Item location help required
 

I'm still trying to find out about the stock BMW setup before I start ripping into it and trying to add amps etc. My X5 is UK spec with 6 Speakers and Nav, but NO amp and I have not been able to find any previous reference to the information I'm after, so could REALLY do with some help.

- Where is the Radio tuner module?
Dash, rear corner by the DVD/CD rack?

- Where does the wiring for the speakers run?
As I have no amp, does it run through that rear corner so an amp can be easily installed as an option, or does it run direct from the head unit to the speakers? I hope it's the former.

I'm hoping someone can help me here.

Your radio module is next to the battery. Here's a post with a few pictures.
http://www.xoutpost.com/bsws-mobile-e...dule-swap.html

The speaker wiring runs directly to the radio. So, if you want to install an amp in the corner in the rack, you will need to run some bridge wiring between the amp location and the radio.

Ah, thanks for that. It's quite contradictory to the diagram that's listed elsewhere, but this makes more sense.

Any ideas about the speaker wires?

Sound like you want to do the same as me. Upgrading your fronts and amping them, plus adding a sub by any chance.?

Speaker wires run direct to the radio.

Basically the current setup I have is pretty rubbish. I'm not complaining as it IS just the OEM basic audio system and in many ways that's the best starting point.

I have been going over and over things in my head as to quite what I want to do. I have a VERY good set of Nakamichi kit, but the amps are a bit too big to go where I want. OTOH do I really want to buy a load of new kit and keep storing the Nakamichi stuff. Decisions decisions.

The X5 needs (deserves) some good amps and good speakers. With the 6 possible speaker locations up front, that would lend itself to a bi-amplified set of 4 plus a pair playing a centre channel (derived from L&R with an Audio Control ESP3, which I just happen to have). The rear doors could just have the mids, but I may end up putting tweeters in there just 'cos I have them. But I want them to be masked from the front occupants to avoid confusing the stereo image.

2 subs will be mounted in the rear luggage space - how, yet to be decided, but I have some ideas.

Amp location is an issue, also yet to be finalised.

Don't seem to have got very far do I:-)

In a way I quite like the idea of using an OEM DSP amp and feed all the outputs into some decent amps. That way you get control via the head unit display/Nav screen and good sound. But the active crossovers programmed into those DSP amps leave much to be desired (specifically a big chunk of the sub range). I have heard it said that this can be corrected with re-programming, but I've yet to have that confirmed. I am at a complete loss as to how or why BMW put so much effort into designing their flagship audio system and yet bizarrely leave a big hole in the sub output - not to mention its other shortcomings.

Ideally I want a Dolby ProLogic II decoder. How come BMW stick in a DSP amp, yet don't include a decent decoder that can actually make use of Surround encoded music. Unfortunately, I don't yet know of any decoder that could successfully be used though:-(

One thing I still need to ascertain is the actual size of the OEM mids in the doors. I have seen this specified as both 5.25 and also 6.5". The trouble is that there seems to be some variation in how speakers are measured. Cone size? Frame size? Or even the diameter of the plastic grill that fits on the outside. Anyone know the precise dimensions of these speakers?

I recommend that you read this thread on how to get a flat, line level signal. It discusses removing the DSP amp which you don't have, but I think this might give you some more ideas

http://www.xoutpost.com/bsws-mobile-e...dsp-audio.html

Saw that, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to avoid trying anything with a DSP amp.

Actually, that thread is about removing the DSP amp completely and making a line level pair of RCA's for your aftermarket amps (works the same way for those cars that are non-DSP like yours) You don't need to do anything with a DSP amp to get the line level signal.

You can create a line level signal to feed your amps using the line out of the tuner. There is a line level pair in the wire harness and there is an unstuffed pair that you can place pins in (and RCA's) to get a rear pair which works with the fader control. Contact El_Duderino for more info. www.avincar.com

I didn't mean to suggest I had ignored that other thread. Everything is useful to read (almost). Just trying to get at those last final snippets of vital info:-)

Perhaps the most difficult part is where to install the additional stuff.