I ordered a USA-Spec PA12 after reading and watching video of steve.325i and delmarco's reviews on E46Fanatics.
I ordered a USA-Spec PA12 after reading and watching video of steve.325i and delmarco's reviews on E46Fanatics.
Last edited by spencers; 08-03-2011 at 08:56 PM.
Great writeup for the "i" peeps. Thanks Spencer!
Call Me Dane l 2/2004 330i ZHP l 18x8 ET45 BBS CK's wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport AS3+ @ 245-40-18 l KW V1 Coilovers in front l KW V1 springs w/ Bilstein B8 dampeners in rear l BMW Performance Rotors l UUC StrutBarbarian l Racing Dynamics Rear Strut Bar l Jim Conforti Shark Injector l Light Birch Interior Trim l Bimmian Celly Mount l M3 Trunk Mat l l e90 Performance E-Brake & Shift Knob l M3 Tri-Stitched Boots l AL Headlight Retrofit with ZKW Lenses l CobyWheel Wrap w/M3 Stitching l LCM sw 4.5 triple blink and rear fogs l Maple Interior Trim
Spence, where did you buy this?
Good writeup. I had similar issues with the DICE but they fixed it at DICE HQ (local to me) (s/w upload and more shielding)... sounds like the USA Spec has the same features, including working well with BT, etc. John
Randeaux/Rando/John/jr - '06 Cic ZHP; Southern California
"ZHP or not, I still like you"
ZHP Performance Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather, Jet Black/Black/BlackCube, NAV, Anthracite Black "my individual" interior trim
ESS Stage 1 Twin Screw Supercharger, Sprint Booster, BMW Perf Intake, Magnaflow Exhaust, Dinan TB & STEP S/W, UCC Sway Bars, Apex EC-7 18x8.5 ET38
Suspension: AST 44100 dampers, Bimmerworld front adjustable end links, Swift springs (8K front, 10K rear), Vorshlag camber plates
Dynavin D99+, Hardwire V1 (w/V1 Connection), BSW Stage 1 Speakers, Kicker Amp/Subwoofer
BMW Performance Strut Brace, Orion V2 Angel Eyes, No-holes License Plate, SMG Paddle Shift Mod, Besian VANOS, Gold DISA, Fan Delete, M3 Side Mirrors
Note: Actual car no longer resembles signature picture
Proud owner of USA Spec here as well - rock solid performance, and great build quality. Most of all very good SQ.
Very glad I went with it instead of DICE.
2005 AW ZHP Coupe. CW, Alcantara, Leather st. wheel, HK, Xenons, Step, Dinan chip & air box, USASpec, Sprint Booster
Just added USA*Spec to both my ZHP & a couple of weekends later, the Z4M. LOVE it in the E46 - functions exactly as advertised, navigates quickly, displays artist/title/track info, and sounds great.
In my Z4M, because it has a DSP amp, it uses the other model, the PA12-BMW-DSP. The only difference is it adds a digital connection. Gotta say it doesn't sound as good in this car. Something is missing - music sounds more artificial and digital than the analog connection in the ZHP. Not a huge difference, but noticeable.
Overall - EXTREMELY pleased with the results in the ZHP, satisfactory in the Z4m.
'21 M2 Competition
'08 Z4 M Coupé
'19 Golf R
BAV Stage 1 - BlueBus - UltraGauge - V1 - Orion V4's - ARC-8's - Brembo 996
TTFS Engine/SMG Tune/CSL 255 - SGT Headers/Sect 1/SCZA - Evolve Eventuri
VIS XTS CF Hood - CF Lip/Console/Diffuser - OE CSL Trunk - BWS 500S 9k/11k
I have a Dice in mine and I think it's garbage.. The dice kit always needs to be reset or it won't work otherwise..
I wish the po had installed the USA pa12 instead..
I'm kind of confused. Do you have to have playlists made to play the music through the unit or can you select the song on your iPod/iPhone and it will play through the unit and you can then change songs with the buttons on the steering wheel instead of picking up the iPhod again?
2001 325i Sport Package / Rebuilt Motor at 194K / Lemforder M3 Motor Mounts / Thule Roof Rack / Eagle Eye Clear Tail Lights / Lemforder Sway LinksBMW Performance Shift Knob / Alcantra Shift Boot / BBS Wheels / 15% TintRIP - 2009 335i xDrive / Twin Turbo / Cold Weather Package / Premium Package / 15% TintER Chargepipe / Tial BOV / Dual Cone Intake / OEM Roof Rack
Uh.. both of those approaches work. In its default mode, radio preset buttons 1-4 are playlists that you title BMW1, BMW2, etc. Button 5 is everything on the whole iPod - as if it were one giant playlist. Button 6 is "direct" mode - you have full control from the iPod (or iPhone) itself, and your radio display just shows "direct" rather than artist, title, & track# info. In that mode, I think you can still use the forwards/backwards button on the steering wheel to navigate through songs, not 100% sure about that for direct mode.. definitely works in the other modes. It has other nice features like remembering where you left off, in EACH playlist. If I stop at song 26 in Playlist 1, then go to Playlist 2 and go through 10, it remembers where you were in both, not just in the last one you were in. This is not a trivial feature and I'd like the thing a lot less if this didn't work as it does.
'21 M2 Competition
'08 Z4 M Coupé
'19 Golf R