Hello, first time posting. I'm hoping to be purchasing a JCW Mini within the next month, but I may be deterred by the integration of an upgraded audio system. The problem is, i'm an audiophile.

I've been doing some searching on this forum and it seems nobody has upgraded the headunit on the 2007+ Mini's, is this the case? I see a lot of people upgrading the speakers and amps and using a harness with the stock HU. I'm hoping this isn't my only option. JL Audio's cleansweep is not a great option, I would much rather have an aftermarket HU with flexible EQ'ing, time delay, etc.

Am I out of luck on this? Also, if I were to upgrade my stereo, does the Navigation make this any more or less difficult?

I am afraid you are out of luck on a head unit upgrade at this time. There is just not enough room between the pillars of the center console to put a standard head unit.

Also all the data that is displayed on the NAV Screen or the Standard display is integrated into the same unit that mounts behind the speedo.

See this post to see what the head unit/speedo looks like. There are picture of the unit a few posts down from the top.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=105178

Now by looking at the actual dash opening it seems there is actually enough room there to put an aftermarket radio in but that does not do anything for all the plastics modifications that would have to be done to fit the face through the dash coverings.

I have heard one report and only one that there is a company in Japan that is working on designing a replacement center console cover that would leave the stock radio in place and allow for a aftermarket radio below and also move the air conditioning controls lower in the center console. In that same report there was also mention of possibly moving the head unit to the passenger side area somewhere and being able to put a double DIN size radio in the hole that is left over.

Please note that i have not been able to confirm this report even after more than 3 hours of research. I would suspect that if this report is true, there is still a few months of design work that needs to be completed so it may be 1-2 months away or 7-8 or more months away. Just do not know. Again i have not been able to confirm this report.

If i find out anymore info I will gladly pass it on.

Thanks for the info.

I don't mind doing a little fabricating, so it seems adding an aftermarket HU to the non-nav would be easiest. I'm also concerned about the depth of the stock HU, does anybody know the dimensions of this?

Now what about modifying the Nav equipped console:


Would removing the cd player (top slot) and volume controls (second slot) disable any functionality besides the radio? In my Acura, my OEM radio was connected to my Navigation for voice controls, but I just removed the radio and the Nav still worked fine, I just didn't have any sound coming from the Nav.

My optimal set-up would be OEM Navigation and aftermarket HU. If the voices from the Nav didn't work, not a big deal, as long as it functions properly.

That second unit down with the volume controls is the navigation DVD unit and that would need to stay to run the NAV. The volume control panel swings out and allows access to the NAV DVD player.

I suspect that would make trying to do what you want even more difficult.

Although never having taken one apart in may actually make the placement of an aftermarket head unit in the CD slot easier but i am not sure what connections may still be needed to the CD/Radio unit to make other things function in the car.

Everything in these cars is connected to the central computer some how. Even the audio amplifier for the HiFi system connects to the Central Computer System.

On my 2003 BMW 525, I found that I could not install a aftermarket radio and keep all the info screens for the trip computer, time, temperature etc and bluetooth as they were all integrated into the radio head unit. If I removed it the only info I would have had was the regular odometer. None of the other functions would have worked. I suspect that there is the same sort of deal with the MINI as the electronics in the MINI are all BMW

Hmm, that is problematic. Does the stock amplifier for the standard audio package control any of the central computer system, or is the amp built in to the headunit? I will not be purchasing the HiFi package anyway.

Are there any wiring diagrams for the 2007+ Mini floating around?

Not sure what the signal is for but the amp does not seem to control the central computer in anyway but it may have to do with the speed sensitive volume.

No the HiFi amp is mounted in the rear of the car and the head unit drives it with speaker level inputs If you are not going to get the HiFi unit then you do not have to worry about that part of the system

Yes there is a web site that has access to them. Please take them with a grain of salt. I have found a few minor discrepancies with connector number being incorrect, usually just where there is an identical conector on both the left and right sides of the car carrying the same type of signal they will list the left connector number (X256) where they should have listed the right connector nubmer as (x257) Easy stuff to figure out.

You will need to be running Microsoft Internet Explorer. I have also found that some versions of that do not work and none of the Firefox browser versions will work.

Here is the link http://www.mcaw.info/wds/mini/us/r56/index.htm

Here is the link to the Japanese kit:

R56 MINI DIN Kit

The site for the wiring diagrams is great!

The double-DIN dash kit would solve all my problems though...

Summary:

The more you care about audio quality, the less I'd recommend the HiFi system.

If I had it to do over again, I'd still not get the HiFi. Not having the HiFi amp gives me more freedom to do things. If you get the HiFi amp, you're stuck with it.

But the HiFi gives you tweeters in the "A" pillars! Yes, and you can order those plastic parts, and mount your own tweeters.

Discussion:

After spending many hours digging into these things, and more thinking about them (and wondering, why did they do that?), I'm still confused.

When I ordered the car, I made the deliberate choice not to get the HiFi system.

My logic at the time was that: (1) the HiFi system cost $$$, (2) I was going to replace the speakers anyway, (3) I had no idea what kind of games were played in the HiFi amp, but (4) if I do my own amp, I get to decide what kind of games get played.

After digging through these things, I think that's still fairly good logic.

If I end up putting in my own amp, I'm in control of what goes into it, and what kind of shaping/spreading/delay gets applied. And, I can add my own inputs (iPod, etc.) directly into the amp, bypassing any games that get played in the OEM head. With the HiFi, you're stuck with their amp, and whatever its Bavarian masters told it to do to the signal.

Another aspect is the multifunction steering wheel. I really like having those buttons on the steering wheel, being able to diddle the volume and move forward and back in a track list.

If I go to my own amp, I'll drive all the channels off the (full-er fidelity) front channel OEM head outputs. Yes, that means the OEM fader no longer works, but I can live with that. The steering wheel volume and track buttons will still work. I'll have full control over shaping the front and rear channels, something not possible (or very difficult) if I had the HiFi amp in there.

I am going to go with an aftermarket amp that might run the front 6.5 speaker and a sub, with the rear output running the 6x9s and not run the 4" speakers. Otherwise I will get a 2nd amp for the sub and then run both the front speakers on the 1st amp, and still run the 6x9s with the rear inputs.

Did you see the prices for the Double Din Kits they start at $2000. I think that inculeds some sort of radio/video/nav unit though.

Of course not being able to read Japanese i am not totally sure. But if they were to sell just the plastics and adapters then that would make is less expensive and allow us here in the US to put in our own radios.

Thanks bombboy for the link. i will have to look into this more. i must have not been searching on the right words or something.

I did not see the price, but I do believe that comes with one of the navigation units. This option would A.) save me $2000 from buying the OEM Navigation and B.) save me a ton of headaches

Has anybody talked to this manufacturer about the kit?

What are you using to connect your OEM radio to your amps? My brother seems to have problems getting a clean signal from his OEM radio (Acura TL) even though he's using high quality amps/speakers.

Hm, I know my Mazda 6 couldn't fit an aftermarket headunit, but someone does make the center console plastic piece with a double-din (and a few electronic things like relocating the autoac) for about $200.

So, I'd bet it can be done, it's just a matter of finding it, or finding someone to do it.

Yes they are with NAV/Radio/CD units but that price still does not have import duties or shipping on it. Also those units from trying to look up a couple of the part numbers are Japanese Only units. They do not have the capability of showing Latin Charaters from what i can see.

I would be nice if we could find just the plastics and inner parts with out the NAV/Radio/CD unit.

I am going to try and e-mail them to see if i can get some kind of response.

The sub I'm using currently has a LOC built in, and works a treat.

I'm looking at amps that include LOCs, but the amp I like the best so far is the Alpine PDX 5, which only takes line inputs. That means I need to use an external LOC. A variety of those are available, ranging from $20 and under (transformer and a pot in a box) to $200 and more (JL Clean Sweep and similar gadgets).

In setting these things up, it's quite important to set the (intermediate) levels between components properly. Once you overdrive a stage, you can't recover from that.

As an example, my (5gen) iPod can overdrive the Aux/iPod input if I crank the level up too high. Didn't realixe that at first, but when I tried things out with very peaky complex material, it showed up. Once I turned down the level, I could turn up the volume.