[sohlman]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Looks good in the photo.
Will your amps be exposed?

Yes i plan for the tops of the amps to be exsposed as they are pretty amps. I now have a fitted price for the Pioneer with harness, Ipod, handsfree of £400 from the company you gave me the link for. This would include uninstalling the Parrot i currently have. Basically they want £60 for fitting a head unit plus the cost of parts. They have also quoted £135 to install both the amps and £50 to fit each pair of speakers which i did not think was bad. Once we have met and done the coding i will go ahead. By then my amp rack and floor build should be complete.

Good to hear that others have made the change over without too many issues. I guess that the more basic the car specification you have ie no Bluetooth, sat nav, PDC the easier the entire process is.

[Dannyboy]

Yeah I agree with your last sentence. My install was pretty straight forward probablybecause I started with the bare minimum. Just the hi fi system with no bells and whistles.

You're install plan looks pretty good...good luck with the build!

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by sohlman

Yes i plan for the tops of the amps to be exsposed as they are pretty amps. I now have a fitted price for the Pioneer with harness, Ipod, handsfree of £400 from the company you gave me the link for. This would include uninstalling the Parrot i currently have. Basically they want £60 for fitting a head unit plus the cost of parts. They have also quoted £135 to install both the amps and £50 to fit each pair of speakers which i did not think was bad. Once we have met and done the coding i will go ahead. By then my amp rack and floor build should be complete.

Good to hear that others have made the change over without too many issues. I guess that the more basic the car specification you have ie no Bluetooth, sat nav, PDC the easier the entire process is.

Sorry Mate, did you say that you paid £400 to get everything in your car (including HU, harness, and installation)?

[sohlman]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Sorry Mate, did you say that you paid £400 to get everything in your car (including HU, harness, and installation)?

That was the quote, but i have since read their customer reviews and they are not good. i have made contact with a very good installer local to me, his quote total is £550 for HU, fitting kit, facia, steering controls, pdc and installing front and rear speakers along with uninstalling the parrot system. The install also comes with a three year installation warranty.

He does not like the quality of the standard wiring harnesses available for aftermarket head units as he has found them unreliable. Thus he will be making up an individual harness to my car's needs. They seem to be very knowledgable. They can also do the install without changing the head unit and suggest a Audison system controller if i went that route. I have said i will wait until Makkan00 has done my coding and will then book it in.

[sohlman]

I thought i would add a photo of the fiberglass bass box that will fit in under the floor in the boot. I have done a trial fit and it sits slightly proud on one side due to the carpet so i just need to trim this slightly. This is a push fit and once in does not go anywhere. I bought this from a chap advertising on ebay. He is currently building his web site so only has a facebook and ebay page.

http://www.facebook.com/visual.ice?ref=ts&fref=ts

He says he can make anything and has been very helpful.

I was trying to find someone that sold the BSM kit in the UK and stumbled across this so thought i would try it out. It cost me £109.99 including delivery, carpet trimmed, lined with wadding and gold plated terminals. It's a sealed box for a 10" and will fit E90/91/92 with the standard trim piece in situation. It won't fit in a 335i/d

J

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by sohlman

I thought i would add a photo of the fiberglass bass box that will fit in under the floor in the boot. I have done a trial fit and it sits slightly proud on one side due to the carpet so i just need to trim this slightly. This is a push fit and once in does not go anywhere. I bought this from a chap advertising on ebay. He is currently building his web site so only has a facebook and ebay page.

http://www.facebook.com/visual.ice?ref=ts&fref=ts

He says he can make anything and has been very helpful.

I was trying to find someone that sold the BSM kit in the UK and stumbled across this so thought i would try it out. It cost me 109.99 including delivery, carpet trimmed, lined with wadding and gold plated terminals. It's a sealed box for a 10" and will fit E90/91/92 with the standard trim piece in situation. It won't fit in a 335i/d

J

J
Did you take your car to him?
Or he already has measurements for most of the cars?
I just wish that sub enclosure works for you.

[sohlman]

He had a mould for the car already.

J

[sohlman]

Bit of an update:-

coding has now been completed.

i have booked in car with Brian Car Sounds so the headunit and speakers will be fitted on the 5th February. They seem to understand BMW's well. he likes the MB Quart speakers (phew) and thinks they work very well as they have a perfect seal to the car. The 3 way kit they feel is better than any other options including Focal, Herts, Rainbow, Jehurts and Earthquakes as the fit is perfect in the e90's, 60's etc and no fiddling to get a seal is required. i am refering to this application and not sq in a custom made enclosure. then his preference is Rainbow and then Morel.

He also like using the space in the floor for a 10" sealed enlosure subwoofer so we are all on the same page.

Their web site is below. the owners sound off vehicle is an escourt rs turbo van with 26 12" 1000wrms Hertz subwoofers and a 30,000wrms ampliiers that must be 6ft long.

http://www.briancarsounds.com

I have started on my false floor and have cut the 9mm ply into two pieces. It's a very tight fit so i may well trim a few mm to allow for carpeting. I thought it was better to be a touch big rather than too small. I have also cut to size a piece of 9mm Ply for mounting the amplifiers and have test fitted. Please see the enclosed photos.

As you can see the floor above the amps sits proud of the other floor piece, but only by about 2cm. Once i have cut the holes in this for the amps it will be in just about the same as the factory position with a little amplifier on display.

I have made further progress this afternoon and have mounted support bar underneath amp using some 34x34mm pine. Their are three screws and i have drilled out the wood so that the pine piece can be flush with the metal floor. I have made the holes slightly smaller then the metal so that the wood had to be push fitted in. Then i place the false floor over the top and have drilled in three small self tapping screws which fixes the false floor to the pine bar. I now want to carpet the amp rack so that it looks standard.

I have managed to source some carpet which is almost an exact match to the factory carpet.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by sohlman

Bit of an update:-

coding has now been completed.

i have booked in car with Brian Car Sounds so the headunit and speakers will be fitted on the 5th February. They seem to understand BMW's well. he likes the MB Quart speakers (phew) and thinks they work very well as they have a perfect seal to the car. The 3 way kit they feel is better than any other options including Focal, Herts, Rainbow, Jehurts and Earthquakes as the fit is perfect in the e90's, 60's etc and no fiddling to get a seal is required. i am refering to this application and not sq in a custom made enclosure. then his preference is Rainbow and then Morel.

He also like using the space in the floor for a 10" sealed enlosure subwoofer so we are all on the same page.

Their web site is below. the owners sound off vehicle is an escourt rs turbo van with 26 12" 1000wrms Hertz subwoofers and a 30,000wrms ampliiers that must be 6ft long.

http://www.briancarsounds.com

I have started on my false floor and have cut the 9mm ply into two pieces. It's a very tight fit so i may well trim a few mm to allow for carpeting. I thought it was better to be a touch big rather than too small. I have also cut to size a piece of 9mm Ply for mounting the amplifiers and have test fitted. Please see the enclosed photos.

As you can see the floor above the amps sits proud of the other floor piece, but only by about 2cm. Once i have cut the holes in this for the amps it will be in just about the same as the factory position with a little amplifier on display.

I have made further progress this afternoon and have mounted support bar underneath amp using some 34x34mm pine. Their are three screws and i have drilled out the wood so that the pine piece can be flush with the metal floor. I have made the holes slightly smaller then the metal so that the wood had to be push fitted in. Then i place the false floor over the top and have drilled in three small self tapping screws which fixes the false floor to the pine bar. I now want to carpet the amp rack so that it looks standard.

I have managed to source some carpet which is almost an exact match to the factory carpet.

James
Photos are looking good. Awaiting for final product (long way to go).

Where did you buy the carpet which matches to BMW boot?

[sohlman]

Local car sterio shop. Installer phoned me today and has some too, so i may well have some left over.

[mob17]

Looking forward to your results!

[sohlman]

After much deliberation i have decided on the track to use for making the video of the above install.

I am going to go with Michael Jackson Billy Jean. Its a great track with a nice bass line. It's been well recorded and likeable to all.

My video plan is to record the track from both within and outside the car at a set volume using a sound meter. I am thinking 80db internally as this is a level the original system can achieve. I will then record the track with the new speaker in, then with the headunit set up and lastly with the amps installed. Then with a bit of post production jiggery pokery i can splice them all together so you can have a listening comparison.

There is no point going for massive volumes as external microphones will just make it horrid if it goes up to high.

The tracks just over 4 mins long so that means i need to make 8 recordings of 4 mins to give maximum options. The editing will take days and matching them together is not going to be easy.

[kaigoss69]

Oh no, another video showcasing a car audio system! Shoot me now!

[sohlman]

is a video a bad thing!

can be used to show who is interested the install and sound route. a picture paints a 1000 words and all that

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by sohlman

is a video a bad thing!

can be used to show who is interested the install and sound route. a picture paints a 1000 words and all that

Make a video and also use iphone application 'sound beam' built in video recorder of RTA.

Since sound beam record the sound + sound spectrum, so it will be useful for you to compare your stuff. You could upload it alone or add it into your videos.

[sohlman]

I have now made my amp rack. Sticking the carpet looked easy but was surprisingly difficult.

All booked in for monday. I am getting excited.

J

[sohlman]

Update

Had install fitted today. Decided to go with three way up front. Mb quart.

Mb quart Rear speakers would not fit so had to go with Herts coaxial.

So have two pairs of mb quart coaxial speakers to sell.

I have gone with a standard front rear sub set up and not active.

Went with front end wired to 2ohm so have 92w rms per channel running off cross overs for 3 ways

Rear end wired at 4 ohm so have 66w per channel running coaxials

Sub in booted wired to 2ohm giving 556w rms on dual 4 ohm voice coil. Bass controller mounted in flap in dash under steering wheel.

We ran out of time to complete
Boot floor, but everything is wired up. Will complete install next week. I have taken lots of photos with SLR and video of complete install. Will take me a few days to edit the video.

Spent far too much money today about double what I intended.

I have not time aligned of played with eq settings so am listening flat.

One word.

Shamazing

[Cheesegeezer]

I am so stoked for you!!

Cant wait to see the pics and vid. Once its been tweeked it will sound the nutz!!!

Nice one!!

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by sohlman

Update

Had install fitted today. Decided to go with three way up front. Mb quart.

Mb quart Rear speakers would not fit so had to go with Herts coaxial.

So have two pairs of mb quart coaxial speakers to sell.

I have gone with a standard front rear sub set up and not active.

Went with front end wired to 2ohm so have 92w rms per channel running off cross overs for 3 ways

Rear end wired at 4 ohm so have 66w per channel running coaxials

Sub in booted wired to 2ohm giving 556w rms on dual 4 ohm voice coil. Bass controller mounted in flap in dash under steering wheel.

We ran out of time to complete
Boot floor, but everything is wired up. Will complete install next week. I have taken lots of photos with SLR and video of complete install. Will take me a few days to edit the video.

Spent far too much money today about double what I intended.

I have not time aligned of played with eq settings so am listening flat.

One word.

Shamazing

Congrats James.

There are pros and cons of going standard vs network method.
With standard method, you get ambience/ HP at rears but in network you get excellent quality on the expense of rears.


How did the installer fit the front 3 way kit in 2 ohms impedence?

I am looking forward to see videos and photos.

I have semi-completed my fully active setup today and after Auto TA / EQ, it sounds awsome. I cannot fault anything at all.

When I met you last time, rear sub was out of phase. Pioneer reversed the phase for underseats (well known fact and well known person on this forum experimented that in 2009 with excellent results) and with that rear sub is in phase now.

Also, as you suggested bass was too much, so pioneer reduced low end to -10db level to finish the sound balanced.

Cannot complain, however sound mods never end. Looking to change underseats (just for experiment) and my focals are being delivered tomorrow.

When are you uploading photos / videos?

[sohlman]

The mid and tops run off a single crossover the under seats don't have a crossover. So they were wired up to give a 2 ohm load rather than 4 ohm in full range. They said you either run 4 channels at 4ohm and set crossovers of highs and lows or 2 channels at 2 ohm full range. My amp puts out 92w rms per channel at 2 ohm and the speakers need 80w rms so its a near perfect match. The rears require 50wrms and the amp delivers 66wrms so again we have the amp with more juice then the speakers which means no potential for distortion.

Hope that makes sense.

The balance of sound is loverly and smooth. Even at high volumes it does not seem loud as its so clear.

I am currently uploading videos and photos to my mac. Then the editing begins

[makkan00]

James.....
Photos / videos

[sohlman]

I have made good progress on the video, but have a few more bits to add. I go back to the shop tomorrow to have the boot floor completed. I can then film the system on a flat eq non time aligned and finish the video.

I have so far edited together the entire build of the system from strip down of interior to new wiring looms to speaker installations. I just have the audio comparison to complete.

As for your concerns about bass in the boot well. It sounds great in their and very tight. However I may get the shop to build me a smaller box getting rid of the current box and BMW inner as otherwise my boot floor will have to raise and I will loose the oem look. This should allow me to keep the same basic internal volume as now. They have quoted me £65 to make a mdf box in the well. This I can then carpet as I had not allowed for the height above the subwoofer from the fibreglass box. Sub sits proud 1" and need a further 1" for sub excursion. Thus floor would be 2"s higher.

I"ll upload some pics in a mo