Why Upgrade Your BMW Amplifier?

Getting the perfect BMW sound system upgrade requires more than just switching our speakers or

fitting a subwoofer in the trunk. To take things to the next level, you need a quality BMW amplifier

upgrade.

Let's take a look at the difference an amplifier can make, and what to look for when choosing the

the right one for your BMW or MINI.

How Does an Amplifier Work?

An amplifier's primary job is to take a low-voltage signal and increase the power to drive a speaker

or speaker set. The more powerful the amplifier, the easier it is to produce a clean, distortion-free

signal, resulting in a loud and clear reproduction of your favorite music.

There's more to amps than power, though – particularly in a car Audio setting where speaker size

and power handling are limited. Another thing to pay attention to is the number of channels available.

What Is an Amplifier Channel?

An amplifier channel is a single stage of audio output. Each channel's output can be optimized for a

different purpose, whether that's driving the subwoofers or midrange and tweeter speakers. Even the

low-end BMW sound system, Base, has 4 output channels built into the head unit, which drive the

speakers.

Mid- and high-end systems come with an extra BMW factory amplifier. In this case, the output

from the head, the unit doesn't go straight to the speakers but is designed to provide a suitable line-level

signal to a separate, dedicated amplifier that does the heavy lifting.

Do Some BMWs Not Have Dedicated Amplifiers?

Yes, that does mean some BMWs don't actually have a dedicated amplifier, instead relying on the

infotainment head unit alone. It all depends on which BMW sound system your vehicle is equipped

with. There are 4 common audio options found in vehicles with iDrive systems older than iDrive

7.0:

Base – rarely available in the US and Canada, this is the lowest-level BMW sound system. With no

additional amplifier, your BMW speakers are instead powered by the 4 amplifier channels built into

the iDrive head unit. This means little opportunity to shape the sound, leaving a pretty

underwhelming system.

Hi-Fi (S676A) – the entry-level option in North America. Unlike the barebones Base system, Hi-Fi

equipped vehicles come with a BMW amplifier with 8 channels – 7 of which are used to drive the

speakers. Paired with decent factory speakers, this BMW sound system offers reasonable

performance. However, with no graphic EQ on the iDrive system, an aftermarket BMW amplifier

upgrade with onboard signal processing is going to make a big difference.

Harman Kardon (S674A) – the Harman Kardon-branded system found in smaller BMWs (like the

1 and 2 Series) and MINIs are only a small step up from the Hi-Fi audio system. The amplifier has a

little bit more power than the Hifi one, and the Harman Kardon speakers are also slightly better

performers compared to HiFi systems. Replacing the BMW factory amplifier with a more capable

aftermarket offering is going to bring the best out of those speakers.

Harman Kardon (S688A) Professional – the best of the mainstream BMW sound systems, with a

powerful 10-channel amplifier and fiber optic digital signal input for improved sound quality.

Since the introduction of iDrive 7.0, the situation has got a little more complicated with the addition of

a Receiver Audio Module (RAM). In these vehicles, the iDrive system outputs a digital audio signal

over ethernet, which is processed, converted to analog, and output to the speakers by the RAM unit.

In iDrive 7 and newer BMWs, all of the different audio systems have a RAM module, and in addition

to that Harman Kardon and Bowers & Wilkins systems also have additional “amplifiers” called

Boosters to drive extra channels. Of course, there are differences between the RAMs used in base

systems compared to the ones in Harman Kardon systems. Similarly, Boosters also differ in the

number of output channels and power output.

The difference this change makes to sound quality depends on your audio option, with the

previously amplifier-less Base system seeing the biggest improvement in the audio source. On the

flipside the base system still has only 6 speakers with no tweeters so it is not all that impressive, to

say the least.

"Check out the differences between Harman Kardon, Hi-fi, and Aftermarket BMW sound

systems!"

The Best BMW Amplifier Upgrade

The leading BMW-specific aftermarket amplifier that works with both RAM-equipped vehicles and

the older stereo setup is the Alpha One Amplifier for BMW and MINI from BimmerTech. With 9

DSP channels (8 speaker level channels and 1 RCA line level output), there's plenty of power for

your BMW speakers.

Where the Alpha One Amplifier really stands out is its custom tuning. An audio expert at

BimmerTech tunes each amp to match your vehicle, speakers, and audio preferences. Prefer

stronger bass? Maybe more pronounced vocals? No problem. They'll even work with you to dial in

the sound just the way you like it. All that is made possible by the onboard 64-bit DSP.

That's what makes the Alpha One amplifier especially beneficial for vehicles that lack a BMW

factory amplifier or don't include a graphic EQ on the iDrive system. You're not just getting more

power, but the chance to properly customize your sound, too.

Do You Need More Power from a BMW Amplifier?

That customization is going to do more to improve your sound than raw power ever will. Don't be

fooled by anybody touting power figures as if they make or break the system!

The reality is you need clean, distortion-free power, and to achieve that, your BMW amplifier

shouldn't be getting close to its max-rated power output. In fact, the Alpha One Amplifier can

output at least double the power the speakers in the Base or Hi-Fi BMW sound systems can handle.

Any extra output power from the amplifier couldn't be used for anything but blowing your BMW

speakers ;)

Thanks to that power overhead, the Alpha One amp sounds just as good at low playback volumes as

it does at full volume, without any compression or distortion. That's what lets the DSP and custom

tunes really shine.

What Is a Car Audio Amplifier DSP?

A Digital Signal Processor (DSP) is a chip that processes digital audio signals. So what exactly does

that looks like in an older BMW, without RAM and with analog rather than digital audio output?

First of all, the analog audio signal from the iDrive head unit needs to be converted to a digital

signal. At that point, the DSP is able to do any digital processing it’s been programmed to do,

before converting the signal back to analog to play through the speakers. With a customizable DSP

like the Alpha One Amplifier's, the processing can be adjusted by an audio specialist to tweak the

sound.

Even though BimmerTech’s preloaded tuning files for the Alpha One Amplifier are already expertly

optimized, the best possible sound depends on your preferences and the genre you listen to –

modern music that was mastered to sound loud has different requirements to classical music with a

wide dynamic range. Working with BimmerTech's sound specialist, you'll be able to find the best

sound for you and your car.

How to Choose a BMW Amplifier Upgrade?

The key is knowing what you already have. Depending on your BMW or MINI's factory sound

system, and whether it uses digital RAM or the older analog system, you might need a different

BMW amplifier kit. With a custom-tuned amplifier like the Alpha One, you also want to be sure the

amplifier will be tuned to match the factory BMW speakers.

BimmerTech can help you identify your BMW sound system and find the perfect amplifier kit for

your vehicle. You only need to enter your VIN.

Find the best BMW amplifier upgrade for your car

How to Install an Amplifier in Your BMW?

As it was designed specifically for BMWs and MINIs, the Alpha One Amplifier is one of the

quickest and easiest upgrades you can do. For vehicles with a factory amplifier in pre-iDrive 7

BMWs and also base and Hifi RAM-equipped BMWs, it's done in less than an hour and requires no

advanced technical knowledge. The included BMW amp integration harness means you only need

to unplug the factory amp and replace it with the upgrade.

This makes it a perfect choice if you want to upgrade your audio without the extra hassle that comes

with replacing your speakers.

If your vehicle has a pre-iDrive 7 Base stereo system and does not include a factory amplifier, the

process is a little more involved. Thankfully, BimmerTech includes all of the necessary wiring and

full installation instructions, along with step-by-step videos for the most popular BMW and MINI

models. A global network of certified installers is also on hand to help if you don't want to tackle

the job yourself.

Why Choose the Alpha One Amplifier?

BimmerTech is the only company that combines an in-depth knowledge of the BMW electronics

a system with a deep appreciation of great sound and has audio experts ready to help you tune your

amp for your car and preferences.

That exclusive service has put BimmerTech at the forefront of the BMW audio scene for years, with

amplifiers that have stood the test of time. In many cases, the Alpha One Amplifier will have a

longer shelf life than your BMW; a new mounting bracket and plug-and-play harness plus an

adjusted DSP tune is all it takes to carry beautiful sound with you when it's time for a new car.

So why settle for anything less than the best possible sound in your BMW?