Help me upgrade from stock sound.

[nino]

Ok so I have an 89 325i with what I think is the barebones base sound setup. No door tweeters by the rearview mirror. No premium rear speakers. I assume there is no amp in the rear. Basically I just wanted to have an ipod input to the stock deck and decided to try this: http://www.e30tech.com/forum/showthr...highlight=ipod
but I thought I might as well upgrade the speakers to the "premium" ones because I heard they are actually decent. Im no audiophile but would this be an improvement? Another option is to put in the premium speakers and a new headunit, but this introduces complexity and I want as plug and play as possible. I bloody hate wiring, its a black art to me. Ill stick to welding and machining.

So to recap:
Option 1: replace stock speakers with premium speakers and hardwire ipod input to stock deck.
Option 2: replace stock speakers with premium speakers and install new deck (and whatever else I need to do to make them work together).

What would you go for? What am I not thinking of that needs to be done. Im assuming there is no amp that I need to bypass. *Disclaimer: I dont know a damn thing about stereos and am not an audiophile* I just want a cheap and simple upgrade that lets me use my ipods line-level output.
Thanks.

[dj2xrated]

if you want plug and play. use headphones.

buuuuuut i say go through with the PITA wiring and just get

Headunit, one with an head phone input. usually located on the faceplate.

[nino]

Ok so i decided Im going to get a new headunit and upgrade my speakers to the "premium" ones. Ill rewire it and do it proper. Does this mean Ill be removing all of the stock speaker wiring? Also I have the base system. Does not having an amp make this whole rewiring thing easier? Since my budget is very small I decided against a sub, but I would like to leave that option to add one later. What wires should I run while Ive got it all tore apart?
Also Ive bean reading that rear speakers in an e30 are almost counterproductive. Should I just not run rears?

So new head unit + premium speakers + ability to add sub later.

Can someone help me with the wiring?:( Wiring confuses me.

Also what do I need in a headunit that will work for now but allow me to add an amp later. I read some of the old threads and things about "summed output" but its all greek to me.
Thanks dudes.

[Old Boy Bergy]

If wiring confuses you, you'd better have a shop install the headunit and speakers, though I really think this is something most people could do when they overcome their fear of wires and tearing their car's trim out.

Most cars (not the E30) have a specific wire bundle that incorporates all the wiring to other parts of the car - namely power (constant and switched), ground, speaker wires into one wire harness, which then plugs into the factory radio. Companies like Scosche and Metra then have adapter harnesses that plug into the factory wire harness, with loose wires that splice into the aftermarket headunit's specific harness (Sony, Pioneer, Kenwood, etc., all have different connections on their radios).

Keep in mind, the E30s DON'T HAVE ANY SUCH COMPREHENSIVE STANDARD HARNESS. Due to that fact, you will have to decipher the wiring yourself (using a wiring diagram), snip, strip, and crimp the wires to your aftermarket HU's harness. Again, if you study up first, you can probably do this yourself. Depending on who owned your car previously, and what they may have done to it, you could be in for a lot of 'fun' (ask me how I know - or look here: http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...=110590&page=1 ).

If you don't have premium already, you don't have tweeters. The premium setup included tweeters and midrange speakers, which were 'crossed-over' within the amp. If you are talking about just putting in the mid-ranges... I don't know... I wouldn't do it. I have a new, unused set of Infinity Reference 5.25" components that I could sell you ($50 + shipping?), and if you're intent on running new speaker wire - and do it right, so that the next owner won't want to kill you - you shouldn't have a problem connecting the crossover, or installing the tweeter pods.

I will say, that some folks (like StereoInstaller1) actually recommend using the factory speaker wire. If it works for your configuration, do it... it saves time.

[BBY1104]

one thing that has helped me with putting in speakers and hooking up radio into cars is this:

Purple wires- rear speaker
Green wires-rear speaker

Grey Wires-front speakers
Blue wires-front speakers

Single blue wire that is different blue then above ones-AMP signal usually

RED-BLACK-YELLOW- Power-ground-accesory.


Thats what i use when hooking new shit up

Notalways the same, it can differ depending I guess?

[smonkbmw]

Purple wires- rear speaker
Green wires-rear speaker

Grey Wires-front speakers
WHITE wires-front speakers

Single blue wire that is different blue then above ones-AMP signal usually

RED-BLACK-YELLOW- IGNITION-ground-CONSTANT.


Thats what i use when hooking new shit up

Notalways the same, it can differ depending I guess?

*fixed*

yes it can differ, especially when you dont know what youre talking about. what you stated above is wiring for any AFTERMARKET stereo, not the factory wiring.

op: if youre planning on new speakers everywhere. running new speaker wire is obviously a given. youll obviously need to find a constant power, a switched power and a ground. if youre planning on running a amp or subs down the road you will need to run RCA wires and a amp turn on wire from your head unit.

[nino]

Thanks for the help so far guys.
It sounds like i should just rip out all of the old speaker wire. What gauge of wire should I use for the new wire? What type of connectors do I need? Should I solder? Where should I route the wires to the rear?

Are there going to be just 2 wires to each speaker (front right and left, rear right and left)?

How do the tweeters get wired in?

Are the "premium" speakers not worth upgrading to? I can get them cheap at the pick your part. If not I might take up old boy bergy on those infinitys.

Time to get my supplies in order.

[dj2xrated]

well stereoinstaller said with the right set up walmart speakers sound good.

but i think (im currently in the middle of redoing my sound system also) if the wires from the head unit are connected correctly you should be able to still use the stock speaker wires.

also the tweeter pods ive read that they were pre wired. somewhere behind the doorcards maybe.

and yea a new head unit .. usually will have a RCA output that you will connect to a Rear amp which will power subs ( in the future).
o and im in the process of replacing my carpet so while i ripped all out i just ran 2 sets of wire on each side.
good luck man.