[VP Electricity]

So we just upgraded a 2010 328 sedan from the base Stereo system to one of our Level One systems with a couple of a la carte options, here in our shop. I thought I'd put up some pics of the install.

As we've posted before, the base Stereo systems have a boosted signal in the lows and highs, to try to compensate for the missing tweeters and woofers and amplifier. It doesn't really work. Also, the rear speakers already have the bass filtered out.

Since our systems are designed to be invisible, I have trouble posting pics. Here are some of the innards, though.

We used two Zapco DC200 amplifiers - each 50x2 - and we mounted them in the well on a vertical panel. The DSP in each amp was used to first normalize the signal coming from the BMW head unit, and then optimize the signal for the cabin acoustics and the speakers used. We used the channel by channel output level settings, the time delay, and the independent parametric equalization to tune for the driver's seat primarily, and we also used the 4th-order crossover filters to get the most we could out of the door midranges before handing off to the underseat woofers. These amps are fan cooled and so work fine under the floor.

So we left the rear speakers in place, and upgraded the fronts to Morel Dotechs with the underseats upgraded to Jehnerts. The customer listened to a wide variety of music, and did not want or need a ton of bass output - but he did want the bass to be accurate and tight.

Amp panel in process:





Amp panel done and in place:







Underside with amp wiring:



Passive crossovers in place:



Amps and passive crossovers in place:



OEM 6" speaker:



Jehnert with wiring pigtail:



Woofer in enclosure:



Enclosure back in car:



A Morel 4" in our steel adapter ring:




How did it sound? It sounded really impressive. Vocals were up in the windshield. The stage was wide, from pillar to pillar, and the drum kit sounded high too, rather than under the seats. The highs were crystal clear without any harshness or brightness, and the bass was surprisingly good (you would not have thought it had 50 watts per woofer!). To me, it sounded better than the Enhanced Premium system I heard in a 2011 M3 the week before.

[jjmanda]

Looks good.

I have never heard of Jehnert before lurking this forum. How would you compare them to the ADMW9's, price and performance wise?

[fdriller9]

Damn looks good!

[kaigoss69]

Looks good Ken.

[Denny347]

I REALLY like how you mounted those amps in the well. Nice, clean, and simple. Great job so far.

[VP Electricity]

Thanks for the kind words.

A I said before, not much you can so with pictures of a stock grille.

Jehnert is a German company without many us dealers. Their core product is door panels with multiple woofers in them for midbass. The flat 8 just recently came out. It doesn't drop in, but it is closer than the Morel. We have not nailed down why yet - the Morels always go into e82 1-series OK, but some e9x have issues with the height from the top of the enclosure deck to the underside of the carpet - which affect the Morel fitment.

The Jehnerts are more efficient than the Morels, by quite a bit. They won't play as low as loud as the Morels, and if you play 95% rap or techno, they are not the best choice as the biggest speaker in the car (go SWS). But they are great for all-around music and great midbasses with a trunk sub. I have been running them for months off 100x2 Zapco power and I like them a lot.

Pricing is comparable.

[jjmanda]

Originally Posted by VP Electricity

the Morels always go into e82 1-series OK, but some e9x have issues with the height from the top of the enclosure deck to the underside of the carpet - which affect the Morel fitment.

I had test fitted some 3/4" MDF spacers in my e90 in anticipation of using them for ADMW9's, but I just could not see the ADMW9's fitting. There just didn't seem to be hardly any clearance between the MDF spacer and the seat rail. Anything less than a 3/4" spacer didn't seem to me to give the proprer height needed within the enclosure.

I take it though from the Jehnerts, that height is not an issue (?)

[VP Electricity]

Originally Posted by jjmanda

I take it though from the Jehnerts, that height is not an issue (?)

That is correct. The spacer has to be a little thicker than our steel SWS ring, because the speaker is deeper than the SWS, but it is nowhere near as deep as the Morel, and is also does not protrude as far forward as the SWS, so you don't need any frame to hold the carpet off of the woofer.

[kaigoss69]

Originally Posted by VP Electricity

That is correct. The spacer has to be a little thicker than our steel SWS ring, because the speaker is deeper than the SWS, but it is nowhere near as deep as the Morel, and is also does not protrude as far forward as the SWS, so you don't need any frame to hold the carpet off of the woofer.

When I installed the Morel CW-8 I had fiddle around with the position of the magnet in order to make them fit. As you know, the bottom of the enclosure is slanted. They are 69mm deep and I swear there was not another 2mm to spare. I think the 1er enclosures have a slightly different design.

[VP Electricity]

Originally Posted by kaigoss69

When I installed the Morel CW-8 I had fiddle around with the position of the magnet in order to make them fit. As you know, the bottom of the enclosure is slanted. They are 69mm deep and I swear there was not another 2mm to spare. I think the 1er enclosures have a slightly different design.

Technic thinks the Stereo E90 enclosures and HiFi and Top HiFi are ALL different.

But I can tell you, Kai, that the 2011 E90 M3 we had in here last week wasn't going to take the Morels with some "fiddling"

I have the depth of the current Morels at 71 or 72mm. Maybe those woofers you have are a bit shallower than what's in production now.

[kaigoss69]

Originally Posted by VP Electricity

Technic thinks the Stereo E90 enclosures and HiFi and Top HiFi are ALL different.

Damn German engineers...

Did you measure the in-car FR of the Jehnerts? If/when my Morels are dead, I might just consider those. Do you have the T/S parameters?

BTW, did you get the email I sent yesterday?

[B-737]

VP your a genius man! i love what you did by putting the two smaller amps onto the fabricated panel right into the under deck cubby. very resourceful and very creative. it looks fantastic!!

I like how you used the Jehnerts! i LOVE the Jehnerts in my car! they sound so clean and full. I would have never selected that brand without Don egging me on.

looks like you did a phenomenal job on this guys car.

[mineo77]

took you bout hmmm...lets say 4 minutes?