will a new head unit disable the factory amp automatically and create better sound?

[Young Pete]

please let me know.....

[GJPinAU]

Depends on how you install it.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11484

Simple answer is no!

[Young Pete]

kinda odd...but my 94 525i stock oem radio/cassette bass-wise had a little more oumphhh to it than my current panasonic 50x4 setup.

i installed the panasonic hu with an aftermarket wiring harness connected to the cars existing harness from the dash. and without connecting the panasonic's blue (power antenna) wire to the red 12volt wire, the panasonic hu will not work.

every speaker works so far, including the fader, balance, etc.

i just miss that oumphhh u get with the stock radio (especially when playing radio stations) and would like to get that back on my new panasonic head unit...(does this mean the stock amp is not connected properly with the new installation?)

[attack eagle]

nope. It means you are hearing the roll off on FM now because it it more accurate.

or it could be that your head is weak on bass on the lower end of the volume knob, which means less bass into the factory amp.
Sorry but a 94 either needs a completely hand built passive xover, complete rewire with non OEM speaker sets, or you could TRY modding it to take an earlier bypassable amp and do the bypass (dunno if anyone has done that yet...)

[SnakeyesTx]

Did you connect the blue trigger wire of your new head unit to the white wire of the factory harness?

The first time I attacked the aftermarket head-unit install on mine I used a Pioneer 850 Premier and it was extremely quiet and only my trunk subs were firing. Then after asking around here I was provided a diagram of the factory harness and lo and behold, the white (maybe cream color due to heat/age) was the factory amp trigger wire. Ran a splitter from my blue wire going to the trunk subs to that white wire and presto, loud and proud. Clean and mean.... you get the idea.

I'm about to do the same swap for my E39, but it has DSC or whatever that factory amp/eq setup is so I think it won't be as cut and dry as my E34 was.

[BMWCCA1]

Hmm, maybe it's just me but I think the OE system on my '95 525i sounds pretty darn good. And I'm a bit of a hi-fi nut when it comes to home systems. Granted, the stock system is lacking in EQ/tone control and is a bit over-emphasized in the low-end, but for a stock car system it's not that bad! And here's a part of what I'm listening to at home:

[Young Pete]

i figured it out. first connect the red power wire to your hu power antenna / power amp wire (the blue/white wire) then connect your bmw amp (white wire) to your head unit's continuous memory wire (yellow wire)

sounds great!

[525i winter driver]

i figured it out. first connect the red power wire to your hu power antenna / power amp wire (the blue/white wire) then connect your bmw amp (white wire) to your head unit's continuous memory wire (yellow wire)

sounds great!

you are still running through your factory amp so you know. i am too and am content+ with the sound for now.

i've never heard a stock system... the am stereo that someone had tried to install wasn't working when i bought the car (bad sign eh?). i'm not a hi-fi guy more a studio-nut (detailed listening through reference speakers all the time) and i think the factory speakers are excellent.

i am looking forward to hearing just my h/u after bypassing the factory amp and going straight to the crossovers. this thread had good photos but they are gone... kind of busy with other things at the moment to do it just now myself.

did you tie the spkr negs together? just curious... i fooled around long enough to match them with the brown outs from the amp and my balance and fader work unlike what people report after tying them together.