[kierownik]

It's been a few days and I still can't get used to how good those HK speakers sound.
But now the rear speakers are slacking a bit in clarity and volume department.
So I've decided to upgrade rear speakers with the Focals. I already ordered them.
Putting HK at the back would be perfect scenario but I can't be bothered with buying entire door panels just to be able to fit the tweeters in. Besides I believe that Focals at the back will greatly improve the sound quality anyway.

I might bite the bullet and invest in better subs with an amp in the future.

[Billfitz]

The door cards are embossed on the inside where to drill holes for the tweeters.

[kierownik]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

The door cards are embossed on the inside where to drill holes for the tweeters.

Yeah, I won't be doing that pal. In case if I ever need to revert it back to stock. And because they're Focal speakers I'm sure the sound quality at the back will improve a lot over the standard ones.

[Onizukachan]

Originally Posted by kierownik

Yeah, I won't be doing that pal. In case if I even need to revert it back to stock.

How you planning to put in those rear focals in then, pal?

[kierownik]

Originally Posted by Onizukachan

How you planning to put in those rear focals in then, pal?

Focal IC BMW100L are 1:1 replacement for the door speakers. They're designed to fit BMW/Mini without any modifications.
And because they're Focal speakers I'm sure the sound quality will improve a lot over the standard ones.

[MarinoVir]

Hi, I have the focal on the rear ports connected to the main source, the rest all amplified and I can tell you that you will not find any difference, in fact in my opinion the originals sound better

[MarinoVir]

I wanted to take advantage of those who know more than me. I have an audison sr5 amplifier. 2 outputs on front front 2 outputs on Harman kardon woofers under the saddle. The 5th output of the sub not connected. I am not very happy. My idea is to amplify the front front and rear and with the sub output put the 2 Harman kardons in parallel so as to drop the impedance to about 3.5 ohm. What do you think?

[Billfitz]

That seems reasonable.

[kierownik]

Originally Posted by MarinoVir

Hi, I have the focal on the rear ports connected to the main source, the rest all amplified and I can tell you that you will not find any difference, in fact in my opinion the originals sound better

Well, my experience is actually very different than yours. Front HK mid and tweeters + Focals at the back and everything connected to the factory unit and it sounds really good. Much better than original. Focals have much more highs than original speakers which in comparison sounded muddy. Overall I'm very happy with the upgrade and at this point I genuinely think that if I fitted Focals at the front instead of HK in the first place I would also be very happy with the result.

My only complain is that when listening to some songs (only some, not all) for some reason HK speakers at the front seem to be outputting nice highs but the mids are almost of non existent. I don't know why. Luckily my MMI box has it's own amplifier and I was able to fix it by playing with equalizer a little bit.

[chill-out]

My F30 LCI is UK spec with a base audio system. I upgraded the front door speakers to Audison Prima APBMW X4E and I quite like them. They sound much better than the stock speakers, I only wish I did the upgrade sooner. They are direct replacement for the stock speakers with no modifications to connectors or screw holes etc.

[ATL_Nak-Muay]

Go here https://www.crutchfield.com/S-6iBeA32Kr6O/
And plug in your cars info. Don't buy cheap crap from eBay. You'll hate it later. Mine came with h/k sound luckily but I tapped in a lc2 and an extra 500w jl 12" in the trunk. Or boot.

[panema]

Originally Posted by johnung

Nah, you are mischaracterizing the Match amp and Earthquake installation. Some would call it throwing FUD fear, uncertainty and doubt at it to promote the products that you like.

Prices are less than you stated. Earthquakes are only $129 each on Amazon. Earthquake Spacer rings are only $25 for the pair. Installation is very straightforward, pretty much the same for any sub replacement. Remove 4 seat rail bolts and tilt the seat back. Then remove a few screws to take the sub cover off. Take stock sub out and drop the spacer ring and Earthquake in.

Match has made the Match 7DSP installation as plug and play as possible. It installs into the empty space that BMW intended for an amplifier. And the two Match cables connect in series directly to the head unit in the dash.

The installation details needed are the same or even less than any other installation. Anyone with basic skills and experience can accomplish it. And the sound improvement will be amazing! The Match DSP is much more advanced than the DSP in the BMW Harman Kardon DSP.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by mischaracterizing the Match amp and the Earthquake installation?

I'm not trying to create fear, uncertainty, or doubt... those prices I listed were literally actually the prices I found when looking up the products at the time of the post. Also, it seems like you have a set of products you've had a great experience with and don't mind sharing, so I'm failing to see what the issue is with sharing my personal experience as well?

I wasn't trying to say the actual installation is super difficult to do, and I agree with you doing the install should be relatively straightforward for anyone with the basic skills to do it... but scroll up in thread and you'll see phrases like 'scouring the internet' and 'can you please provide links' for questions / products / putting together systems that come up on the forum all the time. Thats the difficulty I was referring to and I just happen to think its pretty great that there is a solution out there where you don't have to go through some of that trouble.

[panema]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

That's because they also designed their own under seat woofer to try and get the most performance possible out of that insanely difficult enclosure setting. Not only did they succeed, they post their measured T/S specs to prove it. If you don't know what that means, and to be fair I'd estimate 95% or more of those who embark on the upgrade quest don't, your research didn't include the sources that it should have. Buying speakers without seeing measured results is like buying a tune without seeing dyno results.

I completely agree with you its a difficult enclosure setting to design a driver for - especially when you consider most bmw owners are looking to that enclosure and that driver to supply more loud low end than the space constraints really allow for.

Bill have you actually personally measured the T/S specs of the Earthquakes? If you have, can you share the results?

I personally have a bit of an inherent distrust of company published data - especially in the car audio. If you've taken those measurements I would love to see them and compare them to what Earthquake has put out there.

[Billfitz]

I have not. I don't even have them. I only listen to Classic Rock at sensible levels, so what the Earthquakes offer I don't need. As to fake specs, that's tough to get away with. DATS (https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton...System-390-807) is a common tool with those who are really into loudspeakers, like members of the Parts Express forum. They pretty much measure all the drivers they use, so bad specs get outed.

The underseat enclosures aren't as bad as they appear to be, because they vent into chambers that result in them operating as lossy 0.6 cu ft sealed enclosures.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by panema

I completely agree with you its a difficult enclosure setting to design a driver for - especially when you consider most bmw owners are looking to that enclosure and that driver to supply more loud low end than the space constraints really allow for.

Bill have you actually personally measured the T/S specs of the Earthquakes? If you have, can you share the results?

I personally have a bit of an inherent distrust of company published data - especially in the car audio. If you've taken those measurements I would love to see them and compare them to what Earthquake has put out there.

If you read through the forum there is little fear of manufacturers posting inaccurate specs. It's mostly examples of companies posting incomplete specs or none at all. Often with huge amounts of slick marketing materials with wondrous claims.

[panema]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

I have not. I don't even have them. I only listen to Classic Rock at sensible levels, so what the Earthquakes offer I don't need. As to fake specs, that's tough to get away with. DATS (https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton...System-390-807) is a common tool with those who are really into loudspeakers, like members of the Parts Express forum. They pretty much measure all the drivers they use, so bad specs get outed.

The underseat enclosures aren't as bad as they appear to be, because they vent into chambers that result in them operating as lossy 0.6 cu ft sealed enclosures.

I'd have to politely disagree on your point about manufactures not being able to get away with misconstruing figures. My experience bench testing both drivers and amplifiers has shown manufacturers frequently - lets say - exaggerate some of their figures...

[Billfitz]

And you caught them. I assume you posted your results in the appropriate places. I see this all the time on those audio forums that I frequent.

On the issue of changing specs, my friends at Eminence keep a close eye on them. They'll prototype a driver and order the components to build them, and then at some point along the line somebody somewhere changes one of the components and the specs are now off. To nip that in the bud they pull drivers out of every production run and test them. I've never measured an Eminence driver that was out of spec, going back over 20 years.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by johnung

If you read through the forum there is little fear of manufacturers posting inaccurate specs. It's mostly examples of companies posting incomplete specs or none at all. Often with huge amounts of slick marketing materials with wondrous claims.

On that subject, when I design a speaker I build a prototype and thoroughly test it before finalizing the design for the company that commissioned it. I always provide the complete test data to the company. I've never seen any of them publish it. For that matter most company owners don't know what the data means. If they did they wouldn't have to hire me to design their speakers.

What they do care about is the profit margin. They have a target retail price. They seldom tell me to come up with the best sounding speaker possible that they can sell at that price. They usually tell me to come up with the lowest possible build cost that sounds good enough to sell at that price.

[badninja99]

Originally Posted by johnung

Don't waste your money on speaker upgrades. The BMW speakers are quite good. It's how they are being driven that's the issue. Don't listen to audio shops trying to sell you what they make the most profit on. Most are cheaply made Chinese speakers.

The one speaker replacement exception for all of the BMW audio systems is the underseat subwoofers which are subpar. The tiny BMW underseat cabinets is the problem. The highly advertised expensive subwoofer upgrades are not the solution. The best underseat subwoofers that are actually made for the cabinets and have the specs to prove it are Earthquake SWS-8Xi (2-ohm) along with the Earthquake spacer rings. Earthquakes are available at Walmart Online, Amazon and ECS Tuning.

Do you have the base, HiFi or Harman Kardon BMW audio system? The upgrade solutions vary by which you have.

Here are the best upgrade paths depending on which stock BMW audio system a car has.

Both Match amplifiers below add an advanced DSP system that is much better than the DSP system that is included in the HK system. They instantly make the BMW speakers sound amazing.

Base Audio System:
Match 7DSP amplifier. Two specific Match cables to connect amp to your BMW dash unit. The amplifier mounts easily in the trunk in the empty left rear alcove spot.
Earthquake subwoofers and Spacer Rings

You can also add a center dash channel with midrange and tweeter (the bracket should already be there under the dash pad) and add tweeters to your four doors.

HiFi Audio System:
Match 7BMW amplifier. Complete plug and play replacement for your stock HiFi amplifier in the trunk.
Earthquake Subwoofers & Spacer rings

You can also add a tweeter to the empty bracket next to your top dash center channel midrange. And you can add tweeters to your rear doors.

Harman Kardon Audio System:
AudioControl ACM-2.300 LOC/Amplifier
Technicpnp website- wiring harness
Earthquake Subwoofers and Spacer Rings

Everything is fine with the HK system except the weak underseat subwoofers and the power that drives them. The ACM-2.300 is the perfect secondary amplifier to drive just the Earthquake subwoofers. My family and friends thought that I must have replaced my BMW audio system. But all I did was replace the subwoofers and add the right amplifier to drive them.

Hope this helps!

johnung

I have the HK stock speaker and amp. I've read a few posts that recommended Earthquake Subwoofers spacers and an amp.

I'm still a bit confused on the complete setup.

I'm not looking for a major modifications, Just something plug and play that will improve my experience.

Is this what you would recommend for me as well?

Harman Kardon Audio System:
AudioControl ACM-2.300 LOC/Amplifier
Technicpnp website- wiring harness
Earthquake Subwoofers and Spacer Rings

[johnung]

Originally Posted by badninja99

johnung

I have the HK stock speaker and amp. I've read a few posts that recommended Earthquake Subwoofers spacers and an amp.

I'm still a bit confused on the complete setup.

I'm not looking for a major modifications, Just something plug and play that will improve my experience.

Is this what you would recommend for me as well?

Harman Kardon Audio System:
AudioControl ACM-2.300 LOC/Amplifier
Technicpnp website- wiring harness
Earthquake Subwoofers and Spacer Rings

That's the setup that I installed in my car with the HK system. The Earthquakes must be the 2-ohm version, part number SWS-8Xi.

If retailers don't have the spacer rings they can be purchased direct from Earthquake Sound for $25/pair

The Technicpnp harness is $55

https://technicpnp.com/product/logic...sub-t-harness/

Crutchfield and a couple other retailers sell the AudioControl LOC/amplifier, ACM-2.300

I would not categorize it as plug and play, but it is a straightforward installation. Swapping out the underseat subs is very close to plug and play. The secondary amplifier and technicpnp harness are a little more involved because they are additions, not swaps. Anyone who has installed a car stereo shouldn't have too much difficulty

[badninja99]

Originally Posted by johnung

That's the setup that I installed in my car with the HK system. The Earthquakes must be the 2-ohm version, part number SWS-8Xi.

If retailers don't have the spacer rings they can be purchased direct from Earthquake Sound for $25/pair

The Technicpnp harness is $55

https://technicpnp.com/product/logic...sub-t-harness/

Crutchfield and a couple other retailers sell the AudioControl LOC/amplifier, ACM-2.300

I would not categorize it as plug and play, but it is a straightforward installation. Swapping out the underseat subs is very close to plug and play. The secondary amplifier and technicpnp harness are a little more involved because they are additions, not swaps. Anyone who has installed a car stereo shouldn't have too much difficulty

Just ordered all the parts, I saw a few videos on how to install the subs. Are there any instructions on how to wire the amp? Or am I better of paying a audio shop to do it?

[dzeb]

Hello guys, i was looking for an audio upgrade for my f34 with HIFI audio. And i want to ask how does HIFI with Match up 7BMW amplifier compares with stock H/K? Im thinking which way should i take, retrofit H/K, or get a Match 7BMW?