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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > AUDIO/VIDEO + BLUETOOTH + Electronics/Alarm/Software > JBL MS-8 Processor Integration Thread



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      06-23-2010, 10:23 PM   #23
kaigoss69
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First listening impressions:

Absolutely fantastic! I'm not one of those people who can tell you exactly why, but I just know it when I hear it! I put in a Focal demo disc and everything just sounded great. The stage now stretches from mirror to mirror and in between, each instrument has its own unique location on the windshield. Voices are coming from dead center, head high, and there certainly is more depth as well. The sound is crisp and clear, without any hint of distortion even at very high volume levels. Pretty impressive for 18W per channel! (well, technically the L7 component speakers are 2ohm, so they are getting 30W). The underseat woofers also kept up surprisingly well, with that little power, but I definitely felt like they will need some additional juice. Overall, I believe that most people will be more than satisfied with the MS-8 powering the entire system, and for those who need more bass, they can add an amp for the L7 woofers or even a sub in the trunk.

As far a negatives go, I did get a few loud pops, but I have not yet been able to determine the likely cause. The unit does get very hot, so adequate ventilation will be required [edit: I later found out that the unit actually never ran hot again - I originally had the trunk open so the sun made it hot!]. I will install it above the L7 amp and I am thinking about adding a fan to vent the hot air out of the panel.

Very impressed!

Last edited by kaigoss69; 03-18-2011 at 09:16 PM..
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      06-23-2010, 10:33 PM   #24
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So do you have L7 turned off in the HU?

So you are not running the R speaker out into the MS-8? OEM fader inop?

Different Hus have different numbers of clicks. If you watch the MS-8 screen, it tells you where to set it. But I know that some BMW head units are clipping at 47, so I wonder if clipping the inputs is your popping problem.

How many seats did you tunr for? Listem from? How would you describe Dr and Pass imaging when set to "Front"?

Did you use the R or R effects speakers, or both sets?

Did you defeat the EQ in the HU?
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      06-23-2010, 10:36 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
Based on some testing yesterday, anyone adding an MS-8 to a BMW E9x who doesn't run a trunk sub, DON'T set it up for the underseats to be subs. Define your system as subless and then define the front as a three-way setup. Otherwise, your 4"s will hate you.
I followed your advice and set-up as a two-way front. After calibration, virtually no sound was coming from under the seats. Also, the high pass for the door mids could not be set higher than 150 Hz, which of course is not feasible unless you are running Morels (or you listen to music at elevator volume). Then I set it up where the under seats are subs, and that did the trick!
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      06-23-2010, 10:50 PM   #26
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I got no bass out of the subs when I clipped the mike by having the system too loud. I lowered MS-8 volume from the preset -20 to -30 and that solved that.

Perhaps the 150 xo rather than 90 helped you prevent any midrange flapping. Either is a low xo point for 4".
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      06-23-2010, 11:02 PM   #27
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Oops, I meant to say: "the high pass for the door mids could not be set higher than 100 Hz"
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      06-23-2010, 11:11 PM   #28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
So do you have L7 turned off in the HU?
Yes, of course.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
So you are not running the R speaker out into the MS-8? OEM fader inop?
Correct.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
Different Hus have different numbers of clicks. If you watch the MS-8 screen, it tells you where to set it. But I know that some BMW head units are clipping at 47, so I wonder if clipping the inputs is your popping problem.
Yeah I was surprised to have to turn it up that high before the MS-8 got a usable signal. Pretty sure though it wasn't clipping.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
How many seats did you tunr for? Listem from? How would you describe Dr and Pass imaging when set to "Front"?
Just driver right now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
Did you use the R or R effects speakers, or both sets?
I only used the rear shelf speakers, since they have tweeters, and there aren't enough channels anyway to use them all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
Did you defeat the EQ in the HU?
Yes.
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      06-24-2010, 01:09 AM   #29
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaigoss69 View Post
Yes, of course.
It was a leading question

Quote:
Originally Posted by kaigoss69 View Post
I only used the rear shelf speakers, since they have tweeters, and there aren't enough channels anyway to use them all.
I know I like stereo midbass, but given how low we run the mids, I've been thinking 2 front, 1 center, 1 mono sub out (Y adapter to the amp), 2 rear, and 2 rear effects?
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      06-24-2010, 04:30 PM   #30
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What about the OEM BT echo issue?
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      06-24-2010, 05:42 PM   #31
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What about the OEM BT echo issue?
Haven't tested it yet.
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      06-24-2010, 05:50 PM   #32
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After some more critical listening today I am now considering leaving all the stock mid/hi speakers in place. It sounds so freaking amazing that I absolutely cannot imagine it sounding any better with different equipment, period. I am also very much considering not adding any additional amplification, except for the underseat woofers. The MS-8 will get so loud that it makes my ears bleed, and it's still crystal clear at that level, no distortion. I am sure having rear speakers connected, as well as a center, raises the overall volume level and explains how 30W per channel (into 2ohm) can get that freaking loud. Incredible!
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      06-24-2010, 05:51 PM   #33
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Quote:
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Haven't tested it yet.
Get busy, bro...
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      06-24-2010, 06:09 PM   #34
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Get busy, bro...
Just left myself a voice mail on my home phone.......no echo!!!
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      06-24-2010, 06:37 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaigoss69 View Post
Just left myself a voice mail on my home phone.......no echo!!!
I guess that I will be getting one of these...
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      06-25-2010, 11:23 AM   #36
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I am gonna paste something in here just to clarify, because I was unclear when I initially read this original post. This is part of the OP's post on another forum, asking questions of the internal champion of this product at JBL/Harman:

Quote:
Also, the 8" woofers under the seats are barely noticeable.
So amping the underseats in this case wasn't an option, it was pretty much essential, right?

I am ordering my center channel trim and adapter today. I have a center channel on hand (thanks, Quality Sound!)

But now I may need to rethink amplification...unless I REALLY wanna be a control freak and stack Zapco DSP on TOP of the MS-8
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      06-25-2010, 01:56 PM   #37
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
I am gonna paste something in here just to clarify, because I was unclear when I initially read this original post. This is part of the OP's post on another forum, asking questions of the internal champion of this product at JBL/Harman:



So amping the underseats in this case wasn't an option, it was pretty much essential, right?

I am ordering my center channel trim and adapter today. I have a center channel on hand (thanks, Quality Sound!)

But now I may need to rethink amplification...unless I REALLY wanna be a control freak and stack Zapco DSP on TOP of the MS-8
Is there a trim option for putting a center channel in an iDrive MY2010 328? It seems like having the center channel is a "must have" with the MS-8.
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      06-25-2010, 02:08 PM   #38
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
I am gonna paste something in here just to clarify, because I was unclear when I initially read this original post. This is part of the OP's post on another forum, asking questions of the internal champion of this product at JBL/Harman:



So amping the underseats in this case wasn't an option, it was pretty much essential, right?

I am ordering my center channel trim and adapter today. I have a center channel on hand (thanks, Quality Sound!)

But now I may need to rethink amplification...unless I REALLY wanna be a control freak and stack Zapco DSP on TOP of the MS-8
That was before I assigned the woofers a subs. Now I am just not sure yet if that is the best setup, I am waiting for Andy to comment.
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      06-25-2010, 04:58 PM   #39
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Quote:
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Is there a trim option for putting a center channel in an iDrive MY2010 328? It seems like having the center channel is a "must have" with the MS-8.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...12&hg=51&fg=30

2 and 5... iDrive dash is "double scoop"...

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      06-25-2010, 07:05 PM   #40
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I finally figured out how to correctly set-up the underseat 8's. During x-over setup, select "2-way" front. Then the next question is to set a "high-pass" filter. The range is 20 - 100Hz. I had originally thought this was the x-over between the woofers and the door speakers, but it is actually a subsonic filter. So I set it for 35Hz and I was then able to set the correct x-over between woofers and mid/hi's at 150Hz. Now I've got some mid-bass . I corrected post #22 accordingly.
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      06-25-2010, 08:51 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...12&hg=51&fg=30

2 and 5... iDrive dash is "double scoop"...

Cool - thanks man! Does it take a 4" like the doors? I'm assuming a tweeter too... Is that right?

Thanks,
JC
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      06-25-2010, 09:18 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joelc73 View Post
Cool - thanks man! Does it take a 4" like the doors? I'm assuming a tweeter too... Is that right?

Thanks,
JC
Look at the pictures on the first page and you can answer your own question.
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      06-26-2010, 02:43 PM   #43
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Anyone considered using a coaxial for the center speaker?
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      06-26-2010, 02:51 PM   #44
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Anyone considered using a coaxial for the center speaker?
The Individual Audio OEM center speaker is coaxial, perfect fit to any 3-Series.
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