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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > E90 / E92 / E93 3-series Technical Forums > AUDIO/VIDEO + BLUETOOTH + Electronics/Alarm/Software > Want a nice sounding system for my 328....



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      04-06-2009, 05:25 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scanboy View Post
I'm planning to replace the OEM amp with the PDX-5 and use it to drive all the speakers no extra sub in trunk just SWS in stock location. Since the output from HU has only 4 channels, I don't know what to use as sub input to the PDX.
Split the rear channels into 4 RCA, so the total RCA would be 6 (2 front, 4 rear). The PDX-5 can accept differential signals so it will be a straight connection without the need of any LOC.

This conversion cable can help you out (3 of them and you will be set): http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...r=91803/1451.0
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      04-06-2009, 05:53 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Technic View Post
Split the rear channels into 4 RCA, so the total RCA would be 6 (2 front, 4 rear). The PDX-5 can accept differential signals so it will be a straight connection without the need of any LOC.

This conversion cable can help you out (3 of them and you will be set): http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...r=91803/1451.0
cool, thanks a lot.
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      04-09-2009, 05:04 PM   #25
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Technic, sorry to bother you again, but the OEM speakers crossovers are in the OEM amp? Is that correct? If you drop in the PDX-5 with either stock speakers or the BSV drop in set, how are crossovers handled?
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      04-09-2009, 05:17 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by Taxvictim View Post
Technic, sorry to bother you again, but the OEM speakers crossovers are in the OEM amp? Is that correct? If you drop in the PDX-5 with either stock speakers or the BSV drop in set, how are crossovers handled?
No bother at all... in your HiFi system the crossovers are handled both at the OEM amp and at the 4" components: the OEM amp has active crossovers for the underseat woofers (low pass around 150Hz-200Hz) and a high pass (above 200Hz) for the 4" components. Then each 4" component tweeters have a cap (passive crossover) inline that acts as a high pass filter.

So, if you replace the OEM amp with the PDX-5 you will have to more or less replicate what the OEM amp active crossovers are doing using the PDX-5 active crossovers: set the front/rear channels output for a high pass at around 150Hz-200Hz (or just to taste above 100Hz) and the sub channel to low pass at 150Hz.

The BSW speaker kit comes with inline caps as well so the PDX-5 output setup would be the same as above.
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      04-09-2009, 05:25 PM   #27
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Man, that's gold. Thank you so much for your work and information.
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      04-12-2009, 12:46 PM   #28
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Okay, one more trip to the well:

I replaced my HU with an Alpine CDA 9886, which I think puts out 50 wpc. It has a separate subwoofer channel, but the installer said he can't hook that up with the stock system because all of the crossovers are in the stock amp.

If I replace my stock speakers with Focals, which have their own crossovers, is there some way to drive the Focals directly from the HU, and use the stock amp to drive the subwoofers? And, if so, is there some way to make the stock amp drive the subwoofers stronger than it does now? (Maybe by using the sub channel from the HU.) Without the expense of a new amp?

This occurred to me because if I turn up the volume on the HU, it's pretty darn loud at relatively low settings. That makes me think it's a strong signal from the HU, then amplifed by the stock amp.
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      04-13-2009, 12:30 AM   #29
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Thanks for the post. I was wondering how to hide the pdx-5.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Technic View Post
The PDX-5 is stable down to 2 ohms. For intallation location check this thread: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131507

The PDX-5 by itself will provide a significant improvement in volume and thus definition (especially the bass), as the total power available then will be more than triple the OEM amp output. Replacing the front and underseat speakers is the minimum requirement to really get the best out of this amp.

There are other 5- and 6- channel amps available that will provide even better performance than the PDX-5 but most of them are either several times bigger, more expensive or not available yet.
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      04-13-2009, 01:02 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Taxvictim View Post
Okay, one more trip to the well:

I replaced my HU with an Alpine CDA 9886, which I think puts out 50 wpc. .
No, it doesn't. It puts out like 16. 50 is a when lightning strikes number.

The Focal xovers and the Alpine HU deck power may not play nice, and are a generally bad idea.

Your idea about why the system is loud is not really too correct. The signal is fairly low-level. The amp, well, amplifies.

No reason to buy Focals and wimp on the amp. Better to use OEM speaks as Technic is for now, I think.
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      04-13-2009, 10:16 AM   #31
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Yeah, if I had to start over, I would have started by replacing just the amp, then the speakers, then the HU. Why won't the HU drive the speakers directly? Seriously, right now if the volume is turned up less than a 1/4 of the way, it's really loud.
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      04-13-2009, 10:49 AM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Taxvictim View Post
Yeah, if I had to start over, I would have started by replacing just the amp, then the speakers, then the HU. Why won't the HU drive the speakers directly? Seriously, right now if the volume is turned up less than a 1/4 of the way, it's really loud.
If you are still using the OEM amp with this Alpine HU then what is happening is that you replaced an OEM low level signal input with an aftermarket high level input... this is like driving an aftermarket amp with its gain all the way up.

The issue here is that you replaced the OEM HU with aftermarket... now you have to go as well with an aftermarket amp. You could try to use the low level outputs of that Alpine HU as inputs to the OEM amp and see what happens/if the signal level matches; it could work, as differential inputs amps can accept non-differential signals. But then again the whole idea of going aftermarket HU is to not be doing any experimentation, IMO.
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      05-30-2009, 02:48 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by Technic View Post
The main issue of the E9x front door replacement speakers is that they must be shallow (less than 50mm in depth) or the magnet will hit the window mechanism. Therefore the few speakers that will easily fit and sound great will be plain expensive. For example, the excellent Focal 100KP set is around $500, the Morels around $400 a set. That's half you budget in just the front doors, without any aftermarket amp or underseat subs upgrade.

My recommendation for a budget like that is:

- Diamond Audio S400s (silk tweeters): $155 shipped a set http://cgi.ebay.com/Diamond-audio-te...2em118Q2el1247

I used to have a set of these in my MKV GTI front doors and these sound excellent, and for the price they cannot be beat. They also come with aluminum tweeters (S400a); personally I like silk tweeters better as they don't have the harshness of the aluminum version at certain volume levels. The mounting depth is around 40mm, however the magnet is pretty big and the crossovers are also bulky.

Check the installation of these speakers in this forum member in an E92 M3 to see if you are willing to install this set like this: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202384

You could replace only the front speakers to save some money and leave the OEM rears as they are.

- SWS-8 underseat woofers (in 4 ohms): you could offer $250 shipped for a pair http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200319889134

DIY installation is here: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=163804

- Alpine PDX-5 amp: $450 http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...ine+PDX-5.html ($450 shipped; backorder) http://www.woofersetc.com/p4736/PDX4...-Amplifier.htm ($450 plus shipping)

Although can be found much cheaper on eBay ($370 shipped), my experience on eBay and buying Alpine PDX amps have not been very good. Sellers at eBay might offer the cheapest PDX amps anywhere but it seems to me that they are either refurbished or simply defective amps. And if you have issues with them they are extremely slow to issue a refund, exchange or repair... if they actually agree to any of that.

This amp will more than nicely power all your speakers (the S400s, the SWS-8 and the OEM rears) and can be installed where the OEM amp is located, using all the OEM wires.

- JL Audio speaker wire to RCA cables (3 sets): $39 http://www.shopatron.com/product/par...r=91803/1451.0

You will need those 3 cables to connect the OEM HU outputs to the PDX-5; you will need to split (paralell) the rear OEM speaker outputs into 4 RCA outputs for a total of 6 RCA outputs into the 6 channel inputs of the PDX-5.

Total price: around $889 plus extra wires, cables, fuses and shipping charges for a full system replacement.

Excellent recommedation...

I have a question. Since on most competition SQ systems have only a front stage, stock or non-existant rear fill run off of a HU or low power amp, and subs, would it be better to down size the amp to a 4 channel?

This way you could save a hundred dollars by getting a PDX 4.100 and keep the stock amp running the stock rears.

Is it possible to have the stock amp only run the rear set of speakers? Maybe with the $100 savings one could buy a better front stage???

What do you think???
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      05-31-2009, 10:38 AM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by medik13 View Post
Excellent recommedation...

I have a question. Since on most competition SQ systems have only a front stage, stock or non-existant rear fill run off of a HU or low power amp, and subs, would it be better to down size the amp to a 4 channel?

This way you could save a hundred dollars by getting a PDX 4.100 and keep the stock amp running the stock rears.

Is it possible to have the stock amp only run the rear set of speakers? Maybe with the $100 savings one could buy a better front stage???

What do you think???
You could do that as well, use a 4-channel aftermarket amp for the fronts and the underseat woofers and the OEM amp for the rear speakers.
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      05-31-2009, 10:45 AM   #35
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Most of the systems I've done in E90s have been aftermarket 4-channel running new F door speaks and a trunk sub, and leaving OEM amp in place on R door speaks and underseat woofers for midbass.
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