Sound System Improvement Stage One

OK--so 12 pages of thread and I'm just really wanting to know how I can properly hook up a an amp to my factory radio (base audio). Tap the line level input at the factory amp and run an RCA convertor to the new amp? My GErman Maestros are dying for real amplification, and I've got a nice old school PPI Powerclass amp ready to go.....

i posted about it before, but someone on the forum sells a replacement harness that connects to the wiring where the amplifier is on the hi-fi models

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...152&highlight=

i don't know about the hi-fi audio models with dsp though.

this makes it easy if you ever want to revert back to factory

Finally got around to installing the Hertz HX300D in to the X3.
The woofer is in a 1.5 cu ft, slot ported enclosure with tuning around 35Hz.
I opted for a slightly lower tuning than reccomended (41Hz), as I wanted it a little more musical.
It certainly has more output than the smaller Rainbow Hammer 10"!!!

Originally Posted by murderland

i posted about it before, but someone on the forum sells a replacement harness that connects to the wiring where the amplifier is on the hi-fi models

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...152&highlight=

i don't know about the hi-fi audio models with dsp though.

this makes it easy if you ever want to revert back to factory

That's exactly what I want. Thanks!

usaret & Supercourse,

Wow, thank you for the information. I will give Musicar a call.
A local stereo shop offered to send the head unit for repair @ approximately $200. Thanks to Supercourse's input, I'm thinking this may end up being the cheapest way to go. When I first purchased the X3 I installed the auxilary input. I plug my iPod in there, plus my wife can plug in her phone for music too. My wife likes CDs because her office is only a 5 minute drive from the house and it would be more convenient than always plugging and unplugging her phone.

I have looked at an aftermarket iPod adapter similar to the one usaret recommended, but it uses a cable for a CD changer which my stereo doesn't have.

Again, I think I will call Musicar for their input. Then, possibly send the head unit for repair and then add the iPod adapter later. Finally, replacing the doorspeakers sounds like a good idea too.

Thank you all for your input. Much appreciated.

if you're talking about the audiovox/dice ipod kits, i'm 99.9% sure all USA-spec X3s come with the cd changer cable under the center storage box.

the cable is hard to get to, but it'll come out eventually.

Originally Posted by Lefty_Russ

usaret & Supercourse,

Wow, thank you for the information. I will give Musicar a call.
A local stereo shop offered to send the head unit for repair @ approximately $200. Thanks to Supercourse's input, I'm thinking this may end up being the cheapest way to go. When I first purchased the X3 I installed the auxilary input. I plug my iPod in there, plus my wife can plug in her phone for music too. My wife likes CDs because her office is only a 5 minute drive from the house and it would be more convenient than always plugging and unplugging her phone.

I have looked at an aftermarket iPod adapter similar to the one usaret recommended, but it uses a cable for a CD changer which my stereo doesn't have.

Again, I think I will call Musicar for their input. Then, possibly send the head unit for repair and then add the iPod adapter later. Finally, replacing the doorspeakers sounds like a good idea too.

Thank you all for your input. Much appreciated.

I just bought a 08 X3 with nav and prem. sound. I would like to upgrade the factory speakers and the underseat woffers but keep the stock amp for now. What is the best route for me to go about this.

Originally Posted by 08MsportX3

I just bought a 08 X3 with nav and prem. sound. I would like to upgrade the factory speakers and the underseat woffers but keep the stock amp for now. What is the best route for me to go about this.

Being an old school MB Quart fan, I dropped a set of the German Maestro EFS4008 separates in the doors and it sounds phenomenal. I plan on doing the SWS sub replacements under the seats, and adding an amp. I have a thread showing pics of my install.

For the doors, you need a 4" speaker and the tweeter housing will accept the German Maestro tweeters perfectly. Depth is very shallow in the doors so don't exceed 1.6" or so for speaker depth.

Originally Posted by 08MsportX3

I just bought a 08 X3 with nav and prem. sound. I would like to upgrade the factory speakers and the underseat woffers but keep the stock amp for now. What is the best route for me to go about this.

Please read the beginning one or two pages of this thread. They answer your exact questions.

Hi everyone

Firstly, thanks for an excellent thread which I have found invaluable, being a recent owner of a 2007 X3 3.0d M Sport. I'm very happy with the car but the stereo is pony, being the base 6 speaker unamplified UK spec. It really is a joke how bad the system is, in what is marketed as a premium motor. *Anyhow, having used this thread extensively to research aftermarket options, I set about searching for a set of the much recommended Alpine SPS 410 speakers as an easy retrofit. The problem is that in the UK these speakers aren't available so I opted for the closest Alpine equivalent, the SPG 10C2, in the assumption these would also slot straight in. *unfortunately, this isn't the case as the 10c2's have four mounting lugs as opposed to 3 on the 410's. *However, I have managed to get them to fit without too much hastle and thought, just in case anyone else in th UK was thinking of doing the same, id post a couple of pics of the modification I had to carry out to the speakers to get them to fit.

The first photo is the old and new, showing the mounting lugs photo1
The second shows the new speaker dummy fitted showing 2 of the lugs align with what mounting studs photo2
The third shows one of the lugs interferes with the door panel - I cut this lug off with a junior hacksaw. Warranty invalidated!! photo3
The fourth shows the speaker fitted. fabricated a simple tab washer from a steel bracket from a local DIY store which clamps down on the speaker chassis using the third mounting stud. photo4

Sorry, as a newbie I can't post pics on here yet apparently.

The whole job for both front doors took 90 mins, tops. *The results are immediately apparent. There is still loads of room for improvement but for the cost of the speakers (£49), *I recommend anyone with the standard stereo carry this mod out.

Now thinking of doing the same for the rear doors, but had read somewhere on this forum that the rears don't get full range from the head unit. *Is that right? *So far as I can tell the 'standard' rears are the exact same as the 'standard' fronts which do get full range?? *Does anyone know if the rears do in fact get a full range feed from the HU as if they don't, I'm not sure it's worth replacement them?

After the rear doors, I'll probably look into the earthquake SWS midbass upgrade, with an amp in the boot (trunk). I think technic on the forum sells a jumper which bypasses the under seat speakers and sends a high level feed to the trunk and returns an amplified signal back to the under seat speakers. Not sure if it would be better to just get a 2 ch amp for the earthquakes only or a 4 ch to give the front doors a bit more punch as well? *Has anyone tried out this solution on a uk car with the technic harness? I'd be interested to know how difficult it would be to install. Note that my car doesn't have an amplifier or any audio cabling in the trunk so feed/return will had to be run in.

Finally, I may look into sortin out the EQ from the head unit by reprogramming it.....not sure if I need to do this though? Well it make that much of a difference?

Any help/tips gratefully received.

Thanks. Chris

Chris, the SPS-410's are a 4 point mount as well - that's fairly standard. Evl describes using a big flat washer to clamp the speaker frame where you fabricated a square one.

Might be a difference in the shape of the speaker frame, just like the lugs can be a different shape and 1 needed cutting off in your case.

Not sure about your point on the rear speakers - maybe it has been discussed that although both pairs of speakers are well worth upgrading, you will notice the effect more in the front.

Because your model doesn't have the factory component tweeter in the fronts that the N. American market base system has, you benefit even more with the upgrade to co-axials.

Don't know what your best option would be on the amplifier situation - just surprised that the base U.K. system doesn't even have one, especially as the stock 4" door speakers look the same.

Thanks for the quick response. There definitely isn't an amp where I expected to find one, behind the removable panel on the left in the trunk. Also, when I have the head unit turned up a bit, the display fades in time with the bass so I'm pretty sure its direct driving the speakers.

I might order another pair of the 10c2's for the back anyhow. Even if they don't get full range, I'm sure they would sound heaps better than the stock items.

Appreciate any further info out there re integrating an amp into the uk spec system.

Cheers

C

Originally Posted by Supercourse

Chris, the SPS-410's are a 4 point mount as well - that's fairly standard. Evl describes using a big flat washer to clamp the speaker frame where you fabricated a square one.

Might be a difference in the shape of the speaker frame, just like the lugs can be a different shape and 1 needed cutting off in your case.

Not sure about your point on the rear speakers - maybe it has been discussed that although both pairs of speakers are well worth upgrading, you will notice the effect more in the front.

Because your model doesn't have the factory component tweeter in the fronts that the N. American market base system has, you benefit even more with the upgrade to co-axials.

Don't know what your best option would be on the amplifier situation - just surprised that the base U.K. system doesn't even have one, especially as the stock 4" door speakers look the same.

I was on the fence about only changing out the front speakers and leaving the rear stockers in place. I decided against it as I felt that given the placement of the speakers relative to my head when driving, the rear speakers would just continue to sound horrible--so I changed them all out and have no regrets.

I believe at some point I mentioned that the rear upgrade was a waste for me.
The Aussie spec I have is just as dumbed down - no amps and single cone in the doors and 6 inch under the seats (6inch in the 8 inch housing ie real cheap)
I replaced all four doors speakers with the alpine 410's, replaced the under seat speakers with the mentioned earthquakes - blocked the ports an sound matted to death, added a four channel amp in the trunk (in the empty space under the floor ) but then added an alpine PXE-H650 equaliser. I have this set to drive 400Hz above to the doors and below this to the 8 inch earthquakes. Only the front doors and subs are running via the amp/equaliser hence comment that rear upgrades a waste for me. I did not use a five channel amp to also drive the rear doors (2+2+sub) as I needed some higher frequency on the under seat subs hence needed two channel drive - they are really mid subs.
So with just the front door speakers running and the under seat subs it is fully frequency and time delay equalised. ie like wearing headphones in the drivers seat but with thump.
The rears are still running from the stock head unit and are set for very low volume to just provide presence.
All this is completely hidden and looks stock - until you crank the volume :-)
I am sure a dedicated sub in a housing in the rear woud be better but I did not want to lose the storage space and I wanted the car to look completely stock. So I think I have gone about as far as I can go in this respect.

Originally Posted by x3oiler

I believe at some point I mentioned that the rear upgrade was a waste for me.
The Aussie spec I have is just as dumbed down - no amps and single cone in the doors and 6 inch under the seats (6inch in the 8 inch housing ie real cheap)
I replaced all four doors speakers with the alpine 410's, replaced the under seat speakers with the mentioned earthquakes - blocked the ports an sound matted to death, added a four channel amp in the trunk (in the empty space under the floor ) but then added an alpine PXE-H650 equaliser. I have this set to drive 400Hz above to the doors and below this to the 8 inch earthquakes. Only the front doors and subs are running via the amp/equaliser hence comment that rear upgrades a waste for me. I did not use a five channel amp to also drive the rear doors (2+2+sub) as I needed some higher frequency on the under seat subs hence needed two channel drive - they are really mid subs.
So with just the front door speakers running and the under seat subs it is fully frequency and time delay equalised. ie like wearing headphones in the drivers seat but with thump.
The rears are still running from the stock head unit and are set for very low volume to just provide presence.
All this is completely hidden and looks stock - until you crank the volume :-)Y
I am sure a dedicated sub in a housing in the rear woud be better but I did not want to lose the storage space and I wanted the car to look completely stock. So I think I have gone about as far as I can go in this respect.

Oiler, I'm guessing then that the UK and Aussie specs are identical as both righ hand drive. When I get a chance I'll pop out a floor sub to see if it's a 6 inch or 8 inch to confirm. I'm hoping all the wiring I'll need to splice into will be under the front seats as the feed from the HU goes first to the underseats, then from there to the from doors, right?

I might just swap out the rears for 10c2's anyhow as its a pretty low cost mod and I can get that done whilst I procrastinate over the options/methods for upgrading the subs!

The front doors can be tapped from the rear inside the pop out section with the mesh net on it. The connections will be wrapped in foam and will have capacitors connected. The capacitors are in series with the front doors speakers. Ie cut bass to them. This series combination is in parallel with the subs. Messy eh! The result is that at low frequency only the subs are in circuit and then present 4 ohms to the head but at high frequency the capacitors are low impedance and thus the front doors are directly in parallel with the subs and thus present 2 ohm to the head unit. I think a cheap way to cut power output from the head nti at low frequency. Not sure what happens to the rear door speakers btw. The gory details can be seen here:

http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/e83.../Sound_output/

Select your car and happy viewing.

The subs I had to run cables to and from. Not too hard. Pull out the rear seat and you can thread cables from the sub location under the door sills and to the empty section in the rear. wiring to the front speakers is easy then as just have to disconnect the capacitors in the rear and connect to the speakers making sure you drive the speakers and not the head unit lol. A 9volt battery can be used to test by listening or a ohm meter. Btw those connectors that connect the capacitors are a pain. Use a sharp pointed implement to insert in the connector and then gently prise apart.

Originally Posted by x3oiler

The front doors can be tapped from the rear inside the pop out section with the mesh net on it. The connections will be wrapped in foam and will have capacitors connected. The capacitors are in series with the front doors speakers. Ie cut bass to them. This series combination is in parallel with the subs. Messy eh! The result is that at low frequency only the subs are in circuit and then present 4 ohms to the head but at high frequency the capacitors are low impedance and thus the front doors are directly in parallel with the subs and thus present 2 ohm to the head unit. I think a cheap way to cut power output from the head nti at low frequency. Not sure what happens to the rear door speakers btw. The gory details can be seen here:

http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/e83.../Sound_output/

Select your car and happy viewing.

The subs I had to run cables to and from. Not too hard. Pull out the rear seat and you can thread cables from the sub location under the door sills and to the empty section in the rear. wiring to the front speakers is easy then as just have to disconnect the capacitors in the rear and connect to the speakers making sure you drive the speakers and not the head unit lol. A 9volt battery can be used to test by listening or a ohm meter. Btw those connectors that connect the capacitors are a pain. Use a sharp pointed implement to insert in the connector and then gently prise apart.

Thanks Oiler. Ok. Just had a quick look in the back of the car for the caps, behind the removable panel on the right hand side of the trunk. No wires wrapped in foam, arrrggh! I cant get to the removable panel on the left as car loaded for a weekend away, but when I was looking for (and not finding) the oem amp, I didn't find any wiring there either. Have I got your directions wrong about the capacitor location or is the UK car different from your spec?? It would be so much easier if BMW were shipping the same spec worldwide!!

PSU - thanks and I'm pretty much decided to upgrade the rears as you suggest.......

Left hand rear side compartment towards the top. The compartment where the blue tooth module would be located.
If your system is as dumbed down as mine there is no separate amp. Just the head unit driving the speakers.

Originally Posted by x3oiler

Left hand rear side compartment towards the top. The compartment where the blue tooth module would be located.*
If your system is as dumbed down as mine there is no separate amp. Just the head unit driving the speakers.

Just removed the left hand panel and double checked for the caps. Also went back to post 221/222 on this thread with the photos of the caps to double check I was looking in the right location. Definitely no caps or audio wiring there on my UK 2007 car. *It looks alike the uk and aussie specs are different. Doh! I'll post a link to a pic of the 'missing' wiring when I can.

I'm wondering if the base system on a uk car actually has capacitors at all? Is there an easy way to tell using a meter, perhaps by disconnecting the plug from the back of the HU?

Now resigned to running new wiring from behind the dash to the amp location and back, plus to/from both under seat locations!

Originally Posted by Chrisojw

Just removed the left hand panel and double checked for the caps. Also went back to post 221/222 on this thread with the photos of the caps to double check I was looking in the right location. Definitely no caps or audio wiring there on my UK 2007 car. *It looks alike the uk and aussie specs are different. Doh! I'll post a link to a pic of the 'missing' wiring when I can.

I'm wondering if the base system on a uk car actually has capacitors at all? Is there an easy way to tell using a meter, perhaps by disconnecting the plug from the back of the HU?

Now resigned to running new wiring from behind the dash to the amp location and back, plus to/from both under seat locations!

Chris,

Sorry been busy lately. Send me a PM and bring me up to speed on what you are trying to do. I am at work, but have plenty of pics at home that may help with your project.

EE

Evlengr - PM sent. Thanks! C

Just wanted to show what i have currently been working on with my stereo in the X3. It's not complete yet but I've made a ton of progress. The equipment Hybrid Audio L1VProR2 tweeters, L4SE mid-range and L8 Mid-bass, Amps are Zuki Mono and Two Zuki Burr Brown. I am going to be using a Alpine H-800 signal processor. I am still undecided on Sub but it will most Likely be a 10" Morel Ultimo. I made custom a-pillars and door panels for speakers as well as custom sub-box for the sub. Still need to wire everything up. I may redo the door panels as the cut into leg room i need to see what is behind the door panel as far as space goes before i decide on that.

Hey Evlengr, since it seems you are the audio guru, I was wondering if you knew how to find out if I have DSP or not. I have the business HU. Looking to get the Dice MediaBridge. Thanks for your help!

I think Evl will be busy racing around in his new Audi doing his holiday shopping, so here is the answer:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...29&postcount=5

Or if you have Nav it will have a menu option for DSP.

Thanks Super....If you have the business sound system. I would say probably not based on my experience with my two X3's and the half dozen others I worked on.