[AKbmw]

Long story short, i hate my sound system in my 2010 LCI. Anyways, i am looking to upgrade my audio in my car but not sure exactly how.

change all 4 speakers and add an amp,?
change to SWS8 with an amp,?
change all 4 speakers with no amp,?
change front two speakers and get SWS 8 +amp?


I have heard many different things from many different people, so I am not really sure what i should look into a new set of speakers of under seat subs + amp.

My main problem with my audio is that the volume is way too low for me and the fact that i cannot put my bass and treble over -2 which is pretty sad. My stereo is almost always on the highest volume and with my windows open i can barley even hear my music. I want to have more bass + louder music.

hopefully some audio-wizz can help me out please!!

Please keep in mind that i am not looking to spend over $900 hopefully there is some kind of fix for me out there

[AKbmw]

anybody?

[Weaselboy]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=358943

There is some discussion of options in this thread.

[fdriller9]

I'm not familiar with the MY2010 system but from your description I would suggest swapping out all the speakers, amping them, and adding a trunk sub. Don't mess with the underseats (meaning don't put SWS-8s in, you can put in another midbass driver but not a sub). Although SWS-8s will improve low end, midrange will suffer. I had SWS-8s in my car with L7 and they didn't cut it for me. They can't hit like a 12" can and I ended up blowing them with a JL 500/1. That JL 500/1 now powers a 12" Type-R in the trunk and my stock underseat woofers are back in. I love my system now. However, my sub now overpowers the L7 system. Thinking about amping the stock L7 speaker this summer. Not sure. Maybe just the underseats, as people have said they are better with midbass with more power.

Also before you get a trunk sub, do you have a ski pass? Bass will stay trapped in the trunk if you don't. Although E9x trunks are NOT sealed, they still block alot of the frequencies from coming into the cabin. I have my rear armrest down all the time. Makes bass sound more central rather than coming from behind you. If you don't have ski pass, or fold down seats, you need to find a solution for allowing the sub to come into the cabin.

[AKbmw]

Originally Posted by *********

I'm not familiar with the MY2010 system but from your description I would suggest swapping out all the speakers, amping them, and adding a trunk sub. Don't mess with the underseats (meaning don't put SWS-8s in, you can put in another midbass driver but not a sub). Although SWS-8s will improve low end, midrange will suffer. I had SWS-8s in my car with L7 and they didn't cut it for me. They can't hit like a 12" can and I ended up blowing them with a JL 500/1. That JL 500/1 now powers a 12" Type-R in the trunk and my stock underseat woofers are back in. I love my system now. However, my sub now overpowers the L7 system. Thinking about amping the stock L7 speaker this summer. Not sure. Maybe just the underseats, as people have said they are better with midbass with more power.

Also before you get a trunk sub, do you have a ski pass? Bass will stay trapped in the trunk if you don't. Although E9x trunks are NOT sealed, they still block alot of the frequencies from coming into the cabin. I have my rear armrest down all the time. Makes bass sound more central rather than coming from behind you. If you don't have ski pass, or fold down seats, you need to find a solution for allowing the sub to come into the cabin.

nope, no ski pass and no folding seats. i think im just going to change my 4 speakers and put the sws8 and amp them, going to a shop right now to see what they say. how do you think it would sound if i did that? plus the speakers will have tweeters in them.

[AKbmw]

the shop told me

2 pioneer tweeters
2 pioneer front door speakers
1 12" Punch P2 sub with rockford fosgate box
1 4-channel amp

installed : $650

what do you guys think?

is it dumb to do this am i better off getting the SWS8?

[joelc73]

Originally Posted by AKbmw

the shop told me

2 pioneer tweeters
2 pioneer front door speakers
1 12" Punch P2 sub with rockford fosgate box
1 4-channel amp

installed : $650

what do you guys think?

is it dumb to do this am i better off getting the SWS8?

Are you leaving the 6.5's under the seats? Where is the P2 sub going?

[AKbmw]

Originally Posted by joelc73

Are you leaving the 6.5's under the seats? Where is the P2 sub going?

p2 in the trunk im going to leave the 6.5 under the seat OEM... is this a bad idea?

[fdriller9]

I'm not sure about how much you'll hear the sub in your trunk with no fold down seats or ski pass. It will most likely sound like it is coming from the back of the car rather than inside the cabin. 650 isn't bad. You might want to try and get the components your self and have them install it. You can definitely get them cheaper as I am guessing your shop sells at retail. Just a suggestion, that could prove to better in the long run, I would upgrade in steps. Front door components and amp for them. Drive around awhile see what's missing. Most likely you'll notice the highs and upper mids are far better than stock, however you'll want to upgrade bass. The SWS-8s will provide a boost in low end but depending on how your door components sound, you may or may not be ok with midbass. At this point you'll want to see if putting a trunk sub in will sound good. If it does, I would take out the SWS-8s and get a better midbass driver. Morels? They are expensive though and require a bit of modification to fit the factory underseat enclosures. Your shop will be able to it though.

[AKbmw]

Originally Posted by *********

I'm not sure about how much you'll hear the sub in your trunk with no fold down seats or ski pass. It will most likely sound like it is coming from the back of the car rather than inside the cabin. 650 isn't bad. You might want to try and get the components your self and have them install it. You can definitely get them cheaper as I am guessing your shop sells at retail. Just a suggestion, that could prove to better in the long run, I would upgrade in steps. Front door components and amp for them. Drive around awhile see what's missing. Most likely you'll notice the highs and upper mids are far better than stock, however you'll want to upgrade bass. The SWS-8s will provide a boost in low end but depending on how your door components sound, you may or may not be ok with midbass. At this point you'll want to see if putting a trunk sub in will sound good. If it does, I would take out the SWS-8s and get a better midbass driver. Morels? They are expensive though and require a bit of modification to fit the factory underseat enclosures. Your shop will be able to it though.

I like te idea of doing it in steps, do you think I should get a 4 channel
amp just incase I want to upgrade the sws as well?

Front tweeters an two front speakers with amp for now u think that would sound much better than stock?

[Razzle]

let me know what you decide. I have debating to buy a 2010 car from a dealer because of the stock system. Seeing if its easily upgradable

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by AKbmw

I like te idea of doing it in steps, do you think I should get a 4 channel
amp just incase I want to upgrade the sws as well?

Front tweeters an two front speakers with amp for now u think that would sound much better than stock?

That's a good idea. I think you should get a 4 channel. You can always bridge it and use it for a sub or another set of speakers for rear fill. The sound should be much better from stock, especially with the tweeters.

[AKbmw]

Originally Posted by *********

That's a good idea. I think you should get a 4 channel. You can always bridge it and use it for a sub or another set of speakers for rear fill. The sound should be much better from stock, especially with the tweeters.

what brand tweeters, speakers, amp, do you recommend? model?

[OC Guy]

Hey AK-

Had a few questions I'm confused about...

Do we need to recode the HU for hi-fi?
Do we need a DSP like the Audison BitOne?

[joelc73]

Originally Posted by OC 335i

Hey AK-

Had a few questions I'm confused about...

Do we need to recode the HU for hi-fi?
Do we need a DSP like the Audison BitOne?

If you recode you won't "need" DSP. If you don't recode you'll almost certainly want DSP to flatten out the hyped up signal coming out of the HU.

JC

[AKbmw]

if you recode the HU and leave everything else stock would you already see an improvement?

then maybe i would swap out the speakers after i recode? is this worth it?

[AKbmw]

?

[Brissie]

I think before you buy anything, you need to decide how loud and how much bass you want. If you want car shaking bass, then you need at least a 12 inch sub. If you want to add a sub, then don't get the SWS, get some other mid bass woofers that will fit under the seats, and a good set of components speakers for the door, and 5 channels of amplification. If you just want a bit more bass, then get the SWS's, and a good set of component speakers for the doors, and a 4 channel amp. The SWS's are not too bad as subwoofers, but they are not great at mid bass, and they won't give you earth shattering bass.

So, decide what you want first.

[VP Electricity]

Originally Posted by AKbmw

if you recode the HU and leave everything else stock would you already see an improvement?

then maybe i would swap out the speakers after i recode? is this worth it?

No. When you recode, the output of the head unit changes from speaker level voltage, processed, to unprocessed, but preamp voltage.

If you recode, it is for amplifier installation.