Using the stock HU on an SQ system?
 

I have an E46 BMW sedan and started to build an SQ system. I have one major problem tho, I don't want to ruin the dashboard's stock look. Since BMWs don't have DIN-sized head units in their center console, putting an aftermarket HU makes the console hideous.

so.. what are your suggestions?
what do you think of the JL Audio Clean Sweep?

OR putting a nice aftermarket HU will make a HUGE difference?

I'm thinking of a 3-way setup up front and a subwoofer - from Focal's Utopia beryllium line or Audison's Thesis line. I'll decide after listening both brands :)

btw, very nice forum full of info I needed. thanks for the opportunity :)

you can consider the Audison bit 1 processor, fully integrates with factory head unit

Frank

i'll add a processor to my system and was considering bit one too. didn't know it had full integration with my headunit - gotta search and learn more :) thank you. so another question;
will there be a big difference between:

stock HU + audison bit one VS aftermarket HU + audison bit one?

There's also the RF 3sixty.2 processor and Alpine Imprint PXE-H650. The RF, Audison and Alpine will give you more tuning options than the JL Clean Sweep.

quality wise the bitone(as much as I despise it) is you're best bet for an all in one.
rockfords 3sixty.2 is a good mid level processor has a good amount of bells and whistles to give you decent SQ.
JL clean sweep is an over price line level adapter!

Well I would have to say aftermarket Hu with Bit one would be better but you never know because it's a high level input into the bit one for factory HU. Whereas with an aftermarket HU its low level and/or you can feed it an optical cable.

I'm interested to hear why you despise it so much Julian. I know it's had its had ups and down when it first came out but as of today, it's got to be one of the best processors on the market. Mind you I can't say much right now as mine is still in the box but from reading a lot of people’s reviews getting past the first generation versions people love them. Even over the H701. The amount of tuning and the fact that I can have it all displayed on my laptop is great. My plan when tuning will be to have one computer with the RTA software running and the other computer with the bit one software running, this way I can adjust my curve as I see it in real time.

Frank

Frank,

I fed the bitone an Alpine W505 with optical and analogue rca's and it had digital buzzing at startup with optical. Once the W505 loaded then sent a digital signal to the bit one, the noise disappeared. So that tells me that firmware or hardware keeps the audio gate open at startup. That unit was sent back to Audison for the bitone1. Once I got the new unit it needed to firmware flash - it wouldn't even play music. This happened to 3 other units that I had to install. Great quality control!!!!!

I then switched out the Alpine W505 for a Denon Z1 modded with a 75Ω Coax silver cable and connector. Once it powered up, I got a huge ticking sound until I pressed play. Ejecting a CD prompted the ticking. So that tells me the digital audio gate is either back feeding or someone goofed in the code. Analogue was clean but I couldn't do a setup test with the Z1???

The nail in the coffin for me was when I wired the bitone to my home reference system and tried two dvd players and my reference CD player.
Same noise.

Audison may have fixed this unit - I don't know. All I'm know is, that I lost in Amature this year to a guy with the bitone running line level from a 2009 Accord. He claims all the problems can be fixed with a PAC TR7

I wanted to use the bitone - don't get me wrong it has great sound. I had a center console concept with a Denon Z1 and macmini for tuning. And xenarc touch screen monitor in the factory location!

I sure do like my P01 - simple/clean/problem free!!!!!!!!

Cheer Julian

See this is the thing I don't understand didn't audison even hook this thing up before putting it on the self. Anyways this issue has been beaten to dead on many fourms so we will leave it at that i'm sorry to hear about all your problem. I hope everything with this thing is fixed by now. i guess i'll fine out soon, the great things is problems like this can be fixed with firmware.

Thanks

Frank

I have heard of people modifiying stock head units and adding a line level or optical out, you might consider doing that of course you would still need to run some sort of processing.

JBL MS-8
I know I know but its actually coming out now. Should kill the bit one.