[sd22]

I'm looking for a cheap upgrade for the hifi amp. Both of my door speakers don't work, and my mechanic thinks it's most likely the amp. Would the Kenwood Excelon XR600-6DSP 6-channel amp work with the hifi system?

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/xr600-6dsp/

[Aspen235]

Crutchfield says no, I suspect because it says nothing about accepting balanced inputs.

[jv92red]

"cheapest" Route A)Get a technic harness to bypass your factory amp. Get a JL audio CL-RLC to convert the Balanced Differential Input outputs from the harness (factory RCA signal is Balanced Differential) into standard non Balanced Differential RCA signals.
https://www.jlaudio.com/collections/...xpansion-98117
Plug that and the harness into the cheapest working 6 channel amp you can find. Unplug your center channel. You're done. $70 for the harness, $85 for the CL-RLC, then whatever the price is for the 6 channel you can find on the used market. This can be any standard AMP that accepts RCA (again this doesn't need to accommodate Balanced Differential Input becuase we converted it with the CL-RLC) so get whatever brand you want maybe ~$400-$600 altogether? Just guessing.

"not as cheap" Route B) Get a technic harness to bypass your factory amp. Get a used XD600 6 channel JL Audio Amp that accepts Balanced Differential Inputs. Plug it into all your speakers. Unplug your center channel.
https://www.jlaudio.com/products/xd6...plifiers-98605
Done.
Try and find a used XD600 they go for around $400-$500 or so.
This should run you a total of around ~$600-$800 used altogether.

If you rather go new then I suggest spending just a little bit more and go route C:
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-EtFCt6...SABEgKMXPD_BwE

This MATCH UP 7BMW unit has 7 channels of amplification and integrated DSP functions so you can do all sorts of fun things like crossover settings, time alignment and parametric EQ type stuff. If those things are foreign language to you then you can get someone to tune it for you or you can run a simple baseline "canned" tune to get you on your way. If you're a DIY guy like me you dive in deep and learn ALL about how to tune with a DSP. If not, pay someone as it will take a time investment on your end to understand the basics. This unit is plug and play so it doesn't require you to get the harness I mentioned in route A or B above. Also, this unit allows you to properly set up your center channel since it has a 7th channel dedicated for the center channel (or sub). The factory center channel processing or lack thereof is hideous in these cars. If you're going route A or B, just to reiterate: disconnect your center channel. You won't have 7 channels anyways and no processing for it even if it was a 7 channel amp.

[sd22]

Originally Posted by jv92red

"cheapest" Route A)Get a technic harness to bypass your factory amp. Get a JL audio CL-RLC to convert the Balanced Differential Input outputs from the harness (factory RCA signal is Balanced Differential) into standard non Balanced Differential RCA signals.
https://www.jlaudio.com/collections/...xpansion-98117
Plug that and the harness into the cheapest working 6 channel amp you can find. Unplug your center channel. You're done. $70 for the harness, $85 for the CL-RLC, then whatever the price is for the 6 channel you can find on the used market. This can be any standard AMP that accepts RCA (again this doesn't need to accommodate Balanced Differential Input becuase we converted it with the CL-RLC) so get whatever brand you want maybe ~$400-$600 altogether? Just guessing.

"not as cheap" Route B) Get a technic harness to bypass your factory amp. Get a used XD600 6 channel JL Audio Amp that accepts Balanced Differential Inputs. Plug it into all your speakers. Unplug your center channel.
https://www.jlaudio.com/products/xd6...plifiers-98605
Done.
Try and find a used XD600 they go for around $400-$500 or so.
This should run you a total of around ~$600-$800 used altogether.

If you rather go new then I suggest spending just a little bit more and go route C:
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-EtFCt6...SABEgKMXPD_BwE

This MATCH UP 7BMW unit has 7 channels of amplification and integrated DSP functions so you can do all sorts of fun things like crossover settings, time alignment and parametric EQ type stuff. If those things are foreign language to you then you can get someone to tune it for you or you can run a simple baseline "canned" tune to get you on your way. If you're a DIY guy like me you dive in deep and learn ALL about how to tune with a DSP. If not, pay someone as it will take a time investment on your end to understand the basics. This unit is plug and play so it doesn't require you to get the harness I mentioned in route A or B above. Also, this unit allows you to properly set up your center channel since it has a 7th channel dedicated for the center channel (or sub). The factory center channel processing or lack thereof is hideous in these cars. If you're going route A or B, just to reiterate: disconnect your center channel. You won't have 7 channels anyways and no processing for it even if it was a 7 channel amp.

I hadn’t seen this until now but I appreciate the detailed response. I’m leaning towards the Match Up 7BMW after looking into the options since the JL is $800 and Match Up is $880 new and both seem hard to find used.

[MarcoZandrini]

I have the AT MATCH BMW 7UP amp and I love it! It has the digital inout via USB. I have a FiiO digital audio player with a digital output. This by-passes the head unit's crappy digital to analog converter. Much better sound.

[instalher]

where can i grab a remote turn on for the match other than the techniq harness as i get a nasty turn off pop when car turn off, something that shuts off with the on off switch in the dash and not turn off a minute after i open and close the drivers door

[Phil @ Integral Audio]

Originally Posted by instalher

where can i grab a remote turn on for the match other than the techniq harness as i get a nasty turn off pop when car turn off, something that shuts off with the on off switch in the dash and not turn off a minute after i open and close the drivers door

I believe the techniq harness uses the same proper turn on signal that our harness uses which is the OEM RAD_ON signal which is what the vehicle uses to turn on everything in the audio signal chain.

If you're getting a pop at turn on you probably have a separate issue. Probably related to turn on timing of your other gear.

[Phil @ Integral Audio]

Originally Posted by sd22

I'm looking for a cheap upgrade for the hifi amp. Both of my door speakers don't work, and my mechanic thinks it's most likely the amp. Would the Kenwood Excelon XR600-6DSP 6-channel amp work with the hifi system?

https://www.kenwood.com/usa/car/excelon/xr600-6dsp/

Are you looking for cheap or are you looking for upgrade? I think, unfortunately, those are 2 dramatically different paths on your decision making tree and unfortunately going 'cheap' will ultimately end up being more expensive than you think it's going to be. What you choose now will start you down a path and to continue on that path with 'upgrade' in mind will almost certainly end up costing you more than estimate at the outset.

Sure, you can replace the amp with something that will work, that will give you sound again, at various different price points and maybe one that will work for you. You will still more than likely be left with questions of how / where to mount it, and whether or not you need a harness to make it work, and how that amplifier will then tie into your overall system with its respective channels and the audio signal chains in your vehicle.

The Match 7 could be a good option if you only want to upgrade or replace your amplifier but I'd like to humbly submit that if you're asking simple questions about what amp will work / drop in and if it would be an upgrade then you're probably not going to get a ton of value out of an amp that has integrated DSP and crossover features, and there is actually a surprisingly good chance you'll end up creating more variables you need to design and control and fiddle with that will ultimately frustrate you and most likely result in a final sound quality that is disappointing and not on par with your total spend.

Also, if you replace your amp it sounds like you still don't have functional door speakers? It will be difficult to enjoy a new amp with non functional door speakers (or even know if its working well for that matter). So there is another problem - and expense - that needs to be reckoned with at some point either now or later and then you're faced again with the cheap vs upgrade dilemma.

Real upgrades aren't cheap. And cheap will often end up being dramatically more expensive than you think it will be. The value here isn't really in the individual components, the value is in the engineering and the system design that goes into a proper car stereo and once you dive in it can quickly turn into a serious can of worms.

[greatness]

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

I have the AT MATCH BMW 7UP amp and I love it! It has the digital inout via USB. I have a FiiO digital audio player with a digital output. This by-passes the head unit's crappy digital to analog converter. Much better sound.

I got the Match BMW 7UP installed today and my ears have opened up to a whole new world...

[instalher]

Originally Posted by Phil @ Integral Audio

I believe the techniq harness uses the same proper turn on signal that our harness uses which is the OEM RAD_ON signal which is what the vehicle uses to turn on everything in the audio signal chain.

If you're getting a pop at turn on you probably have a separate issue. Probably related to turn on timing of your other gear.

the ms-8 is the only item i added to the car, no amps.. also its a turn off pop, i checked and after i hit the start stop button 2x, open and close the driver door, then after 1 min, the remote wire off the technique harness drops, ms-8 turns off and POP!! If i can turn the ms-8 off with the start stop button being pushed 2xs this will solve my issue. It has to shut off befor the car shuts down... I will use the pac-audio tr7 option 6 with a delay of 5 sec. upon removal of 12volts on the blue wire of the tr7.

[MarcoZandrini]

Originally Posted by instalher

where can i grab a remote turn on for the match other than the techniq harness as i get a nasty turn off pop when car turn off, something that shuts off with the on off switch in the dash and not turn off a minute after i open and close the drivers door

The MATCH amp - Audiotech-Fischer MATCH 7UP - is completely plug and play. It fits F22s/F23s with either hifi or HK systems.