Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
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My old setup was a cheap Alpine cd/ipod front loader with the Alpine power pack powering Vibe components and coaxials in the rear.
This is a really bassy, deep sound that was very loud considering it was just a small amp and cheap speakers.
Recently purchased one of these:
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-ivad511r.html
Installed it and had a fiddle with the sound settings but it sounds like it is being played from my iPhones speaker 
Infact thats being kind, it sounds worse. There is ZERO bass, not even a hint. It is like this headunit only knows how to provide bass if a sub is connected, can this be right?! Or am I missing a setting? There is no treble/bass etc switches. Just an equaliser done on HZ range and none give it any bass at all 
I have a sub to connect but its too big for the car, is this my only option?!
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mattievRS
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Registered: 20th May 06
Location: Leicester
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I had an older alpine and it used to sound a little lacking in bass. I found it had a feature called loud, which was activated by a long press of a button either the round volume button or the play/pause button. It was held for 5 seconds to activate i think. Yours may well have this aswell as mine did but it wasnt in the instructions.
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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Have you got a High pass filter on somewhere?
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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Loud/Defeat is on so not that and all HPF have been turned off.
This is my thoughts from another fourm. E36 has stock amp inbuilt:
Right been thinking about this long and hard. Have come up with a possible reason as to why its gone poo.
When I initially installed the unit, everything worked. Except I had no sound from the speakers. I checked online and a few people experienced similar issues. The cause was the blue wire for "Remote in" This apparently powers the E36's stock amp to make the speakers work. This was not needed on the setup I had before it just seemed to work regardless and I didn't need to wire anything in. So this was spliced in to the ISO connector.
So of course, I wired in this wire and hey presto I now had sound.
So could this be the cause? I also have an Alpine power pack which is a small in line amp connected.
Do people do away with stock amp? Or is there something I can do to bypass it like the cheap headunit obviously did....
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mattievRS
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Registered: 20th May 06
Location: Leicester
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Could be, so the BMW amp is currently spliced into the iso? And which iso, car side or stereo side?
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Fuck that amp off if I was you.
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Richie
Member
Registered: 3rd Dec 02
Location: Newport, Wales
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Have you not been stung by the Alpine amp power seperation? Not sure if it will be on that unit.
Most Alpine units have a seperate yellow +12v feed and a dedicated earth lead to power the units amplifier.
Dont use the E36 amp with an aftermarket radio.
Also check the AI system switch on the back of the radio is set to norm.
[Edited on 31-05-2013 by Richie]
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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Pow which one? E36 or the Alpine Power pack?
Richie:
Not sure how you mean have I been stung? The amp is in line, no additional wires just plugs into ISP lead then into back of the head unit. There is a lo/hi switch on it, that's it.
How do I get rid of the amp? Surely that means rewiring the entire car? That will be a night are and require an amp to be purchased and rear components
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Richie
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Registered: 3rd Dec 02
Location: Newport, Wales
User status: Offline
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Looking more into it... your E36 has the "speaker upgrade" system.
Car audio direct list this as the solution which takes a preout from your radio.
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/bmw-wiring-adaptor-speaker-upgrade-system-only.html
I still dont understand how your old unit worked though if the speaker wiring goes elsewhere. Somethings not right.
[Edited on 31-05-2013 by Richie]
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Jambo
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Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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Mine has the stock stereo system. Only 6 speakers!
Thats interesting though, maybe I need to try that.
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Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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The old unit didnt need a remote turn on wire.
Thats the only thing different!
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Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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Heres the quote from another thread I found, this time concerning an E6 and Kenwood DVD unit.
quote:
When I first bought my car it had an old panasonic cd player fitted, also the previous owner fitted pioneer speakers to the footwells and pioneer 6x9's to the rear which I thought gave out some good sounds, enough treble and a good amount of base from the rear.
My problem is since fitted a kenwood dvd headunit the sound has become rubbish with no base what so ever and really tinny when you start to crank it up, I kinda sorted this when I had a sub fitted but I no longer have that and would like to get a decent sound quality.
It's quite frustrating as the sound quality in my mates 04 plate focus with standard stereo and speakers sounds so much better.
Any ideas would be much appreciated, thanks
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Where is the stock amp?
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Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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Behind rear bench Pow
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Is it possible to unplug it and just feed the wires to the head unit to the wires to the speakers?
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Jambo
Member
Registered: 8th Sep 01
Location: Maidenhead, Drives: VXR Arctic
User status: Offline
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As in remove amp and creat a Loop? Its possible yes. Not easy though.
Emailed Alpine they where perplexed as the install should have been identical to the old unit.
Worried I have wired something wrong, but it is all correct so far as the manual and internet go. Will have to investigate futher.
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