Need help on Dynavin install + amp/sub questions

patrickkc · #1 12-30-2012, 07:04 PM

As some of you know, I ordered a Dynavin unit last week. I'm sitting at home with nothing to do and am thinking if I should try to attempt to install it. I tried to look for some DIYs, but there aren't much. Most of them are work around for DSP systems. Some questions I have for the ones that have installed.. Where did you guys mount the GPS antenna?

Also, I have attached a picture. I have no idea where to plug these 2 items into.

On to another questions, I'm also interested in putting a sub in the x5, but I don't have DSP/nor factory sub. I found JL audio Stealth box on Ebay but am told that I need a new amp to power the sub. The Ebay store recommended me JL AUDIO XD300, which was around $290. I asked for something a bit cheaper, but also sufficient to power the sub and this was the price/item they recommended.

JL AUDIO
SB-X5/10W1v2....................$479.95
JX250/1................................$109.95 (This amplifier is 250 watts which provide the power need for the 10W1v2 sub)
XD-ACS30...........................$44.95 (Complete power amp kit for installation on the JX250/1)
HI-LOW................................$19.95 (This is a hi to low converter for audio signal from your factory head unit to the JX250/1 mono amp)

USPS Priority Air Mail........$142.00

I really don't know anything about subs/sound systems for cars, so if any audio gurus can give me some feed back on these items, that would be perfect! I was thinking of the HI-LOW converter, I will be running the Dynavin unit, so it is different than the factory head unit? so do I still need buy that?

sorry for the long post! just having tons of questions that I couldn't really find answers for.

TerminatorX5 · #2 12-30-2012, 09:48 PM

The cable is definetely a FAKRA converter... I forgot what blue FAKRA stands for - they are usually color coded for the purpose and generally can not be inter-plugged, as they are keyed.. the white (or the black one?) is the only one that is not keyed..

the box? hard to tell... what are the connectors on the box?

patrickkc · #3 12-31-2012, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

The cable is definetely a FAKRA converter... I forgot what blue FAKRA stands for - they are usually color coded for the purpose and generally can not be inter-plugged, as they are keyed.. the white (or the black one?) is the only one that is not keyed..

the box? hard to tell... what are the connectors on the box?

Thanks Terminator! I kinda just left it aside tonight, maybe I'll try to look into it tomorrow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimtimes100

i installed a dynavin in my X.black box is an interface so you can still use the steering wheel mounted controls. it should go into a part of the plug and play harness. other cable(judging by the last post on here i could be wrong, i got rid of my dynavin a while ago) but isn't that just the radio antenna? compare it to the factory one.

also did a sub install myself. first off ANY JL audio product is expensive as F**K. as for the sound quality, i can't say i would know. I went to them when i wanted to do a sub install and decided the money for the power is ridiculous. went to walmart and got an amp for $60. 400watts. considering you haven't done this before im sure you'll be more than satisfied with starting with something small like i did. as for the amp kit, bit high in my opinion. Hi to low converter? uneccessary in my opinion. just adds another line to go through which means another possible thing to crap out. I bought an amp with high level inputs and just tapped into the factory amp in the drivers side of the trunk for the necessary inputs.

Here's a DIY that got me through it all.Might need to scroll down the first page a little bit to find the useful stuff. It has pics included(i love pics)http://www.xoutpost.com/electronics/...-included.html

Hope this helps.

thanks so much! I'll look into it tomorrow and try to figure it out. I was able to take out my midi, but haven't figured out how to remove the CD player yet. Also, does anybody know if dremeling is required? I know it says plug and play, but I'm not gonna even bother to attempt this if cutting is involved. (let a professional do the install, instead of DIY).

Also, about the sub, Yes I know it is very expensive. I was hoping to get everything done for under $300, but reading the other thread and seeing so much hands on work creating the box and stuff, I just want something that is easy to plug and play. I've never tried installing subs in my cars before. The only thing I can relate to is one of my Mercs has the Harmon Kardon 7-logic surround sound. I'm hoping that after adding the sub, it would have at least some bass like my Mercedes.

aimtimes100 · #4 12-30-2012, 10:36 PM

i installed a dynavin in my X.black box is an interface so you can still use the steering wheel mounted controls. it should go into a part of the plug and play harness. other cable(judging by the last post on here i could be wrong, i got rid of my dynavin a while ago) but isn't that just the radio antenna? compare it to the factory one.

also did a sub install myself. first off ANY JL audio product is expensive as F**K. as for the sound quality, i can't say i would know. I went to them when i wanted to do a sub install and decided the money for the power is ridiculous. went to walmart and got an amp for $60. 400watts. considering you haven't done this before im sure you'll be more than satisfied with starting with something small like i did. as for the amp kit, bit high in my opinion. Hi to low converter? uneccessary in my opinion. just adds another line to go through which means another possible thing to crap out. I bought an amp with high level inputs and just tapped into the factory amp in the drivers side of the trunk for the necessary inputs.

Here's a DIY that got me through it all.Might need to scroll down the first page a little bit to find the useful stuff. It has pics included(i love pics)http://www.xoutpost.com/electronics/...-included.html

Hope this helps.

aimtimes100 · #5 12-31-2012, 10:28 PM

for the CD player, there are two torx screws(bottom corners on each side if i remember right, i haven't had the stock radio in a while).dremeling? yes and no. I do know that when i installed mine the unit would sit in the dash, but the bottom of the unit hung over the leather part of the dash(poor wording I know) ended up leaving it that way because by the time I got the tools to adjust it i didn't care anymore.plus it makes it a lot easier to pull out when needed. As far as the cutting goes when you pull out the CD player and folding cover for it you;ll a plastic rectangle at the top that needs to be cut for the new unit to fit properly. Like i said I left it there, the unit fit and the final look didn't bother me much.

As for the DIY I used that for doing my first sub install(i was a nervous reck doing this) but once I figured it out the first thing i thought was "wow this isn't so bad at all" Have you ever done any work cutting/strippin/soldering wires before? it helps but we all gotta start some where

As for the stealth box it is very pricey but if i could go back and do it again I would buy the stealth box. I thought the loss of trunk space wouldn't bother me at first, only to learn that it ended up annoying the F**k out of me later

not the best pics but they correspond to what I mentioned earlier

patrickkc · #6 01-01-2013, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aimtimes100

for the CD player, there are two torx screws(bottom corners on each side if i remember right, i haven't had the stock radio in a while).dremeling? yes and no. I do know that when i installed mine the unit would sit in the dash, but the bottom of the unit hung over the leather part of the dash(poor wording I know) ended up leaving it that way because by the time I got the tools to adjust it i didn't care anymore.plus it makes it a lot easier to pull out when needed. As far as the cutting goes when you pull out the CD player and folding cover for it you;ll a plastic rectangle at the top that needs to be cut for the new unit to fit properly. Like i said I left it there, the unit fit and the final look didn't bother me much.

As for the DIY I used that for doing my first sub install(i was a nervous reck doing this) but once I figured it out the first thing i thought was "wow this isn't so bad at all" Have you ever done any work cutting/strippin/soldering wires before? it helps but we all gotta start some where

As for the stealth box it is very pricey but if i could go back and do it again I would buy the stealth box. I thought the loss of trunk space wouldn't bother me at first, only to learn that it ended up annoying the F**k out of me later

not the best pics but they correspond to what I mentioned earlier

Thanks a lot for the pics! I found the screws after. An annoying thing was, I dropped one of my allen key inside by accident while unscrewing the first screw and I had to run out to buy another one.

Another annoyance I had was, I had the AUX cable installed and pulled all the way to the center console, so when I tried to pull out my CD player, the aux cable was already max stretched and couldn't pull it out. Took forever for me to try to unhook the cables with the CD player still half inside.

I tried the test fit, and yes I have the same problem with the gap on top and the unit hanging out a bit. I will bring it to the garage and dremel out the top plastic to make it fit. I kinda gave up on the install because I really didn't know where all the wires went. I was about to plug in the fakra cable, but there were a few lone wires I had no idea where they belonged to. Same as that steering wheel control I had on the picture. Nothing seems to fit inside that module. I don't have a mini-usb nor any other cables that fit into that module.

patrickkc · #7 01-04-2013, 04:01 AM

regarding the steering wheel control module, one side is mini-usb and the other side is 8 pin. I was able to plug the 8pin into the fakra cable, but is the mini-usb suppose to plug into something?

TerminatorX5 · #8 01-04-2013, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickkc

regarding the steering wheel control module, one side is mini-usb and the other side is 8 pin. I was able to plug the 8pin into the fakra cable, but is the mini-usb suppose to plug into something?

could it be that the mini-usb one was used to program the box?

patrickkc · #9 01-05-2013, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

could it be that the mini-usb one was used to program the box?

You are probably right. The mini USB port is only used for programing.

Yeah, everything seems to be plug and play. Need to dremel out the top to make it sit flush. Will hopefully have everything done next week or so.

dvdlee · #10 01-04-2013, 12:55 PM

I installed mine a few months back it should a pretty simple plug and play...I also dremeled out the plastic to have a better flush look. I left the blutooth mic on the overhead light compartment. theres a factory slot. I am planning on relocating it though or make the mic more visable because i need to scream for people to hear me when i'm on blutooth.