Hi

I recently purchased a used 2003 mini cooper s which I love and am trying to do right by it both mechanically and cosmetically. The project on my plate right now is to improve the sound system and have run into a bit of a clusterf$%@.

My car has the Harmon Kardon speakers but after searching high and low, I am becoming convinced that I don't actually have the H/K upgrade system. I am deducing this by the absence of the amplifier as it is not in a boot side panel, nor is it detectable under either front seat (reaching under the trap, I feel styrofoam not an amplifier). It may be there but before I take the seat out, I should mention that I am also unable to call up "mini h/k" or any eq mode on the head unit (only "Tone Line").

Does anyone have a theory here? Perhaps the amplifier was removed by a previous owner and therefore downgraded to a stock sound system but with Harmon Kardon speakers?

If this is true, that's fine as I am open and willing to get a new amp and upgrade the system my own way. I worry however that I will run into strange roadblocks owing to the fact that I don't understand the implications of the system that I actually have now in respect to upgrade options. That is, I've read numerous threads about the headaches associated with upgrading an H/K system which I don't know where my situation falls in the scheme of things.

Any advice?

 

Run your VIN and see what options your car came with.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...hp?vin=tf61707

 

Thanks for the heads-up with VIN checker (didn't know about it).

And I find no mention of the H/K system. So I'll operate as if that is truth. Perhaps someone just put the H/K speaker grills on in at some point?!

Anyways, thanks again for the help. I'll proceed with my own upgrade.

J

 

YW, but try this link. I ran my VIN through the other link I sent you and it did not show all my options:
http://myminivin.com/

 

If your car previously had an HK amp that that was removed, at that location there should still be a big 42-pin connector remaining that isn't connected to anything.

That VIN decoder is not useful. It only decodes the model and year, and displays generic model information (not the build options for a specific car). Try it for your own car and you'll see what I mean (e.g. it shows every color option, not the color of your car).

Use this decoder instead: http://bimmer.work/

 

Yes on the older hatch the H/K amps in the trunk. What some people did back in the day is find a wrecked MINI and do the H/K speaker swap or mod. The stock system non H/K did not have the amp. I miss the old MINI DPSM system also. Those are so rare. And that little amp went in the back also.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-pictures.html

 

Thanks for the help, all.

Both of the additional VIN searches show the following items concerning the sound system:

645 Radio Control Us Radio-steuerung Us
650 Cd Player Cd-laufwerk
657 Radio Boost Radio Boost
674 Hifi Loudspeaker System Harman Kardon Hifi-system Harman/kardon

Does this imply that the factory equipped my mcs with a standard sound system BUT with H/K speakers?

Again, I'm not finding the amp in the boot side panels nor under the floor (only the battery). It may in fact, be under the seat and encased in styrofoam and I'll go ahead and check it. But does it not stand to reason that if I did have the amp I should be able to call up the "Mini h/k", "Electronic", "Instrumental", the Diffuse state, etc., via the head unit?

 

There wasn't an HK speaker only option. There's also really not an HK deck. Both systems used the same deck with different speakers, and all of the HK processing was done onboard the amp. Since you can't access the HK sound settings, it sounds like the amp is missing and someone rewired the speakers to run without the amp. If you get a replacement HK amp, make sure you sort out the wiring before plugging it back in.

Also, the HK speakers are 2 ohm so if you add an aftermarket amp, make sure it can run down to 2 ohms. A few people have used a 6 channel JL Audio amp to replace the HK. The JL is good quality and is small so it will fit back in the stock location.

 

You definitely have the HK/Boost option. My amp is located on the passenger side in the rear panel. If yours is missing, you should be able to find one in this forum for about $100-$150
IMO this is a great system if you can get the amp and the system works.

 

That would be consistent with the other information you've stated. However, downgrading from HK to stock system is nontrivial and involves a good amount of rewiring. If you want to put in an HK amp, you'd have to undo the changes and restore the wiring back to its original state.

 

Will the HK system play without the AMP? Does your system currently play, I ask because it may be just as simple as putting another HK amp in.... Can you get in touch with the PO and ask if he/she just removed the amp? When you looked in the panel, did you see the connecting cables for the amp?

 

The OP seems to be saying that his system plays and produces sound, but he wants to improve it. If it was an HK system but the amp was removed, then it is not as simple as putting another HK amp in. Once an HK amp is removed, the speakers would not be connected to anything. If the speakers are currently producing sounds, the previous owner did some rewiring to connect the speakers. To use another HK amp, the rewiring needs to be undone and restored back to its original condition.