Premium Sound upgrade kit feeler

[StereoInstaller1]

Hi R3V!

Several of you have seen our wonderful crossover networks.

They are a work of art and some say they sound better than they look:



Of course, the cost of these things is partially due to high parts cost and partially due to the tremendous amount of work we put into them.

Lately, we have been experimenting with a full speaker kit, consisting of all new wire, a full crossover network and all new speakers. We now offer this kit for the E28 and E24 and will shortly offer it for the E30. It looks fantastic and as one guy puts it: this is the best sounding car system I have ever owned, and the least expensive by half (yes, this is a real M6, story will post soon)



However, a significant part of the cost is the new wiring and the tremendous amount of work necessary to build these.

However, if we were to design a "budget" version using the same high-quality parts and different speakers and a crossover designed to be tucked into the A pillar above the speaker, I think we can get excellent sound quality without rewiring your car and keeping costs low. You wouldn't have our pretty circuit board, but you would have excellent sound.

We are thinking we want to use the E34 mid, as it is just excellent clarity, readily available and fits perfectly and we are thinking to combine it with these:

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd25fn-4-1-neo-silk-dome-tweeter-element-4-ohm--275-053

We are thinking we could build these fairly cheap if we were to do a 4500Hz 6db/oct high pass and a 12db/oct 6Khz high-pass with our standard tweeter protection circuit.

What say you, R3V, is it time to get some real clarity in your "Killer $500 Stereo"?

Discuss!

Luke

[BlackSpeed66]

Definitely interested... considering the work I've put into the stereo as of late....

[StereoInstaller1]

Do the junkyards around you have plenty of E34?

[DER E30]

Hmmm, dang! More things I want to buy!

[BlackSpeed66]

Do the junkyards around you have plenty of E34?

Nope. The junkyards around Cleveland are pretty useless. eBay and the r3v classifieds are my only friends, haha.

[Rmlr]

Definitely Interested. I currently have a Sony CDX with 4 preouts (Front, rear/sub) with some random sony speakers on 4 corners. Its NON PS, therefore finances permitting, I was planning a complete upgrade. Just scored some tweeter pods, next will pick up some components and an amp maybe. a sub is planned as well.
If you do offer a turnkey solution with all the components paired well being offered by a well known audio specialist like yourself, I am quite certain that a lot of us here looking for an upgrade would jump right at it. I know i would;)

[dustyperez]

well i may be interested in a NON budget build. What kinda components are in that?

[nrubenstein]

Why not find a tweeter that you can source easily as well?

[StereoInstaller1]

Why not find a tweeter that you can source easily as well?

I thought we did! These are $30 or so a pair, are far higher quality than Polk, JL, Focal, or whatever typical aftermarket units units, fit our cars perfectly, are extremely well documented, are a true silk soft dome and kick the shit out of most anything that isn't megabucks stuff.

I am also very excited that this tweeter has an actual heat sink, so for extended high volume listening, it should remain more stable. From what I have seen, this is an awesome tweeter. I won't recommend it until we have had some serious listening time and get to do some measurements, but so far, it looks a winner.

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd25fn-4-1-neo-silk-dome-tweeter-element-4-ohm--275-053

Oh yeah, it can also be had in a titanium dome, for those who like a much brighter sound:

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd25ta-4-1-titanium-dome-neodymium-tweeter--275-057

Parts Express is an excellent vendor, quick shipping, great customer service, all that. Between price, availability, (hopefully) performance and quality, this is a winner in my book.

We will also be experimenting and hopefully others will too, so we can all learn from one another and make better sound everyone can afford.

[StereoInstaller1]

well i may be interested in a NON budget build. What kinda components are in that?

We actually have that system almost finished for the E30. Our 8 channel PCN does all 8 speakers, uses the same uber-quality components and has the same sexy look.

The E30 PCN will include all new wire because it is intended for trunk mounting, typically inside our amp racks, like this:



That system will be ready in a few days, actually, we are building them now.

Thanks!
Luke

[nrubenstein]

I thought we did! These are $30 or so a pair, are far higher quality than Polk, JL, Focal, or whatever typical aftermarket units units, fit our cars perfectly, are extremely well documented, are a true silk soft dome and kick the shit out of most anything that isn't megabucks stuff.

I am also very excited that this tweeter has an actual heat sink, so for extended high volume listening, it should remain more stable. From what I have seen, this is an awesome tweeter. I won't recommend it until we have had some serious listening time and get to do some measurements, but so far, it looks a winner.

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd25fn-4-1-neo-silk-dome-tweeter-element-4-ohm--275-053

Oh yeah, it can also be had in a titanium dome, for those who like a much brighter sound:

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd25ta-4-1-titanium-dome-neodymium-tweeter--275-057

Parts Express is an excellent vendor, quick shipping, great customer service, all that. Between price, availability, (hopefully) performance and quality, this is a winner in my book.

We will also be experimenting and hopefully others will too, so we can all learn from one another and make better sound everyone can afford.

Augh. I meant to type mid. I don't like having to scavenge. :)

[jdusty4]

I'd be interested. Would this fit right in to a system wired from an amp in the rear? Would you replace the rear speakers or just the fronts?

[StereoInstaller1]

I'd be interested. Would this fit right in to a system wired from an amp in the rear? Would you replace the rear speakers or just the fronts?

We have 2 ways to do the speaker system.

First is the one this thread is about. This is a small module that will run a midrange and tweeter and is installed locally, using the (ideally) stock speaker wires from the amp to the speaker.

EDIT: this will be built and designed to go above the speaker in the chamber above the speaker. It will be completely sealed, so no moisture worries. We will include some double sided foam tape to stick it in place and will of course do a tutorial to make all of this easy to install.

You can do this to front or rear speakers using the stock Premium housings. The rears are going to require some tweeter mount fabrication, but some dremel time isn't too tough. If I find enough people needing rear housings, we make make some custom adapters, but R3Vers are pretty handy, so I expect not.

The other option is more intended for a trunk mounted application and includes all new speaker wire that has to be run throughout the car. Sonically, it will be almost exactly the same as the "locally" installed units, but as shown in the crappy E24 pics, its gorgeous.

We try to give options wherever we can. For those who only care about the sound quality aspects, do the local version. For those that want the sexy trunk mount version as part of a showy system (like me!) can do that if they choose.

Augh. I meant to type mid. I don't like having to scavenge. :)

Yessir, that makes more sense, LOL. And, of course, I agree completely. I just can't seem to find anything that is going to fit all 4 corners of the E30, handle adequate power and sound good. These E34 drivers just kick ass and are plentiful both new and used. The biggest part of the hassle is the recessed cone and suspension, because I want to be able to shove these under the stock Premium grilles front and rear.

The midbass driver I am referring to is in particular the right front E34 from 1993 to 1995. the part number is 6513 8370 935 and is plentiful...in Germany.

The left speaker is DVC and is exactly the same sound and shape, but has a useless second coil. If you are going to order them, get the non-DVC version. If you are scavenging, feel free to use both stock E34 front speakers, idealkly in all 4 corners.

NOTE: these bigger E34 speakers will not fit the rear of a vert, don't even try.

BTW, it is significantly bigger and beefier than the E30 Premium, or even the rear E34 speakers from that same car. I will get pics up shortly, and see if I can get some of those speakers on their way to the US.

My dealer shows full price as 49.64, but warned me there are none in the US and will take some time to get here.

I have just got to spend some time with LEAP, see exactly why these stupid E34 mids sound so damn nice. I know the Qts is crazy high, around .8 I would guess, but how and why these do such nice punchy midbass and are still clean and clear well over 6khz, even 30 degrees off axis, is just beyond me.

Personally, I think part of it is due to the doped paper cone, but whatever it is, it works. I plan to see how many E34 drivers I can find to help people out until we find a suitable speaker. I just hope we don't have to special order, that gets expensive.

Thanks for all the input, guys. I think this is gonna work out well, I just have to get some parts here...hurry up UBT!

Luke

[beta14ok]

I'm interested in getting to the next level! w/ clearer highs & mids. How many amp channels are needed? I only have 5 with that big-ol Jensen 5500, and there's not much room in the amp rack with that mother.

what I've got currently is here.

[jdusty4]

Awesome. can the e34 drivers go right in to the kickpanel, or does it require modification?