New head unit, OEM speakers

[AndrewBird]

Run RCA's to the amp, then from the amp to the mids in the kick panels. The tweeters are already run to the crossovers that are built into the mids in the kick panels, so you don't need to mess with them. Then just run wire to the rear speakers from the amp.

[new2bmw]

xovers

ok, i cant get xovers right now. i have new headunit, new 4 channel amp, and wire. i want to use factory speakers. how do i run my new wires to the fronts and the tweets and still use factory xover.

[Aerton]

I keep reading these forums with fear, I have like three radios I can install in my cab but keep putting it off. I use to install my stuff and for friends I guess I have to jump into it. My Son hates riding in my car without listening to TOOL. Luke I will be pming you a couple of times I'm sure.

[StereoInstaller1]

Nope...the rears do just fine running off of the deck. You can find the wires behind the rear seat back, or in some of them there is a small 4 pin plug behind the left front speaker. You can run new wire to the rears directly or splice at one of those 2 junction points, or use the factory wiring from the deck to go to the rears.

I did Funkmastas' car like that, worked out fine.

And remember, check the tweeter wiring carefully. One of the front tweeter wires is way down in the harness. Behind the front speakers, make certain you have 2 grey wires, I think one is yellow stripe, the other green. Whatever is behind the tweeter, make sure you have the same into your crossover.

GL!
Luke

[mpunklil]

Back from the dead. I'm installing the Panasonic HU today. Rewiring the fronts, do I worry about the rears? Also, was wondering how to take the output from the HU to the crossovers. I'm guessing I can use the crossovers in the front and just wire directly to the rears, bypassing the stock amp and using the rears caps to cut out the highs to the woofers. Is this a good idea? Or do I just wire it all from the "front" channel from the HU, through the crossovers, to the speakers:

HU -> crossovers -====>front/rear

Are you sure you have a stock amp? I noticed you have an 86 eta....

[southsails]

Back from the dead. I'm installing the Panasonic HU today. Rewiring the fronts, do I worry about the rears? Also, was wondering how to take the output from the HU to the crossovers. I'm guessing I can use the crossovers in the front and just wire directly to the rears, bypassing the stock amp and using the rears caps to cut out the highs to the woofers. Is this a good idea? Or do I just wire it all from the "front" channel from the HU, through the crossovers, to the speakers:

HU -> crossovers -====>front/rear

[netcsk]

Have you installed that Panasonic unit in anyone's car yet, Luke? I feel I should talk to the guys in Japan and ask for some $$ for introducing it here haha.

[southsails]

Ironic. My Jeep was JUST broken into, just as I was prepping it to be sold. They smashed out my rear vent window, make a ruckus inside, stole the speakers, amp, and head unit (Alpine mid range unit). I WAS going to use the Alpine HU for the new BMW, but now looks like I'll be buying the Panasonic CQ-C7413U. Does the premium sound sound that good that I will be impressed just adding a new HU and an amp w/ a woofer? I was thinking of taking the stock speakers from the BMW and putting them in the Jeep to clean it up for sale.

EDIT: Woowooo... they didn't steal the crossovers.

[Victell]

Ok, got it.
I'll be using an Eclipse CD5423 hu and an MTX 404 amp for the fronts. The guy at work I got that stuff from also has some crossovers that he was willing to give to me. I'll be taking him up on his offer now.

Searching R3V answered pretty much all my audio questions, and you Luke provided much of the info. Good lookin out dude.

And ultimately, I want the CD43/6XS. :)

[StereoInstaller1]

Resurrected...



This confuses me.
I was planning a similar setup, but instead wanted to use an amp to power all four oem front speakers. I planned to keep the oem crossovers as is, but just run more power through them. What I can tell from your post, this might not be a good idea?

I would like to use the oem speaker/xover combo but I am not willing to fight an uphill battle for it. Would aftermarket crossovers be that much better, or can I work with what I have?

Oddly enough, someone PMd me this morning with the exact same question.

Here's the deal: Some crackhead at BMW decided to put the crossovers that run the front tweeters on the front midranges. If you look at the stock mid, you can see the two terminals that feed the mid and the other two that are outputs to the tweeter.

These are really cheesy crossovers, and are poor performers. You can build your own or buy some pre-fab units. Unfortunately, they aren't really sold seperately...so you would be best served by heading down to your local stereo shop with a bit of cash in hand to buy a pair from an installer.

Most of us have a set or three sitting in the bottom drawer of our toolbox.

Personally, I like the Memphis crossovers that come with the MClass coaxials. If you replaced your deck with a decent sounding deck (one that has high pass crossovers) like the Panasonic CQ-C7314, replaced the crossovers on the stock premium sound speakers and added a single 10" sub with a 200 watt amp I think most anyone would be thrilled.

Luke

[Victell]

Resurrected...

Well, if you pull out one of your front speakers, you will see 4 wires attached. 2 come from the amp, 2 go to the tweeters. If you plus your decks wires into the two that come from the amp, you are golden.

If you attempt to change any of the configuration, you will have some shitty sounding tweeters that will blow shortly.

If I were doing that install, I would attempt to get you to go buy a pair of crossovers form damn near any set of seperates, but expecially if you could find some that use a "Mylar" cap in the tweeter crossover...then bypass the BMW crossovers.

This confuses me.
I was planning a similar setup, but instead wanted to use an amp to power all four oem front speakers. I planned to keep the oem crossovers as is, but just run more power through them. What I can tell from your post, this might not be a good idea?

I would like to use the oem speaker/xover combo but I am not willing to fight an uphill battle for it. Would aftermarket crossovers be that much better, or can I work with what I have?

[netcsk]

hahaha

[StereoInstaller1]

You can always plug the working tweeter into the non-working side and see if you get any sound.

Naw, it will be backwards! It will suck sound in, see?

good call, chris.

Luke

[netcsk]

You can always plug the working tweeter into the non-working side and see if you get any sound.

[cochran]

I checked the one on the passenger's side - pulled the panel off and checked the connection there. I saw the resistor/filter/whatever at the coil on the mid, and saw where the connection was spliced in there to go up to the tweeter. That side works. I just assumed (yeah, I know, I know) that the driver's was the same. Could be a connection problem. I'll have to check it tomorrow morning sometime. I'm just glad to have sound at all right now!! BMW + radio = happy.