round grills and it's those I want to replace.
I also have speaker grilles in the door cards but nothing fitted behind those.
 
Wondermike, :thumbsup: - was about to dig out the camera!

AndyS, pretty sure you don't have DSP if you have the cubby holes. I suspect there would be little benefit from changing those little speakers as they are 2 of 6 and you need to balance the system, even if it's not great. Anyone that has upgraded has done a big job of it - amps in the boot etc. IMO the the standard setup isn't that bad and you'd need to go some way to see a demonstrable improvement in a convertible, which has a reasonable amount of background noise even with the roof up!

I'd leave it... use the money saved for a new hat and petrol... put the roof down and give it some beans :driving:
 
Thanks for the advice there.
Just the Dension for now and see how that sounds.
Just for the record, new hat bought already and top down at every opportunity..... much to the annoyance of the wife! :thumbsup:
 
Andy said:
Yep - zero point in upgrading, not least because they're incredibly hard to get at.
Click to expand...

You're not kidding, you have to remove virtually all if not all of the rear of the car to do it, just not worth the effort, pull the boxes out and fit some different speakers in the holes left behind.
 
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