Professional CD Spec

Hi all.

I have a 2003 320d SE Touring with a Professional CD installed from new.


Just wanted to know what the difference was with other BMW units?

I have the standard 6-speaker set up,don't even know if I have an amp.

I don't have the HK set up- that I do know.

Any info would be good.

What exactly are you looking for, power ratings? a subjective evaluation of non-amplifier vs. amplified?

1) How is it different to a Business CD.
2) Is there more to it than just the head unit.

Anyone?

Originally Posted by royalratch

1) How is it different to a Business CD.
2) Is there more to it than just the head unit.

In US, we do not have the non-amplified radios, so I can't comment on it. If you only have sis speakers, my guess is you have a non-amplified radio. Why are you asking, are you looking to upgrade the stock system with a higher-end stock system? - don't waste your money.

Not being funny but it doesn't matter why - I just ant to know how they differ.

Power/features etc.

I'll try some UK forums as you said, lesser known in the US.

Regarding upgrades, I'm going to go the Blaupunkt Plug/Play route and drop in a small digital amp with OEM loom.

I have a brand new Alpine 2 channel amp but it will be too much hassle to plug into my stock set-up (nor pre-outs for factory) and I don't want to change the HU.

You can connect the alpine amp to the oem head unit using an adaptor, regardless of what unit you have.

Originally Posted by royalratch

Not being funny but it doesn't matter why - I just ant to know how they differ.

Power/features etc.

I'll try some UK forums as you said, lesser known in the US.

Regarding upgrades, I'm going to go the Blaupunkt Plug/Play route and drop in a small digital amp with OEM loom.

I have a brand new Alpine 2 channel amp but it will be too much hassle to plug into my stock set-up (nor pre-outs for factory) and I don't want to change the HU.

Pre-out converter from standard speaker output right?



My Alpine won't fit anywhere other than the loadbay and I'm not into that.

Would still like to know about this 'Pro' HU...

If you do not have an oem amplifier, pretty much any adapter that can handle speaker-level signals will work. If you do have an oem amplifier, you need an adapter that can take balanced-differential signals.

Originally Posted by royalratch

Pre-out converter from standard speaker output right?



My Alpine won't fit anywhere other than the loadbay and I'm not into that.

Would still like to know about this 'Pro' HU...

And the Prof CD spec?

I am guessing it is a Business CD with a built in amplifier for powering the speakers. I would guess ~10-15W per channel at the most.

Originally Posted by Halston@BSW

I am guessing it is a Business CD with a built in amplifier for powering the speakers. I would guess ~10-15W per channel at the most.

Confused.

All BMW stereos have an amp built in, only the HK set-up has an outboard amplifier.

I am talking about the unit that directly powers speakers. All US cars have an amplifier in the trunk from BMW that powers the speakers.

My E46 was non HK and had an external amp in the trunk.

I have a factory Professional unit and no amp.

So how can a 'lesser' head unit, like a Business CD say, power speakers without an amp?

I was under the impression that all the BMW stereos have built-in amps. If I remeber correctly the Business units have a 10W per channel built-in amp and the Professional units have 20W per channel built-in amp. I also think the Professional units have a larger/more detailed LCD display. I believe the reason all US spec. cars utilise an external amp in the boot is to power the additional speakers, even on the non-HK units. In the UK all units Business and Professional (non-HiFi and non-H&K) only have 4 mid-bass and 2 tweeters connected which the built-in head unit amp can handle. I think, but not sure about, the all US spec. cars also have an additional 4 mid range speakers, makeing 10 in total compared to our 6, hence the need for the external amp. The HK system has "upgraded" speakers and a sub-woofer fitted. I am sure someone with an HK system and more knowledge of the various BMW audio systems will chip-in to confirm or correct.

Now we're getting somewhere - this would make sense. My Pro stereo does sound better than my old Business one but not massively so.

I have the Business CD unit and swaped out the BMW speakers for some half decent Alpine ones. 6.5" 2-way coaxles in the rear deck and 5.1/4" components in the doors. The Alpines have much larger magnets and suck more juice from the already weak built-in amp. Far clearer and richer sound, but I need to crank up the volume knob to get a decent volume level. As such the max volume is now lower but not, that I have ever maxed out the volume anyways. Given the Professional unit has a better and more powerfull built-in Amp it will cope better with decent speakers attached. I also noticed by changing the speakers that the bass gave much crisper thumps. Much improved but a small self powered sub would top it all off nicely, without the need for any great expence.

All the headunits have built in amplfiers, at the moment my car with the standard hifi system is powered by the Business CD headunit.