E30 Audio Overhaul - My Project Details

[Dirtboy]

You can run either the + or - output of each channel to the 6XS. Read my breakdown of the CD43 here:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170952

As long as you run one of those (it really doesn't matter which) to the + terminal on an RCA plug and connect the - terminal to the chassis ground, you are fine. One thing you can do to improve on that is to use the Audio Control level converter. that will accept the differential signal & then feed a ground-referenced signal to the 6XS. The advantage there is that you can run the diff signal all the way to the trunk which will greatly help to reduce noise if that is an issue, and then run a minimal distance of unbalanced signal from the converter to the 6XS. I am thinking that it won't be necessary, but I will do that if I get lots of alternator or ignition noise somehow.

So what would you suggest I use to hook up a Kicker KQ30 eq from a C43 deck? Any highly recommended LOC's?

[bmwman91]

Trust us, the kickpanel location is a JOKE for sound quality. I put in some high quality speakers and have them biamped. They sound like straight ass. I will do 6.5"s in the doors, and seal up the doors with dynamat type material. Done properly they will not look crazy aftermarket or valuable to steal. I have no idea how you are going to shoehorn that 6" in there.

There is a reason not a single person has come on here and had a good idea or recommendation for you to go with in the stock location; there isn't one.

Sorry if I sound harsh, just don't want you to waste your time and money.

No worries, I always appreciate input.

I'll stick them down there & see how it turns out. If it really sounds awful then I will look into moving to the doors. Moisture is just so much more of an issue there, though. That, and I cannot use a deep woofer since it would block the window from moving and I do not want to use spacers since they scream "aftermarket stuff." I am really sort of hell-bent on retaining the most stock look possible. Trust me, people will steal anything. I lost a beaten-up 20 year old steel frame mountain bike that was U-locked to my staircase (they cut it), and that presumably took longer to get through than a car window! That must have taken an hour to cut lol...I hope they get a ruptured bicep's tendon.

The kick panels are easy to get 6.5" speakers into...there are some 6.75" ones there now. It just takes some patience & tin snips.

[bryant.cw]

Trust us, the kickpanel location is a JOKE for sound quality. I put in some high quality speakers and have them biamped. They sound like straight ass. I will do 6.5"s in the doors, and seal up the doors with dynamat type material. Done properly they will not look crazy aftermarket or valuable to steal. I have no idea how you are going to shoehorn that 6" in there.

There is a reason not a single person has come on here and had a good idea or recommendation for you to go with in the stock location; there isn't one.

Sorry if I sound harsh, just don't want you to waste your time and money.

[StereoInstaller1]

Kick panels in an E30 just suck. I did some decent 6.5's in the stock spot, but they have to be a neo magnet. That is why I don't fuck around with either location...but on the other hand, E34 kickpanels kick ass!


No chance in hell for any action like that in the E30 though. The frame of the door protrudes into the tiny little 5.25" stock spot...I wish you all the luck in the damn world getting something decent going on!

[5Toes]

Is that pic the 6.5's in stock E30 kickpanels?

[StereoInstaller1]

Wait, all this work and you're keeping the speakers in the kick panel? Come on man go with something in the door.

Kick panels in an E30 just suck. I did some decent 6.5's in the stock spot, but they have to be a neo magnet. That is why I don't fuck around with either location...but on the other hand, E34 kickpanels kick ass!





No chance in hell for any action like that in the E30 though. The frame of the door protrudes into the tiny little 5.25" stock spot...I wish you all the luck in the damn world getting something decent going on!

[bmwman91]

Wait, all this work and you're keeping the speakers in the kick panel? Come on man go with something in the door.

Haha, absolutely not! I want this as stock looking as possible. Break-ins are prevalent right now, and I don't want to deal with that.

As mentioned, most (but not all) home audio drivers are 8ohms vs 4/2ohm and lower sensitivity. Other than that, you can still find some nice drivers for the money but I would never install my scanspeaks or vifas/seas/peerless in a car... they belong in a nicer home environment for longer / better use. imho .

Agreed, I wouldn't put a $300 driver in a car. It is pretty easy to find 4 Ohm versions of a lot of drivers though.

[Jean]

As mentioned, most (but not all) home audio drivers are 8ohms vs 4/2ohm and lower sensitivity. Other than that, you can still find some nice drivers for the money but I would never install my scanspeaks or vifas/seas/peerless in a car... they belong in a nicer home environment for longer / better use. imho .

[reelop19]

Wait, all this work and you're keeping the speakers in the kick panel? Come on man go with something in the door.

[StereoInstaller1]

nope, no cocaine. Should make wonderful clean bass though, I would just rather see a Qts somewhere around .7 for what you are doing, maybe a Fs more like 28hz

[bmwman91]

150 grams of moving mass, a Qts of .4 and a Fs of 22Hz, with a sensitivity of 82db/W/M and a power handling of 200 watts? Not in my car, no thanks. Ain't ever gonna make the kind of bass I expect. Yeah, it will sound OK, but you are never gonna get the wallop I demand, especially in an airspace like that.


Their 15" driver looks OK though.

Fair enough. The response curve puts the frequencies I am interested in at 84-86dB, which is why they amp is rated to supply ~4X the power to the sub than it does to the other speakers (90dB sensitivity). If this thing is really disappointing, which it might be, then I will either swap it for something else or suck it up & build a box for it. I'll take your word for it that it won't kick like a bronco on coke.

[5Toes]

So any woofer made without a paper cone is fine for car use?

Awesome. These seem amazing... http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...umber=264-1096

[StereoInstaller1]

150 grams of moving mass, a Qts of .4 and a Fs of 22Hz, with a sensitivity of 82db/W/M and a power handling of 200 watts? Not in my car, no thanks. Ain't ever gonna make the kind of bass I expect. Yeah, it will sound OK, but you are never gonna get the wallop I demand, especially in an airspace like that.


Their 15" driver looks OK though.

[bmwman91]

Did you figure out how you're going to mount the front speakers yet?

I am 99% sure that I can buy myself the extra 3-5mm I need with a mallet & a wooden dowel. I can also yank out the Damplifier I installed & get 2-3mm that way. Spacers are a definite no-no since the woofer flanges & surrounds stick out almost 15mm. I will machine up some nylon or Delrin spacers to push the screw heads out so that the kick panels are up against those and not the rubber surrounds.

[reelop19]

Did you figure out how you're going to mount the front speakers yet?