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      02-08-2019, 10:19 AM   #1
mweisdorfer
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Drives: 2007 Black/Black 335i e90
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Holly, MI

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2007 BMW E90 335i  [0.00]
2008 bmw x5  [0.00]
I just installed the BMW Individual Audio (IA)speakers in my 07 335i e90. I even added the tweeter on the rear door. That wasn't hard. You just need a 1 7/8" hole saw, a 5/16" drill bit & a dremmel with a sanding wheel. You have to start by drilling a hole in from behind the door panel so you know exactly where to drill from in the front. It's wise to poke a hole in the leather so it doesn't bind up on the drill bit and ruin your door panel. There is a plastic circle on the back side of the door paneI where the tweeter is supposed to go. I drilled the hole in reverse, on the front side, so I could get the leather scored. I used a set of garage scissors to cut out the leather from there. Then I just let the hole saw do the rest. The dremmel was needed to make the hole a little bit wider. The silver tweeter fit in perfectly and just plugged directly into the BMW IA mid-base speaker. It's secured to the door panel by a plastic screw on washer.

I amped them with a JL Audio 600/6 v2 & used an Alpine MRV V500 for the subs under the seat. I contemplated bridging the 4 channels for this amp to make 140 watts per channel. However, I noticed the amp is listed at 60 watts a channel at 2 ohm & 40 watts a channel at 4 ohm. There was a certificate in the box that stated it was tested at 106 watts per channel at 2 ohm. So, by that logic I deducted that the MRV amp probably runs at 80 watts a channel at 4 ohm. I didn't use the BMW IA subs. I used Kenwood KFC XW800 F. They have a frequency response of 40 to 500mhz with an RMS of 150 watts. They are only $85.00 each . I guess back in the day they might of sold for upwards of $150+ each. I had to shim the seats up 1/2" so they would clear. No big deal. You don't even notice the 1/2"; especially if you don't have your seat all the way down, which I didn't. I used SS 1/2" nuts on the corners and longer bolts to screw them in. The seat isn't going anywhere and is totally secure. At any rate, I have a 5th channel for a truck sub, which I plan on getting a corner enclosure made of fiberglass and using a 10" JL Audio Sub. This will be added at a later date.

The front door mids & tweeters plug into a cross over. You need a special harness to do this. The tweeters pop out and are easily replaced. However, you should make the wires maybe 3-4" longer for the tweeters. Use four butt end connections It's a really tight, unhealthy fit otherwise. The cross over box has to go under where the entry is, to the window control plug in. I just used Velcro to get them to stick into place. This is the only location I could find that you can still put the door panel on correctly. You have to clip a tab off, on the 2 prong connectors, on both the tweeter & harness for them to fit correctly. You will see the tab on connector that has to "go", in order for it to fit. Weird I know...

I used a JBL MS-8 DSP as first in line from the HU connected via RCA connections. Then sent my high output channels to the JL Audio Input channels via JL Audio RCA adapters. Then sent the power out to the speakers from the JL Audio output into the Technique Harness. Same concept for the Alpine Amp. The JL Audio 600/6 v2 does not need a remote turn on, but the Alpine amp did because I didn't feed it through the high level inputs, which I may still do. I used the JBL MS-8 remote turn on "out" feature to do this vs. going through the hassle of using a relay.

You need a lot of butt ends and a spring loaded crimper is a MUST. You also need quality speaker wire. Maybe jacketed in wall rated speaker wire. I had about 25' of some Monster XP in wall rated speaker wire left over from a logic 7.1 home theater project, which I did years & years ago. Hard to beat Monster back in the day. You will also need a fused, power distribution box & a ground distribution box BOTH capable of handling 2 gauge or bigger wire in & 4 gauge wire out.
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