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      11-11-2013, 04:43 PM   #1
GL888
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Sydney pro audio shops?? who will work on f30

Hi Guys,

I've got a 328 with the standard (sub standard sounding) HiFi setup. I'm struggling to find a shop that will do some marginal upgrade on this set (no cutting, just upgrading) on my F30.

Few reputable shops have just said they haven't worked on one of these, but would 'try'. Not sure if i want my car to be their tester!

Who in the Sydney metro would you guys recommend that would have experience on a f30?
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      11-11-2013, 05:42 PM   #2
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Given the proliferation (not!) of F30's in Australia I would imagine no one has experience with them mate.

You may well have to be the Guinea pig.
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      11-11-2013, 08:36 PM   #3
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Still thinking i should have bought the HK??
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      11-11-2013, 09:03 PM   #4
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Yup
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      11-11-2013, 11:06 PM   #5
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Have you tried FHRX studios in Caringbah? They are reputable & seem to take care of the cars they work on.
I had a minor speaker upgrade and sound deadening done (front doors) in my previous car back in 09 and they did a fantastic job albeit a bit pricey compared to other installers.

They don't have a fancy display studio, just a workshop with a small office upstairs and they sell brands such as Morel, ARC Audio, Audison, Focal, Nakamichi, Rainbow, etc. Give them a call and see what they can do for you.
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      11-16-2013, 07:43 AM   #6
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Contacted a few shops including the one you've mentioned and a few recommended sound deadening. Issue is everyone on the US based forum has recommended speaker upgrades etc...

Just confusing and without knowing any shops that have opened up and f30 it's a bit difficult to come to a conclusion
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      11-16-2013, 03:18 PM   #7
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The F30 is put together very simply. Nothing special or magical about it.
The following video will give you a very close up view of how it's put together.
You may even try a DIY approach, it's that straightforward.
Enjoy

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      11-18-2013, 06:15 PM   #8
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David328M-Sport: Thats a fantastic video, thanks for posting it.

GL888 - David's video should give you some peace of mind as to how easy it is to pull the doors apart.

Going back to your original question, what exactly bothers you about the current OEM setup? Is the sound quality/clarity lacking in any way or you after louder sound? Have you tried changing settings, do you have an equalizer?

In my humble opinion, every sound upgrade project I've seen has always been done in stages and this works out well as you can hear/feel the changes with every stage. This also gives you greater control with your budget and allows you the flexibility to change your mind after each stage.

What the shops said about sound deadening is always the first place to start. This makes a world of difference...even with stock speakers.

Post that...
Normally a minor but value-for-money upgrade would be to get a good set of front splits with a decent crossover and make sure there's enough juice to run them (amplifier if required). This will cover the mids and high frequency.

Then...
If you want some extra low end - consider a compact amplified sub (mounted under the seat).

Finally...
Timing/tuning. I'm quite new to this concept so I can't elaborate much but consider this the fine tuning of your system to get the best out of it...makes a difference.
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      11-19-2013, 07:08 AM   #9
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What's the problem with the standard setup? I reckon clarity is pretty good, as is bass
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      11-21-2013, 04:48 AM   #10
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Guys,

Thanks for the feedback and video.

Whilst it looks easy to do I'm a firm believer that when it comes to pull simple door panels apart I've seen things break and when you don't have the necessary tools to fix things you've accidentally broken id leave it for the professionals.

UPDATE: I did get a quote to install 7 speakers and amp for $2k which I though was a bit steep. So I'm thinking about it.

Sound quality of f30 is IMO mundane, you have ok highs and not too bad lows but very little if any mid. Coupled with a basic eq that that controls one side of the spectrum you don't have much control. The speakers in the hifi f30 are paper cone Panasonic base line speakers, so you can't demand Great sound. That said people don't by bmws for their audio, that's where audi and mercs excel.
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      11-21-2013, 04:50 AM   #11
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I'm extremely happy with the sound quality of my car.
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      11-21-2013, 05:20 PM   #12
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I probably would be too with a HK ;-)
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      11-23-2013, 07:45 AM   #13
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Each to their own mate, any decent shop will also snap clips and not replace them etc. They don't have proper tools as you mention, I used to get a lot done to my previous cars. On my first car (e36) I stuck in a nakamichi deck with decent splits and RF sub and amp because I am a high decibel punk rock connoisseur- and sure the sound was better than the standard f30 kit, but not enough to make me go out and spend over a grand on it! I really reckon it's heaps better these days. BMW sound used to be horrid
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      07-02-2014, 01:31 AM   #14
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Dredging up an old thread here but I can thoroughly recommend Marty at FHRX if you're in Sydney, very high quality work.
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