'97 M3 Radio question..

[m3f_stancyeze]

I took this a while back, might not be the best pic tho, I currently don't have audio streaming for music, but I'll be adding a wireless gateway in the near future, so hopefully that'll take care of my Pandora streaming.

You have Blutooth on your Becker though don't you? Or is the Blutooth not used for music?

[m3f_enderw88]

Why can't someone just make an aftermarket head unit that doesn't look like it belongs in an alien time machine?

Over the last 15 years car breakins have substantially decreased. This is predominately due to the much better sound systems OEM are installing in the cars. The systems are good enough that the vast majority of people won't ever change the system in the car and they are very model specific which reduces their value on the black market.


So, the answer to your question is that the head unit manufacturers are no longer serving "normal" people who want a little better sound, they are serving well heeled people who want MUCH better sound (Becker, A/D/S, Blaupunkt) or who want better sound and to show that they have better sound. Those units are the "alien time machine" units.

[m3f_falciott]

You have Blutooth on your Becker though don't you? Or is the Blutooth not used for music?

I have bluetooth, but it's only for voice calls, to stream music you need bluetooth with an ADP2 profile. If you have Aux on your radio, you could just hook up something like


Amazon.com: BlackBerry Remote Stereo Bluetooth Gateway for BlackBerry 8100, 8110, 8120, 8130, 8300, 8310, 8320, 8330, 8800, 8820, 8830, 9000 (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories









 








Amazon.com: BlackBerry Remote Stereo Bluetooth Gateway for BlackBerry 8100, 8110, 8120, 8130, 8300, 8310, 8320, 8330, 8800, 8820, 8830, 9000 (Black): Cell Phones & Accessories

[m3f_vanishM3]

some of the head units pioneer sells in their current lineup offer full rgb color customization

[m3f_badgtho]

The dice sucks unfortunately. It simply does not work as advertised in the e36.

A nice older nakamichi looks ok in the e36 but won't have the functionality of a newer unit.

[m3f_enderw88]

The dice sucks unfortunately. It simply does not work as advertised in the e36.

A nice older nakamichi looks ok in the e36 but won't have the functionality of a newer unit.

I have a new Kenwood unit with the full RGB, it doesn't totally offend me, and it works really well.

[m3f_M_Parallel]

Ah yes, E36 and aftermarket head units. They don't go hand in hand too well.


Problem with the E36 is the way it slots into the dash. To keep it clean you really need an OEM unit. Even more so if you have the digital climate control and/or OBC as you want matching dot-matrix displays.


Another problem is that most units have some form of a rounded or embossed bezel, which never gives a nice transition to the rest of the dash.


There are a few nice Becker units, some also available with BMW branding, but apart from the older Traffic Pro, all other units have a non-switchable positive display, instead of BMW's negative display.


They do have more features without doubt.


So when left with the OEM units, there's really only 2 units to consider.


First of all the "mighty" CD43 (Blaupunkt) which has a much higher output than all the other models (There's a 1999 mail from a BMW audio system engineer that explains that older units limited on purpose because they couldn't get rid of an alternator whine).


So whatever speakers or amp you have. Just switching any OEM unit to the CD43 will give you a huge upgrade in sound.


Then there is the (back then) top-of-the-line, award winning BMW Professional RDS, made by Becker. It has a nice big, double line display and the Becker dual FM tuner.


Cons are it's only available as a tape deck, although this can be solved by using the CDC connection on the back for either CDC or aftermarket interface.


Another big con (to me at least and this really is an utter shame). The Professional RDS doesn't support ibus messages display and neither CD Text/ID3 tag display, something the CD43 can.


Because of that I often use either unit for some time then switch over.


I have a Dension GW300 for ipod/aux/usb input. I also have the OEM carphone that displays the simcards's phonebook on the radio. (The Open OBC project should slove that I hope, by using the OBC for display so I can rock the Professional RDS).


My CD43




BMW Professional RDS










If you want to be anal and want to go "architectrural", one could argue the layout of the CD43 is much more in flow with the climate control. The nice thing about the long CD slot is you have from top to bottom:


- CD slot

- row of buttons

- display

- row of buttons


The two rows of buttons span the entire width of the unit, just like the lower row on the climate control, tying both units together as a sigle one (alhough the CD43 doesn't sit flush unlike the others).


The Professional RDS and older models, don't have these full width span of buttons. So it looks less balanced.


And example of carphone message on CD43 display

[m3f_badgtho]

Can you give more detail on the Dension unit. I've never heard of it.

[m3f_John Firestone]

First of all the "mighty" CD43 (Blaupunkt) which has a much higher output than all the other models (There's a 1999 mail from a BMW audio system engineer that explains that older units limited on purpose because they couldn't get rid of an alternator whine).

I remember that post. Those were Alpine units that were installed when the cars reached the U.S., and he didn't lower the output level, he low pass filtered the signal.

[m3f_M_Parallel]

Can you give more detail on the Dension unit. I've never heard of it.

IIRC Dension left the US market. I believe the Dice units are very similar.



Not much more detail I can give. It hooks up between the factory 17-pin connector and the radio. And a connector for the CDC socket.



When selecting the CDC as source, the Dension comes to life and you can select ipod/usb/aux in from the Dension menu.



Check out their site for more info.

[m3f_M_Parallel]

I remember that post. Those were Alpine units that were installed when the cars reached the U.S., and he didn't lower the output level, he low pass filtered the signal.

Output levels were limited by lower voltage. The limiter was removed on the C43/CD43. It was filtered also.



Here's the exact piece:

"I am forwarding this I think the list can benefit from this information. I have been banging my head against the wall looking for the best solution in regards to a stereo upgrade to my 95 M3. This is the response I received from the horses mouth.

Robert,

Yes, I do know quite a bit about the E36 audio system, as I helped to design it while working as the Product Development Manager for BMW until recently. With regards to upgrading your audio system, the weakest link is currently (and unfortunately) the radio. In your 1995 E36, you have what is called the C33 platform, identifiable by having weather band feature.

Since then, the unit has been upgraded 2 more times; the C43 and more recently the CD43. Although the C43 (still a cassette unit) is somewhat better than your C33, the CD43 is substantially better. The CD43, however, is an in-dash CD player. The major difference being the output voltage, which better drives the existing amplifier. All of these units will work in your vehicle with no modifications whatsoever; the power harness, everything, are direct p[lug-ins.

What you currently experience is a low voltage output from the C33, which does not adequately drive (take advantage) of the on-board, external amplifier. Your unit also has a limiter on the upper frequency range in the FM mode, meaning that when you play FM, you never hear anything above 9 or 10K. This was because there was inherent noise from the engine that could not be attenuated, so the radio had to be attenuated. This hurt sound quality in the upper frequency range (sounds muffled).

I eliminated the limiter altogether on both C43/CD43 platforms for US cars. Now the Radio drives the amp better and you can enjoy higher frequency output. These units will work w/o any noise problems in your car.

So basically, what I am suggesting, since you want to retain cosmetic-integration and don't care for cassette, is to get your hands on the CD43. This will also control your CD Changer, if you have one.

Now, of coarse, if you are planning a full blown system with amps, etc, then we need to reconsider my suggestion, since this unit still does not have RCA (line-level) audio outputs, necessary in driving aftermarket amps (properly)."

[m3f_John Firestone]

Output levels were limited by lower voltage. The limiter was removed on the C43/CD43. It was filtered also.

Thank you for digging up that post!


Part of the confusion is that the product development manager uses the term "limited" when he sometimes means filtered. As best as I can make out, the C33 has a low pass filter in FM mode that rolls off the treble, and the C33/C43 both have too little audio section gain. But I am not sure. The post's terminology, suggested circuits and the probable reality, conflict.


I think I have an old C33 in the basement that someone left me when I was helping folks homoligate American E36 M3s. I will run some tests on it, if I can find the radio code, and see if I can understand what, exactly, the manager was saying.

[m3f_Wyattfahrenholz]

I'm not completely unhappy with my radio, OEM always looks best, but I'm happy the PO chose a good looking unit.





Right color family





Fits in the hole 'sort of' smoothly





Overall it's absolutely worth the better sound quality. My car is far from perfect though, I might feel differently if I had a show quality interior.


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