AUDIO (fiber optics vs regular copper wire)

VBinBimmer · 09-29-2014, 09:46 AM

I recently bought an e90 2011 328xi

I went to Best Buy to see if they could install a bridgeable multichannel amplifier and a subwoofer and amp in my car and they mentioned that I would have to call the dealer to see if my car has fiber optic wiring...
Anyone else have this problem?

I'm still going to give it a shot and call the dealer with my VIN but I just thought it was pretty crazy, I have the basic "BMW professional" sound no HK or anything.

Link for amp
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/alpine-power-pack-180w-class-d-bridgeable-multichannel-amplifier-with-high-pass-filter/4769803.p?id=1218524495173&skuId=4769803&st=catego ryid$abcat0302001&cp=1&lp=3

drewnel22 · 09-29-2014, 11:14 AM

First of all I would go to a real audio place. I would stay away from Best Buy based on some of the stories I've read on the internet over the years.

jwalker87 · 09-29-2014, 11:34 AM

THIS definitely helped me figure out what exactly was going on in my car when I thought my amp was bad.

The biggest take away is this: if you have a center speaker in your dashboard, you have the Top-Hifi system, which uses the fiber-optic network that Best Buy was talking about.

ctuna · 09-29-2014, 11:50 AM

There is an audio sub forum here
its one of the best ones for BMW
(see next link)

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=27

You don't need to call the dealer you can identify your sound system
from the following links or with one of the free BMW vin decoders online.

BMW stereo types
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352586
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=343673
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138949
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780605
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323
http://bmwcoders.com/forum/3-er-8/bm...1-e92-e93-291/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780865
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.cGU&cad=rja
http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...4&d=1278871872

Its advisable to study the above links till you understand the system
and most audio shops don't know how to do a BMW system
correctly .

subwoofer threads
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...2&postcount=66
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...t=Ultimate+Sub
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=subwoofer
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...2&postcount=66

If you have the early 2011 base system with no amp you need to do more for it than
a subwoofer , the subwoofer should be the last thing you modify.

Something more like whats in the folloing link is what you need to do.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1038989
Read the imbeded install procedure pdf to.
There are more selections for speakers than what this guy did but he documents
everything that needs to be done very well.
If you have a Hi Fi system its not as hard to do because you already have wiring
to the trunk and there is no need to compensate for the Head eq .

itsstock02 · 09-29-2014, 12:06 PM

Best Buy is good at doing BASIC car audio installs. I would not trust them working with my car trying to make the factory system work with an aftermarket amp.

Their techs arent going to search the forums for the correct way to do things.

VBinBimmer · 09-29-2014, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwalker87

THIS definitely helped me figure out what exactly was going on in my car when I thought my amp was bad.

The biggest take away is this: if you have a center speaker in your dashboard, you have the Top-Hifi system, which uses the fiber-optic network that Best Buy was talking about.

Wow this is VERY helpful

Welcome to NBA Jam · 09-29-2014, 01:09 PM

All multimedia devices are connected via the MOST bus. If you install a device that is not MOST compatible, you're going to need to get a fiber-optic jumper. MOST uses a ring topology, and the bus will break if any part of the ring is broken. The amplifier is considered a MOST bus node.

VBinBimmer · 09-29-2014, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctuna

I had no idea it could be this complicated, glad I asked to find out before I completely screwed things up!

Thanks alot for your input

ctuna · 09-29-2014, 03:51 PM

either the stereo base system or the L7 if you have a late build
you could have the Hi Fi system that is the one that is easiest
to modify.
stereo system = no amp no tweeters and 6 speaker + bad head unit eq to compensate for no
tweeters.
Hi Fi = weak amp weak speakers and tweeters at least in the front doors.
Top Hi Fi = 11 or 13 speakers identified by a center dash speaker and front door tweeters plus built in equalizer.
This one is hard to modify because the audio is delivered to the amp via
fiber optics in a code that pretty much only works with the BMW and Head Unit and the BMW amp. There is only one company that makes a compatible head unit and one that makes a preamp that will interface
with the BMW Fiber optic signals.

If you take it to a audio shop and they can't identify the system to start with that
should be a reason to runaway quickly.

09-29-2014, 09:46 AM	#1
VBinBimmer New Member 2 Rep 12 Posts Drives: 2011 328xi e90 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Connecticut iTrader: (0)	AUDIO (fiber optics vs regular copper wire) I recently bought an e90 2011 328xi I went to Best Buy to see if they could install a bridgeable multichannel amplifier and a subwoofer and amp in my car and they mentioned that I would have to call the dealer to see if my car has fiber optic wiring... Anyone else have this problem? I'm still going to give it a shot and call the dealer with my VIN but I just thought it was pretty crazy, I have the basic "BMW professional" sound no HK or anything. Link for amp http://www.bestbuy.com/site/alpine-power-pack-180w-class-d-bridgeable-multichannel-amplifier-with-high-pass-filter/4769803.p?id=1218524495173&skuId=4769803&st=catego ryid$abcat0302001&cp=1&lp=3
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09-29-2014, 11:14 AM	#2
drewnel22 Captain 141 Rep 989 Posts Drives: 2016 Subaru WRX Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Roanoke, Va iTrader: (10)	First of all I would go to a real audio place. I would stay away from Best Buy based on some of the stories I've read on the internet over the years.
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09-29-2014, 11:34 AM	#3
jwalker87 Major 319 Rep 1,023 Posts Drives: '08 335i, '11 335xi, '01 Z3M Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (2)	THIS definitely helped me figure out what exactly was going on in my car when I thought my amp was bad. The biggest take away is this: if you have a center speaker in your dashboard, you have the Top-Hifi system, which uses the fiber-optic network that Best Buy was talking about. __________________ 2001 e36/7 M Roadster 5spd 2008 e90 335i 6spd 2011 e90 335xi 6spd 2011 e70 x5 diesel 2010 Ducati Monster 696
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09-29-2014, 11:50 AM	#4
ctuna Lieutenant General 1911 Rep 13,104 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	There is an audio sub forum here There is an audio sub forum here its one of the best ones for BMW (see next link) http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=27 You don't need to call the dealer you can identify your sound system from the following links or with one of the free BMW vin decoders online. BMW stereo types http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352586 http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970 http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447 http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=343673 http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138949 http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780605 http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323 http://bmwcoders.com/forum/3-er-8/bm...1-e92-e93-291/ http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780865 http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.cGU&cad=rja http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/ http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...4&d=1278871872 Its advisable to study the above links till you understand the system and most audio shops don't know how to do a BMW system correctly . subwoofer threads http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...2&postcount=66 http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...t=Ultimate+Sub http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ight=subwoofer http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...2&postcount=66 If you have the early 2011 base system with no amp you need to do more for it than a subwoofer , the subwoofer should be the last thing you modify. Something more like whats in the folloing link is what you need to do. http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1038989 Read the imbeded install procedure pdf to. There are more selections for speakers than what this guy did but he documents everything that needs to be done very well. If you have a Hi Fi system its not as hard to do because you already have wiring to the trunk and there is no need to compensate for the Head eq . Last edited by ctuna; 09-29-2014 at 02:09 PM..
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09-29-2014, 12:06 PM	#5
itsstock02 First Lieutenant 20 Rep 326 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: MI iTrader: (2)	Best Buy is good at doing BASIC car audio installs. I would not trust them working with my car trying to make the factory system work with an aftermarket amp. Their techs arent going to search the forums for the correct way to do things.
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09-29-2014, 01:09 PM	#7
Welcome to NBA Jam Is it the shoes!? 3884 Rep 5,112 Posts Drives: (Sold) 2011 E92 335i ZMP 6MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	All multimedia devices are connected via the MOST bus. If you install a device that is not MOST compatible, you're going to need to get a fiber-optic jumper. MOST uses a ring topology, and the bus will break if any part of the ring is broken. The amplifier is considered a MOST bus node.
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09-29-2014, 03:51 PM	#9
ctuna Lieutenant General 1911 Rep 13,104 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	If you have an early 2011 build you will have either the stereo base system or the L7 if you have a late build you could have the Hi Fi system that is the one that is easiest to modify. stereo system = no amp no tweeters and 6 speaker + bad head unit eq to compensate for no tweeters. Hi Fi = weak amp weak speakers and tweeters at least in the front doors. Top Hi Fi = 11 or 13 speakers identified by a center dash speaker and front door tweeters plus built in equalizer. This one is hard to modify because the audio is delivered to the amp via fiber optics in a code that pretty much only works with the BMW and Head Unit and the BMW amp. There is only one company that makes a compatible head unit and one that makes a preamp that will interface with the BMW Fiber optic signals. If you take it to a audio shop and they can't identify the system to start with that should be a reason to runaway quickly.
	Appreciate 0 Quote