Prem tweets into base audio - crossover question

[benz-tech]

So installed prem tweets into my 318i ft doors. I just read that they need a x-over so as not to blow up. I was just going to use the stock 5 1/4 mids in the kicks but there are no caps or anything there other than the speaker. The combined 8 ohm loads in parallel basically equal 4 ohms so the deck should be pretty happy running that. but I need to know: What do I buy to save the tweets? Is it installed in parallel or in series? Would Radio Shack have what i need? Is there anything cheap I could use to cut the high frequencies for the mid?

My deck will cut the low bass out to save the mids at approx 120Hz or so.
I'm using a kenwood 50w x 4 mediocre deck to power eveything.
I am just trying to maximize the components that I already have and get a little better sound quality.
I have searched and found some info but not exactly what i need so any help would be much appreciated

[StereoInstaller1]

Walk into the install bay of a local (non-chain) car stereo shop.

Make sure you have a $10 and 2 $5s in your wallet. No more, no less.

Look for the oldest guy there.

Walk up to him and say "hey man, any chance you have a pair pf passive crossovers in the bottom drawer of your tool box?"

Be suave, don't let the salesman know.

Wire them in, you should be fine.

GL!
Luke

[benz-tech]

Thanks man, we OG guys have to stick together. I am just not sure how they are wired. Hopefully he can show me how. I know just the place to visit

[StereoInstaller1]

Nope, look to R3V for wiring help. Most all installers hate BMW of all stripes, this is no biggie to install, blah blah blah.

Get the crossovers in your paws, we will chat then.

Oh yeah: have about 10 feet of decent speaker wire, crimp connectors, wire ties, decent crimpers, etc when you dive in. All the wires you need are behind the speakers, you just have to extend them. The crossovers should not be in the kick panels, there is too much water, so you get to extend 6 wires on each side.

[benz-tech]

went to the stereo shop, they didn't have any 'spare' crossovers to sell on the side. I headed to radio shack and bought 2 2.2uF caps and wired them on the hot side of the tweets. It cleaned up the high end noticably. I'm sure they are not the best quality caps out there @ $1.29 ea. It seems to sound pretty good for now. I will be in the market for prem rears and Lukebox as funds permit. I would keep the Polk 5 1/4" in the parcel shelf but they have sooo much dirty bass that they don't match up well with the fronts -well, at least if I ever get around to installing a sub. For now they fill the gap pretty well.

[StereoInstaller1]

Gotta have tunes, right?

[benz-tech]

was basically given a 10" Fosgate R1 sub (150wRMS) in a small sealed box and a 170w RMS bridgable Jensen amp. Got it all wired up and it sounds pretty good. It sounds REAL good considering it all cost me $40. Still getting the tuning right and it lacks the real low end (below 30Hz) punch. I will add some light insulation inside at the recommendation of a local shop which they say will help tighten it up a bit.

[StereoInstaller1]

It won't do much, it is an old myth long disproved.

[benz-tech]

Problem solved. Friend traded me my crappy stuff for a Pheonix Gold 350 and a home-built 10" sub. Looks like an Advent sub to me. PLENTY of solid clean punch now. The odd thing is that it is a 10 ohm woofer which is why i think it is from a home speaker. Can't argue with what works, though. And its almost period-correct.
The only reason for the trade is because he lives in the ghetto and drives an corolla. Plus he has had all this stuff in a box for 10 years and never once put installed it. My old stuff will be fine for his car, hell for this deal I will put it in his car for him!
I even get 6" A/D/S mids and crossovers. Not sure where I will fit them yet... and a 2nd PG350 amp.

[German Audio Specialties]

Score! I loved those amps. You should do both in the E30 so your mids and highs can sound good too.

[benz-tech]

I plan to. The ADS mids are 4 ohm, and he didn't have the tweets so I'll use my stock ones. They fit perfectly in the front kicks but I can't ask my deck to run that combo. I might mount the 2nd PG amp somwhere up front getting power off the starter. It might fit under the knee bolster.
Honestly I'm starting to feel guilty about this trade, he does know how nice this stuff is, but since he never used it he is parting with it for far less than its real value.

I'm sure that amp has plenty of power to run 8 8-ohm speakers if I want to wire all 4 corners to it. Just wouldn't be able to fade F-R.

[German Audio Specialties]

I plan to. The ADS mids are 4 ohm, and he didn't have the tweets so I'll use my stock ones. They fit perfectly in the front kicks but I can't ask my deck to run that combo. I might mount the 2nd PG amp somwhere up front getting power off the starter. It might fit under the knee bolster.
Honestly I'm starting to feel guilty about this trade, he does know how nice this stuff is, but since he never used it he is parting with it for far less than its real value.

I'm sure that amp has plenty of power to run 8 8-ohm speakers if I want to wire all 4 corners to it. Just wouldn't be able to fade F-R.

Nor would you ever hear the fronts...get some power and a high pass filter on the fronts, screw the rears, they are fine on 10 watts.

However much power you have on the rears, double it for the fronts, so you can balance your sound properly, as in "in front of you" but still keep a semblance of fullness from the rears. Roughly 80% of the sound should be in the front.

BTW: do not even think of using the ADS crossovers with the BMW tweeters, it is far too low a crossover point and they will be harsh as hell and blow up fairly quickly. YMMV, but I do not recommend that particular crossover, although it is excellent stuff, it just won't work here.