2004 bmw 330i amps, speakers

I have a 2004 BMW 330I with Harmon Kardon that I would like to replace the stock amps and speakers. My questions are whether I will lose any of my factory functions or BMW accessories such as the bluetooth interface? I have also read that the factory system has crossovers built in to it and I am not sure if they are in the factory amp or the head unit? The components that I have purchased are; Front doors=Polk Momo 5250; Rear deck and doors= Polk Momo 6500; Subs=(2) Polk Momo 10" single vc 4ohm; Sub amp=Polk C-500; Main speaker amp=Polk C-400.

If anyone has any wiring info for this install it would sure be appreciated.

I am new to forums so if I did it wrong please excuse and redirect me.

Anyone have wiring info on an 04 BMW 330i with Harmon Kardon? I am adding 2 amps, all new speakers, and 2 subs. Does anyone make an adapter plug to connect to the factory harness where it connects to the factory amp?

Thanks in advance.

scottsmtrsports wrote:

---

I have a 2004 BMW 330I with Harmon Kardon that I would like to replace the stock amps and speakers. My questions are whether I will lose any of my factory functions or BMW accessories such as the bluetooth interface? I have also read that the factory system has crossovers built in to it and I am not sure if they are in the factory amp or the head unit?

---

Nice car.  Those are really fun to drive.  My biggest concern here is going to be getting that signal out of that head unit.  I'm sure your bluetooth functionality is in there.  You will be looking at some specialty equipment here.

https://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_cleansweep_pages.php?page_id=79

I'll be honest here dude, I really wouldn't know where else to begin with that particular vehicle... luxury audio systems are extreamly difficult to deal with for a variety of reasons.  I'd take my car to a quality installer that deals with JL Audio or AudioControl and look at your options.  If you can do amps and speakers, I'm sure you can handle something like a Cleansweep, but I've never dealt with one myself.

I know BMW's have weirdo systems that adjust bass response along with volume and what-not so you are really gonna have to deal with that head unit in someway.  I'll be honest here, I don't know if there would be a way to simply grab the signal out of BMW head unit, regardless of output format. 

Thank you for your replies. I originally replaced the speakers (special cnc adapters required) but the crossovers that came with them did not work well at all due to the systems internal crossovers. Dead sound through the midrange. I have been running them without the speaker crossovers and they sound fantastic, but I am afraid that if I use them too long or try to push them I will fry an expensive new set of speakers. So I ordered the matching amps with the intention of bypassing the factory amps with internal crossovers and upgrading at the same time. I have not yet installed the subs.

I did identify all of the speaker wires at the factory amp. (output side) That was where I decided to install the crossovers for space and accessability reasons. The speaker wires are twisted together in sets from the factory and they just need to be matched to what is in each location with the exception of the right rear door tweeter (it is the same colors as the left rear door tweet in the door but different at the amp)

After I ordered the amps I started getting concerned about the bluetooth and other functions so I came here. I know that the bluetooth plugs in to the system in the rear of the car I believe at the amp. (I have looked at the install instructions but I can't remember exactly where but I know that it is in the area of the amp)

I really want to keep the factory head unit if possible. It is simple and easy to use and does provide very good sound, which is what a stereo is supposed to do. I also don't want the car to look screwed with or invite theifs.

If anyone can use the plans or even a set of speaker adapters for this application I would be more than happy to give them to anyone that can help me.

all right heres something you can do to get the siggnal out of your head unit and still keep all of your stock controls. ill give you a couple of ways to do this but it all depends on your budget.

1- you can use an alpine vehicle hub pro, a jl audio clean sweep, or an audio control version and rockford makes a 360 but ive never used that.

2-you can grab all of your inputs from the harmon kardon amplifier, since most of the units i mentioned earlier exept hi level inputs you shouldnt have any problems with noise or anything because the high level inputs are isolated from the low level out puts so theres no interferance.

3- once you get that all you gotta do is run your signals accordingly from whatever unit you choose to use. and youll have all the normal out puts to go to aftermarket amps front,rear,and sub outputs so you should be good from there.

and im working on getting the wire colors and locations for you.

The amps that I have purchased are Polk and have the capability of line level input. But they are rca which means that I somehow need to add rca plugs to hook them up. Do I still need these other adapters? I am not sure why I need them.

I looked at the alpine unit that you recomend and it is very expensive $500.00 MSRP. From what I read it sounds as though it effectively becomes the head unit and just uses the controls from the factory head unit to function. Is this correct? I also looked up the jl audio component and I am not understanding exactly what this is for. It seems that it is just a line level control that has remote control. The amps that I bought also have remote gain control.

The help line at sonic elctronics where I purchased the amps recomended scosche high low adapters 2channel LOC80 and 4 channel SLC4. Is this just to lower the output from the head unit to preamp level? Do I need this with an amp that has line level inputs? Or do these adapters somehow allow the retention of my other accessories?

Sorry if I ask too many questions, but I will admit that I am a little confused.

scottmtrsports wrote:

---

I really want to keep the factory head unit if possible. It is simple and easy to use and does provide very good sound

---

Right see the factory head unit does NOT provide very good sound at all.  It provides doctored sound to suit the factory speakers' craptacular response curve.  You have to get a *CLEAN* signal.. this means a signal that doesn't have one part of the signal drop out as the volume increases ..  which every BMW I've worked on does.  This is why we are telling you to get a JL Audio Cleansweep.. you have to turn that head-unit's signal into something that is linear and is reasonably usable to an aftermarket amplifier.  Fixing the linear increases in your volume knob to match up along with keeping the response curve flat is quite a challenge... hence the need for speciality equipment.

At this point dude, none of us have your car and, like I said, factory systems are rather random and bizarre in their installations and design.  I can read so many possibilities into the bits of information you've provided, I'm effectively stumped.

scottsmtrsports wrote:

---

I looked at the alpine unit that you recomend and it is very expensive $500.00 MSRP

---

To integrate the equipment you want integrated, in the car you want to do it in, while retaining the factory headunit and factory functionality, is going to end up costing you well in excess of this number. 

From what you are all telling me, the best thing that I could do would be to buy an aftermarket head unit. Any recomendations.

I want it to match the orange lighting in my car and integrate into the dash as smooth as possible. Be simple to operate. (not require an owners manual and a tech to adjust) Bluetooth able. Sound great and be reliable. (I installed an Alpine system in my wifes Tahoe and the head unit is a pia to adjust and forget about doing it while driving. And last but not least I would like to keep my steering wheel controls. Video could be cool but not required, but it definitely needs aux inputs for an mp3 player. I am a bit old fasioned when it comes to a head unit. I like large knobs and buttons that I can feel and see while driving. I dont need repetetive graphics that are old after 2 minutes. It is about sound and ease of use. Not gimmics or having the coolest new buttons that you can't find while driving.

scottmtrsports wrote:

---

From what you are all telling me, the best thing that I could do would be to buy an aftermarket head unit. Any recomendations.

---

Yup thats what I'm telling you.

scottmtrsports wrote:

---

want it to match the orange lighting in my car and integrate into the dash as smooth as possible. Be simple to operate. (not require an owners manual and a tech to adjust) Bluetooth able. Sound great and be reliable.

---

Hmm.  Most headunits today have adjustable buttons that change color and what-not.  This is something you need to pick out for yourself.. to be honest, I've had the same headunit for some 4 years now I haven't look at the market in sometime.  Nakamichi used to be an incredibly competetive manufacturer and their headunits are *very* simple and have orange buttons.  And 24-bic DAC's.   Not sure how obtainable they are these days though.. and I'm also not sure about bluetooth functionality.  But Nak definately should be on your short list of manufacturers given your specifications above. 

https://www.nakamichi.com/home.html

I'm a pretty straight forward audio guy and I'm not a big fan of complex installations .. what precisely do people need bluetooth in a car for anyway..?

One more thing.. regardless of features/price, I'd highly recommend you stay away from Pioneer... *every* week on this board someone else with a Pioneer headunit goes through 200 posts trying to figure out his ground-noise issues.  Everyone that has a Pioneer and an aftermarket amplfier will also have alternator whine.  Very cheap, cheesy, gimmicky CD players.

scottmtrsports wrote:

---

I installed an Alpine system in my wifes Tahoe and the head unit is a pia to adjust and forget about doing it while driving.

---

Yea tell me about it.  I hated my $400 Alpine for years for this exact reason until I discovered its one redeeming quality ... the onboard active xover.  Generally, you'll find that after you install a *real* system, you won't be adjusting things like treble and bass and what-not all the time like you have to with a factory system.  Looking at your equipment list, I think you will fall well into the range of "sounding good all the time" ... 

scottmtrsports wrote:

---

And last but not least I would like to keep my steering wheel controls.

---

I *seriously* doubt it... and again, this particular requirement will add substantial cost/installation difficulty to your system... I'm also not sure of any headunits that do this.. I think Pioneer had a line of DoubleDIN players a few years ago that had this functionality, but you might want to ask this exact question in another thread or search around a bit with the search function...  thinking about the wiring harnesses and vehicle specific issues with this I really couldn't help you much here.

scottmtrsports wrote:

---

I like large knobs and buttons that I can feel and see while driving. I dont need repetetive graphics that are old after 2 minutes. It is about sound and ease of use. Not gimmics or having the coolest new buttons that you can't find while driving.

---

Its getting harder and harder to find a rationally designed headunit.  Or, as you are discovering, a rationally designed factory system.

I wish I could tell you a quick, easy, and cheap way to do what you want, but integrating aftermarket componets into cars like a 330 is an excercise in frusteration and unreasonable expense.  I don't buy cars that cost more than $20K because the stereos are too hard to remove.  I've passed up numerous cars because of the level of difficulty in removing the factory system.  I know one guy who got within 20 minutes of signing papers on a new RX8 ... until he tried to pull the stereo out real quick.... ya know.. see how hard it would be to remove the stereo.  Mazda's stereo cost them a sale.

The strange part is, as hard as these systems are to modify, they generally don't sound very good in the first place.

soultinter wrote:

---

find a radio that suits all of your needs and has bluetooth adapter etc and just rewire the whole system

---

Well, finding the radio is probably going to take our OP some time...  but he does need to rewire the entire system.  scottmrtsports, you also need to take time to make sure you don't have some critical car-function.. like a factory anti-theft system or something.. built into your CD player or aftermarket amplifier.  Alot of cars now have really strange functions built into things that need to be removed in an aftermarket stereo installation.. Honda Civics were guilty of this for years. 

Normally I tell everyone they can do it themselves, but here I really would take your car to the best shop in town and see what they recommend...  I've done a Z3 and watched a old 5-series get a stereo, but someone with experience with your exact vehicle would really be in the best position to authoritatively answer all of your questions.

scottmtrsports, the installation you want done here really is quite difficult.

Thanks for your reply. I have been looking for a nice head unit that will do what I want and incorporate into my car without looking like some high school kid technocrap. The Nakamichi stuff looks great but doesn't have bluetooth capability, other than that it would be perfect and I know and trust the name.

I have been talking with local shops and installers that claim that they have done more than a few of these cars. None of them seem too worried about the factory sytem or any thing that may be incorporated into the head unit. (which is made by alpine) Because I now will be replacing the entire system. I have found that PAC makes an interface for the steering wheel controls that will fit my car and it works with Alpine, Kenwood, and a few others with wired remote connections. It seems fairly simple to install with the exception of finding the correct lead to splice into. And it's cheap $70.00

Why bluetooth? Ever try to drive a six speed around town or in commute traffic while talking on the phone? Besides if it is integrated I can crank the tunes and not miss an important call because it will mute the system automatically when a call comes in. Pretty handy if you like to listen loud.

Somehow I keep coming back to Alpine for a head unit. CDA9885 looks pretty appealing, it has bluetooth, wired remote connection, 4volt preamp outputs, and a host of other features that at least sound good on paper. It doesn't look as complicated to operate as the wifes slidebar Alpine, but also doesn't have the adjustable lighting that hers has either, only red or blue/red.

Are the 4 volt outputs a good thing? I noticed that the CDA9883 is the same except that the preamp outputs are 2 volt and it doesn't come with the remote control (optional and will ever be used) and costs about $100.00 less.

I really was considering having this system installed, but I think that I can handle it. Without the factory crap complicating things I don't think that it will be all that bad. Besides there is always the pride of a job well done and knowing that you did it yourself and the reassurance of knowing that some kid didn't screw something up and hide it, or rig it.

Scott

Talking on the phone hands free is no different than having a conversation with a passenger. The problem with phones, mp3 players, nav systems, even stereo's are that people forget where there priority's are. Driving comes first and I have no problem telling a caller to hold while I manuever through traffic. We have all seen the idiots who cannot talk and walk at the same time, but I have seen more accidents caused by people screwing with their stereo's, finding CD's, changing channels, putting on makeup, reading, eating, and just plain not paying attention to what they are doing. Cell phones are a way of life and they are not going anywhere. I just wish that people would put driving first, everything else is secondary. Having an integrated phone sytem has been proven to be far safer than holding a phone. With an integrated system you can keep both hands free to drive instead of having to take your eyes off the road to look for and fumble around to grab a phone. With the advent of bluetooth you no longer have to invest in an expensive, single use proprietary hands free sytem. If you get a new phone (which you will) you simply have to sync it to your bluetooth sytem and you are done.

I encourage everyone with a phone to add this system to their "system". It is more than a convenience, it is a safety issue. Your insurance deductable is probably higher than the cost of one of these systems. Who knows your insurance may even give you a discount for having one installed.

scottsmtrspots wrote:

---

Are the 4 volt outputs a good thing? I noticed that the CDA9883 is the same except that the preamp outputs are 2 volt and it doesn't come with the remote control (optional and will ever be used) and costs about $100.00 less.

---

This, I think, is a valuable specification.  Line voltage does wonders in overriding ambient vehicle electrical noise that can produce *very* obnoxious auditory anomolies.. like alternator whine and what-not.  A 2v pre-out really is an anemic voltage and I would *never* consider a head unit with a specification this low unless it was going in a car w/o an amplfier.

Alpine is a strong choice if you an overcome that cumbersome interface we were discussing above.

Good luck dude.  Post back with updates and questions.

Well, its all installed now and I couldn't be happier. It has been a while since I have had this nice of a system in my car to listen to. I really didn't know what I was missing. I did the entire install myself and although it took longer than I had anticipated it is worth every bit of effort. I still have some fine tuning of the amps to do and I think that I damaged the factory antenna lead stuffing the head unit in, but other than that it all went well and everything is working properly without any problems with the car or the system. My seventeen year old daughter is jealous because it bumps harder than any of her friends and I find myself listening to music that I wouldn't have before just because it sounds so good. I think that I may even have become one of those annoying drivers whose system can be felt over other peoples own stereo's. Oh well lighten up and live a little.

If anyone has any advice on how to repair the antenna lead I would sure appreciate it. I kinked it at the factory plug and I think that I may have broken the wire.

I want to thank everyone who posted to this thread. I would have made some costly mistakes without your help. So thank you, and thanks to 12 volt for creating this site.

Scott