Downgrade DSP amp to regular amp

[NextGen]

I have searched the forums and I don't see a straight forward answer to downgrading the DSP amp to a regular amp. I have a 2004 4.4i. Here is what I know so far.

1. The DSP wire harness from the radio only has front speaker going to the amp while the regular amp requires front and back.
2. The DSP amp has 3 plugs where the regular one has 2.
3. I lose the sub-woofers when downgrading.

My questions:
1. Are the plugs the same type (Plug n Play)?
2. Do the amps put out the same power?
3. Where can I get one at a resonable price? RealOem to high, Junkyard maybe?
4. Any other details you would like to share.

[Brian-bmw]

Answers:

1) The amps are not plug and play. However, you could buy the standard amp plugs from a BMW dealer or junk yard and simply splice them in. You would have to run the rear speaker wires from the radio to the amp.

2) The standard amp is less than 1/2 the power of the DSP amp. The DSP amp puts out 330W total, and the standard amp is 150W.

3) eBay or a salvage yard is probably the best place to get a standard amp.

4) It is probably easier to install an aftermarket amp instead of retrofitting the non-DSP amp from DSP.

Now my question, why would you want to move from a DSP to standard amp?

[NextGen]

Now my question, why would you want to move from a DSP to standard amp?

It is a temporary step until I can upgrade to aftermarket amps and speakers.

I have an AVIC-Z1. I want to add aftermarket amps and upgrade all the speakers. I will replace the factory subwoofers as well. But I can't do all of this right now (too much money!) . So I was looking for a way to add the Z1 now and then the rest later. I figured if I could downgrade to the non-DSP amp then I can connect the Z1 to it. I have not found a way to connect to the DSP amp. The DSP amp won't turn on unless the MID commands it to. Plus everything is digital with DSP, volume, fader, etc, are all built into the amp and can only be adjusted by the MID.

Maybe I can find an inexpensive amp to hold me over until I can get some really good quality amp and speaker components.

[el_duderino]

Maybe if you factor in the cost of your time the aftermarket amps will get cheaper...

[Brian-bmw]

Originally Posted by NextGen

It is a temporary step until I can upgrade to aftermarket amps and speakers.

OK, that makes sense. In that case, I would just go straight to an inexpensive, "normal" aftermarket amp. You would not really be able to re-use the wire splicing you would need to downgrade to a standard BMW amp, so you would have to re-do a lot of that when you finally got your real amps. So, if you wired for a standard amp now, you could reapply a lot of the work for the mega amps.

[NextGen]

Thanks Brian-bmw. Since downgrading the amp is not plug n play I am removing that option from the list. I think I will just "find" the money and get the full upgrade done.