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

[george graves]

Why do you say that? Mine sound awesome using this write up. Granted I'm not a true audiophile but I can say that the premiums do very well especially considering their age. I have them amped up and I can crank them up till my ears can't take it and they don't sound bad at all at high volume levels. In fact they sound superb.

Good point - and don't think your ears aren't as tuned in as the next guy. Chances you can hear just as much as they can. Within reason...I use to "do sound" for large venues. So I got to know exactly where a system is lacking - and we'd EQ a hall before and during the show (all those bodies in a room really change the sound of a space) - I use to have much more tuned ears then I do now. back in the day I would say "bring 1.2K down a bit"

Driving almost any speaker with a quality source will improve the sound 100 fold. So, that's why a lot of people go wrong with upgrading their speakers, and keeping the factory deck/amp. You have to find the weak link in the chain. The stock e30 amp (most stock amps) are built to kinda suck. It's made to the lowest dollar.

All I'm saying is that keep this thread in perspective. It's a $500 build. Keeping the stock speakers is a huge step towards that price range and being able to afford adding a luke box and still being under $500. That's all.

Luke will be along shortly to tell me how wrong I am, and something about magnet and how they work. ;) Cough*solder*cough*

[Cephas]

Good point - and don't think your ears aren't as tuned in as the next guy. Chances you can hear just as much as they can. Within reason...I use to "do sound" for large venues. So I got to know exactly where a system is lacking - and we'd EQ a hall before and during the show (all those bodies in a room really change the sound of a space) - I use to have much more tuned ears then I do now. back in the day I would say "bring 1.2K down a bit"

Driving almost any speaker with a quality source will improve the sound 100 fold. So, that's why a lot of people go wrong with upgrading their speakers, and keeping the factory deck/amp. You have to find the weak link in the chain. The stock e30 amp (most stock amps) are built to kinda suck. It's made to the lowest dollar.

All I'm saying is that keep this thread in perspective. It's a $500 build. Keeping the stock speakers is a huge step towards that price range and being able to afford adding a luke box and still being under $500. That's all.

Luke will be along shortly to tell me how wrong I am, and something about magnet and how they work. ;) Cough*solder*cough*

I don't know that you're really that off base. I did the speaker upgrade to the e34 mids and dayton tweeters and man, what a difference it made, especially in mellowing out the ridiculously tinny factory tweeters.

The real problem with these cars is that the front mid bass speaker locations are complete and utter crap. That and they are so small they just can't produce proper mid-bass staging. I'm not about to cut into my door panels to change that, but it is the biggest limitation to quality sound in these cars IMO.

Even with my head unit creating a "Front Left" stage through digital delays and putting the fader heavily to the front channels, the sound barely comes from the "front" of me. Pretty brutal.

I'm thinking about getting a Kicker Front Row or similar product, but that is WAY beyond the scope of this budget thread. It also may not help at all because of the physical limitations of the stock speaker locations.

[StereoInstaller1]

I think it's time we all admit that the stock "premium" speakers aren't worth their weight in monopoly money.

...the fuck?

They kick the shit out of any aftermarket speaker in the stock locations.

[Rouvld]

For the people who have the Luke box, does the rear seats inhibit the sound at all? I'm talking in reference to those who don't have a ski pass, just the regular back seat. I ask because I'm planning on getting e30 read seats.

[beta14ok]

The Luke Box is WONDERFUL addition to you e30 audio system.......regardless!

Buy it now or your bass will always be compromised. A pass-through rear seat is NOT a necessity.

That said.....you can improve the slam if it is either ported or used with a pass-through. Your search on the topic will reveal some nice cool looking solutions if you wanna port.

Trust me...you need a Luke Box.

[r3zon8]

I recently picked up an E30 that appears to have Premium Sound but now has an aftermarket HU and aftermarket Rears and aftermarket Tweeters. The kickpanel Fronts appear to still be factory but not sure if blown. Audio quality is generally very bad; system sounds like theres a tiny Bluetooth speaker in the car. Also seems when the rears were installed new wiring was run. I still havent traced it all out. In any case these were my plans:

Headunit:
Replace with any decent Pioneer HU

Speakers:
After some reading through the previous posts it seems returning all speakers to Premiums is my best choice. Where can I source new/like new Premium speakers?

Wiring:
Inspect how much of the factory wiring is still in place and switch back to factory wiring+harnesses. Pull and trash the aftermarket wiring that was run.

Sub:
LukeBox is top choice. What amp+sub to pair it with?

Budget: $250

thanks!

[george graves]

They kick the shit out of any aftermarket speaker

If e30 stock "premium" speakers were so much better then any after market speaker on the market today, why isn't there a rush to buy e30 premium speakers for other cars makes and why aren't audiophiles gobbling them up?

[Brian D]

If e30 stock "premium" speakers were so much better then any after market speaker on the market today, why isn't there a rush to buy e30 premium speakers for other cars makes and why aren't audiophiles gobbling them up?

Not sure where you're going with this. If you're saying you could swap out the BMW speakers with some bigboxstore pioneer or kenwood speakers and get better sound, you're full of it. Been there.

Or are you saying it would take something serious (but much more expensive) to do the job? I'd still question it, but yes you could possibly change the sound for a slight improvement. Would it be worth it? Not to anyone that is even remotely interested in this thread.

The point is the BMW speakers can punch way above their weight class when properly fed. I have had 2 different setups, the E30 had a active crossover Dayton/HAT front stage and the E34 has the late model stockers with Lukes crossover. Detail retrieval, soundstage, and tonality are all better in the 34. And the E30 was no slouch, had many people including audio shop employees compliment me on it.

Oh, and 90% of "audiophiles" buy based on brand name, shiny build quality, and price, the higher the better.

Fact of the matter is that Luke knows these cars and how to make them work. I don't know if you're trying to bust his balls or it just seems so, but I haven't heard anything you've made so I'll go with the man with experience.

[StereoInstaller1]

Here's the basics:

BMWs in general, and E30s in specific have less airspace behind the speaker than any other car.

Figure the door panels of an F-250 or a RAV4 have what, 40, 50 maybe even 100 liters of airspace...while an E30 has what, 2 liters?

Aftermarket speakers have low compliance (meaning they have stiff suspension) while Premium (and all BMW speakers) are high compliance (softer suspension) and thus work properly in the E30 environment...that is all that is at play here, its all about the environment they are mounted in.

So, while the Premium are excellent build quality and specs, I would not recommend them in an F250, RAV4, CRX, Camry or Camaro...they make all the sense in the world to use in an E30.

Logic!

Now, lets make the rest of the case even more obvious: as you go "up the food chain" (more expensive components) the problem is even worse...because they expect more power handling, meaning an even stiffer suspension is required, thus making the issue even worse.

Hope that helps.

Luke

[Justin B]

[beta14ok]

Ok, I'm taking back the bad-vibes I was passing-on about MaxxSonics and their MBQuart line. They just sent me a replacement of a XA1-1100.5. Not installed yet, but should be equivalent to the sounds I was getting outa the crapped-out OA-1100.5.......and hopefully this one will hold-up a little better.

[wannaBMthree]

Just updated my Killer Stereo Install, now even more killer.

Alpine Sub,Type S is like the old Type R, blew the infinity (was overpowered).
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...-SWS-10D4.html

Kenwood Deck, never been a fan of the brand but the color match is perfect. Couldn't pass up $80 black Friday deal.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-VM0ZREc...-KDC-X399.html

[The White Guy]

Powerbass amplifier install with "Lukebox"

So, today I finally got around to mounting my Christmas gift from the wife..
Powerbass 700.5 amplifier. This is for the $500 killer stereo system that Luke has developed. Progress has been slow as I am also resto-modding the car. I get to it when I can.


I did a basic amplifier mount and installed it onto the "Lukebox" enclosure.

I used EZ-LOK threaded inserts installed into the MDF.


I then screwed rubber isolation mounts into these inserts.



I then mounted the amplifier onto the mounts with locknuts.


Link to E34 mid bass driver install/Dayton tweeter install:

http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showpost.php?p=4145039&postcount=110

It is spaced 1" off the subwoofer enclosure surface and rubber isolated. I am hoping that this will help with the air circulation/cooling of the amp and vibration absorption..I'm and old man who won't be thumping too hard, so hopefully this will work out.
Time to get to wiring it up. GAS local PCNs at each corner with E34 mid bass drivers and Dayton Audio ND25FN-4 silk dome tweeters. Also fabbed up a dash mounted subwoofer remote control just like Luke did.
Thanks,
Stan

[The White Guy]

Lukebox and Local PCN installation pics

Hey all,
Old pics of my Lukebox and Local PCN installation previously done.
Tweeter pod final:


Infinity 10" sub install into Lukebox:


Lukebox slid into place/pre-installed into car:


Hollowed out foam on backseat backrest and final install picture:


Local PCN installation on rear parcel shelf:


Thanks,
Stan

[Kevinl]

I ported my rear seat made a huge difference the sub was basically non existintent with the stock seat i should have done this 3 years ago

maybe one day ill find a ski pass rear seat but im not holding my breath