DIY E39 audio upgrades!

OK, the activity on this darn board is waaaaay too low. Here are some shots of my E39 DIY stereo install. No slick hidden drawers, ghetto neon lighting, or fancy plexiglass windows. Just a lean mean audio machine:

* Stock head unit
* Diamond Audio Hex 5.25" silks in front
* Diamond Audio M3 5.25" coaxials in back
* Single 12" 4ohm Alumapro Alchemy sub mounted in a custom 1cf spare-tire-well-mounted enclosure
* JL Audio 300/4 running in 150x2 bridged mode for the main speakers, with front and rear on the same channel at a fixed -10dB fader
* JL Audio 500/1 pumping the sub, signal sourced from the head units rear channels so the fader control is a stealth sub control
* Dual AudioControl EQT 30 channel equalizers
* OEM CD changer
* Crossovers mounted over the CD changer
* Dynamat Extreme in the trunk, rear deck, and trunklid
* 8"x8" low frequency vent cut out over the armrest

Next up:

* Disconnect rear speakers and use the 300/4 to biamp the front speakers for better max-volume sound quality
* Some form of MP3 capability


Bill

Looks awesome Bill!



Amazing, actually...

Here's my GhettoBass® creation. $32 box, $65 amp, $0 15-year old self-destructing woofer, and 4 holes drilled thru the trunk. Yeah, I'm cheap!



Just to tide me over since I wasn't driving the car much. I'm at least gonna replace the sub sometime soon. hehe

Originally Posted by BillP

OK, the activity on this darn board is waaaaay too low. Here are some shots of my E39 DIY stereo install. No slick hidden drawers, ghetto neon lighting, or fancy plexiglass windows. Just a lean mean audio machine:

* Stock head unit
* Diamond Audio Hex 5.25" silks in front
* Diamond Audio M3 5.25" coaxials in back
* Single 12" 4ohm Alumapro Alchemy sub mounted in a custom 1cf spare-tire-well-mounted enclosure
* JL Audio 300/4 running in 150x2 bridged mode for the main speakers, with front and rear on the same channel at a fixed -10dB fader
* JL Audio 500/1 pumping the sub, signal sourced from the head units rear channels so the fader control is a stealth sub control
* Dual AudioControl EQT 30 channel equalizers
* OEM CD changer
* Crossovers mounted over the CD changer
* Dynamat Extreme in the trunk, rear deck, and trunklid
* 8"x8" low frequency vent cut out over the armrest

Next up:

* Disconnect rear speakers and use the 300/4 to biamp the front speakers for better max-volume sound quality
* Some form of MP3 capability


Bill

I am leaning towards installing my amps under the rear deck too. I am thinking of fabricating some sort of a shelf and mount the amps on their feet; not upside down. I think I read somewhere that they should be mounted on their feet for heat management purpose.

How is your bass getting in inside the car? Did you have to knock off a hole in the back seat?

Yes, reread my post.

Originally Posted by BillP

Yes, reread my post.

Bill do you have to leave the armrest down to get Bass into the car???

Originally Posted by nealh

Bill do you have to leave the armrest down to get Bass into the car???

No, the fairly lightweight foam in the armrest does little to attenuate the bass - it's the sheetmetal that stopped the low frequencies in their tracks.

However, I should do an armrest up/down measurement just to be sure.


Bill

Originally Posted by BillP

No, the fairly lightweight foam in the armrest does little to attenuate the bass - it's the sheetmetal that stopped the low frequencies in their tracks.

However, I should do an armrest up/down measurement just to be sure.


Bill

Thanks...I am still trying to decide how to incorporate a sub..either in the rear deck ala M5 subs or a sub over the Battery compartment with ho;es in the metal behind the armrest and maybe cutouts in the rear deck...

Originally Posted by nealh

Bill do you have to leave the armrest down to get Bass into the car???

I'm not Bill, but my $.02...

I have non-fold down seats (I think same as Bill) so my armrest is actually fairly thick and I do notice a bass difference w/ it down versus up. Not an insane differential, but still slightly nicer having it down.

Originally Posted by vietsb

I'm not Bill, but my $.02...

I have non-fold down seats (I think same as Bill) so my armrest is actually fairly thick and I do notice a bass difference w/ it down versus up. Not an insane differential, but still slightly nicer having it down.

thanks