Navigation & Audio My 2005 MCS Audio Install - Step by Step
The dash downtubes? PITA? I know that Bentley says you have to loosen (remove some of?) the e-brake console, etc., but other posts show it's not necessary. What was your experience?
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
I had to loosen the console
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
On a side note, if you have actual 6.5 in speakers and not 6 in speakers those adapters won't work. I'm going to have to fabricate some, but in the meantime I have screws pointing inwards towards the drivers and a not very well sealed speaker.
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 26
Likes: 11
From: Windsor, Ontario
2004 non Harman Kardon
You might be saying, "Tom, I thought you were going to do the rear speakers next. So why are you talking about amplifier location?"
I'm about to tear the rear end of my MINI apart. While it is torn apart is an ideal time to run DC power wires from the battery. But first, i need to nail down amplifier location.
So where is the Factory HK Upgrade Amp mounted?
Many of the posts I've read indicate it is under the driver seat except for the Cabrio where it is under the passenger seat. Yet Hibane indicates it is in the rear behind one of the side panels in the luggage area. The Bently manual agrees. I suspect the location changed sometime in the evolution of Gen 1, possibly in 2005.
The argument is somewhat moot when you don't have a HK system except that it gives you the two primary places to consider if you are installing a booster amp. My Alpine MRP-F300's dimensions are 10 11/16" x 9 9/16" x 2 7/16". I pulled the access doors to the two side panels in the MINI's luggage area. I certainly can't get the Alpine through the openings. In addition, I'm not sure how I'd mount the Alpine. If I could get it to fit, there would be very little room for air circulation - leading to potential heat problems.
I did notice that the main power cables from the battery run along the drivers side of my MINI. So I'll route any other power cables down the same path.
I then test fit the Alpine under the drivers seat. There is a slight recess in the carpeting under the seat that the Alpine fits into. But, sitting on top of the carpet, a 0.7" horizontal rod that is part of the mechanism controling front and back seat movement hits the top of the Alpine. I estimate the Alpine woud need to be approximately 1/2 inch shorter, or be placed 1/2 inch lower to clear the rod. I used an Exacto knife to test the depth of the carpet and pad. It came in at about 1/2".
So the moral of the story is if you want the horizontal rod to clear your amplifier, be prepared to remove carpeting and pad and look for a unit with a height of 2 1/4 inch or less. Any higher and you may have a clearance problem as my measurements are fairly rough and tough.
I also checked the passenger seat. As far as I can tell, it is identical to the drivers seat.
The other option is to mount the amplifier sufficiently far back under the driver's seat that the seat can go all the way back without the control bar hitting the amplifier. This would cut into rear seat foot for adults, and they would be resting their feet on your amplifier. The amplifier would be within about 6 inches of the foot well back wall.
There are other potential amplifier mounting options. You could place yours in the rear storage area, taking some space there. You could build your amplifier into a rear seat delete project.
I am doing a rear seat delete project. That means, I will not need a rear driver side foot well. So in that space, my booster amp will go, mounted far enough back that it will not be hit by the seat rod, even with the seat all the way back.
Mounting the Amplifier
I had planned to address this later but the question has come up in this thread, so I'll address it briefly now. The following image shows the amp in its proposed location, approximately 6" from the back of the footwell. Note that in this image the seat is all the way forward.
On the right side of the photo, you can see a Torx screw that holds the back side of the forward/backward seat adjustment track to the floor of the MINI. Not as visible is a similar screw on the other rail. I will probably use one of these two screws to ground the amplifier.What I think I'm going to do is take two pieces of some fairly heavy nylon webbing and attach the end of each to these screws using a brass grommet. There would be heavy duty velcro sewed to the other end of each piece of webbing. I could secure the amp by joining the two pieces of webbing using velcro to secure them to each other. There are no holes to drill and it would be easy to remove the amp if need be for servicing, especially if my electrical connections allow for quick disconnects.
I'd appreciate any feedback on this approach.
I'm at the point where I feel comfortable proceeding with the rear speakers as I know where to run my fused positive cable.
Tom
I'm about to tear the rear end of my MINI apart. While it is torn apart is an ideal time to run DC power wires from the battery. But first, i need to nail down amplifier location.
So where is the Factory HK Upgrade Amp mounted?
Many of the posts I've read indicate it is under the driver seat except for the Cabrio where it is under the passenger seat. Yet Hibane indicates it is in the rear behind one of the side panels in the luggage area. The Bently manual agrees. I suspect the location changed sometime in the evolution of Gen 1, possibly in 2005.
The argument is somewhat moot when you don't have a HK system except that it gives you the two primary places to consider if you are installing a booster amp. My Alpine MRP-F300's dimensions are 10 11/16" x 9 9/16" x 2 7/16". I pulled the access doors to the two side panels in the MINI's luggage area. I certainly can't get the Alpine through the openings. In addition, I'm not sure how I'd mount the Alpine. If I could get it to fit, there would be very little room for air circulation - leading to potential heat problems.
I did notice that the main power cables from the battery run along the drivers side of my MINI. So I'll route any other power cables down the same path.
I then test fit the Alpine under the drivers seat. There is a slight recess in the carpeting under the seat that the Alpine fits into. But, sitting on top of the carpet, a 0.7" horizontal rod that is part of the mechanism controling front and back seat movement hits the top of the Alpine. I estimate the Alpine woud need to be approximately 1/2 inch shorter, or be placed 1/2 inch lower to clear the rod. I used an Exacto knife to test the depth of the carpet and pad. It came in at about 1/2".
So the moral of the story is if you want the horizontal rod to clear your amplifier, be prepared to remove carpeting and pad and look for a unit with a height of 2 1/4 inch or less. Any higher and you may have a clearance problem as my measurements are fairly rough and tough.
I also checked the passenger seat. As far as I can tell, it is identical to the drivers seat.
The other option is to mount the amplifier sufficiently far back under the driver's seat that the seat can go all the way back without the control bar hitting the amplifier. This would cut into rear seat foot for adults, and they would be resting their feet on your amplifier. The amplifier would be within about 6 inches of the foot well back wall.
There are other potential amplifier mounting options. You could place yours in the rear storage area, taking some space there. You could build your amplifier into a rear seat delete project.
I am doing a rear seat delete project. That means, I will not need a rear driver side foot well. So in that space, my booster amp will go, mounted far enough back that it will not be hit by the seat rod, even with the seat all the way back.
Mounting the Amplifier
I had planned to address this later but the question has come up in this thread, so I'll address it briefly now. The following image shows the amp in its proposed location, approximately 6" from the back of the footwell. Note that in this image the seat is all the way forward.
On the right side of the photo, you can see a Torx screw that holds the back side of the forward/backward seat adjustment track to the floor of the MINI. Not as visible is a similar screw on the other rail. I will probably use one of these two screws to ground the amplifier.What I think I'm going to do is take two pieces of some fairly heavy nylon webbing and attach the end of each to these screws using a brass grommet. There would be heavy duty velcro sewed to the other end of each piece of webbing. I could secure the amp by joining the two pieces of webbing using velcro to secure them to each other. There are no holes to drill and it would be easy to remove the amp if need be for servicing, especially if my electrical connections allow for quick disconnects.
I'd appreciate any feedback on this approach.
I'm at the point where I feel comfortable proceeding with the rear speakers as I know where to run my fused positive cable.
Tom
I am going to do an upgrade as well with Polk601-651 and Kenwood ktp-445 with keeping the HU.
What do you think can I still use the factory wiring for this project.
Far as I know my car does not have HK.
Thanks,
Arthur
Neutral
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Head unit
I began reading this thread around the new year. As a result, I picked up the same head unit, JVC ARSENAL KD-A925BT CD Receiver, and installed it.
Last night I just requested an RA number from Crutchfield,and will be returning the unit.
Here's what I don't care for about the JVC.
1. Radio reception is extremely poor - lot's of static, only the strongest signals come in.
2. The phone integration of the Head unit works well, except it will not integrate with the steering wheel controls. (RT button does not have any use, and the phone button is only programmable to mute the sound)
3. The blue tooth speaker picks up too much road noise to carry on a conversation. I'm unable to hold a call unless I'm parked, or only want to listen.
4. When I'm driving, and turn the volume up high enough to hear the caller over the road noise, the caller gets an echo of their own voice through the speaker.
5. When on a call, mute only turns the sound off. If I want to listen in on a conference call, I need to use my iphone's mute button.
6. The trim frame that goes around the head unit squeaks regularly, depending on the temperature against the columns. I know this just needs some adjustment, but wanted to mention it for others who might be working on an install.
7. I'm only able to scan up on the pre-set button, and if I've done anything else on the radio, the next time I press scan, I'm reverted back to the beginning of my presets rather than the next preset station from where I am currently listening.
8. Not necessarily the head unit's fault, but the SWI-JACK adapter for the steering wheel controls is HORRIBLE! Inconsistent, usually have to press the button you want a few times in advance to get a result, and as I mentioned, there is not phone integration whatsoever.
9 There are no preset buttons - I knew this going in from the reviews, but still found it a bit annoying because the steering wheel controls are so poor.
What I like:
1. Blue tooth integration is excellent. Connects to my iPhone 4s seamlessly.
2. Music is easy to listen to, although the search and scan features are best done on the phone, not the head unit, and certainly not through the SWI-Jack steering wheel controls.
3. Plugging the USB cable in charges the phone effectively, however, I rarely used this because the blue tooth connection was so strong.
Has anyone else had any experience with another deck that they recommend?
Last night I just requested an RA number from Crutchfield,and will be returning the unit.
Here's what I don't care for about the JVC.
1. Radio reception is extremely poor - lot's of static, only the strongest signals come in.
2. The phone integration of the Head unit works well, except it will not integrate with the steering wheel controls. (RT button does not have any use, and the phone button is only programmable to mute the sound)
3. The blue tooth speaker picks up too much road noise to carry on a conversation. I'm unable to hold a call unless I'm parked, or only want to listen.
4. When I'm driving, and turn the volume up high enough to hear the caller over the road noise, the caller gets an echo of their own voice through the speaker.
5. When on a call, mute only turns the sound off. If I want to listen in on a conference call, I need to use my iphone's mute button.
6. The trim frame that goes around the head unit squeaks regularly, depending on the temperature against the columns. I know this just needs some adjustment, but wanted to mention it for others who might be working on an install.
7. I'm only able to scan up on the pre-set button, and if I've done anything else on the radio, the next time I press scan, I'm reverted back to the beginning of my presets rather than the next preset station from where I am currently listening.
8. Not necessarily the head unit's fault, but the SWI-JACK adapter for the steering wheel controls is HORRIBLE! Inconsistent, usually have to press the button you want a few times in advance to get a result, and as I mentioned, there is not phone integration whatsoever.
9 There are no preset buttons - I knew this going in from the reviews, but still found it a bit annoying because the steering wheel controls are so poor.
What I like:
1. Blue tooth integration is excellent. Connects to my iPhone 4s seamlessly.
2. Music is easy to listen to, although the search and scan features are best done on the phone, not the head unit, and certainly not through the SWI-Jack steering wheel controls.
3. Plugging the USB cable in charges the phone effectively, however, I rarely used this because the blue tooth connection was so strong.
Has anyone else had any experience with another deck that they recommend?
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