[rusn007]

I have a 2011 E92 with base stereo - which really sucks (even compared to my previous BOSE factory stereo in my G37 coupe).

I was hoping to upgrade the sound while leaving the headunit stock (want to retain the steering wheel controls and blue tooth phone connection).

What would be the best route to go? I would prefer to keep it around $1,500, but willing to go higher if really needs to.

I also don't want to lose trunk space - maybe a small enclosure? or subs under the seats?

I'm not tech savvy to do the installation myself. Located in LA.

Any help is great. Thanks in advance.

[floydarogers]

Start at the Audio Table of Contents sticky, above.

[dmatre]

Check out Musicar Northwest. Price is on your range, meets your wants, sound is better than you think it could be.

[Taran.J]

Originally Posted by floydarogers

Start at the Audio Table of Contents sticky, above.

Beyond hard to understand for myself, I've paid people to do all of my audio installs for years. Never put my mind into it. :

[bmw325i]

Originally Posted by rusn007

I have a 2011 E92 with base stereo - which really sucks (even compared to my previous BOSE factory stereo in my G37 coupe).

I was hoping to upgrade the sound while leaving the headunit stock (want to retain the steering wheel controls and blue tooth phone connection).

What would be the best route to go? I would prefer to keep it around $1,500, but willing to go higher if really needs to.

I also don't want to lose trunk space - maybe a small enclosure? or subs under the seats?

I'm not tech savvy to do the installation myself. Located in LA.

Any help is great. Thanks in advance.

I'd reccomend the jehnert flatline 3 way kit, jl xd600/6, wickedcas corner enclosure + a sub and mono amp. You'll also need technics harness and the speaker harness adapters.

[wilbur_the_goose]

Musicar NW - Great product lines!

[swheeler]

Musicar NW. Ken is great to work with. I just ordered my system this week.

[ctuna]

MusicarNW is your easiest solution.
These are known to work solutions that don't cut up your car
and the results are spectacular. If you are not looking for a thumper
car you won't need a sub. It's not cheap but its really hard to go cheap
in these cars because the stuff that works and fits in them isn't cheap.
The results of a MusicarNW system will look stock also you don't loose any space and the look doesn't change.
If you try going to the average stereo shop with these cars most of the time they have no idea how to do them right and you can end up with big troubles or a crappy installation that still doesn't sound good.

[Homer Jay]

Originally Posted by swheeler

Musicar NW. Ken is great to work with. I just ordered my system this week.

What kit level did you order from Ken? Subwoofer in truck enclosure? Are you going to install it yourself?

Also where about in Mesa do you live? I am a fellow Mesa resident.

[Fooljam]

Originally Posted by bmw325i

I'd reccomend the jehnert flatline 3 way kit, jl xd600/6, wickedcas corner enclosure + a sub and mono amp. You'll also need technics harness and the speaker harness adapters.

JL XD 600 is ok, not exactly something that will really give you much details.

[bmw325i]

Originally Posted by Fooljam

JL XD 600 is ok, not exactly something that will really give you much details.

I never said it was the best. For the price it's good though, and you have to remember some people are on a budget. Had he said he had no budget I would have recommended a more expensive amp.

[ctuna]

Some people have got outstanding results with xd's
It's probably better than what most are used to.
Also it fits in the stock amp location and isn't to much of a
current drain on the electrical system.
Did you read the level 3 system description that VP put up here.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=level+3

[Ghoste90]

Have been looking into this very topic... Stock system is kinda boo boo

[swheeler]

Originally Posted by Homer Jay

What kit level did you order from Ken? Subwoofer in truck enclosure? Are you going to install it yourself?

Also where about in Mesa do you live? I am a fellow Mesa resident.

I ordered the level one with rear speaker retained. I didn't get the subwoofer in the truck. I'm going to install it myself.

I live in east mesa near crismon and guadalupe.

[Fooljam]

Originally Posted by ctuna

Some people have got outstanding results with xd's
It's probably better than what most are used to.
Also it fits in the stock amp location and isn't to much of a
current drain on the electrical system.
Did you read the level 3 system description that VP put up here.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...hlight=level+3

That's because it is matted with a sound processor.
Don't get me wrong, on it's own it is alright and sounds decent. It is compact, pulses good. It is a very interesting product.
This is just that you are missing parts from the tunes because it can't reproduce them all on its own. It really is like listening to a good MP3 tune and high quality FLAC. Some details are just missing.
Even the JL Audio guy said so: "that amp is not supposed to sound that good!"

[bmw325i]

Originally Posted by Fooljam

That's because it is matted with a sound processor.
Don't get me wrong, on it's own it is alright and sounds decent. It is compact, pulses good. It is a very interesting product.
This is just that you are missing parts from the tunes because it can't reproduce them all on its own. It really is like listening to a good MP3 tune and high quality FLAC. Some details are just missing.
Even the JL Audio guy said so: "that amp is not supposed to sound that good!"

I'm using this amp without a processor right now.it sounds great I think your exagerating the difference between high end and entry level amps. Honestly most people couldn't hear the difference from one amp to another.

[VP Electricity]

Fooljam is partly right. The JL amp is the weakest part of the systems.

However:

1) It's 9 million times better than stock amps

2) The differences between amps are compressed into a much tighter window than the differences between speakers.

We have no problem acknowledging that the XD amps are not as high-performance as, say, the Arc Mini series (which is not Class D). But there aren't many 6-channel options, and the XD doesn't suck. It just doesnt' sound as good as a $800 or $1000 6-channel amp that's bigger.

[bmw325i]

Originally Posted by VP Electricity

Fooljam is partly right. The JL amp is the weakest part of the systems.

However:

1) It's 9 million times better than stock amps

2) The differences between amps are compressed into a much tighter window than the differences between speakers.

We have no problem acknowledging that the XD amps are not as high-performance as, say, the Arc Mini series (which is not Class D). But there aren't many 6-channel options, and the XD doesn't suck. It just doesnt' sound as good as a $800 or $1000 6-channel amp that's bigger.

I agree that he is right. There is a difference in quality, but how much of a difference in quality is the question. I highly doubt the average person could tell the difference between an entry level amp and a high end amp with the same power rating. I think it would even be difficult for an audiophile to hear the difference between the two.

[VP Electricity]

There is MUCH more apparent return on investment from better speakers, than there is from an OK amp to a good amp.

However, I find that people who don't think of themselves as experts often hear differences better than those who do. I ascribe it to the phenomenon Malcolm Gladwell describes in Blink when talking about taste tests. When our brains are trying to deconstruct and dissect an experience - taste or sound to me are interchangeable on this - we do much better when we AREN'T thinking about the why of it, and when we have no expectation of being an expert at it. Just how it is. We can determine what's enjoyable pretty easily. You'd be amazed at how many customer's wives, who had firm beliefs that they didn't hear differences, noticed differences better than their husbands.

[bmw325i]

Originally Posted by VP Electricity

There is MUCH more apparent return on investment from better speakers, than there is from an OK amp to a good amp.

However, I find that people who don't think of themselves as experts often hear differences better than those who do. I ascribe it to the phenomenon Malcolm Gladwell describes in Blink when talking about taste tests. When our brains are trying to deconstruct and dissect an experience - taste or sound to me are interchangeable on this - we do much better when we AREN'T thinking about the why of it, and when we have no expectation of being an expert at it. Just how it is. We can determine what's enjoyable pretty easily. You'd be amazed at how many customer's wives, who had firm beliefs that they didn't hear differences, noticed differences better than their husbands.

That makes sense. I've heard that women can actually hear differences in frequencies better than men.

[Fooljam]

Originally Posted by bmw325i

I agree that he is right. There is a difference in quality, but how much of a difference in quality is the question. I highly doubt the average person could tell the difference between an entry level amp and a high end amp with the same power rating. I think it would even be difficult for an audiophile to hear the difference between the two.

I had a few amps in my car and you would be surprised to hear how much details you are missing between a XD600/6 and the Soundstream STL6.620 that I currently have.

The STL6.620 is a cheap amp compared to the 600/6, but the sound quality is superior to a 600/6. But it is a class AB amp.

I ran them minutes from each other, once the STL fired up, the missing details popped up through my ears that was an experience I am telling you. You are literally like:
"Woa, I never heard this instrument before in that tune, what the hell?"

Oh yeah, anyone can tell the difference. It is that obvious, period. And this STL6.620 still provides a pretty low power output. My speakers could take twice as much power as they are currently getting.

[VP Electricity]

Too bad it's wearing a Soundstream t-shirt. The company that owns their logo is not one I would use in any client's car. The original Soundstream amps sounded great until they broke. Enough of them broke that they company went out of business. Now they are owned by the Fahrenheit Power Akoustic guys.