E89s were fitted with 3 different audio systems.
The basic stereo system driving 4 mid range speakers and 2 woofers
The 676 Hi-Fi system with a separate amp connected via conventional analog copper cables to the head unit, driving 11 speakers through a 7 channel amp with 5 mid range speakers , 2 tweeters, 2 woofers and 2 sub woofers
The 677 Top-Fi/DSP system with a separate amp connected via a digitally encoded optical link driving 14 speakers through 8 channels, with 6 mid range speakers, 4 tweeters, 2 woofers and 2 sub woofers.
I previously updated my 20i MSport that had the 676 system using the Audiotec Fischer Match 7 amp/DSP with Eton mid range / tweeters, Audison sub woofers driven by an Alpine Class D amp and 2 Rockford Fosgate woofers.
When I bought my 35is it was pretty ‘fully loaded’ with the 677 Top-Fi system amongst many expensive add ons.
Like many things on the 35is it might have been great in its day but the audio system when fed with the same high quality digital feeds was very disappointing compared to the outgoing Match 7 system I had lovingly created in the 20i MSport.
https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/matc ... rs/up-7bmw
As a temporary measure I swapped the mid range units out for the Eton BMW OE upgrades. This brought an immediate improvement.
Next was my plan to move the Match 7 system from my 20i to the 35is.
Unfortunately it turns out that it’s effectively a no no on several counts,
The wiring harness is completely different as are the connectors.
The biggest issue is the the 677 head unit outputs it’s audio feed to the main amp via a fibre optic link called MOST.
This link uses a proprietary protocol rendering it uncommunicative with ‘normal’ systems.
End of a great idea…
Then I noticed that Audiotec Fischer has in the intervening time has created a box (Helix) that inputs the MOST link and outputs a TOSLINK which is an industry standard interface often found in higher end audio domestic audio systems.
https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/heli ... ies/sdmi25
So it looked like I could use this box of tricks as a bridge.
However the cone and harness were going to require major butchering.
So in the end I rolled over and bought another new product from these guys, the Match 10 DSP which is effectively a bigger brother to the Match 7 with 10 physical channels plus 1 output fir driving another amp versus 7 physical channels plus q output for another amp.
https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/matc ... s/up-10dsp
There were a myriad of other upgrades and features in the DSP domain…if you are interested best to read the blurb, if your definition of good audio is nice clear sound coming from a few speakers then it’s probably not for you.
It’s going to take probably a week for me to fit the new system, fortunately I’ve found a barn nearby which after Christmas I can use to swap out the rest of the system from the 20i and revert it largely to original spec and then take the subwoofers across to the 35is and then sell the Match 7 whilst fitting all the existing and fresh parts to the 35is.
The basic stereo system driving 4 mid range speakers and 2 woofers
The 676 Hi-Fi system with a separate amp connected via conventional analog copper cables to the head unit, driving 11 speakers through a 7 channel amp with 5 mid range speakers , 2 tweeters, 2 woofers and 2 sub woofers
The 677 Top-Fi/DSP system with a separate amp connected via a digitally encoded optical link driving 14 speakers through 8 channels, with 6 mid range speakers, 4 tweeters, 2 woofers and 2 sub woofers.
I previously updated my 20i MSport that had the 676 system using the Audiotec Fischer Match 7 amp/DSP with Eton mid range / tweeters, Audison sub woofers driven by an Alpine Class D amp and 2 Rockford Fosgate woofers.
When I bought my 35is it was pretty ‘fully loaded’ with the 677 Top-Fi system amongst many expensive add ons.
Like many things on the 35is it might have been great in its day but the audio system when fed with the same high quality digital feeds was very disappointing compared to the outgoing Match 7 system I had lovingly created in the 20i MSport.
https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/matc ... rs/up-7bmw
As a temporary measure I swapped the mid range units out for the Eton BMW OE upgrades. This brought an immediate improvement.
Next was my plan to move the Match 7 system from my 20i to the 35is.
Unfortunately it turns out that it’s effectively a no no on several counts,
The wiring harness is completely different as are the connectors.
The biggest issue is the the 677 head unit outputs it’s audio feed to the main amp via a fibre optic link called MOST.
This link uses a proprietary protocol rendering it uncommunicative with ‘normal’ systems.
End of a great idea…
Then I noticed that Audiotec Fischer has in the intervening time has created a box (Helix) that inputs the MOST link and outputs a TOSLINK which is an industry standard interface often found in higher end audio domestic audio systems.
https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/heli ... ies/sdmi25
So it looked like I could use this box of tricks as a bridge.
However the cone and harness were going to require major butchering.
So in the end I rolled over and bought another new product from these guys, the Match 10 DSP which is effectively a bigger brother to the Match 7 with 10 physical channels plus 1 output fir driving another amp versus 7 physical channels plus q output for another amp.
https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/matc ... s/up-10dsp
There were a myriad of other upgrades and features in the DSP domain…if you are interested best to read the blurb, if your definition of good audio is nice clear sound coming from a few speakers then it’s probably not for you.
It’s going to take probably a week for me to fit the new system, fortunately I’ve found a barn nearby which after Christmas I can use to swap out the rest of the system from the 20i and revert it largely to original spec and then take the subwoofers across to the 35is and then sell the Match 7 whilst fitting all the existing and fresh parts to the 35is.