What do I need to install a new headunit??

[ClubSport]

I just ordered a Nakamichi CD400 and I want to have all the stuff ready to wire it in when it gets here. I'm clueless when it comes to car audio, but I know a fair bit about wiring.

I've heard that I need a wiring harness adapter and antenna plug adapter. Someone else on this board said they got them from best buy, so I went there. What I got was a 1986 and up VW (?) stereo connector, which says 'not for use on factory amplified sound systems' and is made by Scosche. Will this even work? They were talking about amp bypass and crap I didn't understand.

They couldn't tell me which antenna adapter would work, one of them has a 12v input, the other does not.

Isn't there a harness adapter that doesn't require splicing? I can do it, but I'm sure it would be a ghetto looking hack job.

Please help!

[Andrew_Debbie]

I've heard that I need a wiring harness adapter and antenna plug adapter. Someone else on this board said they got them from best buy, so I went there.
Isn't there a harness adapter that doesn't require splicing? I can do it, but I'm sure it would be a ghetto looking hack job.

Please help!

Yes there is a harness adapter that doesn't require splicing. We got one from Crutchfield. The VW antenna adaptor should work.

IMPORTANT -- Your ti most likely has a built in amplifier. Some years are not compatible with high output head units. What year is your ti? Our '96 didn't need a special adaptor or an amp bypass. Other years do -- You can burn things out if you don't get it right.

[ClubSport]

I have a 95 with the 10 speaker system. From what I hear, there is an amp in the left trunk wall. Am I going to burn something up without a bypass?

[Andrew_Debbie]

I have a 95 with the 10 speaker system. From what I hear, there is an amp in the left trunk wall. Am I going to burn something up without a bypass?

You might. I don't remember details that didn't apply to our car. I researched all of this 3 years ago when I replaced the head unit.

Our '96 has an amplifier. Left side in the back. Not hard to get to. I remember looking at it when I changed the head unit. We have fewer speaker than you do though.

[ClubSport]

Thanks.

Anyone with a '95 have some more details?

[ClubSport]

bump.

The nak will be here thursday! Anyone?

[sKunkman]

If this helps....
my friend has a 96 crown vic, we took out his old head unit, spliced the wires, put the harness back in, and it worked fine. Of course, thats a domestic car and not a bmw, but I don't see why there would be a problem. As long as you dont install any amps... I dont think the HU drains any more power than a stock one.

But don't take my word for it and fry your car. Just my humble opinion.

[Andrew_Debbie]

If this helps....
but I don't see why there would be a problem.


Most 318ti's have factory installed amplifiers. They are hidden under the carpet on the left rear corner of the car. Some of the factory amplifiers are not compatible with high power head units. Just hooking up the wires doesn't work with some of our cars.


It did work on our '96 with the 6 speaker system.

I've got a feeling the 10 speaker system in the '95 is the one that needs a special adaptor. I don't remember if it just didn't work, if the amp will fry the head unit or if the head unit fried the amp.


My suggestion to Club Sport is to try calling Crutchfield -- They sell the correct harness adaptor anyway. If that fails, google it.

[96cali]

FYI I have the Nak 400 in my '96 10 speaker system bypassing the stock amp. I was told the built in Nak amp is cleaner anyway. You can turn the Nak amp on/off through the faceplate controls. I did not do the install (Chris at understeer.com) so i cannot supply details. Sounded absolutely incredible until it quit 5 weeks after install. No power, no nada. Still have to pull it. Hoping it's just a fuse...:ashamed:

[mickd]

The 10 speaker "premium" system was an option, on all years of our ti's. This system has 2 speakers in each door panel. It uses a low level line signal from the head unit to individual amplifiers. If you are installing an aftermarket head unit you cannot take the speaker output from the head unit to these amps. You are best off just getting rid of the installed amplifiers and go directly to the speakers, these amps are not very good quality anyways. The standard 6 speaker stereo system has only 1 speaker in each door panel and does not have the amps external to the head unit, you can wire directly from the head unit speaker output to the speakers. This standard 6 speaker system is much easier to hook up to an aftermarket head unit.

[aceyx]

somebody correct me if i'm wrong but the standard 6 speaker system was not available in US cars after 1996 (production). the 10 speaker system was standard after that point (in an attempt to appeal to us spoiled yanks), but not the same as the premium H/K option.

my '97 is a base, the only option ordered being ASC+t, and has 10 speakers. i severely doubt that this is the "premium" system, as the cones are still an extruded paper. with the regulator blowing regularly, i see them often. also, the HK system is a supposed 320 watts, versus 200 for the 10 speaker stock system.


in any case, i find it difficult to believe that with all the members who have done stereo upgrades, there hasn't been a throng of responses.

clubsport; what information did you get from crutchfield?

[mickd]

All of the 10 speaker systems had external amps. I know it was an option on the '95 ti. OK..... it might not have been an option on other years, regardless, you can't wire directly from a new head unit speaker output to the speakers on these cars. I am trying to help ClubSport and 96cali, don't confuse the issue aceyx. If you have the solution, state it, otherwise stay out of this.

[mickd]

Here is the info on the stereo wiring http://home.att.net/~ebaines/e36_leads.htm

[mickd]

More info www.unofficialbmw.com/e36/stereo/e36_stereo_wiring.html

[Andrew_Debbie]

Correction -- our '96 has the 10 speaker system with the amp.

[mickd]

If you have the 10 speaker system you could wire your new head unit into the radio connector with the Sosche adaptor as long as your new head unit had no more power output than the original radio, but that would be defeating the purpose of an upgrade because you would be still using the crummy external amplifier in the car. I had the base system on my '95 and I have heard the 10 speaker system with the external amp, it is only marginally better. The crossovers for all the speakers on the 10 speaker system are in this external amp. If you bypass the external amp and go directly to the stock speakers you will need to add crossovers. You could use the wiring to the external amp for the speakers in your car but the amplifier connectors would have to be cut off and the wires Left and Right, Front and Rear (shown on the diagrams I posted), would go directly to the speakers and you will have to add crossovers at the stock speakers if you intend on keeping them. You will have to pair the speakers properly to match the impedance of the output of your new head unit.

[mickd]

I don't mean to confuse anyone out there, it is difficult describing what to do to wire in a new head unit to your existing 10 speaker system. This is one of the most complicated wiring layouts I have seen for such a mediocre system. I have been going over those diagrams on the links I posted and it is truly a messed up design, running the head unit output to the trunk connecting to the external amp and then running the output of the external amp all the way back to the front of the car for the front speakers. That's why the head unit output level is so high, 4V nominal, so the external amp doesn't pick up noise on the long lines. The head unit output also rolls off the bass frequency response as you go to higher volume levels, to protect the cheap speakers. These are the reasons that aftermarket head units are not really compatable with the amp in the trunk, the factory head unit and amp are matched. The person that describes the stock stereo on the first link I posted, Bob Hazlewood, is very knowledgable, he worked at a/d/s and JBL mobile audio and had this BMW system set up on the bench for analysis. This is where I got this info from. If you wanted to use just a sub in the back and front woofer and tweeter, I would use his wiring diagram http://home.att.net/~ebaines/e36_stereo_drwg.htm
If I was doing the upgrade with a new head unit, I would use the wires going to the back for Left and Right rear output that normally goes to the amp for new rear speakers with crossovers and use new speaker wires from the new head unit for the front speakers with crossovers. Don't forget the antenna is powered and needs 12VDC supplied from the head unit. You will need that Soche adapter connected to your new head unit to plug into the existing head unit harness if you want to make a neater installation. You will also need an adapter for the european style antenna connection to install in most aftermarket head units, VW uses the same style. When I first bought my car new I figured I would get the base stereo because I knew at one point I would upgrade it, and I am glad I did. This external amp system is a nightmare, virtually not able to adapt to aftermarket head units. When I changed out my head unit it was a piece of cake, just wire the Soche adapter to the new head unit, install the antenna adapter, and I was set. The front kick panel and rear deck woofers don't need crossovers, and there are passive crossovers (capacitors) across the terminals on the tweeters in the doors. Hope this helps. Shoot another post if you guys get stuck.

[aceyx]

dang, i just got served!

remember that this forum also serves as a searchable archive for new and current users--i was just trying to clean up a discrepancy. relax.

[mickd]

This is the harness you will need to connect your aftermarket head unit to the head unit wiring in the car http://www.scosche.com/scosche.aspx?CategoryID=78&ItemID=BW01B
This is the adapter you will need to connect the antenna to the afternarket head unit http://www.scosche.com/scosche.aspx?CategoryID=42&ItemID=VWAB
Pin 16, (white wire on head unit connector in the car, blue wire on Scosche adapter) is switched 12VDC, used for power on the factory amplified Fuba antenna or for remote turn on for add on devices as amps, etc.
If anyone needs both the harness and antenna adapter (made by Scosche), I have a set, brand new, in unopened bags, I am willing to sell for $20 shipped.

[ClubSport]

Well shoot, I already ordered them from Crutchfield.

Thanks for all the input guys. I've decided not to bypass the factory amp for now, because I don't want to mess around with crossovers or new speakers yet. From what I hear, this is not too much of a problem, because the BMW amps are robust enough to take a speaker level input. If you scroll down to the bottom of this bfc link there is one opinion that seems to be repeated often on bmw boards.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164955&highlight=amp+bypass

[ClubSport]

Well, my wiring harness got here last night from Crutchfield, and I got the stereo installed. Sounds great, and no funky behavior from double amping. Feel free to contact me with questions if you're doing similar.

[sKunkman]

I think I'm gonna do this upgrade soon, but hopefully also with the alpine iPod adapter. Anyone know how easy this is to install DIY?