DSP adapter help

aftercorbu · 11-06-2011, 08:47 AM

OK so who has installed a dsp adapter in their 2003 z4?

Interestingly, my amp is not behind the passenger seat where i expected it to be. It is behind the battery. Not sure what this means, but i thought 03 had the amp behind the seat.

I found a 3 pin connector and three coax cables all with male ends behind the seats in that cavity where a cd changer would be installed...My situation is that the DSP adapter sent from BSW also has a male end so it must need to be plugged into the amp directly.

Do I install the adapter then near the amp in the battery compartment? If so what about the 3 pin connector which is up in the front of the trunk between the seats?

Thanks! BTW i did search around before posting this, but I can't find anything related to my situation that is detailed enough to answer my questions.

CFoote · 11-06-2011, 02:29 PM

A couple of questions...

a) What are you trying to do with the adapter? hook up satellite radio?

b) What is the brand of the DSP adapter, and what does it have for plugs/connections. Post a picture if you can.

A couple of things to note...

You should have 3 coax connectors as you noted. 2 of those are for the phone system, and 1 is for the CD Changer. Depending upon the DSP adapter you have, you do not use any of the coax connectors.

The DSP adapter I used required me to run a analog audio cable from the back of the radio to the back of the car. The DSP adapter then plugged into this analog audio cable along with the 3 pin power/k-bus plug that you have found. From there I plugged my aftermarket satellite radio unit into the DSP adapter.

The Z4 is complicated because they changed the wiring through the years and certain wiring harnesses were missing depending upon the year of your car. I believe I have given you the correct info for your 2003.

Chris

aftercorbu · 11-06-2011, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFoote

A couple of questions...

a) What are you trying to do with the adapter? hook up satellite radio?
DSP adapter is BSW's and it is for the DICE DUO

b) What is the brand of the DSP adapter, and what does it have for plugs/connections. Post a picture if you can.
It has a male end coax and two power wires (black and red) coming 'out' of a black box and a six pin feeding out to plug into the DICE DUO unit.

A couple of things to note...

You should have 3 coax connectors as you noted. 2 of those are for the phone system, and 1 is for the CD Changer. Depending upon the DSP adapter you have, you do not use any of the coax connectors.

The DSP adapter I used required me to run a analog audio cable from the back of the radio to the back of the car. The DSP adapter then plugged into this analog audio cable along with the 3 pin power/k-bus plug that you have found. From there I plugged my aftermarket satellite radio unit into the DSP adapter.

The Z4 is complicated because they changed the wiring through the years and certain wiring harnesses were missing depending upon the year of your car. I believe I have given you the correct info for your 2003.

Chris

pic of said adapter

Thanks for the feedback Chris. The difference I can see from my car relative to the tutorials I have been able to find is that my amp is remote from the 3 pin connector because the amp is behind the battery, not behind the front seat. It seems like the DSP adapter should either plug into the amp (like the BSW tutorial I found for a X5 or the like - but then the three pin and six pin connectors will be remote from each other) or the DSP adapter should have a female for the male coax [for the changer] to plug into it.

aftercorbu · 11-08-2011, 06:01 AM

I'll place the DSP adapter near the amp which is behind the battery. This adapter needs to be plugged in directly to the amp and needs power so to me it makes sense to install it near the amp and near the battery.

I'll unravel the trunk end of the the wiring harness which runs from the trunk into the cabin connecting to the DICE unit. If I unravel enough of the harness wrap I should be able to plug in the 3 pin near the front seats in the trunk and then continue on to the 6 pin to plug into the DSP adapter to be located near the amp behind the battery.

I'll report back on whether this works. Don't see why it wouldn't as long as I can separate the 6 pin wire and the 3 pin wire in the harness.

aftercorbu · 11-13-2011, 07:01 PM

UPDATE

I ended up installing the DSP adapter near the amp behind the battery. I split open enough of the wiring harness to plug in the 3 pin which was just behind the seats and the 6 pin into the adapter beside the amp.

All is in good working order.

bbiess · 09-04-2012, 08:57 AM

I ran into the same issues with my '04 3.0i and found this thread really helpful. I contacted BSW as the instructions they provided with my DSP/Dice units for a later model Z4 and they sent this awesome PDF, which applies to earlier Z4s where the amp is mounted near the battery.

http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/pr...Analog_DSP.pdf

11-06-2011, 08:47 AM	#1
aftercorbu First Lieutenant 404 Rep 380 Posts Drives: 20 M2C, 20 S3 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South Carolina iTrader: (1)	DSP adapter help OK so who has installed a dsp adapter in their 2003 z4? Interestingly, my amp is not behind the passenger seat where i expected it to be. It is behind the battery. Not sure what this means, but i thought 03 had the amp behind the seat. I found a 3 pin connector and three coax cables all with male ends behind the seats in that cavity where a cd changer would be installed...My situation is that the DSP adapter sent from BSW also has a male end so it must need to be plugged into the amp directly. Do I install the adapter then near the amp in the battery compartment? If so what about the 3 pin connector which is up in the front of the trunk between the seats? Thanks! BTW i did search around before posting this, but I can't find anything related to my situation that is detailed enough to answer my questions.
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11-06-2011, 02:29 PM	#2
CFoote Captain 180 Rep 659 Posts Drives: '22 M5CS, '00 M5, '06 Z4M Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Northeast iTrader: (1) Garage List 2022 M5CS [0.00] 2001 BMW 740i [0.00] 2006 BMW M Roadster [0.00] 2012 BMW X6 3.5i [0.00] 2006 BMW 325xi [0.00] 2017 BMW 540xi [0.00] 2000 BMW M5 [0.00] 2001 BMW X5 4.4i [0.00]	A couple of questions... a) What are you trying to do with the adapter? hook up satellite radio? b) What is the brand of the DSP adapter, and what does it have for plugs/connections. Post a picture if you can. A couple of things to note... You should have 3 coax connectors as you noted. 2 of those are for the phone system, and 1 is for the CD Changer. Depending upon the DSP adapter you have, you do not use any of the coax connectors. The DSP adapter I used required me to run a analog audio cable from the back of the radio to the back of the car. The DSP adapter then plugged into this analog audio cable along with the 3 pin power/k-bus plug that you have found. From there I plugged my aftermarket satellite radio unit into the DSP adapter. The Z4 is complicated because they changed the wiring through the years and certain wiring harnesses were missing depending upon the year of your car. I believe I have given you the correct info for your 2003. Chris __________________ '22 M5CS, '06 Z4M, '01 X5 4.4i, '00 M5, '05 Acura RL, '12 X6 3.5, '01 740, 08 335xi, '17 540xi (yes they all are still with me)
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11-08-2011, 06:01 AM	#4
aftercorbu First Lieutenant 404 Rep 380 Posts Drives: 20 M2C, 20 S3 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South Carolina iTrader: (1)	I'll place the DSP adapter near the amp which is behind the battery. This adapter needs to be plugged in directly to the amp and needs power so to me it makes sense to install it near the amp and near the battery. I'll unravel the trunk end of the the wiring harness which runs from the trunk into the cabin connecting to the DICE unit. If I unravel enough of the harness wrap I should be able to plug in the 3 pin near the front seats in the trunk and then continue on to the 6 pin to plug into the DSP adapter to be located near the amp behind the battery. I'll report back on whether this works. Don't see why it wouldn't as long as I can separate the 6 pin wire and the 3 pin wire in the harness.
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11-13-2011, 07:01 PM	#5
aftercorbu First Lieutenant 404 Rep 380 Posts Drives: 20 M2C, 20 S3 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: South Carolina iTrader: (1)	UPDATE I ended up installing the DSP adapter near the amp behind the battery. I split open enough of the wiring harness to plug in the 3 pin which was just behind the seats and the 6 pin into the adapter beside the amp. All is in good working order.
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09-04-2012, 08:57 AM	#6
bbiess Private 10 Rep 74 Posts Drives: 2018 M2 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Bloomfield Hills, MI iTrader: (0)	I ran into the same issues with my '04 3.0i and found this thread really helpful. I contacted BSW as the instructions they provided with my DSP/Dice units for a later model Z4 and they sent this awesome PDF, which applies to earlier Z4s where the amp is mounted near the battery. http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/pr...Analog_DSP.pdf
	Appreciate 0 Quote

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