[Sparky68]

Sam and Am

Happy holidays firstly.

If I gave you £500 what could you do hifi wise to my car. I have a IB sub and Pheonix Gold amp [not wired in] and the standard shitty stereo.

cheers

[Brian mc21]

If you give me 500 quid I will sing in it for you. Sorry. Couldn't resist.
Happy holidays to you to sir.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Sparky68

Sam and Am

Happy holidays firstly.

If I gave you £500 what could you do hifi wise to my car. I have a IB sub and Pheonix Gold amp [not wired in] and the standard shitty stereo.

cheers

In that budget you can get Alpine retrofit kit and fit it yourself. £350 for the kit and £50 for E90 tweeter housings.


Or

Save some money and then go for the Gladen deal (recently it was £600 for the drivers and mosconi 120.4 amp). Harness £40-50, amp wiring £30-40, sound insulation £20.

You reach £700 for the kit only and that is after discount.
Fit it yourself to save some money and get it tuned by somebody. or get both done by somebody.


Remember tunning is essential part. Wrong tuning can destroy a decent kit, where as correct tuning can make a rubbish kit sound excellent. One example is Alpine retrofit kit (not that its rubbish). With 40W, it gives you decent sound as its already tuned!

I have tuned few kits to name. Check with KAL 335D, Blondfella and IanS100.


Apologies if my response disappoints you but audio upgrades are not easy and should not be done with limited budget especially on beamers.

[-Ju-]

Originally Posted by makkan00

In that budget you can get Alpine retrofit kit and fit it yourself. £350 for the kit and £50 for E90 tweeter housings.


Or

Save some money and then go for the Gladen deal (recently it was £600 for the drivers and mosconi 120.4 amp). Harness £40-50, amp wiring £30-40, sound insulation £20.

You reach £700 for the kit only and that is after discount.
Fit it yourself to save some money and get it tuned by somebody. or get both done by somebody.


Remember tunning is essential part. Wrong tuning can destroy a decent kit, where as correct tuning can make a rubbish kit sound excellent. One example is Alpine retrofit kit (not that its rubbish). With 40W, it gives you decent sound as its already tuned!

I have tuned few kits to name. Check with KAL 335D, Blondfella and IanS100.


Apologies if my response disappoints you but audio upgrades are not easy and should not be done with limited budget especially on beamers.

That is excellent advise

I have the gladen dsp kit fitted and the range of adjustment is huge, having somebody set it up would be make a massive difference to the finished set up!

[Sparky68]

Originally Posted by makkan00

In that budget you can get Alpine retrofit kit and fit it yourself. £350 for the kit and £50 for E90 tweeter housings.


Or

Save some money and then go for the Gladen deal (recently it was £600 for the drivers and mosconi 120.4 amp). Harness £40-50, amp wiring £30-40, sound insulation £20.

You reach £700 for the kit only and that is after discount.
Fit it yourself to save some money and get it tuned by somebody. or get both done by somebody.


Remember tunning is essential part. Wrong tuning can destroy a decent kit, where as correct tuning can make a rubbish kit sound excellent. One example is Alpine retrofit kit (not that its rubbish). With 40W, it gives you decent sound as its already tuned!

I have tuned few kits to name. Check with KAL 335D, Blondfella and IanS100.


Apologies if my response disappoints you but audio upgrades are not easy and should not be done with limited budget especially on beamers.

Cheers for the reply Sam.

I like OEM idea of the Alpine kit but never heard one and not sure it will give me the kick in the back Im after.

First thing I want to do is get my IB sub installed, so a Gladen harness 2 or 4 channel ? As long as I can add a amped front stage I will be happy.

[cracked alloy]

Hi Sparky, I'm in Newmarket and have the alpine upgrade with my stereo coded to Wi-Fi (by Sam) if you want a listen. I'd recommend a different way rather than the Alpine retrofit.

Adam

[Sparky68]

Originally Posted by cracked alloy

Hi Sparky, I'm in Newmarket and have the alpine upgrade with my stereo coded to Wi-Fi (by Sam) if you want a listen. I'd recommend a different way rather than the Alpine retrofit.

Adam

Thanks for the info Adam, think I am set on going aftermarket but stealth if that makes sense.

[cracked alloy]

No probs, I wish I'd done that now. Don't get me wrong the Alpine upgrade is a huge improvement over the stock set up but you can get a awful lot more for your money by not going for the Alpine retrofit. I'm really tempted to go for the Gladen set up.

[IanS100]

Originally Posted by makkan00

I have tuned few kits to name. Check with KAL 335D, Blondfella and IanS100.

Just to underline what Sam has said: I know diddly squat about modern I.C.E and less about setting it all up so, earlier in the year, I had local 'Professional' install a full Mosconi/Gladen system in my e90, this consisted of all speakers plus front & rear amps, 120.4 dsp front & 120.4 amp rear, and a Dension 500s. When first installed it sounded little better that the OE although it did improve over time as it bedded in.

After Sam had finished my Sat Nav upgrade he identified a lot of problems with the Mosconi/Gladen install / settings, and he spent quite a while sorting the mess left by the 'Professional' who had lightened my wallet by 'well over' £1k for the install. The difference Sam's changes made are phenomenal, it now sounds pretty much as I first expected it should, it doesn't hiss when it's switched off, no longer gives random pops and bangs and the rattle from the subs has all but disappeared.

My experience has taught me that employing an established professional is not enough, recommendation means far more, which is why I was happy to drive 500 miles to have Sam upgrade the Sat Nav, and why I wish I'd asked him do the Mosconi/Gladen install as well - thanks again Sam

Originally Posted by Sparky68

Thanks for the info Adam, think I am set on going aftermarket but stealth if that makes sense.

Apart from the addition of the front tweeters in OE pods, and a couple of amps out of sight under the boot floor there is no way you'd know that the sound system has been modified.

[Music XD]

Excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by "tuning"? EQ? Or are there other settings going on 'behind the scenes' which can be coded?

[-Ju-]

Originally Posted by IanS100

Just to underline what Sam has said: I know diddly squat about modern I.C.E and less about setting it all up so, earlier in the year, I had local 'Professional' install a full Mosconi/Gladen system in my e90, this consisted of all speakers plus front & rear amps, 120.4 dsp front & 120.4 amp rear, and a Dension 500s. When first installed it sounded little better that the OE although it did improve over time as it bedded in.

After Sam had finished my Sat Nav upgrade he identified a lot of problems with the Mosconi/Gladen install / settings, and he spent quite a while sorting the mess left by the 'Professional' who had lightened my wallet by 'well over' £1k for the install. The difference Sam's changes made are phenomenal, it now sounds pretty much as I first expected it should, it doesn't hiss when it's switched off, no longer gives random pops and bangs and the rattle from the subs has all but disappeared.

My experience has taught me that employing an established professional is not enough, recommendation means far more, which is why I was happy to drive 500 miles to have Sam upgrade the Sat Nav, and why I wish I'd asked him do the Mosconi/Gladen install as well - thanks again Sam



Apart from the addition of the front tweeters in OE pods, and a couple of amps out of sight under the boot floor there is no way you'd know that the sound system has been modified.

I just have the front Gladen kit atm but tbh I do think I will upgrade the rear at some point as I think you do need a little more rear fill at low volumes.
Do you have the fronts and subs on the 120.4dsp or are you using that one for the front and rear now and have the subs on the non dsp 120.4?
In any case you wouldn't like to share your settings would you?
I don't suppose you would like to share your dsp settings would you

[Sparky68]

Is Am banned?

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by IanS100

My experience has taught me that employing an established professional is not enough, recommendation means far more, which is why I was happy to drive 500 miles to have Sam upgrade the Sat Nav, and why I wish I'd asked him do the Mosconi/Gladen install as well - thanks again Sam

Really appreciate your kind words.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Music Mark

Excuse my ignorance but what do you mean by "tuning"? EQ? Or are there other settings going on 'behind the scenes' which can be coded?

Different school of thought and approaches for different forum members. All depends on what forums member wants and what makes them happy!
If it helps, on Ian's car no coding tricks were used.
On Blondfella's car, some coding tricks were used.
On Kal's car some coding tricks were used.

When I refer to tuning, I am only referring to adjusting input, gains and proper crossovers to start with.

Coding comes afterwards and if you are 'vigilant' enough then all coding tricks are over the internet or at least there are clues for others. Nothing is 'behind the scenes'.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by -Ju-

I just have the front Gladen kit atm but tbh I do think I will upgrade the rear at some point as I think you do need a little more rear fill at low volumes.
Do you have the fronts and subs on the 120.4dsp or are you using that one for the front and rear now and have the subs on the non dsp 120.4?
In any case you wouldn't like to share your settings would you?
I don't suppose you would like to share your dsp settings would you

Ian is using DSP version for the front stage. So front stage is all adjusted.
Rears are run by 2 channel.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Sparky68

Is Am banned?

Send him a pm as he might be very busy around this time of the year.

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by Sparky68

First thing I want to do is get my IB sub installed, so a Gladen harness 2 or 4 channel ? As long as I can add a amped front stage I will be happy.

I think your approach is slightly different here. Adding IB to basic sound system means ruining your sound system with a single source of sound from your back which overcomes other frequencies.

You approach should be opposite to find out if you really need IB after installing the sound system. IMHO, sound upgrade on BMW is 'necessity' where adding a sub to upgraded sound system is 'luxury'. Exception is, if you go for alpine retrofit kit where underseats should be upgraded or solo sub in the boot should be fitted. Which approach you take, totally depends on your, your resources and recommendations of your installer.

[IanS100]

Originally Posted by -Ju-

I just have the front Gladen kit atm but tbh I do think I will upgrade the rear at some point as I think you do need a little more rear fill at low volumes.
Do you have the fronts and subs on the 120.4dsp or are you using that one for the front and rear now and have the subs on the non dsp 120.4?

The 120.4 DSP powers the front speakers which includes the Subs & tweeters and the 120.2 powers the rear speakers, like you, I wanted rear fill from matching speakers and this works out very well.

Originally Posted by -Ju-

I don't suppose you would like to share your dsp settings would you

Sure no prob, credit for the settings file should go to AndyRap who did the work but pm me your email & I'll send it over

[Sparky68]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Send him a pm as he might be very busy around this time of the year.

His profile says banned Sam.

[Sparky68]

Originally Posted by makkan00

I think your approach is slightly different here. Adding IB to basic sound system means ruining your sound system with a single source of sound from your back which overcomes other frequencies.

You approach should be opposite to find out if you really need IB after installing the sound system. IMHO, sound upgrade on BMW is 'necessity' where adding a sub to upgraded sound system is 'luxury'. Exception is, if you go for alpine retrofit kit where underseats should be upgraded or solo sub in the boot should be fitted. Which approach you take, totally depends on your, your resources and recommendations of your installer.

Plan is to amplify the front end with some components in the door/pillar. Gladen do a harness to allow for front and rear output to amps?

[-Ju-]

Originally Posted by IanS100

The 120.4 DSP powers the front speakers which includes the Subs & tweeters and the 120.2 powers the rear speakers, like you, I wanted rear fill from matching speakers and this works out very well.




Sure no prob, credit for the settings file should go to AndyRap who did the work but pm me your email & I'll send it over

Cheers for that I'll do it now

[makkan00]

Originally Posted by IanS100

The 120.4 DSP powers the front speakers which includes the Subs & tweeters and the 120.2 powers the rear speakers, like you, I wanted rear fill from matching speakers and this works out very well.




Sure no prob, credit for the settings file should go to AndyRap who did the work but pm me your email & I'll send it over

Can it be tweaked without the amp? If yes, I would like to have a copy and see if I can improve it.

Thanks.