Best Hands-Free Kit To Buy?

[Scanialord]

Hi guys,

Anyone recommend a decent hands-free kit for my 2006 3,3 v6 GV? I'm not a fan of the stand alone mic/speaker type but I think that's my only option unless you know otherwise? much appreciated any help

[macuniyanukukuk]

Not a good idea because of the amp system. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[bignev]

I use a brilliant Plantronics ear piece!

[andyb2000]

Hi Scanialord,

 

As the others mention, you're onto a loser trying to get a kit to fit and work without paying a fortune (several hundred alone) for the converter/electronics box that will talk to the Chrysler system.

I've made various blog posts on my website over the years as I tried to get a Parrot bluetooth set to work properly, but gave up in the end as the tests I did came back with conclusion that it's a digital system rather than analogue which makes most hands-free kits not able to directly interact.

 

In the end I went with a separate speaker and microphone on mine, speaker sits to the right of the radio centre console just up towards the steering column and gives decent sound, although yes I admit it's a defeat choosing that option!

(I'm aiming later this year if the car is still with me to locate the amp and work out how it's working and how to tap into it to put in aftermarket stereo and handsfree units as I want to put in a fancy android-based head unit)

[Semmysonic]

Andy I believe the amp is in the offside rear pillar(in the boot) but don't quote me on that, just going on what I've heard on other posts

[andyb2000]

Thanks Semmysonic, yes that was what I'd been told also, but they moved it around between slight revisions (As we know even the same year doesn't mean the same configuration!) so I think it will be a hunting expedition to find it, then going to tone and trace cabling to work out what and where it all goes.

Cheers

[robbie2red]

Hi guys,

 

Sorry to bring up the same old subject again. But can’t remember who it was, one of you guys said you were going to have a good old look at the system in hope to put a better unit in I’m guessing. Any break through? I don’t really want to have add on devices as I’m pretty highly disabled I want to get a good reliable system in to receive calls, play music from my phone etc. More devices means more cables and more difficulty for myself. Loving my GV, just trying to make my baby as comfortable and easy to use. I have the Brain Entervan and it’s really changed my independence, love it!

[andyb2000]

Hi m8,

 

It was me! And I'm actually right in the middle of doing exactly that. I've got a double-din Android head unit to install and so I'm mapping out all the wiring, amp system, how it works, etc.

 

Good and bad news, the bad news is that if you want to replace the factory RB3 unit you're in for a lot of work as you'll have to replace the AMP too. The AMP (rear right hand side behind the speaker) powers on and controls its balance and fader using CANBUS, so tapping into that is a no-go (There are commercial boxes but at a few hundred quid I'd not be convinced without them letting me return it! And I'd rather not pay that kind of money).

 

The good news is if you just want to 'push' audio in (Like the Parrot bluetooth systems, etc) then you can from the head unit outputs, as I've discovered all the ISO wiring harnesses are generally WRONG for my specific model, but by testing and careful trial and error I've found the left and right +/- speaker out from the factory head unit, so you'd be able to 'patch' into these to push audio (Factory head unit would have to be on and that would still control volume, fader, balance, etc).

 

 

So my plan to do this:

Remove factory AMP completely.

Add additional wiring from the rear (where the amp was, and where it feeds all 8 speakers) to the front dash so I can wire the speakers direct into my new head unit

 

 

My speakers are infinity (They don't say that on the front, but when I removed the speaker it shows infinity on it)

 

 

Their ohms resistance is only 2, so they'll need a decent head unit to drive them. My head unit I bought is a 4x45watt unit which *should* be enough, but I'm going to have to pair the speakers together (two front left, two front right, two rear left, two rear right) so I'm going to put those in series to make a 4ohm load, which will reduce the output power but should allow for better control and without blowing the head unit. If volume is still too low then I'll have to bite the bullet and buy a replacement amp to install too.

 

Hope that gives you a bit of info, as I progress I'll start to write it onto my website and youtube videos to follow!

Edited November 7, 2017 by andyb2000

[robbie2red]

Hi @@andyb2000 that’s brill!

 

Thank you for your help! Hope you get it sorted! Look forward to hearing of the progress!

 

What’s your website and YouTube channel???

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

[andyb2000]

Hi m8, no problem, I just found what might be a halfway-house option to feed audio in on 4 wires from a headphone socket or similar low-level input regardless of the version/model you have. Just doing wiring diagrams so will put that around soon.

Not sure if I get into trouble for putting my website, blog, etc, so mods if not pls remove and let me know! Youtube is https://www.youtube.com/user/andybrown21and website is http://www.thebmwz3.co.uk/ and choose the car category on the right for the various bits I've written about.

 

Cheers,

Andy

[robbie2red]

Cheers Andy!

 

Look forward to seeing the outcome!

 

Good luck!

[robbie2red]

Hi all,

 

I found this on YouTube last night. It’s a link to a video showing a ready assembled harness so that you can fit an aftermarket unit and get rid of the amplifier, keeping all the factory speakers.

 

 

Has anybody ordered this from the company and what were the results like??? I realise Andy’s doing the hard work now but any of you gone down the route of buying this harness from these guys and taking the amp out etc??? I’m tempted by this but I’d want to keep my steering wheel controls for the cruise and I’m not sure if this is possible. I’m going to ring the company for further information on Monday.

 

Cheers,

 

Rob

Edited November 12, 2017 by robbie2red

[andyb2000]

That's pretty much what I'm doing, however (I've not been able to watch the full video/audio of it) but I'm missing how they've got around the fact that the wiring loom from the front to the rear amp only has left and right audio (i.e. only 4 wires), no rear so this would assume you lose front to rear fader ability and it just joins these together. Also assuming it joins together the top and bottom speakers (Question is, do they join them in series or parallel as there is much discussion on audio forums on how best to join speakers together!)

 

Probably me being picky but I wanted the whole lot! So I've been fitting a new wiring loom in from the head unit to the rear!

 

The steering wheel controls for volume, etc, won't work with this as this is just a bypass wiring kit, to talk to the steering controls you need canbus integration which is the next bit I'll be looking into as some companies do sell a canbus steering controller but it's expensive (About the same as that wiring kit).