How to install a killer stereo for $500 (loads of pics)

[randomtask37]

bump for a well designed product and good walkthrough.

I finished my e3012 install with new head unit and rewired PO speakers. Hopefully the kenwood speakers the PO installed aren't total shit. It took longer than I expected but I took my time and got a few hours in here and there after work. Anyway, I don't know how many shots there are of the 12in box out there so i figured id post some. Included are some pics of my subwoofer level control mod to a blank in the dash.

One bit of advice about cutting the 3.5inch holes in the rear deck. wear safety gear when cutting. Laying on your back and drilling upward gets hot sharp metal shards spraying around. I wore some safety glasses from work and laid some towels over myself and my face.

this thing was tight as hell trying to fit in the trunk. it took just about every bit of strength i had to get it in and tight up against the backseat wall. now that its in have no doubt it wont rattle.

There are no pics of the ground included in the walk through. So i posted some pics of mine. Im happy with it. hopefully i don't get flamed for doing it wrong... b/c i think i got it right. i drilled a hole through the floor, scraped it clean and stuck a bolt/nut through.

unfortunately i havent been able to test the sound quality because I'm a genius and broke the fuse that came with my my amp install kit. no where locally sells anything larger than 60amp so I'm waiting on a delivery. what came with my kit was 80amp but I ordered some 100amp fuses because the plant audio amp has 3x35 amp fuses (105a) on it, so I'm hoping i made the right choice... right?

thanks for the walkthrough and nice product. enjoy

[StereoInstaller1]

Thank you!

[firemanory]

Another quick shout out for Luke and his team of crazy elves in the factory. I have to say, more than anything else i have done to my car at this point, I think doing this stereo and speaker install has been the most enjoyable, most rewarding fix/upgrade to date. There is nothing like being able to crank the tunes up and having flashbacks to high school when life was carefree and the Beastie Boys were still punk rockers. Now old farts like me can feel 20 years younger, all because of some silly carpet covered sawdust.

Thanks for doing what you do and investing the time to make a focused product like this to an old car that most would never think of marketing to.

Cheers

[StereoInstaller1]

Thanks for the info! I'll create a new thread for this line of questioning. I am thinking of building a solid 3-way setup up front, but have no idea what limitations there would be with this car as I am new to the e30.

Ah, gotcha. If you have late model doors, you can get quite a burly 6.5" driver just above the map pockets.

If I were to do a 3 way kit, I would do the Soundstream RF6.3C. The mids in the top of the dash, tweets in the stock spot...but, me being the smartass I am, I would make the glovebox slide out on a motorized track and put the midbass driver in the stock location.

That would be seriously badass, and that speaker kit has to be the nicest anything I have seen for $300. That kit was developed by a guy I have known for 25 years, dude named Grizz Archer.

Throw that thread up, all kinds of guys on here can voice some opinion.

In the meantime, we will have E3010" boxes in stock by this weekend...if any of you guys are thinking of duplicating this install, lets get on it!

Luke

[GAbOS]

Thanks for the info! I'll create a new thread for this line of questioning. I am thinking of building a solid 3-way setup up front, but have no idea what limitations there would be with this car as I am new to the e30.

[StereoInstaller1]

Whoa.. I asked a question, not telling you what I was going to do and then ignore your recommendation.

If loosing the rear fill will harm the mid bass, how would you fill the rear while trying to maintain a more than decent SQ front stage? Let's ignore amp choices at this point.

Well, the issue is not so much the rear fill or lack thereof, it is the shitty midbass form the front speaker location. That is why I recommend using rear speakers in a simple install such as outlined in this thread.

[GAbOS]

Why would you think that? When you bridge the other 4 channels, you double every form of distortion there is and gain power in a frequency group where you don't use all of what you have already...plus, that would mean losing the rear speakers, which means cutting the surface area of the midbass region drivers in half...I mean, its your money, right? Do as you feel, go ahead and ignore the old fuck who has been doing this for 32 years...

Whoa.. I asked a question, not telling you what I was going to do and then ignore your recommendation.

If loosing the rear fill will harm the mid bass, how would you fill the rear while trying to maintain a more than decent SQ front stage? Let's ignore amp choices at this point.

[StereoInstaller1]

How would a 3 channel sound in a coupe? The thought of a bridged 5 channel sounds appealing with good mids to highs.

Why would you think that? When you bridge the other 4 channels, you double every form of distortion there is and gain power in a frequency group where you don't use all of what you have already...plus, that would mean losing the rear speakers, which means cutting the surface area of the midbass region drivers in half...I mean, its your money, right? Do as you feel, go ahead and ignore the old fuck who has been doing this for 32 years...

[GAbOS]

How would a 3 channel sound in a coupe? The thought of a bridged 5 channel sounds appealing with good mids to highs.

[beta14ok]

Time for another bump on this awesome thread!

No e30 should be without one of these superb sub-boxes! ....and the GAS amp rack for that matter. Superb build quality, honest customer service, and the sound outa this thing is killer marvelous!

Luke Rocks!





Installed in my 1991 318is:

• 10" Luke box
• Amp rack [ http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=220989 ]
• Jensen 5500 amp
• 10" obcom sharktooth
• JVC KD-HRD71BT Head-Unit
• 2x Stinger 6000 series RCA cables (fronts & rears)
• 1x Rockford Fosgate RFIT RCA cables (sub)
• Tsunami 4-gauge power wire & fuse rig
• Fronts speakers sliced in w/ stock wire like: [ http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...=231107&page=3 ]
• Kimber Kwik-12 (Additional speaker wire lengthening Fronts and Rears to the amp and all sub wiring) Free from another project.
• 4x Infinity Kappa 5.25" coax speakers (front & rear). Free from the previous owner's bad install.
• Stock Premium Front tweeters wired in parallel with front tweeter from the cross-overs.

It looks and sounds great. I'll post some pics in another thread later this month when I find some time.

If you don't have a sub-box from GAS in your BMW, put your order in.

Regards,
dmm

[ACS Cabrio]

I am now recommending the Planet Audio 1800.5 as the cheap 5 channel winner

Soon to review the e3012/infinity 1262/PA 1800.5 combo
All together, Brand new, 460. Very happy and excited to experience the sound technology, thanks Luke for all your help

[StereoInstaller1]

okay i know this is an old thread but i dont mess with electronic stuff myself so i was going to follow this write up but when i search the jensen power 5500 amp its a discontinued product :hitler: so what would you recommend for the amp and sub. i have a head unit already installed. im looking for nice crisp bass but nothing overbearing -may have family in the car at times

I am now recommending the Planet Audio 1800.5 as the cheap 5 channel winner

[E30DriftMissile]

okay i know this is an old thread but i dont mess with electronic stuff myself so i was going to follow this write up but when i search the jensen power 5500 amp its a discontinued product :hitler: so what would you recommend for the amp and sub. i have a head unit already installed. im looking for nice crisp bass but nothing overbearing -may have family in the car at times

[StereoInstaller1]

Great writeup!

Thanks! I will be editing and adding a whole bunch of stuff shortly before putting it up on my website.

in my spare time, that is...

Luke

[Onizukachan]

Great writeup!