Upgrading E92 2011 Audio, heres the list of components we picked

B-737 · 10-13-2010, 10:08 AM

Im having the following components installed in my car. The installer is on this forum, be gentle

. I have limited knowledge of AV stuff. but i know enough to say my 98 explorer which has a chop shop audio system in it sounds better than my base BMW!

I own the car, but i want the install to not be invasive as i love the car just the way it is, less the stock radio. The car has bluetooth and ipod that work exceptionally well, it has no iDrive. Im not an audiophile but i know enough that my 12 year old clarion system in my explorer sounds better than this car!

Heres what we are doing...

Rainbow SLC 210 upfront with CAL25 tweeter in BMW sails
Rears remain stock driven off Headunit
Zapco DC360.4 (90x4)
Jehnert XE200 underseat subs 8"
Symbilink (wire) and Technic's Harness
Adding sound deadening

The installer has recently done a 2010 E90, of which i spoke with and he was really happy with the install. I gather from his credentials hes not your average installer, seems to work on high end cars.

The dealer has the sails but the 'inner seals' for the tweeter sails are coming from Germany which is going to slow things up a little.
Our line of thinking on the amp was the rear corner of the trunk or beneath the trunk floor in the large unused spare tire compartment.

any comments or suggestions are welcome. im open it learning about this stuff. I wanted something that was going to fit my style, nothing over the top crazy, but something that would make me smile when listening to my music and sound that was clear and bright rather than muddy.

kaigoss69 · 10-13-2010, 11:37 AM

In the absence of a trunk subwoofer, I would be a bit concerned about the Jehnert woofer not being able to play low enough. Look at the following statement taken from the the Jehnert web site:

• good for kick-bass (with subsonic filter starting with 80 Hz)

This would suggest that the driver is better suited for mid bass, but not sub bass.

In your case I would pick another driver, like the Morel ADMW 9 or SWS-8, unless you are planning on adding a trunk sub later on.

Imperator · 10-13-2010, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-737

The dealer has the sails but the 'inner seals' for the tweeter sails are coming from Germany which is going to slow things up a little.

"Inner seals?" I also have a 2010 with the stereo audio system-- I haven't pulled my stock sails (blanks) out yet, but I was told the tweeter foam insert is already there-- you just need to pull it out of the blank sail corner and insert them into your new tweeter sail.

Are you sure the SLC 210.25 drivers will fit your E92 door panel? The Rainbow product documentation lists the 4" driver with a 46/43mm mounting depth--I'm not sure how accurate this is but you might find the four "ears" on the basket get in your way unless you use a special mounting ring or adapter.

Imperator · 10-13-2010, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaigoss69

In the absence of a trunk subwoofer, I would be a bit concerned about the Jehnert woofer not being able to play low enough. Look at the following statement taken from the the Jehnert web site:

• good for kick-bass (with subsonic filter starting with 80 Hz)

This would suggest that the driver is better suited for mid bass, but not sub bass.

In your case I would pick another driver, like the Morel ADMW 9 or SWS-8, unless you are planning on adding a trunk sub later on.

http://www.jehnert.com/typo3/index.php?id=bsse0&L=1

It lists resonant frequency (Fs) at 56 Hz. That does sounds like more of a midbass driver than something for sub bass.

B-737 · 10-13-2010, 02:21 PM

- The sails im working with my dealer on...they were unsure too but have been helpful and good getting back to me. He wasnt sure if i needed the inner seals either or if i only needed the outer piece... but the parts diagram showed them going together... There were two tweeter sails to pick from, one was $26 the other was $32, we picked the $26, and from the diagrams had no idea what the difference was.

- the rainbows arent totally drop in, the installer is going to fabricate a mounting bracket from the inside. from the outside it'll look totally stock.

- I initially pushed for the SWS-8s. Reading here it seems thats all ppl use. however, i was told that the Jehnerts are specifically made for BMW under seat applications so i liked the sound of that. unfortunately i dont have the luxury of hearing either one before its installed.

VP Electricity · 10-13-2010, 03:52 PM

I would not say it's all that people use. It fits and it pretty durable, but its shortcomings have been noted by several.

Given that you are using a DC amplifier, with 10 bands of parametric EQ per channel, and that you won't get much output at 30 Hz from ANY underseat woofer, I'd give that woofer a shot. You've got a lot of opportunity for optimizing its performance, it's going to install easier than any other woofer except for the SWS-8, and worst case, if the plane goes down, they will still make SWS-8s.

Let us know. I bet it sounds great.

joelc73 · 10-13-2010, 06:23 PM

I'd stick with the SWS's. I know your installer (and he's very good BTW) as he did my car. Mine was the first he had done with the SWS's. I don't think he liked them because he wasn't used to them and, frankly, the system wasn't tuned all that well when he heard them. I think he's leaning towards the Jehnerts in reaction to that. Just looking at the specs, it seems like they would be better suited as mid drivers.

It's your money though... I wouldn't want to do it twice though if it were me.

nato-main-man-5am · 08-20-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B-737

- The sails im working with my dealer on...they were unsure too but have been helpful and good getting back to me. He wasnt sure if i needed the inner seals either or if i only needed the outer piece... but the parts diagram showed them going together... There were two tweeter sails to pick from, one was $26 the other was $32, we picked the $26, and from the diagrams had no idea what the difference was.

- the rainbows arent totally drop in, the installer is going to fabricate a mounting bracket from the inside. from the outside it'll look totally stock.

- I initially pushed for the SWS-8s. Reading here it seems thats all ppl use. however, i was told that the Jehnerts are specifically made for BMW under seat applications so i liked the sound of that. unfortunately i dont have the luxury of hearing either one before its installed.

It has been nine months. What did you end up going with? What do you think, now that you have lived with it for a while?

B-737 · 08-21-2011, 01:25 AM

all in all, its been truly fantastic.
The only change i made was swapping the rainbow SLC's for top mounting Rainbow Profi's. the difference was tremendous. the price was a big jump but i feel like it was totally worth it. the Profis sound truly amazing when driven by the Zapco and playing along with the Jehnert subs. its the most balanced system ive ever heard in a car. (with the exception of listening to my installers 'show car' AMG Benz) When you start listening at high volume levels, theres no harshness, i can say the same for the SLCs, both models sound full at lower volumes (especially with the XE200s) but shine at louder levels because they sound so clean.

The SLCs are an amazing speaker. i changed to the profis only because i wanted to try out top mount speaker in a higher grade. I think the SLC kits are the best bang for the buck. but if your going for quality and extreme awesomeness, Profi is the way to go!

antbizz0 · 08-31-2011, 12:04 AM

I'm in the process of upgrading my system as well and would like a lot of help if possible. I have not touch any audio equipment in the last 6 years due to switching to motocycle. Now back with the cars. In my case, budget is <4k. Looking for quality with some bass not loudness. 08 335i w/ top hifi logic 7. I have emailed musicar nw, waiting on response. Figure i might try to get some opinions on here as well.

1) MS-8 or Bitone?
2) Seems like most are going with Rainbow SLC 210 or morel hybrid ovation + integra. I've had mb quart q-series in my last car. Are these just as good or better? Anything else one would recommend.
3) Underseats. Are sws the best way to go? I don't mind adding a sub in the trunk in addition.
4) amps. Leaning towards the JL HD 900/5. Seems most people on this forum goes with alpine pdx-5. Any reasoning for this?
5)I'm assuming technic harness is a must. Where do i get one? Any other mounts/brackets neede? any harness necessary to use stock wiring?

Lastly where to obtain these products. Thanks in advance

ctuna · 08-31-2011, 12:19 AM

Your easiest solution is to talk to VP he can give you a one stop solution
that is in known to work configurations .
His kits have everything you need including a Technic Harness . connectors, speaker mounts, power wires
Since your in SF I think he has recommended installers there if you don't want to DIY

Don't trust local shops with your car till you know the system
and know they are not taking you for a ride.

http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ighlight=level

this is one he just did its Hi Fi not logic 7 but the Jehnerts will fit in your doors and floors

B-737 · 08-31-2011, 12:24 AM

VP Electricity "musicar" is the guy to go through who sells the drop in kits.

eveyone on this forum will swear by the SWSs. however, you'll find a small minority of us, im one of them, who will tell you the Jehnert XE200 underseat subs will give you a clean, full sounding base. i think you'll find when set up properly you will not need a trunk sub. i was on the verge of doing it, and since i had my amp tuned properly i feel like i can def get by without one. The Jehnert subs play deep notes really really well.

I used the SLCs for about a year and was really really happy with them. they are very balanced and full sound without being too harsh. Ive heard good things about the Morals (spelling?) as well. I ended up recently switching to Rainbow Profis that have absolutely blown me away with how well they sound playing all types of music.

The Zapco amp i have i feel like it does an awesome job, and its user interface over the PC, from what little bits i saw at my installers was extensive. this amp pushes the drivers very well.

There is a user here who recently bought a level one upgrade from VP and successfully installed it into his 3 series himself recently.
Def get in touch with him, Kansas83 his page is here http://www.e90post.com/forums/member.php?u=108574

technics harness is a must.

10-13-2010, 10:08 AM	#1
B-737 Captain 50 Rep 825 Posts Drives: a car. Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Jersey Shore iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 328 xi [7.26]	Upgrading E92 2011 Audio, Upgrade Now Completed, Summery Im having the following components installed in my car. The installer is on this forum, be gentle . I have limited knowledge of AV stuff. but i know enough to say my 98 explorer which has a chop shop audio system in it sounds better than my base BMW! I own the car, but i want the install to not be invasive as i love the car just the way it is, less the stock radio. The car has bluetooth and ipod that work exceptionally well, it has no iDrive. Im not an audiophile but i know enough that my 12 year old clarion system in my explorer sounds better than this car! Heres what we are doing... Rainbow SLC 210 upfront with CAL25 tweeter in BMW sails Rears remain stock driven off Headunit Zapco DC360.4 (90x4) Jehnert XE200 underseat subs 8" Symbilink (wire) and Technic's Harness Adding sound deadening The installer has recently done a 2010 E90, of which i spoke with and he was really happy with the install. I gather from his credentials hes not your average installer, seems to work on high end cars. The dealer has the sails but the 'inner seals' for the tweeter sails are coming from Germany which is going to slow things up a little. Our line of thinking on the amp was the rear corner of the trunk or beneath the trunk floor in the large unused spare tire compartment. any comments or suggestions are welcome. im open it learning about this stuff. I wanted something that was going to fit my style, nothing over the top crazy, but something that would make me smile when listening to my music and sound that was clear and bright rather than muddy. __________________ Last edited by B-737; 11-07-2010 at 08:09 AM..
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10-13-2010, 11:37 AM	#2
kaigoss69 Brigadier General 300 Rep 3,969 Posts Drives: '08 335i Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: JAX iTrader: (6)	In the absence of a trunk subwoofer, I would be a bit concerned about the Jehnert woofer not being able to play low enough. Look at the following statement taken from the the Jehnert web site: • good for kick-bass (with subsonic filter starting with 80 Hz) This would suggest that the driver is better suited for mid bass, but not sub bass. In your case I would pick another driver, like the Morel ADMW 9 or SWS-8, unless you are planning on adding a trunk sub later on.
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10-13-2010, 02:21 PM	#5
B-737 Captain 50 Rep 825 Posts Drives: a car. Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Jersey Shore iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 328 xi [7.26]	- The sails im working with my dealer on...they were unsure too but have been helpful and good getting back to me. He wasnt sure if i needed the inner seals either or if i only needed the outer piece... but the parts diagram showed them going together... There were two tweeter sails to pick from, one was $26 the other was $32, we picked the $26, and from the diagrams had no idea what the difference was. - the rainbows arent totally drop in, the installer is going to fabricate a mounting bracket from the inside. from the outside it'll look totally stock. - I initially pushed for the SWS-8s. Reading here it seems thats all ppl use. however, i was told that the Jehnerts are specifically made for BMW under seat applications so i liked the sound of that. unfortunately i dont have the luxury of hearing either one before its installed. __________________
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10-13-2010, 03:52 PM	#6
VP Electricity Brigadier General 289 Rep 3,201 Posts Drives: F34 xDrive Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: portland oregon iTrader: (3)	I would not say it's all that people use. It fits and it pretty durable, but its shortcomings have been noted by several. Given that you are using a DC amplifier, with 10 bands of parametric EQ per channel, and that you won't get much output at 30 Hz from ANY underseat woofer, I'd give that woofer a shot. You've got a lot of opportunity for optimizing its performance, it's going to install easier than any other woofer except for the SWS-8, and worst case, if the plane goes down, they will still make SWS-8s. Let us know. I bet it sounds great.
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10-13-2010, 06:23 PM	#7
joelc73 Private First Class 7 Rep 109 Posts Drives: 2010 E90 Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NY iTrader: (0)	I'd stick with the SWS's. I know your installer (and he's very good BTW) as he did my car. Mine was the first he had done with the SWS's. I don't think he liked them because he wasn't used to them and, frankly, the system wasn't tuned all that well when he heard them. I think he's leaning towards the Jehnerts in reaction to that. Just looking at the specs, it seems like they would be better suited as mid drivers. It's your money though... I wouldn't want to do it twice though if it were me. Last edited by joelc73; 10-14-2010 at 09:19 AM..
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08-21-2011, 01:25 AM	#9
B-737 Captain 50 Rep 825 Posts Drives: a car. Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Jersey Shore iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 328 xi [7.26]	all in all, its been truly fantastic. The only change i made was swapping the rainbow SLC's for top mounting Rainbow Profi's. the difference was tremendous. the price was a big jump but i feel like it was totally worth it. the Profis sound truly amazing when driven by the Zapco and playing along with the Jehnert subs. its the most balanced system ive ever heard in a car. (with the exception of listening to my installers 'show car' AMG Benz) When you start listening at high volume levels, theres no harshness, i can say the same for the SLCs, both models sound full at lower volumes (especially with the XE200s) but shine at louder levels because they sound so clean. The SLCs are an amazing speaker. i changed to the profis only because i wanted to try out top mount speaker in a higher grade. I think the SLC kits are the best bang for the buck. but if your going for quality and extreme awesomeness, Profi is the way to go! __________________ Last edited by B-737; 08-21-2011 at 11:41 AM..
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08-31-2011, 12:04 AM	#10
antbizz0 New Member 2 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 08 335i coupe Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0)	I'm in the process of upgrading my system as well and would like a lot of help if possible. I have not touch any audio equipment in the last 6 years due to switching to motocycle. Now back with the cars. In my case, budget is <4k. Looking for quality with some bass not loudness. 08 335i w/ top hifi logic 7. I have emailed musicar nw, waiting on response. Figure i might try to get some opinions on here as well. 1) MS-8 or Bitone? 2) Seems like most are going with Rainbow SLC 210 or morel hybrid ovation + integra. I've had mb quart q-series in my last car. Are these just as good or better? Anything else one would recommend. 3) Underseats. Are sws the best way to go? I don't mind adding a sub in the trunk in addition. 4) amps. Leaning towards the JL HD 900/5. Seems most people on this forum goes with alpine pdx-5. Any reasoning for this? 5)I'm assuming technic harness is a must. Where do i get one? Any other mounts/brackets neede? any harness necessary to use stock wiring? Lastly where to obtain these products. Thanks in advance
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08-31-2011, 12:19 AM	#11
ctuna Lieutenant General 1911 Rep 13,103 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	MB quart was bought out now not so good. Your easiest solution is to talk to VP he can give you a one stop solution that is in known to work configurations . His kits have everything you need including a Technic Harness . connectors, speaker mounts, power wires Since your in SF I think he has recommended installers there if you don't want to DIY Don't trust local shops with your car till you know the system and know they are not taking you for a ride. http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/ http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ighlight=level this is one he just did its Hi Fi not logic 7 but the Jehnerts will fit in your doors and floors Last edited by ctuna; 08-31-2011 at 12:32 AM..
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08-31-2011, 12:24 AM	#12
B-737 Captain 50 Rep 825 Posts Drives: a car. Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Jersey Shore iTrader: (6) Garage List 2011 328 xi [7.26]	VP Electricity "musicar" is the guy to go through who sells the drop in kits. eveyone on this forum will swear by the SWSs. however, you'll find a small minority of us, im one of them, who will tell you the Jehnert XE200 underseat subs will give you a clean, full sounding base. i think you'll find when set up properly you will not need a trunk sub. i was on the verge of doing it, and since i had my amp tuned properly i feel like i can def get by without one. The Jehnert subs play deep notes really really well. I used the SLCs for about a year and was really really happy with them. they are very balanced and full sound without being too harsh. Ive heard good things about the Morals (spelling?) as well. I ended up recently switching to Rainbow Profis that have absolutely blown me away with how well they sound playing all types of music. The Zapco amp i have i feel like it does an awesome job, and its user interface over the PC, from what little bits i saw at my installers was extensive. this amp pushes the drivers very well. There is a user here who recently bought a level one upgrade from VP and successfully installed it into his 3 series himself recently. Def get in touch with him, Kansas83 his page is here http://www.e90post.com/forums/member.php?u=108574 technics harness is a must. __________________
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