[bnj]

SWS-8 is the way to go.

[etik]

Do you have some experience to share with the SWS-8 ? do they fit without modification of OEM enclosure ? sounds great ? pictures ? I will also search the forum ;-)

[etik]

SWS-8 installation in E90

http://www.automagie.de/pdf/320d.pdf

[yester]

I have HiFI Professional (not logic7) I want a bit more bass, but don't want to replace al amps and speakers.

Is it possible to upgrade the sub's without replacing the (standard) amps?

[etik]

Originally Posted by yester

I have HiFI Professional (not logic7) I want a bit more bass, but don't want to replace al amps and speakers.

Is it possible to upgrade the sub's without replacing the (standard) amps?

Well to my experience (music and the way you listen to it is very personnal). I would advice to upgrade the doors speakers to Focal 100KP, they have greater sensitivity and would produce a clearer sound even with oem amp.

Now to the sub upgrade, this is quite different, subs do need much more power to get moving and produce a deep bass. I do not think you will get something better with only subs upgrade.

[chiark]

etik, nice find and an interesting system.

What's the current best solution for getting the signal from the OEM head unit (BMW Business) into amplifiers? In the article linked above, a Melzer trann-ubertrager is mentioned as the solution - my German doesn't quite run to working out what an ubertrager is other than "converter", but I can't find any references on the web to that thing.

I have an Alpine 701, and if there's a way of getting optical out of the MOST bus into the 701 then I'd be over the moon....

[etik]

To my knowledge this is no way to get to the MOST bus. Why don't you tab into the wires going to the oem amp ?

Then you can use the JL CL441DSP.

[yester]

Originally Posted by etik

Well to my experience (music and the way you listen to it is very personnal). I would advice to upgrade the doors speakers to Focal 100KP, they have greater sensitivity and would produce a clearer sound even with oem amp.


Now to the sub upgrade, this is quite different, subs do need much more power to get moving and produce a deep bass. I do not think you will get something better with only subs upgrade.

My experiance now is that when I play music of the 80's there is a huge lack of bass.
When i play recent pop music(depending on the song), the bass is ok for me.

Replacing the frontdoor speakers can be an option for me.
I can get Hertz and Macaudio speakers for a rather nice price

But is it than still possible to upgrade the sub without replacing the amp?

[etik]

Originally Posted by yester

But is it than still possible to upgrade the sub without replacing the amp?

In short, no.

That's because OEM amp does not produce enough RMS power to feed an aftermarket sub that could produce a nice bass line.

[etik]

Originally Posted by yester

I can get Hertz and Macaudio speakers for a rather nice price

I would advice to go for Focal, they are the best on the market. Anything else might be to close to bmw oem speakers for you to notice any gain upgrading the speakers on oem amp.

[chiark]

Cheers for the reply - the reason I was asking was because I found a back issue of Car Audio and Electronics (a stateside car audio magazine that I subscribe to) which said that databus engineering had created a MOST pre-amp out - although this was from 2006. In the same issue they talked about the cleansweep from JL and the stuff from Audiocontrol... If you could take the digital feed on the MOST bus, such as DBE were proposing, then wow... Put that into SPDIF format, feed it into a 701, and wow!

Data-bus engineering seems to be a holding page, and from searches I've performed, I've found that Directed Electronics seem to have signed a deal for the preamp stuff they've done. I've emailed the contact on databus engineering, and got nothing back, unfortunately.

I'd love to be able to get the OEM head unit signal from the MOST bus, and part of me thinks that should be possible... I guess re-reading that article about the preamp got me all optimistic!

Would it be useful if I scanned the article? It seems a real shame that the solution I'm thinking of isn't the one that is the obvious route...

Sorry for the slight hijack, but I had a superb system in my E46 and despite me saying I was leaving the E91 as OEM, I can't really see that happening - and I've only had the car a week

[chiark]

Oh, and regarding Focal I'd agree that they're good but I'd disagree that they're the best on the market. In my experience, speaker choice affects sound reproduction more than head unit and amplification, and is a very personal choice. I've always found focal a little too bright, but then again others have found my personal system setup far too laid back, particularly in the treble

Perhaps we should start another thread for this - once again, apologies for the slight derailment but hopefully the post is of general interest to readers of this thread!

[Technic]

Originally Posted by etik

Do you have some experience to share with the SWS-8 ? do they fit without modification of OEM enclosure ? sounds great ? pictures ? I will also search the forum ;-)

It looks like the SWS-8 in particular is made to be a drop fit to the BMW OEM sub enclosure; the woofer "face" is not tipically round like the Pioneer's, it is shaped exactly like the OEM sub (almost oval).

[bnj]

Etik, you found the same article that I have based my view on. The frequncy chart shows a full bass that is in fact more than needed and should be turned down abit. 20 - 100hz seems very stable in any case which is a very good sign.

SWS brochure tells that it is a direct fit and the shape and the screws match perfectly. However, I have understood that some people have needed to put a thin spacer. A simple and easy installation even if that is the case.

(P.S. I'm thinking of having Focal K2Power 100 as well, that I heard in another car and think they are perfect. I just don't know where to put my amp for the subs. I have European std (not even Hi-Fi).)

[etik]

Originally Posted by bnj

I'm thinking of having Focal K2Power 100 as well, that I heard in another car and think they are perfect. I just don't know where to put my amp for the subs. I have European std (not even Hi-Fi).)

If I understood well, this means you have no oem amp and you cannot tap into the wires.

Run speaker cables from the oem head unit to the trunk would be too much work I think. Then I would prefer changing the head unit to any aftermarket one.

[scampos1984]

Originally Posted by scampos1984

Coming againg with the Earthquakes, look

A great review, which says these subs are quite great (the ones in the review are the 10" but I suppose it's similar)

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...er-7-2005.html


And a ver great offer which includes 2 SWS-8, amplifier and wires for you guys in the States

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-EARTHQUAKE-S...ayphotohosting

If you are now interested in the SWS I quote myself with this offer

[bnj]

Originally Posted by etik

If I understood well, this means you have no oem amp and you cannot tap into the wires.

Run speaker cables from the oem head unit to the trunk would be too much work I think. Then I would prefer changing the head unit to any aftermarket one.

I was thinking of having a small (Dimensions 159 x 41 x 170 mm) plug n play amp fitted to the head unit using adapter wiring.
http://www.blaupunkt.com/uk/7607792129_main.asp

I need to see if I can put the amp under seat, or in the dash somewhere. The adapter wires exist for 3-series, but I haven't looked into this in detail yet. It gets its power via head unit, so the wiring would be minimal, really plug and play. Hope it works out.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by bnj

I was thinking of having a small (Dimensions 159 x 41 x 170 mm) plug n play amp fitted to the head unit using adapter wiring.
http://www.blaupunkt.com/uk/7607792129_main.asp

I need to see if I can put the amp under seat, or in the dash somewhere. The adapter wires exist for 3-series, but I haven't looked into this in detail yet. It gets its power via head unit, so the wiring would be minimal, really plug and play. Hope it works out.

That amp requires a max of 20A of current... I have not seen an OEM HU that have a fuse that big and the wire gauge required to handle that much current. I guess that there should be some relay/fuse circuitry in the PnP plug that could permit full current load thru the OEM wiring and still protect the OEM wiring from overheating...

[etik]

SWS-8 is a direct fit ! In my case I was able to drop the SWS-8 in the OEM enclosure with no modification and even the grid to protect the sub can be put back in place with no modification as well.

Happy ending after a LOT of research... It's not wired yet... will post result when I have heard it playing...

[Technic]

Originally Posted by etik

SWS-8 is a direct fit ! In my case I was able to drop the SWS-8 in the OEM enclosure with no modification and even the grid to protect the sub can be put back in place with no modification as well.

Happy ending after a LOT of research... It's not wired yet... will post result when I have heard it playing...

You will need at least 150W for each SWS-8 for them to be cooking... I bought a pair for evaluation (runing them sealed at around .4 cu.ft with 200W each) and simply they sound better than the Pioneers.

[etik]

They will be driven by an Audiobahn A4075HCT. That's to say that I could get 300W RMS max to each sub...

Thanks Technic from your feedback ! I was a bit concern about the sound, I have heard the Pioneer playing and I was impressed, I was a bit afraid with the SWS result... they does not 'look' for an absolutly non audio specialist (me) as good as the Pioneer, but then that is only a look and feel perception...

Probably I would be able to finish the setup by mid next week.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by etik

They will be driven by an Audiobahn A4075HCT. That's to say that I could get 300W RMS max to each sub...

Thanks Technic from your feedback ! I was a bit concern about the sound, I have heard the Pioneer playing and I was impressed, I was a bit afraid with the SWS result... they does not 'look' for an absolutly non audio specialist (me) as good as the Pioneer, but then that is only a look and feel perception...

Probably I would be able to finish the setup by mid next week.

That was my first impression also; they look "cheap" (although they actually are double the price) compared with the Pioneers with their massive basket and heavy duty wire connectors. But having both in the same enclosure was the clinch...