Sound System Improvement Stage One

Chrono..why didnt you use the PDX Alpine series. Much more compact and as a class D they generate little heat.

Originally Posted by Evlengr

Chrono..why didnt you use the PDX Alpine series. Much more compact and as a class D they generate little heat.

I thought about it but they just don't have the power or level of sq that the zuki amps have

My audio upgrades are finished. Here is what I did:

Audio Control EQX for equalization and crossover with Stock HU speaker lines into EQX hi-level input that drives Vintage Alpine Amps. MRV-F357 (5 channel amp) drives the 4 passenger speakers that were replaced with Alpine SPS-410 and the sub channel driving the JL sub. I left the factory sub below the seats unhooked.

The SPS-410 seems to start to roll off below 300 Hz and with the EQX crossover at 80 Hz, it left a mid-bass hole.

So I procured a MRV-100M and hooked the factory subs back up. The MRV-100M Hi-pass was set at 200 Hz and it seemed to fill in the mid-bass nicely.

Sub details: JL Audio 10WXv2-4 in a custom box sourced from from WickedCAS.
see http://www.wickedcas.com/product.php...&cat=10&page=1

Many thanks to all on this thread, especially to evlengr and x3oiler, for the advise and research captured here... And to ebay and craigslist where all the above were sourced.

BTW, I also added BSW's Soundplicity for the ipod interface. It was very clean, no noise as opposed to DICE.

Pics attached were taken with my iphone (sorry for the low quality).

Ok so i am deciding to buy myself a new christmas present which are new door speakers... i have a 2004 with

Kenwood KDC-348U head unit

JL 250/1 amp

JL CP 110-W0v3 Subwoofer

I have looked through this thread and found these speakers on Crutchfield

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DB40...01.html?tp=105
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SPS4...10.html?tp=105

which would you recommend? and would i need to have a stronger amp if i get these speakers

thanks

I have the Polk's and I feel they're a great upgrade. You can find them for closer to $50 for the pair on Amazon. Of course the Alpine's are the most popular choice, also. I have not listened to them and thus am not qualified to comment on how they compare to the Polk's. Either choice will perform best with dedicated amplification.

I seem more intrigued by polk and crutchfield has a deal for half price off the second order so that will save me for the back doors as well.

the only question i have is...is my amp powerful enough to have these speakers put in

Originally Posted by alexsih

BTW, I also added BSW's Soundplicity for the ipod interface. It was very clean, no noise as opposed to DICE.

Funny you should say that. I have an older DICE that I have used for years but it is not compatible with the iPhone 4S so I bought a new - later model - firmware upgradeable DICE unit. After having to return the first unit as defective (no left channel) I found that the replacement unit is very noisy - more apparent with the newer audio - so much so that the older DICE is back in service and I will live without the 4S integration. As an aside, I found the DICE remote control of the ipod (head unit display of track etc) to be useless (so slow) and I switched it off in the older DICE - this is not an option in the newer DICE it seems - another negative point. . . . sorry slight thread hijack here.

Originally Posted by Epark1013

Ok so i am deciding to buy myself a new christmas present which are new door speakers... i have a 2004 with

Kenwood KDC-348U head unit

JL 250/1 amp

JL CP 110-W0v3 Subwoofer

I have looked through this thread and found these speakers on Crutchfield

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107DB40...01.html?tp=105
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SPS4...10.html?tp=105

which would you recommend? and would i need to have a stronger amp if i get these speakers

thanks

The AMP you mention is for the sub so I assume you refer to the head unit driving the 4x door speakers once upgraded. The Kenwood seems capable of 22W into 4 ohm.
I have the stock business CD head unit driving the door speakers via PXE-650 then a separate Pioneer GM-D9500F AMP that is in theory 4x75watt but then I am not a)driving the amp at full gain (less than 50% gain) and b) not driving the (front only) door speakers to a point much louder than the stock system would have achieved in any case. All very subjective I know but I do wonder about the relative power of the sub compared to how hard you will have to drive the door speakers to "keep up"? You will however be driving all four door speakers it seems so you will be "one up" on my setup wrt volumes (I only have only fronts really powered up - rear set for background volume from the stock head unit only).

One point to note. Adding more power to the door speakers may not be the way to go - the Kenwood alone may be preferable. The SPS410 seem to like being hit hard above 400 to 500Hertz and not lower. Just adding more power to the doors will cause some distortions if you do not cut off the low end. If you simply cutoff the low end to the doors then you will have a midrange hole to fill (sub running with the doors). If you still have the under seat mids installed then they will take over but then you have to consider powering them as well and what crossovers to use for them and the relative sensitivities.

Suck it an see I think is the way to go ie the Kenwood driving the upgraded doors, the mono amp driving the sub.

Originally Posted by Epark1013

I seem more intrigued by polk and crutchfield has a deal for half price off the second order so that will save me for the back doors as well.

the only question i have is...is my amp powerful enough to have these speakers put in

I initially powered my Polk's with the X3's OEM amplifier, which provided an acceptable improvement in sound. Soon after that (within a few weeks) I added an aftermarket amp for these (a 50x2 old Rockford Punch 100), and everything about the sound again improved markedly. So yes, you can certainly power these with your current setup, but I would recommend planning for extra power.

in the process of working out what i need to do to upgrade my x3.

I have single cone speakers in each door, no amp, but i do have the gps & bluetooth modules.

Intending to replace both sets of door speakers (Alpine's) and probably the underseat mids (I expect these are 6" versions as uk spec. do the seats have to be removed to get these out?)

Anyone got any measurements for the size of the 8" underseat speakers? trying to find something to replace them with, maybe one of these?

MB Quart RLP204 or Pioneer TS-SW841D or maybe these would work (without tweeters) Alpine SPE-20SF

Hoping to amp (prob Alpine pmx 640) fronts and underseat speakers from an amp in the boot but my problem is wires....
where is best to pickup the speaker wires? and do I need to rewire back to the speakers or is there a way to be sure theres no caps along the line somewhere?

I cant find any speaker wires in the back or caps wrapped in foam :/

Sorry if I have any bad ideas my knowledge in this area is basic but trying to learn.


anything anyone can add or do to simplify this for me would great - thanks all
better suggestions for kit being used is good too especially if im missing something!

WayneGB,
I am just about to start exactly the same project. I have purchased all the bits i need, had most of the required bits of the car apart to establish wiring, locations etc.
I have a 2009 X3 3,0D Msport with the standard radio. One thing i have learned is the speaker wiring routing in the uk cars is different from the USA, Aussie or Europe.
The speaker is a 6 speaker system 4 inch in the doors, no tweeters, with 6" or 8" bass unit under the seats (havent removed these yet to confirm)
The speaker cables (Front L&R, Rear L&R) go from the head unit down and along the centre tunnel, at about the hand brake area, the front speaker cables split to supply the front doors and the under seat speakers. All the speaker cables go to the left side rear door sill plastic kick plate, here the left speaker cables head forward along the door sills to the B piller (rear door speaker), the Bass speakers and the a piller (front door speaker). The right speaker cables pass across the front of the rear seat and down the sill in the same manner as the left. I have not found any inline capacitors as yet i have viewed about 80% of the cable runs.

My plan is to cut into the wire at the rear left sill area, route to the under boot storage area. Then back to the cut in point.
The amp i am using is a Mac Audio Attack 600, 6 channel amp with speaker level inputs, channel gain control, and high and low pass filters. This allows a separate amp per speaker location. The doors will be 90Hz up and the under seats 90Hz down.
Door speakers are Mac Audio Star-X 4" components

Main Power supply is easy as the compartment is next to the battery, remote i am intending to use the switched supply to either the bluetooth module or the SatNav disc unit.

feel free to PM me to discuss as i intend to do a write up to help other UK people.

Did you manage to get any further with your project, so far swapped the door speakers out - much better.
next is the amps if i can work the cabling out

Wayne,
Got it all sorted, colour codes, tie in points etc. will do a write up, pics etc. it's actually quite straight forward you will be please to know.

Hi Wayne and Ennis

How are you getting on with your mods? Not had much time recently but hoping to attack my project at Easter. Would be interested to get your info on what size the under seat subs in the standard uk set up are? If they are 8" I might not bother swapping them out, just amp them?

Are you pleased with the results of your mods??

6 CH amp sounds like the way to go for me. From your notes I'm guessing the point to cut and splice in ALL the speaker wiring is at the left hand rear door sill panel correct?

Cheers!

I have completed my guide. i just need some one to host it so i can upload it on to the forum....any offers.
Chris, wayne, PM me with your email address and i will send it to you.

Chris, the system sound much much better, but the under seat speaker muddy the bass and spoils the sound. I am going to upgrade them soon. Project 2....

Finished my audio upgrade, completed a guide for all those members with UK cars as the audio harness is a bit different and the info can be hard to find all in one place,

hope it helps

For the speaker upgrade i used MAc Audio Star-x 2.10 components, about £100 a pair from Just sounds in germany. Minus having to modify the tweeter mounting they went straight in, depth not a problem.

http://www.just-sound.de/

Sound wise they are really very good, as good as the B&O system in my Audi A5. They give a very clear, airy sounds, excellent detail and very good imaging. I have yet to do the under seat speakers which i intend to do as the bass from them is muddy and thick sounding.

The amp was a ebay lucky buy, £30, for a 600w 6 channel amp with speaker level inputs built in...works great....

Originally Posted by Evlengr

Alpine SPS-400 $70 all around good sound most popular http://www.crutchfield.com/p_500SPS4...ures_and_specs

Evlengr - thanks for the suggestion.

I've just completed installing 4 Alpine SPS410 ($100 for the set from Amazon) and am pleased with the improvement in sound quality, especially for the price.

The big question is where to go next. I'm thinking:

- JBL MS-8 DSP with 8 channels of (modest) aplicatification
- JL XD/600 6 channel amp

I can get both for a similar price, so very interested in what people think will give most bang for the buck. I'm more interested in sound quality than volume.

Cheers, Jonathan