Subject: Start with really good speakers - but with DSP may not be enough Author: willyroo : member since March, 2006 : 71 posts Posted on: 2008-07-08 18:18:27

The OEM BMW speakers are rubbish, however they work reasonably well with the DSP amp - and therein lies your problem. The DSP powers a tweeter, midrange and bass driver 3 way system in the front door (as well as the speakers in the rear door and the "subwoofers" in the rear shelf. So if you replace the tweeter and the bass in the front, you still have this midrange driver (which is about 2") that will form part of the audio chain. Still highly compromised audio unfortunately.

If you generally only drive with people in the front, the rear door speakers are unnecessary. So the alternative may be to buy some really good 5.25" 2 ways (the MB Quarts are "drop in"), a good stereo amp which can fit in the space currently inhabited by the DSP amp (eg Alpine PDX 4-100), and a good "sub in a box" eg Infinity Basslink. For less than $1,000 you have all the parts needed for really good music. The challenge then is to find an installer that can find the correct low level wires from the headunit, and fit the system so the car still looks "stock". I did it myself with a non-DSP system so it can't be that hard :)

Oh and if you do this your 'phone will no longer make any sound.

• Audio Upgrade - mhoehn 2008-07-07 19:53:26 (117 views)
  • Start with really good speakers - but with DSP may not be enough - willyroo 2008-07-08 18:18:27 (120 views)
    • Phone won't necessarily be lost - kiwijochen 2008-07-09 00:31:23 (90 views)
    • Re: Start with really good speakers - but with DSP may not be enough - mhoehn 2008-07-08 23:36:23 (84 views)
      • Just add a carphone speaker - eg a Nokia CARK speaker which you can mount - willyroo 2008-07-09 22:35:10 (78 views)
        • why does the phone quit - mhoehn 2008-07-11 08:10:14 (71 views)
          • Here's why - kiwijochen 2008-07-11 10:24:56 (84 views)
            • Re: Here's why - mhoehn 2008-07-11 10:58:54 (69 views)
      • No-one makes MIDs of the size used in BMW (nt) - kiwijochen 2008-07-09 00:55:49 (94 views)
        • Re: No-one makes MIDs of the size used in BMW - mhoehn 2008-07-09 08:35:42 (82 views)
          • I would start here... (url) - kiwijochen 2008-07-09 09:29:11 (86 views)
  • Change speakers and add another sub - kiwijochen 2008-07-08 00:43:48 (97 views)