[Dirtboy]

Looks like Bavsound has switched to the Match UP 7BMW amp. I got an email from them saying it's in stock but selling fast.

https://www.bavsound.com/BMW-Amplifier-Upgrade

They put it in a different colored case:



Match UP 7BMW:

[bri1042]

Yep, after 4+ months with the PP86, I've given up and I ordered one. It should be here today. The Bavsound version was a bit cheaper than buying it from Crutchfield (and Crutchfield was out of stock anyway). I'll probably donate my PP86 to a friend with an HK-lite equipped Mini.

[GregoryK]

Like Dirtboy will tell you this is a way nicer amp in our cars.

[bri1042]

Welp, we'll see but I think it should be with the more-appropriate power distribution. It arrived a bit ago. I'm not sure I'll install it today, I may wait until Friday as I can't seem to escape from work at the moment.

[bri1042]

I did hop out to the garage and do the install last night. It took about 15 minutes. I hadn't put my laptop on the charger in a while, so I didn't do anything with the stock tune. We'll see how it sounds on the way to work and back today.

I was surprised at how little the new fella is.

[GregoryK]

Try the GT tune from the manufacturers site.

[bri1042]

As it turns out, they firmware-locked the config on the things when they slapped their badge on them. It will be headed back to them later today.

[Dirtboy]

Originally Posted by bri1042

As it turns out, they firmware-locked the config on the things when they slapped their badge on them. It will be headed back to them later today.

They what?!?!........

[bri1042]

Yep. Never occurred to me that they would do such a thing. I'm an un-thrilled human.

[bri1042]

PP86 is back in the car. Revenant is packed and ready to go. I understand their issue. Supporting a DSP is a horror show, and they are a very small company. That being said, the tune in the thing was OK but not timed correctly for me, and the subs were not very present. I was getting more volume off of them with my PP86 tune. They may have just been massively mis-timed, I have no way of knowing since I couldn't see the tune.

Service at Bavsound was top-notch, though. Great return process and they paid for return shipping. Assuming the credit hits my card promptly, I have nothing but good things to say about them for that part. Someone less pissy and picky than me might have been very happy with it as it was better than stock sound.

One other me-being-pissy part: I can't stand carrying credit card balances, so I had already paid the balance on it. I'm going to have to find something spend the credit on with that particular card. Grrr. The obvious answer is to just go buy a real UP 7, but I'm pretty tired of this whole thing right now.

[Dirtboy]

Originally Posted by bri1042

PP86 is back in the car. Revenant is packed and ready to go. I understand their issue. Supporting a DSP is a horror show, and they are a very small company. That being said, the tune in the thing was OK but not timed correctly for me, and the subs were not very present. I was getting more volume off of them with my PP86 tune. They may have just been massively mis-timed, I have no way of knowing since I couldn't see the tune.

Service at Bavsound was top-notch, though. Great return process and they paid for return shipping. Assuming the credit hits my card promptly, I have nothing but good things to say about them for that part. Someone less pissy and picky than me might have been very happy with it as it was better than stock sound.

One other me-being-pissy part: I can't stand carrying credit card balances, so I had already paid the balance on it. I'm going to have to find something spend the credit on with that particular card. Grrr. The obvious answer is to just go buy a real UP 7, but I'm pretty tired of this whole thing right now.

Yup, spend the extra money on the "real thing". Then you can custom tune it to your liking.

[bri1042]

I don't think I am going to. The silver lining of this bit of fun, is that when I put the PP86 back in, I realized that my tune was actually really good. Is there enough bass? No, but the rest of the tune is good enough.

I've also hit that 6 to 7 month moment where I'm comfie with the car's good points and its bad points. There are some serious bad points to it that are making me question keeping it long term, and if I don't, I don't want to spend more money on it right now. Of course, the good points of this car are really, really good.

[Dirtboy]

Originally Posted by bri1042

I don't think I am going to. The silver lining of this bit of fun, is that when I put the PP86 back in, I realized that my tune was actually really good. Is there enough bass? No, but the rest of the tune is good enough.

I've also hit that 6 to 7 month moment where I'm comfie with the car's good points and its bad points. There are some serious bad points to it that are making me question keeping it long term, and if I don't, I don't want to spend more money on it right now. Of course, the good points of this car are really, really good.

What are your serious bad points? I'm curious...

[GregoryK]

Bad points:
- Wakes up the neighbors when you leave for work early.
- Too easy to get a speeding ticket
- Everyone wants to race you all the time
- People think their is something wrong with you because you always have a stupid smile on your face.
- You become obsessed with detailing
- You spend silly amounts of money on customisation including the stereo
- When you are not driving your car you are thinking about it.

Can't really think of any good points....

[bri1042]

Originally Posted by Dirtboy

What are your serious bad points? I'm curious...

I got talked into giving a car that isn't a 6MT one more try by my SO and the traffic around Portland. As it turns out, I hate the DCT. A lot. I dislike it more than I disliked the ZF8 except when going in a straight line very, very fast (only to the speed limit, Officer!).

Except in "having fun" conditions, the thing is utterly dim-witted. The modes are stupid and either keep the RPM's too low or too high. It's terrible. I totally get why BMW is moving to the ZF8. When programmed well, it is a much smarter transmission.

Using the paddles still isn't satisfying, etc, etc, etc...

This is my mistake. Pure and simple. Others would disagree with me, but I'm talking about me, not those other fine individuals with their own needs.

Despite being the absolute best car for curves and most other fun that I've ever had, without the 6MT, it just feels wrong. Constantly. If it was a big M5, I might have a different feeling, but with a car this size it's just off.

Again, this is my mess-up. I have plum screwed up, and I've spent 7 months trying to convince myself I hadn't. Once the summer tires went back on, it just sunk right in. I'm not happy with the car. I may be stuck with it, though, and I'll make the best of it.

[bri1042]

There are some other things, but I don't want to get into an argument with anyone.

[GregoryK]

Originally Posted by bri1042

There are some other things, but I don't want to get into an argument with anyone.

Did you take your car to the track? I drive a stick and honestly when on the track I wish I had an auto with paddles. Funny thing.... but when driving at or near the limits it is very distracting and time consuming to change gear and take a hand off the steering wheel. Just saying....if you have not done this it can be a game changer. It completely changed my view of my car.

[bri1042]

I have tracked dozens of cars over the years, but not this one. I don't know that I ever actually drove an automatic of any stripe on a track. I can see the DCT advantage on track, not arguing that. I can certainly see the fun in trying to relearn track instincts on the DCT, but I honestly don't have the time to go do track days anymore. It's possible that I'll have more time going forward, though.

I'm probably just sitting at the half-year of ownership buyer's remorse stage.

[heavyD^2]

That does suck but I'm the opposite. I cheaped out for the 6-speed and about a month in realized it was a mistake. I actually think it's one of the better clutch/shifter combinations available today but coming from a Golf R with a DSG I didn't realize just how much DCT's have grown on me. Since I use my car as a daily driver there's really no good reason for me to own a manual transmission in city traffic. To make matters worse the car just feels slower in all situations with the manual. It's not a deal breaker for me as I have spent most of my life driving manual transmissions so it's just back to what I have always used over the decades outside of the TC-SST in my EVO X MR and DSG in the Golf R.

[Dirtboy]

I can agree. I was always set on getting the 6mt. The first test drive of a M2 was at a M driving event. That M2 was a DCT and I had the same opinion as you; I hated it. I'm so glad I fought with dealers trying to unload DCT M2's on me.

[bri1042]

"To thine own self be true." I have not been. So it is what it is. Still a damn great car.