[fancyfl1ght]

Folks,

Here is the Focal FDP 6.900 amplifier. 6 channels at 150 RMS. Designed by Steve Mantz, famous for the ZED amplifiers, and a host of other celebrated amplifiers too long to name in this post.

Let me tell you folks, this is a real amplifer! Quiet as a mouse if you want it to be, but, loud as holy !@#$! What dynamic range! Mid-bass is there if you want it. This is with the stock bmw 8" underseat subs!

Needless to say, in my frustrations with another amplifier brand, I have learned you can never have too much power.

What an amplifer! You get a Steve Mantz amplifier, without the shoddy support, built in China to exacting manufacturing standards, enforced by a French speaker company commited to customer service. What a world we live in today!

You simply cannot lose. I am very happy after struggling over 2 months with another brand of amplifier (you know which one).

Amazed at the Focal FDP 6.900!

[fancyfl1ght]

Here it is installed.

[fancyfl1ght]

I dropped the center speaker. Huge improvement in sound. Seems stupid to have insisted on preserving the center speaker.

Better to use the power elsewhere, like with the underseat subs. Rockford Fosgate T3s??? Hmm tempting, but the stock subs are doing fine.

Maybe Santa will be generous this year?

[overcoil]

I don't know much about this stuff. Are you using stock speakers ? And what did you do with factory amp ?

[fancyfl1ght]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

I don't know much about this stuff. Are you using stock speakers ? And what did you do with factory amp ?

No. I replace the stock 4" speakers front and rear with Hertz Energy ECX 100.5 coaxials. I have to thank Monsieur Viffermike for the recommendation. These will work great with the stock amp too, but they sing with more power!

I left the factory amp in place. It's still there, but disconnected. When I take the car in for service, if they plan on an ECU update, I'll need the stock amp plugged in. Thankfully its only every 10K miles.

[Maynard]

I'm curious about the choice of placement - does it not fit under the stock area, or are you wanting the extra air flow for cooling?

[fancyfl1ght]

Originally Posted by Maynard

I'm curious about the choice of placement - does it not fit under the stock area, or are you wanting the extra air flow for cooling?

Plus there is better cooling behind the seat. There are other options that will fit in the stock locations, but I have not tried them:

Audiotech Fischer Match PP 82DSP/Bimmertech Amp (You will need a proper tune file for the digital signal processor or do it yourself with a microphone in the drivers seat)

JL Audio XD600/6v2 (tried the 8 channel version, but needless to say disappointed with the results/quality control may be a problem - returned 2 of them for static noise problems) - No DSP tuning required.

My Focal FDP 6.900 has taught me a few things regarding a good amplifer. Sizing an amplifer to fit in a stock location may be a plan for disappointment.

The laws of physics bend for no one and if you want great sound you need a lot of power. A lot of clean power. And it might be attractive to think it can come in a package small enough to fit the stock location. But like I said, physics is physics. There will be compromises for a smaller form factor.

Don't let the location of the amp deter you from finding the right amplifer. There are many mounting locations to choose from.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by fancyfl1ght

Plus there is better cooling behind the seat. There are other options that will fit in the stock locations, but I have not tried them:

Audiotech Fischer Match PP 82DSP/Bimmertech Amp (You will need a proper tune file for the digital signal processor or do it yourself with a microphone in the drivers seat)

JL Audio XD600/6v2 (tried the 8 channel version, but needless to say disappointed with the results/quality control may be a problem - returned 2 of them for static noise problems) - No DSP tuning required.

My Focal FDP 6.900 has taught me a few things regarding a good amplifer. Sizing an amplifer to fit in a stock location may be a plan for disappointment.

The laws of physics bend for no one and if you want great sound you need a lot of power. A lot of clean power. And it might be attractive to think it can come in a package small enough to fit the stock location. But like I said, physics is physics. There will be compromises for a smaller form factor.

Don't let the location of the amp deter you from finding the right amplifer. There are many mounting locations to choose from.

Actually, needing a lot of power is a myth. What one needs is a lot of headroom, of which power is a function. There's a difference.

Those Energy coaxials are rated at 40w RMS and 120w peak. Yes, that's correct: they can handle three times the RMS power in short bursts (typical is two times RMS power). That's a sign of a well engineered speaker suitable for wide sonic application, and part of the reason I installed them in my car.

I mention the speakers because that's part of the headroom equation. Generally, if you know what you're doing, you should run an amplifier that can produce two times what the speaker can handle. That means the Hertzs can, if desired (and with control), be paired with an amp that can pump out 240 WPC. This Focal likely approaches that, but the important thing is that it's rated at 140WPC RMS, meaning it'll stay clean well above the speakers' peak rating. That's the definition of headroom.

Now you might say, "But that will blow my speakers!" Yes, it can -- but since these speakers are relatively efficient (92 dB), the volume necessary to approach that point will be so loud that you won't get there -- and there's not a lot of danger of under-driving the speakers with such a powerful amp. (Meanwhile, you've got enough power to properly drive the subs, which ideally require much more WPC than the other drivers to achieve the same clean volume.)

So, bravo!, fancyfl1ght Man, I wish you were local so I can hear that thing!

[fancyfl1ght]

Originally Posted by Viffermike

Actually, needing a lot of power is a myth. What one needs is a lot of headroom, of which power is a function. There's a difference.

Those Energy coaxials are rated at 40w RMS and 120w peak. Yes, that's correct: they can handle three times the RMS power in short bursts (typical is two times RMS power). That's a sign of a well engineered speaker suitable for wide sonic application, and part of the reason I installed them in my car.

I mention the speakers because that's part of the headroom equation. Generally, if you know what you're doing, you should run an amplifier that can produce two times what the speaker can handle. That means the Hertzs can, if desired (and with control), be paired with an amp that can pump out 240 WPC. This Focal likely approaches that, but the important thing is that it's rated at 140WPC RMS, meaning it'll stay clean well above the speakers' peak rating. That's the definition of headroom.

Now you might say, "But that will blow my speakers!" Yes, it can -- but since these speakers are relatively efficient (92 dB), the volume necessary to approach that point will be so loud that you won't get there -- and there's not a lot of danger of under-driving the speakers with such a powerful amp. (Meanwhile, you've got enough power to properly drive the subs, which ideally require much more WPC than the other drivers to achieve the same clean volume.)

So, bravo!, fancyfl1ght Man, I wish you were local so I can hear that thing!

I was very anxious of getting the Focal amplifier because of its high RMS rating across 6 channels, given the 120 watt peak for the Hertz and the unknown variable of the BMW stock subs.

But I bit the bullet and tried it out. Now I am a Steve Mantz convert. I can only hope one day I will be able to hear a working ZED Leviathan III amplifier.

http://zedaudiocorp.com/index.php/pr...athan-iii.html

Too bad ZED amplifiers are sometimes a hit or a miss and less than stellar in terms of support.

This was one of the fundemental reasons I decided on the Focal over the ZED. I am not even sure if Steve still makes the amplifiers anymore as he's made a small fortune designing amplifiers for other companies.

This amp was money well spent. And now I can move on with some other projects on my car.

[zipphreak]

Just curious how is the amp held to the back seat? Screws?

[fancyfl1ght]

Originally Posted by zipphreak

Just curious how is the amp held to the back seat? Screws?

Focal provides a hidden mounting bar with 4 screws shaped as a very wide flat "U". Kinda like this |______________________________________|

You will need to drill a pilot hole for the screws to fit as the back of the BMW seat is made of metal. Where the amp actually mounts to the bar are 2 torx screws on the left and right sides of the U. All mounting hardware for the amp is invisible once the amp is mounted on the U, with the exception of the torx screws.

No worries about a ground loop here as the Focal mounting system isolates the mounting screws first with a rubber washer and amp itself is mounted 1/16th of an inch above the back of the amplifer so that it is almost floating above the mount. No chance for the mounting screws to touch any metal on the amp. Really well thought out.

[zipphreak]

Top notch.. looks clean!

[ChrisFulton]

Nice. Did you do the install?

[fancyfl1ght]

Originally Posted by ChrisFulton

Nice. Did you do the install?

I physically did the install, but I need the thank the following forum members for blazing the trail, they are really all stars and in no particular order:

Semeralto for carefully collecting information about the mods on his HK system. It's an encyclopedia of car audio information.

Viffermike for his sage like understanding of car audio specifications and what they mean in real life. And of course the Hertz Energy speaker recommendations.

Solarphil with his sneaky find on the left rear speaker and discovering that it is out of phase.

Technics and his car harness, without which this install would be impossible.

Technics and his ASD removal harness, which eliminates the poser engine noise in the audio system.

Technics for setting the magic crossover formula at 200 Hz for both the low pass and high pass filter.

Akuan99 for his detailed installation steps.

These are truly all stars for which I am eternally grateful. I am a complete amateur, merely refining their pioneering efforts.

[ChrisFulton]

Originally Posted by fancyfl1ght

I physically did the install, but I need the thank the following forum members for blazing the trail, they are really all stars and in no particular order:

Semeralto for carefully collecting information about the mods on his HK system. It's an encyclopedia of car audio information.

Viffermike for his sage like understanding of car audio specifications and what they mean in real life. And of course the Hertz Energy speaker recommendations.

Solarphil with his sneaky find on the left rear speaker and discovering that it is out of phase.

Technics and his car harness, without which this install would be impossible.

Technics and his ASD removal harness, which eliminates the poser engine noise in the audio system.

Technics for setting the magic crossover formula at 200 Hz for both the low pass and high pass filter.

Akuan99 for his detailed installation steps.

These are truly all stars for which I am eternally grateful. I am a complete amateur, merely refining their pioneering efforts.

A lot of excellent info there. Thanks for the reply and compiling that list of credits. I have some reading to do. Cheers.

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by fancyfl1ght

I need the thank the following forum members for blazing the trail, they are really all stars and in no particular order:

Viffermike for his sage like understanding of car audio specifications and what they mean in real life. And of course the Hertz Energy speaker recommendations.

I aim to please. And inform.

[fancyfl1ght]

Originally Posted by fancyfl1ght

Folks,

Here is the Focal FDP 6.900 amplifier. 6 channels at 150 RMS. Designed by Steve Mantz, famous for the ZED amplifiers, and a host of other celebrated amplifiers too long to name in this post.

Let me tell you folks, this is a real amplifer! Quiet as a mouse if you want it to be, but, loud as holy !@#$! What dynamic range! Mid-bass is there if you want it. This is with the stock bmw 8" underseat subs!

Needless to say, in my frustrations with another amplifier brand, I have learned you can never have too much power.

What an amplifer! You get a Steve Mantz amplifier, without the shoddy support, built in China to exacting manufacturing standards, enforced by a French speaker company commited to customer service. What a world we live in today!

You simply cannot lose. I am very happy after struggling over 2 months with another brand of amplifier (you know which one).

Amazed at the Focal FDP 6.900!

This amplifier still amazing! After 3 years of playing music at max volume! OMG! No speaker blow outs. OEM subs keep going even though I wanted them to blow up!

Never kept a BMW this long. almost 4 years! I give due credit to Steve Mantz