[NFS]

Originally Posted by sheps

I'm thinking this and the earthquake sub upgrade might be the path to follow....

This sounds like it might achieve the result I am after as well.

Do the earthquake subs replace the OEM ones like for like or is it more complex?

[sheps]

There's some modification required to the top face of the sub enclosure assembly (to allow it to accept the 8" driver in lieu of the 6.5" one), but nothing too tough. If you can wield a jigsaw and a piece of MDF you'd have it done within and hour or so. I actually have a template somewhere for the exact shape required.

[sheps]

Here we go, found it:

speakertemplate2[1].pdf

[NFS]

Originally Posted by sheps

There's some modification required to the top face of the sub enclosure assembly (to allow it to accept the 8" driver in lieu of the 6.5" one), but nothing too tough. If you can wield a jigsaw and a piece of MDF you'd have it done within and hour or so. I actually have a template somewhere for the exact shape required.

If I decide to do the subs first will they work from the stock amp?

If so .. what do I need to buy and where can I get them?

Thinking about trying this first and if it goes OK doing the Alpine upgrade.

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by sheps

Here we go, found it:

Attachment 201155

I'm about to fit the SWS-8's and this template looks very handy. Gone to print it and I'm guessing it's an A3 paper size? Could you measure your template so I can check my printer hasn't scaled it at all (did set everything to no scaling).

Cheers

P. +++

[sheps]

Originally Posted by NFS

If I decide to do the subs first will they work from the stock amp?

If so .. what do I need to buy and where can I get them?

Thinking about trying this first and if it goes OK doing the Alpine upgrade.

I wouldn't advise it - the SWS-8 subs require a lot more power than the stock items - more than the head unit is capable of delivering.

It's just as easy to wreck a speaker by underpowering it as it is over powering it, so I'd say do Alpine upgrade first (or at the same time) else you'll wreck your new subs.

I haven't found anywhere in the UK that sells them directly. They are a number of US based vendors on ebay. You're looking at about $350 dollars shipped for the pair.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by biscuits

I'm about to fit the SWS-8's and this template looks very handy. Gone to print it and I'm guessing it's an A3 paper size? Could you measure your template so I can check my printer hasn't scaled it at all (did set everything to no scaling).

Cheers

P. +++

That's a template that I found on the net and downloaded - this isn't an upgrade I've done yet.

I've just printed it on A3 and it looks to be ok, but I would definitely overlay this template on the sub enclosure before you commit jigsaw to wood...

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by sheps

That's a template that I found on the net and downloaded - this isn't an upgrade I've done yet. I've just printed it on A3 and it looks to be ok, but I would definitely overlay this template on the sub enclosure before you commit jigsaw to wood...

Ok thanks. "commit jigsaw to wood" ??? WOOD ! Not a Morgan you know

[biscuits]

Originally Posted by sheps

I haven't found anywhere in the UK that sells them directly. They are a number of US based vendors on ebay. You're looking at about $350 dollars shipped for the pair.

Have a look at this eBay ad. This is where I got mine from.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWN:IT&ih=023

[NFS]

Just spent a bit of time looking at the PDF instructions for this.

I haven't done anything like this before so bit worried I might be biting off more than I can chew. Could anyone confirm that I have understood correctly?

So ...

1. Amp goes in boot

2. Harness goes from amp to ...

a. Battery / Earth
b. LHS of car
c. RHS of car

3. Harness runs through rear seat and under front / rear door sills.

4. Dismantle doors and fit new midrange speakers

5. Fit new tweeter housings and tweeters.

6. Crimp ends of wiring to:

a. Radio cables
b. Door loudspeaker cables
c. Sub Woofer cables either side.

It's the last bit that's confusing me. There is nothing about opening up the dash etc.. so are the cables right there under the door cills? Certainly looks that way in the pictures.

So .. no need to remove seats or any part of the dash?

Are the existing cables labled? If not .. how do I know which is which?

In practice then .. is this tapping into the existing wiring, picking up the output from the head unit under the door sills, then routing it back to the amp and on to the speakers?

[sheps]

Originally Posted by NFS

Just spent a bit of time looking at the PDF instructions for this.

I haven't done anything like this before so bit worried I might be biting off more than I can chew. Could anyone confirm that I have understood correctly?

So ...

1. Amp goes in boot

2. Harness goes from amp to ...

a. Battery / Earth
b. LHS of car
c. RHS of car

3. Harness runs through rear seat and under front / rear door sills.

4. Dismantle doors and fit new midrange speakers

5. Fit new tweeter housings and tweeters.

6. Crimp ends of wiring to:

a. Radio cables
b. Door loudspeaker cables
c. Sub Woofer cables either side.

It's the last bit that's confusing me. There is nothing about opening up the dash etc.. so are the cables right there under the door cills? Certainly looks that way in the pictures.

So .. no need to remove seats or any part of the dash?

Are the existing cables labled? If not .. how do I know which is which?

In practice then .. is this tapping into the existing wiring, picking up the output from the head unit under the door sills, then routing it back to the amp and on to the speakers?

I've had a quick look over the instructions also, and it sounds to me like you've got it spot on - unlike the Blaupunkt upgrade that gets its signal at the head unit, this upgrade taps in to the cables at the cill - therefore no dash work required.

Page 6 of the instructions has a table that shows what wires need to be tapped into and connected to the retro-fit harness. The final page of the instructions gives you a definition of colour code abbreviations.

If you're replacing the underseat subs with the SWS items we've spoken about, you'll need to slacken off the torx screws securing the seat in order to properly access and remove the sub enclosure. From what I've read you won't need to remove the seats to do this (just slacken the bolts and tip the seat out of the way) it would probably be easier to remove them fully.

[dxb335d]

How much to do my car? can some one lend a helping hand?

[willhollin]

I might consider this too, £225 sounds reasonable....

http://www.cooper-bmw-parts.co.uk/in...com_virtuemart

[sheps]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

How much to do my car? can some one lend a helping hand?

Carlos, I'd always give you a helping hand buddy, although I thought the DXB-mobile already had factory upgraded speakers? This is really aimed at people with the bog basic loudspeakers (such as myself)...

[NFS]

Originally Posted by sheps

I've had a quick look over the instructions also, and it sounds to me like you've got it spot on - unlike the Blaupunkt upgrade that gets its signal at the head unit, this upgrade taps in to the cables at the cill - therefore no dash work required.

Page 6 of the instructions has a table that shows what wires need to be tapped into and connected to the retro-fit harness. The final page of the instructions gives you a definition of colour code abbreviations.

If you're replacing the underseat subs with the SWS items we've spoken about, you'll need to slacken off the torx screws securing the seat in order to properly access and remove the sub enclosure. From what I've read you won't need to remove the seats to do this (just slacken the bolts and tip the seat out of the way) it would probably be easier to remove them fully.

Cool. Looks like the hardest part will be dismantling the trim.

[robbie99]

Originally Posted by NFS

Just spent a bit of time looking at the PDF instructions for this.

I haven't done anything like this before so bit worried I might be biting off more than I can chew. Could anyone confirm that I have understood correctly?

So ...

1. Amp goes in boot

2. Harness goes from amp to ...

a. Battery / Earth
b. LHS of car
c. RHS of car

3. Harness runs through rear seat and under front / rear door sills.

4. Dismantle doors and fit new midrange speakers

5. Fit new tweeter housings and tweeters.

6. Crimp ends of wiring to:

a. Radio cables
b. Door loudspeaker cables
c. Sub Woofer cables either side.

It's the last bit that's confusing me. There is nothing about opening up the dash etc.. so are the cables right there under the door cills? Certainly looks that way in the pictures.

So .. no need to remove seats or any part of the dash?

Are the existing cables labled? If not .. how do I know which is which?

In practice then .. is this tapping into the existing wiring, picking up the output from the head unit under the door sills, then routing it back to the amp and on to the speakers?

Yeah, that's a about it.

Good question about if the existing cables are labeled. They aren't . I was lucky enough to choose working on the driver's side first. On this side it was easy to find where the existing wires were connected and you could visually determine which wires were going to the subwoofer, to the headunit (via under the front of the seat) and to the door speakers (towards the front). The wiring was as shown in the install instructions.

On the passenger side however it was a bit more difficult. The connections were further forward and the existing wires were included in a much larger loom. It was impossible for me to see which pair of wires were from the headunit and which were from the subwoofers. They all had the same colour code so I had find way of determining which wires were which.

This is what I did.

1. Find and expose the two connectors.

Each connector will have three wires leading into it. The three wires will have the same colour code. For the passenger side, the wires will be either blue with a white stripe or blue with a brown stripe. The white striped wires are the positive ones, the brown striped ones are the negative ones. (The wires from alpine amp will also have either a white or brown stripe.)

2. Pick a connector (positive or negative) and snip one of the wires. Switch the radio on.

If door speaker works and subwoofer doesn't then the wire you snipped is the subwoofer wire. If door speaker doesn't work and subwoofer works then the wire you snipped is the door speaker one. If both door speaker and subwoofer don't work then the wire you snipped is from the headunit.

3. Label your wire. I used masking tape.

4. Join the snipped wire back to the connector. (using masking tape again!)

5. Back to step 2 - snip a different wire to determine which one it is.

[NFS]

Originally Posted by robbie99

Yeah, that's a about it.

Good question about if the existing cables are labeled. They aren't . I was lucky enough to choose working on the driver's side first. On this side it was easy to find where the existing wires were connected and you could visually determine which wires were going to the subwoofer, to the headunit (via under the front of the seat) and to the door speakers (towards the front). The wiring was as shown in the install instructions.

On the passenger side however it was a bit more difficult. The connections were further forward and the existing wires were included in a much larger loom. It was impossible for me to see which pair of wires were from the headunit and which were from the subwoofers. They all had the same colour code so I had find way of determining which wires were which.

This is what I did.

1. Find and expose the two connectors.

Each connector will have three wires leading into it. The three wires will have the same colour code. For the passenger side, the wires will be either blue with a white stripe or blue with a brown stripe. The white striped wires are the positive ones, the brown striped ones are the negative ones. (The wires from alpine amp will also have either a white or brown stripe.)

2. Pick a connector (positive or negative) and snip one of the wires. Switch the radio on.

If door speaker works and subwoofer doesn't then the wire you snipped is the subwoofer wire. If door speaker doesn't work and subwoofer works then the wire you snipped is the door speaker one. If both door speaker and subwoofer don't work then the wire you snipped is from the headunit.

3. Label your wire. I used masking tape.

4. Join the snipped wire back to the connector. (using masking tape again!)

5. Back to step 2 - snip a different wire to determine which one it is.

Brilliant - thanks for that. Bit like 'mission impossible' trying to work out which wire to cut.

Just need some dynamite and a countdown timer.

[aquaanox]

has anyone done this on a e92 328 yet ?

[Steve748]

I have just bought the kit, just under £230 and that includes the two door enclosures, a 'trade' discount and Very Awful Tax at 15%. Now to see about getting it fitted!

[RCUK]

Be interested in seeing how much it costs to have it fitted Steve.

[monkeynuts]

Hi All...

Great post and exactly what I'm looking for. I am confused about one thing though. I have the std (Pro HU) system on mine and therefore no tweeters (front or back). I get that I would also need the door frame mouldings in order to mount the tweeters but will the wiring for the tweeters already be in the door, or is this included in the kit and if so, does it just run from the mids with an integrated corssover?

[robbie99]

Originally Posted by monkeynuts

will the wiring for the tweeters already be in the door, or is this included in the kit and if so, does it just run from the mids with an integrated corssover?

The tweeter wires are long enough to reach the crossover (the thingy that's wrapped with grey foam and has three sets of wires coming out at one end and one set out the other end). The crossover will sit above the door speakers and will be fixed in place with the existing speaker screws.