676 Upgrade - Match Up 8 Harness?

[Fady]

Having very quickly reached the conclusion that the S676 Hifi Speaker System doesn't really cut the mustard, I thought that I would upgrade the basic speakers and then opt for the Match Up 8 amp for its (ha ha) seamless integration. I have now been back and forth with an online supplier who to be fair is trying to get some details so as to supply me with a bespoke harness.

As I have gathered from other posts such as viewtopic.php?p=2061936&hilit=676#p2061936 - some fettling is required to the standard BMW harness. Questions I have had so far include number of channels 676 makes use of and whether the door mid and tweeter work off 1 channel or 2. I have been able to confirm that factory setup is akin to 8 channels rather than a suggested 10 with door mid and tweeter being together and not separate. Final request was for me to supply a photo of the end of the existing harness but I said that this was not a two minute job as requires the removal of trim with a half put away roof.

Just wondering on the off chance if anyone has any similar photos to hand and/or some additional insight? Otherwise I will just find time at the weekend to have a go at the trim and maybe just leave it off pending actual fitment of the amp.

[AnubisZed]

Channels are...

Front Left (mid & tweeter)
Front Right (mid & tweeter)
Rear left (mid)
Rear right (mid)
Subwoofer left
Subwoofer right
Woofer left & right (footwells)
Front centre (mid)

I've attached the standard (AFAIK) female adaptor loom for the Match 8

plug1.jpg (126.25 KiB) Viewed 546 times

And a photo I took of my plug for my amp (ignore the craked case )

20240309_145530.jpg (105.99 KiB) Viewed 546 times

Here's the pinout for the 42 pin plug.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/3moidjo3 ... cdi41&dl=0

Hope that is helpful for you.

[Fady]

@AnubisZed - a scholar and a gentleman as ever Looks like everything is covered there to set me well on my way - had already visited your channel to see what effort is required to change the speakers.

What happened to your harness then - accident or design?!

[AnubisZed]

@AnubisZed - a scholar and a gentleman as ever Looks like everything is covered there to set me well on my way - had already visited your channel to see what effort is required to change the speakers.

What happened to your harness then - accident or design?!

No problem, glad I could help.

I've just retrofitted the full 676 system to mine and had that plug spare from a job lot of wiring loom someone gave me, alas it fell on the floor at some point and I stood on it. But it's all OK now, holds the two inner parts that hold the wires and it clips into the top of the amp, so all good

[B21]

The problem I believe remains that the harness AF supply is for 3/5/7 etc cars ..none of which has woofers and subwoofers..so some cutting n shutting will be required and/or some trade off ..the high power Match 8 channels really need to drive the subs and also the woofers need to be driven individually not as a pair..so with 8 channels probably best to drive the subs with one high power channel..so a pair of 4 ohm in parallel would be best..

The good news is that the Match 8 supports virtual processing unlike the Match 7 which allows a number of tricks to be performed..

[john-e89]

I’ve got this in the car….no need for all that fancy tech bollocks….

[B21]

I’ve got this in the car….no need for all that fancy tech bollocks….

Nice

[john-e89]

I’ve got this in the car….no need for all that fancy tech bollocks….

Nice

I’m stuck in the old days of throwing a new head unit in your xr3i on a Saturday afternoon in half an hour, and running a couple of signal leads to an amp big as a house and some wires to a bass bin…all in by tea time….

I sooooooo need to get into the 20th century….

[B21]

I’ve got this in the car….no need for all that fancy tech bollocks….

Nice

I’m stuck in the old days of throwing a new head unit in your xr3i on a Saturday afternoon in half an hour, and running a couple of signal leads to an amp big as a house and some wires to a bass bin…all in by tea time….

There’s a certain charm to low tech solutions…

[Braveatom]

I'm late to the party here, but it was me bothering B21 in the thread you (Fady), mention in the first post. Just in case anyone finds this post wondering about the same issues, it's fairly simple to wire up the missing channel.

Photos attached - hopefully that makes it clear what wire goes where, its just two than need adding. It was tricky finding the correct pins for the BMW connector, but Aliexpress sorted that - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001693286591.html.

BMW side:

IMG_7286.jpeg (114.95 KiB) Viewed 342 times

Amp side:

IMG_7285.jpeg (144.91 KiB) Viewed 342 times

Something I haven't considered too much, is the power going in to this channel - the subs are off 1 channel, so only gets 60w for both. There may be milage wiring one of the woofer channels (90w) to the sub channel, but haven't gone that far.

Due to other events I've had little time to play with the DSP software other than basic set up, but these two video have been a great help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lHGACo76pY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxF_ucxwFTQ

And it's been quite the journey so far, much like you the last stereo I wired up was in the mid 90s, a big power amp and woofers in a Mk1 Astra!

[B21]

I'm late to the party here, but it was me bothering B21 in the thread you (Fady), mention in the first post. Just in case anyone finds this post wondering about the same issues, it's fairly simple to wire up the missing channel.

Photos attached - hopefully that makes it clear what wire goes where, its just two than need adding. It was tricky finding the correct pins for the BMW connector, but Aliexpress sorted that - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001693286591.html.

BMW side:
IMG_7286.jpeg

Amp side:
IMG_7285.jpeg

Something I haven't considered too much, is the power going in to this channel - the subs are off 1 channel, so only gets 60w for both. There may be milage wiring one of the woofer channels (90w) to the sub channel, but haven't gone that far.

Due to other events I've had little time to play with the DSP software other than basic set up, but these two video have been a great help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lHGACo76pY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxF_ucxwFTQ

And it's been quite the journey so far, much like you the last stereo I wired up was in the mid 90s, a big power amp and woofers in a Mk1 Astra!

Well done..the core problem with the harness / wiring is it still based around E90 type speaker arrangements so the woofers are getting the high power channels and the subs as you notice aren’t..given you’re into re-pinning the simple solution for you is to repin the harness…

I’ve had to (re)climb a big learning curve on the DSP programming …I’ve had about 5 major attempts and now I’m getting close..

Yup it’s a long long way from a graphic steriliser amp under the glove box feeding two door speakers and two boxes on the rear parcel shelf..

I t did seem pretty good those days but an 8 track wasn’t hardly the high water mark in fidelity..

[Fady]

Ah - my Match UP8DSP arrived today as it happens:



I have been liaising with a chap from online store Crown Customs Car Audio for a number of weeks, initially through eBay but then directly as was easier. My first question was to ask if this was a plug and play solution for the car knowing full well that manufacturer does not supply an off the shelf harness. He passed this test and requested a photo of the car’s harness and other details to which I duly sent him what AnubisZed kindly posted earlier in the thread. However he wasn’t satisfied with this and requested a photo of my actual harness to be 100% sure.

Long story short, I eventually got around to pulling the relevant bits of trim back but feeling this might still not be clear enough, I also mapped out the position and wire colours for each of the 42 pins where occupied.

So I now have a modified 1.7hifi RAM patch cable as well as apparently “pre-configured DSP routing settings with all the needed crossovers etc. so it’s fully plug and play”. I can then play with the finer tuning adjustments should I wish to - or so I am told.

Like other here I am truly of the analogue generation so all of this is currently meaningless All I know is that sound could be better but seems this is what it takes. Note that I have also acquired some used Harman Kardon speakers for the easy to reach places so that will be the first job.

Life is in the way at the moment so maybe a little while before I find time but will report back with photos. In the interim I will study the videos Braveatom posted and generally try to get to a basic level of understanding as starting from zero.

[B21]

Ah - my Match UP8DSP arrived today as it happens:



I have been liaising with a chap from online store Crown Customs Car Audio for a number of weeks, initially through eBay but then directly as was easier. My first question was to ask if this was a plug and play solution for the car knowing full well that manufacturer does not supply an off the shelf harness. He passed this test and requested a photo of the car’s harness and other details to which I duly sent him what AnubisZed kindly posted earlier in the thread. However he wasn’t satisfied with this and requested a photo of my actual harness to be 100% sure.

Long story short, I eventually got around to pulling the relevant bits of trim back but feeling this might still not be clear enough, I also mapped out the position and wire colours for each of the 42 pins where occupied.

So I now have a modified 1.7hifi RAM patch cable as well as apparently “pre-configured DSP routing settings with all the needed crossovers etc. so it’s fully plug and play”. I can then play with the finer tuning adjustments should I wish to - or so I am told.

Like other here I am truly of the analogue generation so all of this is currently meaningless All I know is that sound could be better but seems this is what it takes. Note that I have also acquired some used Harman Kardon speakers for the easy to reach places so that will be the first job.

Life is in the way at the moment so maybe a little while before I find time but will report back with photos. In the interim I will study the videos Braveatom posted and generally try to get to a basic level of understanding as starting from zero.

Would be interested at seeing your apfx file!

What speakers are you using?

[Fady]

Ah - my Match UP8DSP arrived today as it happens:



I have been liaising with a chap from online store Crown Customs Car Audio for a number of weeks, initially through eBay but then directly as was easier. My first question was to ask if this was a plug and play solution for the car knowing full well that manufacturer does not supply an off the shelf harness. He passed this test and requested a photo of the car’s harness and other details to which I duly sent him what AnubisZed kindly posted earlier in the thread. However he wasn’t satisfied with this and requested a photo of my actual harness to be 100% sure.

Long story short, I eventually got around to pulling the relevant bits of trim back but feeling this might still not be clear enough, I also mapped out the position and wire colours for each of the 42 pins where occupied.

So I now have a modified 1.7hifi RAM patch cable as well as apparently “pre-configured DSP routing settings with all the needed crossovers etc. so it’s fully plug and play”. I can then play with the finer tuning adjustments should I wish to - or so I am told.

Like other here I am truly of the analogue generation so all of this is currently meaningless All I know is that sound could be better but seems this is what it takes. Note that I have also acquired some used Harman Kardon speakers for the easy to reach places so that will be the first job.

Life is in the way at the moment so maybe a little while before I find time but will report back with photos. In the interim I will study the videos Braveatom posted and generally try to get to a basic level of understanding as starting from zero.

Would be interested at seeing your apfx file!

What speakers are you using?

Well I had to Google apfx file, though I kinda guessed what you meant Will gladly share when I get to that stage!

As for speakers - just a set of used ones apparently from a 2018 4 Series:



Plus have another single for the dash. Just looking for a simple solution and don't want to do work trying to fit anything non-standard with the objective being to increase clarity and reduce distortion at mid volume. I will consider changing the ones in the footwell if need be as a further step but really hoping this is sufficient.

[B21]

Ah - my Match UP8DSP arrived today as it happens:



I have been liaising with a chap from online store Crown Customs Car Audio for a number of weeks, initially through eBay but then directly as was easier. My first question was to ask if this was a plug and play solution for the car knowing full well that manufacturer does not supply an off the shelf harness. He passed this test and requested a photo of the car’s harness and other details to which I duly sent him what AnubisZed kindly posted earlier in the thread. However he wasn’t satisfied with this and requested a photo of my actual harness to be 100% sure.

Long story short, I eventually got around to pulling the relevant bits of trim back but feeling this might still not be clear enough, I also mapped out the position and wire colours for each of the 42 pins where occupied.

So I now have a modified 1.7hifi RAM patch cable as well as apparently “pre-configured DSP routing settings with all the needed crossovers etc. so it’s fully plug and play”. I can then play with the finer tuning adjustments should I wish to - or so I am told.

Like other here I am truly of the analogue generation so all of this is currently meaningless All I know is that sound could be better but seems this is what it takes. Note that I have also acquired some used Harman Kardon speakers for the easy to reach places so that will be the first job.

Life is in the way at the moment so maybe a little while before I find time but will report back with photos. In the interim I will study the videos Braveatom posted and generally try to get to a basic level of understanding as starting from zero.

Would be interested at seeing your apfx file!

What speakers are you using?

Well I had to Google apfx file, though I kinda guessed what you meant Will gladly share when I get to that stage!

As for speakers - just a set of used ones apparently from a 2018 4 Series:



Plus have another single for the dash. Just looking for a simple solution and don't want to do work trying to fit anything non-standard with the objective being to increase clarity and reduce distortion at mid volume. I will consider changing the ones in the footwell if need be as a further step but really hoping this is sufficient.

All noted..although all the parts should offer some improvement in audio performance without a proper ‘tune’ using the DSP tuning s/w it’s going to be at best missing a trick and at worst could be no better than the OE system..

With your unique collection of parts no OTS afpx file will be much good..