Audio Upgrade Factory HU, Speakers/AMP

[DMD]

Upgrading the sound in my 2005 M3 HK no nav....couldn't deal with the audio from the HK paper speakers....

I finally did it and bought some Diamond Hex 600A component speakers. I am bidding on a JL 300/4 amp. So my plan is this: Get the diamonds in by removing the door panel, i heard these drop in without any modifications. I will than remove the HK amp use the connector to tap into the appropriate wires and use a SVEN4 converter to get RCA outs from my HK HU and then hook it up to the amp. Connect the appropriate cables for output to the speakers from the HK amp connector. Using factory rears, will the JL 300/4 be too powerful for this? I plan to add subs later, but for now I will just leave the factory subs in place. What is the easiest way to add subs later? The JL 300/4 doesnt have pre-amp outputs so I cant daisy chain another amp...how did others get around this. Is their another set of inputs I could tap into...

Thanks!!! I will post pics along the install once I start

[jvr826]

I'm assuming the 300/4 is 75 watts/channel? That will surely toast your rear woofers if you drive them at full power, which you probably will not. You want most of the sound up front with your Diamonds. Having just done this project myself I have found I have very little sound coming from the rears, so little, I'd probably skip them if I were doing it again.

You can buy a Y adapter to split the RCA inputs to a separate amp for your sub, or run them off the rear two channels. I have found I do not use the fader at all once I have the levels set properly. The bonus is you can adjust sub volume using the fader in this configuration.

One lesson I learned this past weekend on a long trip in 95+ degree heat - locating my air cooled amp under the floor in the trunk was a BAD idea. On short trips it's fine, but driving over 5 hours in that heat with a trunk full of stuff caused my a/d/s/ amp to overheat and fry itself. It cut out on me about an hour before I reached my destination and upon investigation it blew the fuse in the amp. I replaced it and it blew immediately when the amp turned on. After taking the amp apart, I found a component on the board had roasted itself.

I was at the track this weekend in 100+ degree heat and learned also that the muffler gets very hot. I empty my trunk for sessions and when I was packing up to leave, I touched the metal in the spare tire well to find it was very hot, too hot to hold your hand on for more than a second.

Keep this in mind when choosing your amp location. If you haven't seen my post about my system install, check it out. There's good information about the amp connector and internal wiring: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1743305&postcount=1

Good luck with your project and post pics when you're done!

[el_duderino]

Rear speakers are a communist plot against our American way of life. Get rid of them.

[DMD]

So you think component speakers the S600A's are enough to fill the whole cabin??? I could use the remaining two channels on my JL 300/4 to power a sub....is that too little power for a JL 10W?

[el_duderino]

What exactly does "fill the whole cabin" mean?

Does it mean, get loud enough?

Does it mean, be audible in front and in the back?

Does it mean, have sound coming from everywhere?

Yes, yes (but who cares, you don't play it with rear-seat passengers 90% of the time), and no (but you shouldn't even want it - google "front stage").

[DMD]

Cool I think I will just use components....I never have rear passengers except when I have to

[Sinistera]

if you have any rear speakers at all id just use the factorys and run off the deck at a very low volume. but i dont suggest even having those. you would be surprised how good just a comp set will sound in the front.