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P38 Harman Kardon Nightmare

1K views 4 replies 0 participants last post by  alan.cutler@bbc.co.uk 
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#1 ·
I've the standard head unit with the Harman Kardan speaker syystem. I want
to change the head unit but complicated with the amps inside the doors for
the speakers.
So does anybody know if there is an interface for a new head unit. It will
obviously have to be a pre amp output of the head unit. Does antbody know
the standard head unit output Volts for the amps.
The standard head unit is crap and want to put in a alpine or Blaupunkt head
unit.
 
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#2 ·
"william" <william@walkaboutshop.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dnms2c$kjo$1$830fa79d@news.demon.co.uk...
> I've the standard head unit with the Harman Kardan speaker syystem. I
> want to change the head unit but complicated with the amps inside the
> doors for the speakers.
> So does anybody know if there is an interface for a new head unit. It
> will obviously have to be a pre amp output of the head unit. Does antbody
> know the standard head unit output Volts for the amps.
> The standard head unit is crap and want to put in a alpine or Blaupunkt
> head unit.
>


What exactly is wrong with it?
Does it sound bad?
DA conversion is done at the CD changer, so changing the head unit won't
help the sound if you plan on keeping it and using the amps in the doors.
Good luck on getting another head unit to work with the steering wheel
controls, BTW...
 
G
#3 ·
The head unit and door/base amplifiers are designed to work together as
a unit, and as such it's not possible to use the amplifiers with any
other type of head unit. I've tried! I "lost" my head unit and tried
many specialists who said they could make an adaptor, and failed. The
best result I got was a continual gentle buzzing through all speakers,
the worst was severe hum. The only cure was a replacement genuine head
unit. Why do you want to change it? It works and sounds excellent.
You won't get a better sounding sound system without removing all the
speakers, amps and associated cabling. The steering wheel controls
won't work anything else either. If you've not got a CD changer in the
boot, that's relatively easy to add though.

Alan C
'98 4.6 HSE P38A
'89 3.5 EFi RRC
 
G
#4 ·
Mine is a 2000 model with one amp at the rear. I've tried witha Blaupunkt
head unit and sounds great no humming buzz. I will post if I try a
solution.
Want aa dvd head unit wnich you can play dvd and have hundred of MP3 on as
well.
<alan.cutler@bbc.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1134775389.306393.187170@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> The head unit and door/base amplifiers are designed to work together as
> a unit, and as such it's not possible to use the amplifiers with any
> other type of head unit. I've tried! I "lost" my head unit and tried
> many specialists who said they could make an adaptor, and failed. The
> best result I got was a continual gentle buzzing through all speakers,
> the worst was severe hum. The only cure was a replacement genuine head
> unit. Why do you want to change it? It works and sounds excellent.
> You won't get a better sounding sound system without removing all the
> speakers, amps and associated cabling. The steering wheel controls
> won't work anything else either. If you've not got a CD changer in the
> boot, that's relatively easy to add though.
>
> Alan C
> '98 4.6 HSE P38A
> '89 3.5 EFi RRC
>
 
G
#5 ·
william wrote:
> Mine is a 2000 model with one amp at the rear. I've tried witha Blaupunkt
> head unit and sounds great no humming buzz. I will post if I try a
> solution.
> Want aa dvd head unit wnich you can play dvd and have hundred of MP3 on as
> well.


I'm guessing you have the later simpler HK system without the door
amplifiers then. It's easy to drive the rear base amp/speaker and all
the other door speakers on this system as virtually any head should
work fine. Also, the original head unit wasn't the same quality as the
previous system, so changing it will improve the sound quality,
especially if you require MP3 playback etc. Though there's still no
way to couple the steering wheel controls to anything else mind.

Alan C
'98 4.6 HSE P38A
'89 3.5 EFi RRC
 
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