BMW DSP Sound System

The_Monk · 1st March 2008, 18:46

Anyone know if its compatible with our cars? The wiring shouldn't be difficult as the pinouts are available on the net, it would be a case of finding the right connectors. Im just wondering about the ibus signal from the car. According to a few of the forums BMW owners have had to have the car coded to tell the car satnav is installed, does anyone know if this coding can be achieved on our cars? I've had my car done for the trip computer and the high line receives data from the car via the kbus about speed etc...

I could install the HK amp but I quite like the look of the BMW system, and has the bonus of seemless integration with headunit controls.

Any ideas?

The_Monk · 3rd March 2008, 07:41

No one know

Might have a go as soon as I've sourced all the connectors!

Kearton · 4th March 2008, 22:31

I'd be interested to hear how you get on.
I had assumed that the DSP unit was a filter rather than an amplifier. I have the HK amp. already, so would only consider the DSP if it is not an alternative to it.

Kearton

The_Monk · 5th March 2008, 12:31

I will do! Someone on bimmerboards suggests it will be possible but I would need to find an amp already coded for navigation, and to find one in a 5 or 7 series car as the amp is tuned to the car!

Kufatec emailed to tell me they do not have the connectors I am waiting to hear from them as to when they will be back. I have the part numbers for BMW though, so I will be definately be giving it ago.

pedro444 · 17th March 2008, 21:47

Before I retrofitted the HK setup I did spend a bit of time looking into this. From memory I think you needed to run more wires through the car as the DSP setup drove each speaker independently - i.e. a separate pair of wires for each bass, mid and tweeter.

I did get as far as buying a couple of mids for the front doors on eBay for £5 that came, I think, from a Land Rover. When you look at the front door mounts there's a space to accommodate additional speakers it just never got used by Rover.

The running of extra wires into the doors put me off but don't quote me 100% on that - indeed if that's wrong I might try giving DSP a go!

I'd think it would be fairly easy just to connect to the ibus - it works perfectly well for the BMW bluetooth for example. Then you would just need to run a new power feed as I guess it draws a bit more power than the HK amp which I believe is only a 180w amp.

Land Rover fitted it to the Range Rover as an option up until about 2004 and that might be a good source for a 'non-BMW' application, I think I'll try looking at the circuit diagrams and see how they did it!

Best of luck with it,
Pete

The_Monk · 18th March 2008, 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedro444

Before I retrofitted the HK setup I did spend a bit of time looking into this. From memory I think you needed to run more wires through the car as the DSP setup drove each speaker independently - i.e. a separate pair of wires for each bass, mid and tweeter.

I did get as far as buying a couple of mids for the front doors on eBay for £5 that came, I think, from a Land Rover. When you look at the front door mounts there's a space to accommodate additional speakers it just never got used by Rover.

The running of extra wires into the doors put me off but don't quote me 100% on that - indeed if that's wrong I might try giving DSP a go!

I'd think it would be fairly easy just to connect to the ibus - it works perfectly well for the BMW bluetooth for example. Then you would just need to run a new power feed as I guess it draws a bit more power than the HK amp which I believe is only a 180w amp.

Land Rover fitted it to the Range Rover as an option up until about 2004 and that might be a good source for a 'non-BMW' application, I think I'll try looking at the circuit diagrams and see how they did it!

Best of luck with it,
Pete

I've not investigated the speakers yet, I got so far with the connectors and decided my car needed some sound proofing to try and get rid of the road noise, so I've got a load on order just waiting to be delivered. Ideally if new wires need to be run then that would be the best time to do them, especially if a new power feed is needed. I got the BMW wiring diagrams off ebay but there was nothing in them about the DSP option which was a shame. DO you have the wiring diagrams? The parts all come up on ebay quite often but because of the coding I need to find one that has already been coded before putting it in my car.

Do you know what brand speakers were in the cars with DSP by any chance?

pedro444 · 18th March 2008, 22:01

As far as I know the brand of speakers used were normally Harman Kardon, though to be honest people don't generally have great things to say about the HK speakers. The mids I got off eBay were HK but I haven't got as far as seeing if they even work yet!

I had a look at the RAVE for Range Rover and it's got a few wiring diagrams that included DSP. As I suspected it does require independent wires running for each speaker so there's a fair bit of wiring that would be needed. I'll PM you a link to where you can find some of the LR diagrams.

Would be a really good project to do and looking at BMW forums it looks as though DSP retrofits have been done...

The_Monk · 19th March 2008, 11:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedro444

As far as I know the brand of speakers used were normally Harman Kardon, though to be honest people don't generally have great things to say about the HK speakers. The mids I got off eBay were HK but I haven't got as far as seeing if they even work yet!

I had a look at the RAVE for Range Rover and it's got a few wiring diagrams that included DSP. As I suspected it does require independent wires running for each speaker so there's a fair bit of wiring that would be needed. I'll PM you a link to where you can find some of the LR diagrams.

Would be a really good project to do and looking at BMW forums it looks as though DSP retrofits have been done...

The wiring should just be more time consuming than hard which is putting me off slightly as it wont be something I will be able to do and use the car normally. Means I'm going to lose my stereo for a week or so, as i'll be doing it in bits. The part that puts me off the most is taking the door cards off!! Looks easy enough but knowing my luck it wont go back on!

Thanks the link!

1st March 2008, 18:46	#1
The_Monk I really should get out more....... - Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 2,586 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	BMW DSP Sound System Anyone know if its compatible with our cars? The wiring shouldn't be difficult as the pinouts are available on the net, it would be a case of finding the right connectors. Im just wondering about the ibus signal from the car. According to a few of the forums BMW owners have had to have the car coded to tell the car satnav is installed, does anyone know if this coding can be achieved on our cars? I've had my car done for the trip computer and the high line receives data from the car via the kbus about speed etc... I could install the HK amp but I quite like the look of the BMW system, and has the bonus of seemless integration with headunit controls. Any ideas?

3rd March 2008, 07:41	#2
The_Monk I really should get out more....... - Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 2,586 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	No one know Might have a go as soon as I've sourced all the connectors!

4th March 2008, 22:31	#3
Kearton Gets stuck in MG ZT-T CDTi Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sunny Suffolk Posts: 620 Thanks: 1 Thanked 16 Times in 13 Posts	I'd be interested to hear how you get on. I had assumed that the DSP unit was a filter rather than an amplifier. I have the HK amp. already, so would only consider the DSP if it is not an alternative to it. Kearton

5th March 2008, 12:31	#4
The_Monk I really should get out more....... - Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 2,586 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	I will do! Someone on bimmerboards suggests it will be possible but I would need to find an amp already coded for navigation, and to find one in a 5 or 7 series car as the amp is tuned to the car! Kufatec emailed to tell me they do not have the connectors I am waiting to hear from them as to when they will be back. I have the part numbers for BMW though, so I will be definately be giving it ago.

17th March 2008, 21:47	#5
pedro444 Avid contributor Ex 75 CDT Connoisseur Se Ex ZT-T 180 Sports Auto SE Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 116 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Before I retrofitted the HK setup I did spend a bit of time looking into this. From memory I think you needed to run more wires through the car as the DSP setup drove each speaker independently - i.e. a separate pair of wires for each bass, mid and tweeter. I did get as far as buying a couple of mids for the front doors on eBay for £5 that came, I think, from a Land Rover. When you look at the front door mounts there's a space to accommodate additional speakers it just never got used by Rover. The running of extra wires into the doors put me off but don't quote me 100% on that - indeed if that's wrong I might try giving DSP a go! I'd think it would be fairly easy just to connect to the ibus - it works perfectly well for the BMW bluetooth for example. Then you would just need to run a new power feed as I guess it draws a bit more power than the HK amp which I believe is only a 180w amp. Land Rover fitted it to the Range Rover as an option up until about 2004 and that might be a good source for a 'non-BMW' application, I think I'll try looking at the circuit diagrams and see how they did it! Best of luck with it, Pete

18th March 2008, 22:01	#7
pedro444 Avid contributor Ex 75 CDT Connoisseur Se Ex ZT-T 180 Sports Auto SE Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Warwickshire Posts: 116 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	As far as I know the brand of speakers used were normally Harman Kardon, though to be honest people don't generally have great things to say about the HK speakers. The mids I got off eBay were HK but I haven't got as far as seeing if they even work yet! I had a look at the RAVE for Range Rover and it's got a few wiring diagrams that included DSP. As I suspected it does require independent wires running for each speaker so there's a fair bit of wiring that would be needed. I'll PM you a link to where you can find some of the LR diagrams. Would be a really good project to do and looking at BMW forums it looks as though DSP retrofits have been done...