:: Definitive Speaker Thread

[pundit]

Not definitive without reading THIS link: http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthr...=front+speaker

I've since made a few changes to my system which include new speakers (mounted in stock locations) a custom built crossover plus new amps and a 'sub' woofer. I'll post details along with some pics soon.

[Qube]

Speaker pics... tweeters not included.

[genphreak]

I don't see how you'll get much improvement.

The stock units aren't bad. More inches in a limited enclosure will only help reduce sensitivity and change the output response for the worse. New drivers look nice but tend to be designed for general installation requirements (not to the e34's tuned enclosures). Agreed you might find slightly better new ones, but getting the tuning done physically is hard to achieve, especially if you change driver size- even if its just the magnets. It's not even very easy if you dodge it up by tuning electronically with the eq settings.

[g7syw]

As mine was fitted with only the basic system - I only have the 5.25" drivers on the rear deck, in the kick panels and the tweeters on the dash...

My last car had a Sony CD/MP3 player, 4 x JBL's, 2x200w amp and a 12" sub.

The fitted system (Kenwwod radio/cassette) sounded fine for a stock system but I wanted to play my CD's & MP3's so the Sony head unit went in, it doesn't look too bad but it does have a blue display which is not changeable - oh well I can live with it.

This still sounds quite reasonable but I was still left wanting a bit more bass response, note: I'm 45 and not into the doof doof thump thump noise that makes the windows want to fall out that you can hear for miles around, so as I already had a sub and amp I set about installing these.

The sub is a nice size and sits perfectly in the center of the boot (trunk) - pic at bottom of post - the soundproofing of the boot gives enough deadening to the doof doof effect while still giving me that bit extra I want.

The amp (Boss sound) is two channel (2 x 200w) run in bridged mono, sub mode (st/m & sub/normal modes are switchable) and is hidden away nicely behind the trim on the left wall of the boot. I was able to use the void behind the carpet as the amp fitted in there perfectly with just enough room to allow fixing to the inner bracing steelwork.

I'm currently looking around for a nice set of speakers to replace the stock ones, the JBL's from the last car are too big to fit the stock holes and I'm the sort of person that likes to keep things as neat & tidy and looking stock, as possible - I keep going into all the car audio shops and listening to the different ones they have on display, but have still to find a set that I *really* like the sound of, I don't want ones that "look pretty", have a "good name" or are priced to sell, I want ones I like the sound of, and you should to...

Don't forget, when choosing speakers you not only want/need a good frequency response but also a good sensitivity figure is important. you don't want to be turning up that amp so it's starting to distort just to give you the same volume you would get from a crummy pair of speakers with a better sensitivity figure.

[pundit]

Here's a speaker thread (with pics) I posted a while back...

http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=22672