[bmwmatt]

Hi,

My BMW F30 320i came with base audio system (no tweeters) and sound quality is very poor in my opinion.

Has anyone upgraded from base audio system and feel the major difference in sound quality?

What would be the best upgrade with minimum budget?

Also, any shop in Toronto recommended for installation?

Thanks in advance.

[Chrome Dome]

If you check back through the nav/audio/video section under technical stuff there are lots of great threads on plug & play options to upgrade the dire sound of the base system.
Check out the direct replacement speakers from Bavsound, Focal and Rockford Fosgate to start with, then adding an amp from Bimmertech if you are feeling more adventurous.

[bmwmatt]

Upgrading speakers (no tweeters) would improve audio quality that much?
I read it's the amp that's much more the factor.
In fact, I can spend $500 and install Bavsound but I doubt it would improve the audio quality that much especially without tweeters since its the base audio option. My question is, is it Amo or speakers I should consider upgrading first?

[chazmink]

Originally Posted by bmwmatt

Upgrading speakers (no tweeters) would improve audio quality that much?
I read it's the amp that's much more the factor.
In fact, I can spend $500 and install Bavsound but I doubt it would improve the audio quality that much especially without tweeters since its the base audio option. My question is, is it Amo or speakers I should consider upgrading first?

Matt,
I upgraded to BavSound Stage One and have a full set of HiFi premium sound speakers that I an make you a real good deal on. Four door speakers, two tweeters and a center channel speaker. The deal could be real good if I could ship to a US address near the border. Please PM if interested. Thanks.

[Tsilly]

Originally Posted by Chrome Dome

If you check back through the nav/audio/video section under technical stuff there are lots of great threads on plug & play options to upgrade the dire sound of the base system.
Check out the direct replacement speakers from Bavsound, Focal and Rockford Fosgate to start with, then adding an amp from Bimmertech if you are feeling more adventurous.

+1 for Bimmertech amp hear great things about it!! Too bad the CAD dollar is $h!t right now

[overkill1125]

I bought the Bavsound front speakers along with the tweeters and it changed my base system completely. I was at first sceptical like you thinking how much can speakers and tweeters do but it did. The sound is so much more clearer. I bought the partial package that comes with from speakers, front tweeters and the door trim for tweeters since the base trim has no holes for the tweeters. Spoke to someone at Bavsound many times and they gave All the info I needed and backing up with their warranty and 100% satisfaction.

Paid around $500 usd. I'm now planning to change my car and will be removing the whole system soon and replacing everything back to stock.

Will be replacing my car soon so I'll will be putting the Bavsound front speakers, front tweeters, window/door trim for the tweeters for sale.

[dassub]

This thread interests me for reasons other than my F30 (it has the Harmon Kardan/L7, so no need to upgrade).

But, my wife's Mazda 3's sound system is terrible. I always assumed that replacing speakers in a system that doesn't have an amp wouldn't do very much (I guess this means they're powered by the head unit). There are speakers on Amazon that get good reviews for her car, but I haven't had the time to buy and install yet. Would simply replacing stock speakers make that much of a difference, when no amp is installed?

[instalher]

pm me and I can help you get going in the right direction.

[75fusca]

Originally Posted by overkill1125

I bought the Bavsound front speakers along with the tweeters and it changed my base system completely. I was at first sceptical like you thinking how much can speakers and tweeters do but it did. The sound is so much more clearer. I bought the partial package that comes with from speakers, front tweeters and the door trim for tweeters since the base trim has no holes for the tweeters. Spoke to someone at Bavsound many times and they gave All the info I needed and backing up with their warranty and 100% satisfaction.

Paid around $500 usd. I'm now planning to change my car and will be removing the whole system soon and replacing everything back to stock.

Will be replacing my car soon so I'll will be putting the Bavsound front speakers, front tweeters, window/door trim for the tweeters for sale.

Hi there! So, I'm I right in that you just changed the spaekers while leaving the OEM base amplifier in place?

[guitarguylp]

I don't know if these will fit the F30, but I was looking at these when I was thinking about an X1

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MB-Quart-QM20...BVv3zh&vxp=mtr

[guitarguylp]

I was doing some reading, and I don't think they will fit. I am starting to look into upgrades, and I will post here if I find any

[F30inthe6ix]

Originally Posted by dassub

This thread interests me for reasons other than my F30 (it has the Harmon Kardan/L7, so no need to upgrade).

But, my wife's Mazda 3's sound system is terrible. I always assumed that replacing speakers in a system that doesn't have an amp wouldn't do very much (I guess this means they're powered by the head unit). There are speakers on Amazon that get good reviews for her car, but I haven't had the time to buy and install yet. Would simply replacing stock speakers make that much of a difference, when no amp is installed?

Based on my previous experiences with audio systems I would agree with you. To use aftermarket speakers instead of the stock ones won't net you any significant power gains without an external amplifier (in fact I found that my system quieted down a bit when I had this setup running). The sound was definitely crisper, but if you want to utilize your setup to it's full potential, you will need to run an amp to any aftermarket speakers/subwoofer you decide to go with.

Also, don't do what I did and replace all the speakers + 4 channel amp and not do the subwoofer + class d amp with it at the same time. I ended up pumping too much bass during the period before my subwoofer install which caused basically half of my speaker setup to blow before I was able to install a dedicated subwoofer for the system to run the bass off of.

The headaches I have had with the aftermarket sound systems in my previous vehicles influenced my decision to buy with the upgraded HK Sound package on my F30.

You live and you learn, I guess.

[carmo]

I also have the crappy base radio. Spent 1000$+ and it still sounds so so. I Have the focal ifbmw components and an alpine 5 channel with a sub and the sound is marginally better. I even coded hifi and although the harshness disappeared so did the mids. Note to self hi fi minimum for the next bimmer.

[guitarguylp]

Sounds like you might need a JL Clean sweep, or something similar that will properly EQ your system. I had a 128i that I bought with blown speakers, and I fought with it non stop. The Alpine 5 channel might not be enough unless you are not running the rear speakers. I would think you would need 7, front doors, under seat, back doors, and sub

[carmo]

Not too sure cleansweep would help since it only flattens the sound so it is uniform. I believe coding hifi does nearly the same thing. I need something to boost the mids a bit. Maybe a dsp? I am hesitant on spending more money though.

[carmo]

My rear door speakers are powered off the Idrive still. Cant really hear them at all but that's ok for now. The underseat subs sound like crap even with the amp. I wonder if the base system has different subs than hifi.

[guitarguylp]

The subs should be decent I would think, what are your crossover frequencies? Do you have the amp gain turned up too high with barely being able to hear the rear speakers.

I am an electronics engineering tech, and I used to big time into car audio. If you have good components it should just be a matter of setting it up right.

If you want you can PM me the details on your system, and I can see if there are any obvious improvements that can be made. I would need to know where did you grab the signal to go into your amp, if there are any settings on the Focal crossovers etc.

[dassub]

Just a note to add, to people who hate these sound systems. Even the top-notch ones have issues. The Harmon Kardan system sounds amazing in my current F30 (well worth the upgrade cost), but my previous E90's L7 system was a nightmare. Despite it sounding amazing, I replaced 4 speakers over the life time of the car. For some reason, my E90's L7 system would just blow a random speaker every other year. That was frustrating, and costly. I'm hoping I have better luck with the F30's Harmon Kardan system. They both sound awesome, though.. but reliability is a question.

[guitarguylp]

Those MB Quart QM200.3 speakers do fit in the F30!!! I took a chance, and ordered a set for cheap on eBay, and installed them last night. They are running off the stock amp so far, but already the sound is so much better. I am installing an amp today, and I will post my opinion once that is done.

There are just two difficult parts with those speakers, they are both due to the large crossovers, and no good place for them. I had to put the crossovers at the bottom the door near the back, the wires are just barely long enough. The other difficulty was that the speaker terminals are in the back for the mids so I used a dremel, and ground down a channel in the plastic frame so that the speaker wire can just barely fit through without being pinched.

[carmo]

Did you need a speaker spacer for the door mids? Also did you need to buy a harmess to add these in or did u have to cut the bmw wiring? I also heard that the subs need to be trimmed to fit? Looking forward to hearing ur comments on thes speakers. You have th hi fi system now right ?

[guitarguylp]

You have to cut the wire going to the stock mid, and use the included crimp on extension wire, no spacers required. And I am starting with the HiFi.

[guitarguylp]

I have had the MB Quart speakers in for a while now, and I think I am done tuning them. I had to fight with it quite a bit because everything that I read said to crossover at about 180-200Hz between the door speakers, and woofers. After 3 hours of tuning I ended up at around 130Hz, and it plays loud, and clean!!! Since I disconnected the factory amp completely, I also removed the centre speaker, and didn't put any power to the rear speakers (yet) I put the rear channel input into the front to get PDC noises, and as a plus the seatbelt gong, and all other noises are nice, and quiet now primarily coming out of the woofers.

My system is pretty simple
I bought a harness similar to the one Technic makes off of eBay
That goes to an Arc audio KS125.4 (bought refurb off eBay)
The only speakers are the MB Quart QM200.3 BMW set (also from eBay, discontinued on clearance)