[squidlyboy]

Tonight, I was clearing out the space where the OEM HiFi amp currently sits in the trunk tonight getting ready to do an upgrade to a JBL MS-8 DSP/JL Audio XD800/8v2 amp. During the removal of the OEM amp, i noticed that there was this tiny other little amp clamped on the side of the mounting plate where the OEM amp sits. I have read a lot of F30 after-market audio build threads, but they always only mention the OEM amp in that spot. This other little amp has never been mentioned.

I looked up the part number online and i only found it on european sites where it says "control unit with active sound design". Realoem doesn't list it. On Ebay its listed as "BMW 1-series Harman Becker amp". I have an F30, and not a 1-series.

I thought i had the upgrade all figured out until i saw this thing there tonight. Is this the DSP for the HiFi stereo? Is it a separate amp for the underfloor woofers/center speaker? Its got a pretty significant connector going to it, so i'm a little at a loss how this affects my upgrade. I've got a Technic harness coming my way, and i'm wondering now how this affects even that. The Technic harness only connects to the main OEM amp connector. Do i need a new harness?

[Technic]

ASD - the synthesized engine sound generator.

If you unplug it then you cannot use the harness - the ASD is wired in series with the HiFi OEM amp. Unplug the ASD then no audio inputs to the OEM amp connector.

[squidlyboy]

ahhh ok

I recall reading some other thread where a forum member had an installer tell him that he needed to leave the OEM amp in place (for a new after-market amp install) because it controlled a lot of functions. I think most of us who read that thread thought that the installer didn't know what he was talking about.

He was probably talking about this unit and not the main OEM amp.

So.. leave this ASD alone and plugged in with its original wiring/connector, then i can connect the OEM amp harness to your Technic harness which wires to the rest of the ms-8/xd800 units.

Boom! Thanks a million.. You rock dude!!

[squidlyboy]

BTW ... while we're on the subject of my install (i don't feel like creating a new thread), i need to wire the xd800 to the power distribution block near the battery and i need to get either a 1-pol connector that plugs into an unused slot in the block.

I found one of your old posts where the same question was asked, and so i called the BMW dealership today asking if they had some of these connectors in stock. It turned out that i didn't realize that posting was on the M3 forum, and the distribution block is different than an F30 (duh).

So tonight, i opened up my battery compartment and noted the part number for the F30 distribution block. But when i looked up this part (V6 922775204), it didn't show up in RealOEM. On Ebay, it again pointed to a 1-series. Like wtf...

Do you know the part number for these 1-pol connectors i need to attach the 4-AWG wire to power the amp with?

Also, I assume the MAXI 80A fuse i need to attach to this needs to be purchased outside as its not a BMW part? I see its going to be a PITA to attach a fuse to 4-AWG wire. Is there a more elegant solution where they sell the wire with the fuse already attached?

Do you sell something like this? If you had a 10ft run of a red 4-AWG cable that is already fused with an 80A MAXI fuse that is soldered into a 1-POL connector that is ready to plug into an F30 power distribution block, i would order it in a heartbeat... :-D

[smithf80]

Originally Posted by squidlyboy

Also, I assume the MAXI 80A fuse i need to attach to this needs to be purchased outside as its not a BMW part? I see its going to be a PITA to attach a fuse to 4-AWG wire. Is there a more elegant solution where they sell the wire with the fuse already attached?

Do you sell something like this? If you had a 10ft run of a red 4-AWG cable that is already fused with an 80A MAXI fuse that is soldered into a 1-POL connector that is ready to plug into an F30 power distribution block, i would order it in a heartbeat... :-D

Might wanna use the Reply or tag him next time so he gets a notification

Technic

[squidlyboy]

Found my fuse block i can go with a 1/0 power wire input (or whatever will fit) into the 1-POL connecter in the F30 pwr distribution block, then on the output side, this will split it to 2 separately fused 4-AWG lines. I'll be able to use the second one later if/when i decide to do a trunk sub.

[Technic]

An unused slot in the distribution block means nothing if there are no metal blades inside that slot. I have seen no F30 yet with spare metal blades in the distribution block.

Check that up before buying anything.

Originally Posted by squidlyboy

BTW ... while we're on the subject of my install (i don't feel like creating a new thread), i need to wire the xd800 to the power distribution block near the battery and i need to get either a 1-pol connector that plugs into an unused slot in the block.

I found one of your old posts where the same question was asked, and so i called the BMW dealership today asking if they had some of these connectors in stock. It turned out that i didn't realize that posting was on the M3 forum, and the distribution block is different than an F30 (duh).

So tonight, i opened up my battery compartment and noted the part number for the F30 distribution block. But when i looked up this part (V6 922775204), it didn't show up in RealOEM. On Ebay, it again pointed to a 1-series. Like wtf...

Do you know the part number for these 1-pol connectors i need to attach the 4-AWG wire to power the amp with?

Also, I assume the MAXI 80A fuse i need to attach to this needs to be purchased outside as its not a BMW part? I see its going to be a PITA to attach a fuse to 4-AWG wire. Is there a more elegant solution where they sell the wire with the fuse already attached?

Do you sell something like this? If you had a 10ft run of a red 4-AWG cable that is already fused with an 80A MAXI fuse that is soldered into a 1-POL connector that is ready to plug into an F30 power distribution block, i would order it in a heartbeat... :-D

[squidlyboy]

Thanks... as usual, your info was spot on.. pure gold

I called up the BMW dealership and they had problems even finding the right power distribution block part number. The one that is designed for the F30 ends with 205 (mine says 204). In any case, they indeed verified that the only slots that have connections to the battery are the 2 middle slots that are currently used. He surmised that this was a specialty part that the manufacturer made specifically for this BMW F30 application, and it wasn't designed for expandability in mind. It was meant to power only the two wires that are currently going into it. It just has the illusion that more can be plugged into it.

I guess i'm just going to connect it to the power post instead ...

[Fronzdan]

So THAT'S what the ASD looks like!!? I don't have one of those, yet strangely I have read that all MY '14's had ASD. Makes me a little happy. I've noticed my exhaust has sounded better over time and now I know it's not artificial.

Interesting. Have you opened that thing up? I'd be curious to see what's actually in there. But if you haven't, don't bother. No need to separate whatever chip is greased to that heatsink.

[squidlyboy]

Originally Posted by Fronzdan

So THAT'S what the ASD looks like!!? I don't have one of those, yet strangely I have read that all MY '14's had ASD. Makes me a little happy. I've noticed my exhaust has sounded better over time and now I know it's not artificial.

Interesting. Have you opened that thing up? I'd be curious to see what's actually in there. But if you haven't, don't bother. No need to separate whatever chip is greased to that heatsink.

This was all that was inside of it...

[squidlyboy]

The JL Audio fuse block part wasn't available in any of my local car audio shops around town, and i didn't want to wait for shipping/delivery.

I ended up getting a Stinger 80A circuit breaker instead. It's actually better than the JD audio fuse block because I found out that the JL had a combined 100A limit between the two slots. With my XD800 requiring an 80A fuse, that leaves only capacity for a 20A fuse for the other slot, and i know that wouldn't be enough for a sub amp later. Plus the Stinger circuit breaker is fuse-less, kinda like a GFCI circuit for the kitchen. Just press a button to reset

The JL audio fuse block was light-weight plastic. This part is heavy, robust, and solid. There's a ring barrel in the slot that takes up slack so that a 4 AWG wire can fit tight in there. A hex screw tightens it down and there's a plastic cap to cover up access to the hex screws. You can take out the ring barrel if you need to fit a larger 1/0 wire in there.