Ok, i just go my MINI yesterday.... and i have the HK system.... i got a Sony headunit as a gift... nd was wondering if it will be compatible with the HK and the MFSW.... the sonly headunit model is CDX-F7700.
Any info will be greatly appreciated!!!
P.S. Sorry if this questions has been brought up be4
mikeythemini on here www.newministuff.co.uk
has an interface which sounds like it should work im waiting to here from him about it i think hes just doing sum tests on it
I am sincerely hoping that Mike (Mikeythemini) will have an adapter available shortly.
A year ago I bought an Alpine head-unit and CD-changer for my MCS which is fitted with the HK-system. Several attempts later, I am still not able to make them work with the HK-system. I have brought the car in with the Belgian specialists and asked them to use the solution that was provided by Iancull. They refused to start working on the car before they received the necessary technical information from BMW. This was four months, and the specialist and I am still awaiting a reply from BMW.
Thanks.
The "HK enabler" circuits that Mikey has (and hopefully will soon be able to supply people) are designed and manufactured by me - I have had one in my car for some time and it works fine. Basically it persuades the HK amp to work with aftermarket HU.
To get MFSW control requires another separate adaptor - Mikey carries many of those (including the PAC SWI-X which I bought from him over a year ago and still have not got around to installing!)
Ian C. Gloucester, MA, USA (UK expat) driving GPMINI or a non-MINI!
Ok, then is it possible for me to install my headunit... but my it work with my HK... but then when i wanna sold the car...nd take the head unit off nd stuff....will the HK system still works if the factory headunit is fitted in?
P.S. if i install the sony headunit....will the curise control on my MFSW work????
2004 MINI Cooper
Catch me if you can
Last edited by jaieism; Jul 24th, 2004 at 06:51 PM.
I can build the HK enabler into the MFSW adaptor.
I have been waiting for a HK Mini to fit one to as a final test but have been unable to get my hands on one.
But as the prototype worked fine these will be fine I am sure
The cruise control will remain OK
The adaptor is plug & play so you will be able to re-install the factory unit when u sell the car
My understanding is that you guys are talking about hooking the HK amp to a non-HK head unit. Other than the burning question of "why???" I am wondering about the reverse situation. I have the HK head unit, and the HK amp, but I have a far superior and higher-powered ads 6-channel amp that I would like to use instead. Are there any close-to plug-and-play options for putting the new amplifier either after or in-place-of the HK amp/processing unit?
The car is leased so I don't want to do major surgery on the wiring. One thing I cannot lose is the current connection to my phatbox (via the cd-changer cable). Any ideas are welcome...
MK,
"why" ... because the aftermarket head unit is better in some way. Better sound? Better Features? For me, my Kenwood head unit "plays nice" with my Kenwood Keg, displaying track/artist info.
Your second question is a big "no", especially with the no-major-surgery caveat. The HK amp is tailored to the speakers that it drives. Replace the amp and likely replace the speakers too.
Ian C. Gloucester, MA, USA (UK expat) driving GPMINI or a non-MINI!
keg is great. Unfortunately I have a phatbox that plays nice with the BMW-standard head unit. I guess what I am thinking of doing is maybe "minor" surgery.
First, assuming I can get a clean input signal, what would be the problems driving the HK speakers off a high quality a/d/s amp?
Second, if I just unplug the jack going into the HK amp, does the system just sort of magically revert to a standard boost or wave head unit? I guess I need to figure out then if the phatbox is running through the HK amp or on a wire straight to the headunit. And if I unplug the HK, I have (thanks to you as I recall) a pinout for the plug that I can perhaps use to get the speaker-level out from the headunit and run it into the a/d/s (with or without a line-level adapter).
I guess my "why" was really asking, does the sound quality get dramatically better by keeping all the HK stuff EXCEPT the head unit? I wouldn't think the head unit to be the weak link in the chain....
My Kenwood HU sounds better than the original. It might simply be better loudness boosting at the quieter levels I listen to. Or it might be overall cleaner sound being delivered to the HK amp.
The BMW-phatbox should be wired up mimicing a CD changer. That goes into the head unit and should be unaffected by the HK amp.
From my testing, the head unit reverts to normal if the HK amp does not "talk to it" on iBus wires. Only the front left/right speaker wires are taken from the head unit to the HK amp position so if you wanted a new amp, you would need to pick up and run the rear left/right speaker signals. There is no line level in the stock head unit.
If you go for an aftermarket amp, you will need one that can drive 2 ohm speaker loads. On the rear 6x9 speakers you have two 2 ohm coils on each speaker - so with the front door speakers that would be six channels of 2 ohm loads, plus the midrange/tweeter. And you need a crossover for the mid/tweeter because there is not one in the car.
You will lose the HK "sculpting" of the sound shape, tailored to the MINI. Balancing an aftermarket system takes skill to get a system that is as clear as the HK system.
The stock head unit pinout is in many places, including my desk and I think in the MINI2 FAQs.
Ian C. Gloucester, MA, USA (UK expat) driving GPMINI or a non-MINI!
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