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      11-13-2021, 10:10 PM   #1
instalher
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upgraded amp

hey guys i bought a 2018 230ixdrive vert. The stereo has no tweeters but 4 door speakers a center channel and the underseat 6.5 inch drivers... I dont think there is an amp in the trunk left side... I found on ebay an oem harman kardon amp and the oem tweeter housings with tweeters.. My question is will this amp be a plug and play with my car, will it not work at all, or will it work but need coding? Also would it make any improvement by adding this amp? Iam not sure if it has better power, a built in dsp, a better center channel output ect.. The model number on the amp is 2 622 892 AI :01/ hs b257

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      11-14-2021, 11:19 AM   #2
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Where are you located? I think all F22s sold in the US have an amp. Check the left side of the trunk behind the vertical panel. It should be plug and play. However, it may need coding as the car came with a specific configuration including the amp.
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      12-06-2021, 05:25 AM   #3
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Just like MarcoZandrini mentioned, all U.S. spec vehicles should come with the HiFi installed...which means a small amp in the left side of the trunk (just behind the lights-ish). Option number is 676 if you're looking for it in the spec sheets.

When I upgraded my speakers and needed to add tweeters, I ordered the harman-kardon tweeters (51337269361 and 51337269362). I kept the covers and dumped the included tweeters.

I'm sure there are much more experienced audiophiles in this forum, but if you're thinking of upgrading the stock hi-fi amp, I would go with something a bit more capable than the HK amp, depending on your budget.
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      12-08-2021, 12:54 PM   #4
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The first step in upgrading the audio system is to determine what exact audio configuration is in the car. It sounds like your car may have the amp integrated into the head unit. That means adding an amp will require extensive wiring changes. Why? The head unit is sending out spreaker level signals to the speakers. Adding an amp would require extending those four wires to the left side of the trunk where a new amp would be mounted. The new amp will need to accept speaker level signals OR you would nedd to install 4 line level converter (LOCs) which convert speaker level signals to line level signals. I recommend the first solution. There are a number of high quality amps that accept speaker level signals.
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      12-08-2021, 01:07 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini View Post
The first step in upgrading the audio system is to determine what exact audio configuration is in the car.
To make things VERY simple for OP, unless he's got door sails clearly marked Harman Kardon which only takes a visual inspection to verify... upgrading the amplification in the vehicle is most likely not worth the headache or the expense. Upgrade the speakers and source material to lossless files and call it a day.
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      12-09-2021, 05:34 PM   #6
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car has the amp in the trunk, i will replace with a jbl ms-8. added the oem tweeter sail housings, ran wires into the door to the trunk, Made a whole new centre channel with a sealed enclosure, and a fountex fr-88 driver and oem bmw tweeter. I will grab the front door speakers, for input into the ms-8, from the oem amp. I will use the ms-8 to power all the speakers up front and just fade the back speakers to my liking.
Now since i need the signal from the oem amp it has to stay in the car plugged in... all i want it to due is run the two 4 inch speakers in the car and give me left and right output since the ms-8 is now running the speakers, and needs a left and right flat input. what will happen to my door chime and phone speaker sound once i disconnect the front speakers from the oem amp??
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      12-11-2021, 12:57 PM   #7
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Why keep the OEM amp in the signal chain? You have a flat analog signal from the headunit, but the output of the amp is highly processed. The only reason to keep the amp at all is to keep it on the CAN bus so dealer software updates don't fail, but if you are replacing the amp then it doesn't matter (only audio-related updates will fail).

The headunit outputs a 7 volt max signal regardless of whether you started with the base, HIFI, or h/k audio. It the same headunit in all three, only difference is coding.
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      12-11-2021, 01:09 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin @ Integral Audio View Post
Why keep the OEM amp in the signal chain? You have a flat analog signal from the headunit, but the output of the amp is highly processed. The only reason to keep the amp at all is to keep it on the CAN bus so dealer software updates don't fail, but if you are replacing the amp then it doesn't matter (only audio-related updates will fail).

The headunit outputs a 7 volt max signal regardless of whether you started with the base, HIFI, or h/k audio. It the same headunit in all three, only difference is coding.
That's not accurate about the CAN bus only mattering for audio-related updates. I had a sensor of some sort fail, nothing to do with audio, and replacing it required CAN bus.
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      12-11-2021, 01:52 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
That's not accurate about the CAN bus only mattering for audio-related updates. I had a sensor of some sort fail, nothing to do with audio, and replacing it required CAN bus.
Interesting, thanks for sharing. We've gone 8 rounds with this, we've got multiple instances confirmed of non-audio related updates succeeding with the amp not on the CAN bus, you're the first confirmed failure we've heard of. Do you recall what sensor it was?
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      12-11-2021, 07:10 PM   #10
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Thanks for the input Kevin.. I will remove the amp completly... can you let me know what color the front speaker wires are from the deck AT the amp so i can run them into the ms-8. i see that i can run them directly in high level with no issues. I no longer have access to wiring schematics.
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      12-11-2021, 07:40 PM   #11
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from what i can find on Hey Google,, the input wires At the amp that i need to put into the inputs of the ms-8 are:
yellow/red = front left +
brown/orange = front left -
blue/red = right front +
brown/orange = right front -
So that should be all the ms=8 needs for input signal. Now for out put i can use a tone generator to locate the wires... Now are the underseat 8s wired with the door 4 inch speakers at the amp? Or is there sperate wires at the amp plug for each speaker?
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      12-12-2021, 10:20 AM   #12
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Even though wire colors can vary depending on vehicle/year/options/etc, I very seriously doubt those colors are accurate. Regardless, colors can vary but the pins virtually never do. See attached for a sample of 6 different BMW and MINI models and years.

Front Left + is pin 38, negative is pin 30. Front Right + is pin 9, negative is pin 17. Even though the colors vary, the +/- will always be a twisted pair, usually but not always (see chart) they will be the same color base with positive having a red stripe and the negative a brown stripe. Colors will repeat in a harness but not at the same wire gauge. Bottom line: always check the pin number.
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      12-12-2021, 10:52 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin @ Integral Audio View Post
Interesting, thanks for sharing. We've gone 8 rounds with this, we've got multiple instances confirmed of non-audio related updates succeeding with the amp not on the CAN bus, you're the first confirmed failure we've heard of. Do you recall what sensor it was?
I'll check with the dealer. I since got some help from TechnicPNP he made me a piggy back harness so I've got the upgraded one and OEM installed at the same time. OEM just pinned into CAN bus and power, then attached to upgraded one with some spacers and velcro.
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      12-13-2021, 10:45 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BEM-S4 View Post
I'll check with the dealer. I since got some help from TechnicPNP he made me a piggy back harness so I've got the upgraded one and OEM installed at the same time. OEM just pinned into CAN bus and power, then attached to upgraded one with some spacers and velcro.
Early on we redesigned our signal harness the same way - +12V, ground, turn on, and CAN High & Low on a long pigtail. Plug it in when needed and remove otherwise. Turns out no one has ever needed it, at least not to date.
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      12-14-2021, 11:11 PM   #15
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is technic pnp still around i ordered the harness for my car, hifi 676, about a week and a hald ago and i have tried to email him but i get no response now. i just want a tracking number.
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      12-15-2021, 09:03 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by instalher View Post
is technic pnp still around i ordered the harness for my car, hifi 676, about a week and a hald ago and i have tried to email him but i get no response now. i just want a tracking number.
Yup, placed on order on December 4th for the F22 ASD bypass harness and received an email on the 12th saying that my order was complete. There was no tracking number provided though- so I can comment once my order arrives.

If anyone else here can confirm/deny if they received a tracking number with free shipping, please enlighten us!
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      12-16-2021, 11:07 PM   #17
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-37 out today.... due i work on the car or not..

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      12-16-2021, 11:10 PM   #18
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i think i will use the front rcas from the 7 ch hifi technic 676 harness into the ms-8, from what i have read they are a flat signal but they are 7 volts max and the ms-8 only will accept 2.4volts... will this be ok for the ms-8 on the rca input, or should i run the two rear channels from the bmw into the line level inputs of the ms-8? I wont be using the rear speakers in my car.

Last edited by instalher; 12-16-2021 at 11:22 PM..
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