Car Stereo upgrade thoughts (need input)

[Scott E]

I want to upgrade my head unit to something more modern with and Aux input. I was thinking Pioneer but learned Alpine is going to offer an adapter (Alpine iPod Interface, KCA-420i) that allows you to control an iPod from the head unit. It also provides power to iPod thus charging the battery.

http://www.alpine-usa.com/products/leading_technology/leading_tech_kca-420i.htm

I will start with buying the head unit, an Alpine CDA-9827 for about $260 and an Alpine KCA-121B Male Right Angle Ai-Net to Female RCA Cable for $15. This will allow me to use either of my current mp3 players in the car. I have a 10Gb D-Link Roq-It (about the size of a VHS tape case and sits nicely in front of the shifter) and a 128Mb Coby MPC-840 mp3 player (thumbdrive)

Later on I will buy an iPod and the KCA-420i adapter for about $350 and add them.

I figure using the iPod instead of a changer is cost-effective as well as versatile. Alpine offers a 6 disc CD/MP3 changer for $299. I figure that is 4.2Gb worth of mp3 files. A 15gb iPod ($249) and ($100) KCA-420i adapter for $349 is a better value.

The iPod costs about 2.3 cents per MB. The 6 disc changer costs about 7.1 cents per Mb.

I also plan to add a sub-woofer and amp to the trunk using the ski-boot pass-thru. The good part of my plan is I can do it in stages as funds permit.

I am really trying to get away for CD’s. I plan to make ISO images of all the software I have and use Daemon Tools to mount the images. That way I don’t lose or damage discs. I already have converted my CDs to 192kb mp3 files.

Anyone have any thoughts on my plan/idea?

Thanks,

[George M]

I agree with your approach...if you are deviating from a BMW radio in your car, I say you want one that is Ipod compatible as Ipod technology will clearly supercede having a CD player in a car over time. I just mounted a BMW CD43 in my E-32. There is a company out there that makes an I-bus serial connector that will interface with the CD43 and other later BMW radios allowing an Ipod to replace the CD changer...another avenue to consider. I will stick with my CD head unit only for the time being and at this point wouldn't consider a CD trunk changer.

[babalouies]

...There is a company out there that makes an I-bus serial connector that will interface with the CD43 and other later BMW radios allowing an Ipod to replace the CD changer...

Do you, or anyone, know which company it is that makes this? I had expected PIE to make one, but I haven't been able to find such a thing. It'd be a much nicer alternative than trying to rig up a microcontroller to do it (although that does allow other fun possibilities).

[mrbmw1]

I totally agree I have installed for over 20years and will and it was so hard getting people to understand adding componets in stages staring w/ head unit is the way to go then "BUILD" ( as money permits) your system.
are you doing the install your self? If so print out the wire diagram and use existing wiring as much as possible it is better that most of the over priced oxygen free wiring out there. Need help email me mrbmw1@hotmail.com

94 540i- JVC indash cd, Pioneer DSP, JL Audio wiring, JL Audio 300/4 & 500 MONOBLOCK amps, MB Quart 5.5 componets,& Boston Acoustics 6.5 (front),Fosgate 5.5 componets(rear), 2 12' Volfanhag 1000 watt subs
87 325is- Kenwood in dash cd. JL Audio wiring, Volfanhag 1600/4 amp MB Quart 5.5 componets front, doors 6.5 Audiobahn 2ways, rear panels 4 6' 350w subs, 2 12' volfanhag 1000 watt subs

[DanDombrowski]

You're right, using the iPod instead of a changer is a better value for the same amount of money, but I see two reasons that would keep me from doing this.

First of all, I don't know anything about the iPods music format, but I have been told that you can't just download any mp3 and put it on there. I'm probably wrong, and even if I am right, I'm sure you can hack it, but its something to look into, which I'm sure you have.

Second, a plain single disc MP3 deck can be had for around $150-200.
I don't listen to enough music to justify having 3,000 songs for a total of $625 vs
140 songs for $150 when I have enough time at work to just burn a disc on my way out the door, but thats just me. If you can justify spending the cash, I think the ipod is the way to go, especially if you can control it from the head unit, thats the only way I would do it.

One question though-where does the ipod mount?

[AZ_Jason_S]

I never gave a crap about MP3's until I got a HU that supports MP3/WMA. Losing that oem pioneer 6 cd changer that skipped and took 10 seconds between changes was the best thing I ever did. I can put just as much music on one CD. Plus, the HU displays the song title from the filename. The downside, my aftermarket HU doesn't look "Factory" in the dash. I thought about going to the Nak CD400, but it doesn't directly support MP3 or satelite radio. It does have an Aux. input for these.

Another suggestion, consider a satelite ready unit. Chances are, anything you look at will be xm/sirius ready.

[George M]

Dan...here is the company:

http://www.densionusa.com/x/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=375&Itemid=79

Keep in mind that the ICE link that will allow interfacing of an Ipod is only I-bus compatible therefore will only connect to later model BMW radios that had an I-bus cable. If I did it...to keep it clean, I would simply wire the Ipod in the trunk since it holds so much music...wouldn't hardly have to touch it...unlike a CD changer magazine that gets a pretty good work out. All music can be accessed through a stock later model BMW radio...like the CD43 for example. The Ipod effectively is engaged like a CD changer in the trunk through the radio controls/display.

[Elekta]

Here's my option again I used OEM headunit and Changer (http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=2379&page=2&pp=10&highlight=alpine+stereo)

New amp
Eq with aux input plug
plug and play self amped sub woofer
4 new tweeters and 4 new mid's

Sounds great, appears stock, and I can add XM or ipod or anything I want to with the aux input.

[Jason]

replace my head unit with a clarion 735 i beleive, not sure, and not a fan, go with the alpine, BUT, what i did was go to best buy and get regular rca y-adapter (6ft for about 6 bucks) ran it to the console storage space next to the parking brake and thats where my ipod sits. it doesnt charge but, i could get the car charger. i find this spot convenient for driver and passenger, although i don't recommend trying to change songs on the fly. As for the sub, i bought an infinity basslink and punched out the plate behind the armrest. I chose the basslink because its small (only takes up 1 cubic ft of trunk space) and its the cheapest way to get significant quality bass (it was 269 bucks). Also, it has a "remote" bass control, which i installed right next to the fog light switch that looks like it could have been a factory knob and provides a great amount of adjustability from song to song. As for speakers... i recommend going with the best/largest possible ones for the front and not worrying too much about the rears. I have infinity kappa components all around and i think it was a waste of money in the back. just my $.02. hope it helps

[Jason]

I know what you are trying to do in keeping your car 100% stock and i think that its great, but why not let the i-pod sit in the glove compartment instead of the trunk? I know you're more than capabale when comes to this kind of stuff, but from my experience with running new stereo wire throughout the car it was just a p.i.t.a. from the labor standpoint. The P.O. of had a car phone so there was already a cut out in the console for me to run my wire. Because i like to go directly to one song every now and then, the accesability is a great plus. Anyway, just something to consider.

[Scott E]

I had some time to kill before a job interview today so I went into a nearby Best Buy store hoping to look at the Alpine head units. Best Buy doesn't sell Alpine car stereos (at least not the one I was in). While looking at the price of iPod I noticed a Belkin TuneCast FM transmitter (model F8V367) for $29.99. They had another one for $19.99 but it looked really cheap. Since the cassette deck (Stock) doesnt work in my car I figured this was a good solution to hold me over.

Here is a picture of my Coby C840 MP3 player and Belkin TuneCast FM transmitter. I took the pic with my cell phone so the quality is not so great.
http://www.kidkrash.com/gallery/albums/album35/Coby_and_Belkin.jpg