Re: 95 M3 stereo problems

["Gary A. Preece" <gapreece@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rob wrote in reply to my questions about my stereo:

- -----Original Message-----
From: Mudry, Robert (CAP, AMR) <rob.mudry@domain.elided>
To: 'gapreece@domain.elided' <gapreece@domain.elided>
Date: Thursday, August 06, 1998 12:52 PM
Subject: 95 M3 stereo problems


>Gary,
>
>Welcome to the club!   I just did the same thing - spliced the RCA wire to
>the line wires from the head unit.  My amp (Sony 4x50W) has the max input
>voltage spec at 2V.  My gains are set all the way down and I'm hearing some
>hiss.  I'm also hearing my rear woofers when the volume is all the way
down.
>
>
>I'd try using the speaker level inputs and see if that helps.  I'm going to
>install a line level converter over the weekend.  Let me know what answers
>you get.  It's so frustrating spending the whole weekend on an amp install
>only to get crappy sound.  By the way what front speakers are you using?
>What type of RCA cable did you splice to?
>
>Rob Mudry
>'96 328is
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -
Hey Rob, Digesters:

I tried hooking up to the speaker level inputs and it solved my problems! I
know I may get a little better sound if I used line level converters but,
that's another $50 or so and the sound is so good right now it may not be
worth it. I put Boston Accoustics Rally series 5.25" with 1" tweeters up
front, stock woofers in back, Kicker Solo-baric sub in trunk along with the
Kicker 35X6 amp. The Boston woofers fit OK but, that was only because the
holes are oblong and allowed leeway for the screws. I used Phoenix Gold
RCAs(originally)...would not recommend due to the very fine + (center) wire.

One thing seems obvious, you must have an amp that will accept at least 4
volts input at line level to work. Mine accepted 3 volts and Robs accepted
only 2 and would not work. I ran an 8 ga. wire to the battery, an 8 ga. wire
to the chasis under the driver's side tail lights and used the speaker wires
and signal from the wiring harness. 12 gauge speaker wire was sent to the
sub.

I still have a ticking noise coming through the speakers from the CD player.
Anyone have some ideas to try? I grounded everything (head, amp and CD
player) to a common chasis ground, grounded everything separately, and every
other combination to no avail. I also thought that maybe I had mounted the
CD player too close to the passenger rear speaker, so I moved it. No good
either. I am stuck unless maybe some sort of ground loop eliminator will
work.

Good luck!

Gary (95 M3, J.C. chip (yesterday), cone filter, dead Check Control thing)

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