[bmwmsport]

Ok so I just bought a new to me 335i, and the guy said he replaced the speakers. Figured he replaced them as an upgrade, so I didn't listen to music on the way home (didn't know radio stations and didn't have an AUX cord). So I got home and started listening to the radio and these speakers are AWFUL. Beyond painfully bad. At medium equalizer settings for bass & treble, the speakers just put out painfully bad static sounds. I turned the bass all the way down and now it's bearable, but barely.

I believe mine came equipped with the HiFi system, but I'm not 100% sure since some things have been replaced. It does have tweeters now but I don't know if it came with them.

What on earth can I do to upgrade this crappy setup?

I can only count six speakers, the base HiFi is ten, correct?

I just went to see a buddy of mine at a local audio shop. He quoted me ~$650 to get and install 6 Alpine R's (two front door, two rear deck panel behind seats, two tweeters) and some other hardware to make it work (crossover).

Sorry I'm new to all this. Only audio work I've ever done is replaced a buddy's head unit, install a couple door speakers, and wire up a sub.

Any recommendations are welcome.

See more info about car in sig and see build thread for regular updates and a full story about the car.

Thank you all.

[bmwmsport]

Update: based on this, I have the HiFi system. Can't see any underseats and I dont think it has a dash speaker, and I dont know where the amp is . Assuming back wall in trunk?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323

[ctuna]

If you have the 2010 you may have the base stereo
This is a POS system you need to verify.
This system has no amp.
Check for an amp on the driver side rear fender area under the plastic cover
in the trunk.(US model with steering wheel on left)

There are many threads on upgrading it here.
Most stereo shops don't know how to upgrade BMW's properly.

BMW stereo types
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352586
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=343673
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138949
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780605
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323
http://bmwcoders.com/forum/3-er-8/bm...1-e92-e93-291/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780865
electical e90 pdf
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.cGU&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...85464276,d.cGU
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...85464276,d.cGU
http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...4&d=1278871872


http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ht=base+system

Find out what the system is and the speakers are first.

US 2010's came with either stereo or L7.

[bmwmsport]

Originally Posted by ctuna

If you have the 2010 you may have the base stereo
This is a POS system you need to verify.
This system has no amp.

There are many threads on upgrading it here.
Most stereo shops don't know how to upgrade BMW's properly.

BMW stereo types
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=352586
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=343673
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138949
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780605
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323
http://bmwcoders.com/forum/3-er-8/bm...1-e92-e93-291/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1209780865
electical e90 pdf
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.cGU&cad=rja
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...85464276,d.cGU
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...85464276,d.cGU
http://www.musicarnw.com/page-2/
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...4&d=1278871872

Thank you!

Wow that's a lot of reading.

How can I verify whether or not I have an amp?

[ctuna]

Read my last response.
Carefully . The location is shown in these
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447

When you count speakers BMW considers tweeters speakers.
The under seats are under what looks like vent grills under the seats at the outside edge of the seats.

Currently one of the best upgrades for the base or HI Fi systems is a Helix 82dsp and a Jehnert 3 way set.
The three way set gives you a new set of front door 4 inch speakers and tweeters and 8 inch under seats.

[bmwmsport]

Originally Posted by ctuna

Read my last response.
Carefully . The location is shown in these
http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1266451970

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...2&d=1260829447

When you count speakers BMW considers tweeters speakers.
The under seats are under what looks like vent grills under the seats at the outside edge of the seats.

Cool, thanks!

Like I said, pretty new to this. Only had the car 4 days now. Will do some more poking around to see if I can find more speakers/amp etc then we can go from there.

So should I generally not trust audio shops?

[ctuna]

Do not trust the average shop with your BMW.
Your best bet to get a good system is to first understand
what you are starting with then look at all the examples here.
Before you buy anything run it by this board.
The stuff that fits and works in these cars is not likely to be
stuff you are familiar with or the stuff a common car stereo shop would stock.
Mostly because none of that stuff fits and there are some special
problems that you must overcome to get a good sound with
the base system and to even get the L7 system to interface
with aftermarket stuff.

There is a list of stuff that fits and works with these cars in the Audio Build
thread.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323

If you want a good result do your homework .
And don't cheap out.

[Wongway]

Originally Posted by ctuna

...
Currently one of the best upgrades for the base or HI Fi systems is a Helix 82dsp and a Jehnert 3 way set.
The three way set gives you a new set of front door 4 inch speakers and tweeters and 8 inch under seats.

I'm gonna +1 this statement right here.

Doesn't matter what speaker combination you think you want, or the stereo shop thinks it's going to sell you.

There's no way you'll get a better bang for your $$ than with that combo right there.

If/when you get that, get a hold of Don (6spdcoupe) here on the forums. He runs a stereo shop in New Jersey and is likely the only US distributor for the Jehnerts.

[bmwmsport]

Originally Posted by Wongway

I'm gonna +1 this statement right here.

Doesn't matter what speaker combination you think you want, or the stereo shop thinks it's going to sell you.

There's no way you'll get a better bang for your $$ than with that combo right there.

If/when you get that, get a hold of Don (6spdcoupe) here on the forums. He runs a stereo shop in New Jersey and is likely the only US distributor for the Jehnerts.

Does that take away the storage panel in my doors?

Looks like it in the pictures here: http://www.jehnert.de/en/shop/e90e91...y-soundsystem/

Also, is this the Helix thing you're referencing (this is what Google found): http://www.crutchfield.com/S-AqR82TD...h-PP82DSP.html

[ctuna]

Yes the panels do take away the (useless)storage in anything but an M3 I believe.
And you have to cut into the doors.
Most just buy the plug an play flatline speaker kit also on that site that
replaces the OEM speakers. The Jehnert XE200;s are the best under
seats you can buy for this car .(comes with the flatline kit)
Yes that is the Helix DSP82 in the picture.
You want to buy the OEM tweeter pods if you don't already have them.

If I was buying one I would go through 6spd coupe at Unexpected
Creations in NJ as you can get the Jehnert Speakers and the Helix
products there anything else you need and you get some support
in setting it up.

Do a search for Helix 82dsp here there are several build threads using it and
one that uses the panels .

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...+Panels&page=2

The member Wrongway here has the Panels and the Helix 82dsp here
its pretty awesome from what I have here if you want to go that far.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1411521234

[Wongway]

Originally Posted by bmwmsport

Does that take away the storage panel in my doors?

Looks like it in the pictures here: http://www.jehnert.de/en/shop/e90e91...y-soundsystem/

Also, is this the Helix thing you're referencing (this is what Google found): http://www.crutchfield.com/S-AqR82TD...h-PP82DSP.html

Well, wait a sec there.

I was originally speaking of the Jehnert Flatline kit. In this case, it does not take away the panels from the doors. The Jehnert Flatline kit simply replaces the factory 4" speakers in the doors, puts the Jehnert 8" woofers under the seats and adds tweeters (if you don't have them in the door sails). The only thing extra you'd need to buy if your car doesn't have them already is the triangle sail panels for the tweeters in the doors.
http://www.jehnert.de/en/shop/e81e82...-3-5-7-series/

What I and a few others have is the Jehnert Door Board setup. Those will take away the storage panels in the doors, but that's a whole other ball of wax there.

[bmwmsport]

Originally Posted by Wongway

Well, wait a sec there.

I was originally speaking of the Jehnert Flatline kit. In this case, it does not take away the panels from the doors. The Jehnert Flatline kit simply replaces the factory 4" speakers in the doors, puts the Jehnert 8" woofers under the seats and adds tweeters (if you don't have them in the door sails). The only thing extra you'd need to buy if your car doesn't have them already is the triangle sail panels for the tweeters in the doors.
http://www.jehnert.de/en/shop/e81e82...-3-5-7-series/

What I and a few others have is the Jehnert Door Board setup. Those will take away the storage panels in the doors, but that's a whole other ball of wax there.

Ok. Based on what you're saying I think I'd like the flatline kit better.


Theres a group buy going on right now of the Helix and I may join in. I think the real problem here is speakers.

Thank you all for your responses.

Edit: looks like the flatline kit only comes with one tweeter, one woofer, and one speaker? Is this the correct kit? http://www.jehnert.de/en/shop/e81e82...-3-5-7-series/

[ctuna]

For each side, we regard rear speaker as useless
for the most part . What about the ones you already said
were retrofitted?
Best to study , have a plan and get all you need in on fell swoop.

[bmwmsport]

Originally Posted by ctuna

For each side, we regard rear speaker as useless
for the most part . What about the ones you already said
were retrofitted?
Best to study , have a plan and get all you need in on fell swoop.

Thats what I'm trying to do, do it all at once.

The previous owner just said the speakers were replaced. He didn't say with what or when. (He didn't seem to know). All I know is I'm gonna have to reverse whatever he did because it sounds awful.

I think it's worse when listening through auxiliary cord and better quality through radio.

Are we sure it's speakers and not crapped up settings on iDrive? I've already tried resetting audio settings that didn't work.

[Wongway]

Honestly, that's a question you'd have to answer for yourself. I can't hear your speakers in print

Without proof of purchase, who knows what he replaced it with? OEM? Walmart?

[ctuna]

The aux on the BMW system seem to be crap
People have complained about this for years .
Some say a good Dac helps but you are better off going
in digitally through a USB port or some other such device.
Of course the crap base system makes the aux worse but its
not to good through the high fi either.
You are going to have to open up your doors and see whats in there.
Also did you ever figure out if you have an amp that's an easy thing to check.
Hard for me to believe an idrive system came with a base stereo setup in the US.

[bmwmsport]

I checked and I either am looking in the wrong place or there's no amp here

Of course, he could have removed it prior to purchase....

Wongway - I believe wal-mart myself

I'm going to go get an iPhone 4 to lightning connector sometime soon so I can use the USB and Aux cord that BMW gives you with the car. Maybe that'll make it a little clearer.

[bmwmsport]

What about this? (HiFi upgrade to L7): http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1144441

[ctuna]

The Harness is for a Hi Fi system if you have base system you need
a different one. (that runs from the radio to the trunk made for the
base system)
There are no under seat speakers(for upgrade) which is one of the bigger weaker points.
If you amp all the doors that only leaves one channel for the floors.
Its better to run the floors in stereo .
That is why for a long time and even still the JL xd 600/6 was the standard
replacement in a Hi Fi system.

Also you need a processor of frequency flattening device for the base
system to overcome the bad eq from the Head Unit or recoding to Hi Fi
output. (that is why the helix processor/amp is a good match for the base system
beside the fact its one of the best combo's going right now)

though the L7 speakers are better than the ones from any of the other
BMW systems they are not as good as most of the preferred aftermarket
choices .

[bmwmsport]

Originally Posted by ctuna

though the L7 speakers are better than the ones from any of the other
BMW systems they are not as good as most of the preferred aftermarket
choices .

What about the L7 speakers and a Helix amp?

I honestly believe this was at one point a HiFi system and someone removed the amp, I'll call my BMW dealer and have them pull the options list for equipment on this VIN.

[ctuna]

US 2010's had the base system or
L7 as the pay for it option.
As described in the audio build thread.
You can also verify what the car came with by
running the VIN number on one of the BMW vin
checkers that are found online.

[bmwmsport]

I ran the VIN and don't see anything for upgraded sound.

I think most of the distortion I'm hearing is coming from the AUX cable, listening to the regular radio sounds better.

I also don't think the underseats are hitting at all.

Looked around at some amps and I think what best fits my budget and all right now is the Alpine PDR amplifier. Great sound quality for a good price and good size. The Helix amp is about $300 more and a lot bigger, so I'd have to find another spot to mount it.

I think my car had an amp originally and it was removed. Previous owner said something about an amp and sub in the trunk, I'm assuming he ripped it all out and sold it separately from the car, now the OEM head unit is trying to run aftermarket speakers with no amp.

So, I'm starting with the amp first.

Still doesn't explain why the underseats aren't hitting at all.
The HU is trying to pump all the bass through the door 4"s I think.