Geetings fellow Mini-ites. I have lurked around this board off and on since I got my Mini, oh, what, three years ago? I am in general not much of a typer but can read fairly well.

About a year ago my warranty was going to be up so I decided I would take the Mini on a long business trip. A few weeks before leaving I had a DPSM installed by the dealer. I had some suspension work done to fix my mushroomed towers too. Since I needed to burn in my speakers I figured a long road trip would be just perfect.

The DPSM sounded just delicious. Best stereo I ever heard in a car and one of the best I ever heard period.

I had the dealer put it in so I would have the two year warranty. Because I mess around with sound systems I know you can blow speakers if you screw up.

Well, on one of the hottest days of the year in July it just quit. I waited for days for the thing to reset but it became clear it was toast. Took it back to Motor City Mini and after they had for a while I got it back. They did the right thing and took their time installing a fan.

After driving for a few weeks after this, I just could not help noticing that now it sounds annoying to me. Instead of sounding clear, amazingly rich, and as if you are there - it's full of errors, intermittent buzzing, and is muddled. Called the dealer, made an appointment, showed up and was bumped up to the service manager who couldn't hear a damn thing wrong with it.

OK, here's where we're at: Some day in the future I am going to have to deal with the service manager. How do I convince him in the two minutes they are going to give me that the stereo I listen to every day now sounds like a crappy loud radio?

I called them last Friday and said that it would be nice to find someone around here (Ann Arbor, MI) that has one of these things so I could compare mine to theirs. If we couldn't tell the difference I will admit I am crazy and leave them alone. They said they would see what they could do. No word since.

I don't think I am crazy and I want my $2000 stereo fixed.

Please, HELP ME!!!

 

I'm a service advisor at a Honda dealer, so I know it's a tough job to diagnose problems. The worst thing we can get is when someone says "I hear a noise... it's like a buzzing noise.."

We can rarely verify noises, and must verify them to have Honda actually cover them under warranty. So keep on trying, but just remember: the service department is tough!! He might not be able to verify it, and if he can't you're SOL.

 

Try and find a certain CD track that highlights the problem.

That's what I did for my H/K system when a speaker blew. I found a bass-heavy track that made the speakers sound horrible, and they made a note in the work order to listed to the track.

When I got my MINI back, there was a note that they listened to the track, agreed that it was blown, and replaced it with no further discussion.

Good luck!


-Paul!

 

I use "dark side of the moon" as my standard. I have listened to it so many times now I am sick of it.

there is a problem at the begining of track three that I kept trying to find for these guys while they were standing there. I compared two different cd's to make sure it wasn't the cd. They did hear something but the service tech said something like 'Oh, maybe the grill is vibrating a little..." something like that. The service manager had me turn it up. I did and it became obvious. he then said "when you turn it up that high it will distort." At that point I knew it was hopeless and kind of lost and blurted out...."********.." He didn't like that.

was going to make a loop on cd with that part. Right now I am discouraged.

Mark

 

Well, sometimes the truth hurts, because '********' is exactly what he was telling you, whether or not he wanted to hear it.

I don't have the DPSM manual in front of me, but I remember that the manual specifies in black and white it's specifically designed to *not* distort at high volume. There's some sort of 'rounding off' circuitry that stops the distortion at high volume. You may want to point out that particular section in the manual.

And I would give MINI USA a call to let them know of the level of service you're receiving, as well as getting in contact with the next person up from the service manager. It's simply unacceptable that you can replicate and illustrate the problem, and they don't want to acknowledge it.

And see if you can get another DPSM equipped MINI in front of him so you can show him the difference. Try any and all local clubs for assistance. There should be at least a few owners willing to help!


-Paul!

 

I'm looking in my manual and see on p. 16
You're probably thinking about the part on p. 17 (with the safety circuits stuff)So I guess it does have the round off thing to make it sound clear "at high levels," but only if you don't boost the treble / bass too much.

Good luck finding someone with a DPSM locally to compare it to.

 

My DPSM Shorts out everytime it rains. Good luck getting it fixed, I am on my second dealer. Digital Power Sound Modules are the buggest pieces of crap made. Right now mine is in the shop for a uninstall. The problem is I want a refund!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $2200 for what a car stereo that only works right when the car is kept dry.

 

Have you had any luck, getting your system fixed?