anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

[oneHeadlight]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Cut the door, no. I am also alergic to rattles. I am not sure if HD will fit the exisiting space, if its too big, I will select for model/brands. I will also follow good advise from the forum - stay with the car while they do the install even if it mean taking one day leave. I want to know what the guys are doing with my car.

Amp selection, at this point in time, I was recommend Blaunpunkt 4X75 amp, probably becos he knew I am no audiophile. Will consider mono-amp (budget and space). Music clarity and good vocal are more important to me than BIG bass.

Cutting the door may actually reduce rattles. Look at iceman pics for good reference. I am not familiar with e90 but if the stock location of speakers are same as e46, then i suggest you cut the door, also resulting in better sound.

I still highly encourage you to get a separate amp for your sub, because a mono amp is the most efficient use of power for subs. Subs draw power like nothing...

The common misconception about subs is that it will result in big booming like a ah beng car. Its NOT necessary so. Bigger subs allow you to play certain lower frequencies, it doesnt mean it plays louder !!

You should bridge your 4ch into 2 for your front components, and get a mono amp for your sub.
Your 4ch amp will struggle to play the comps and sub effectively.

 

[__iceman__]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

e90... only 4" can fit in the front doors. Depth is also limited. Not sure the CDT can go in.

For good 4" stuff, Focal has a decent set, not very cheap, and Seas Lotus... the 4" Reference model is absolutely sweeeeet. Unfortunately, its priced accordingly too.

 

[e46sg]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

e90... only 4" can fit in the front doors. Depth is also limited. Not sure the CDT can go in.

For good 4" stuff, Focal has a decent set, not very cheap, and Seas Lotus... the 4" Reference model is absolutely sweeeeet. Unfortunately, its priced accordingly too.

HI ICEMAN,

what is the price range for the focal and lotus?

Will it be ok if I just upgrade the speakers without adding the AMPs?

 

[__iceman__]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

I am rusty on prices leh.

I guess Focals would be around 700...

Lotus has two ranges, the Performance series at 900+, and Reference at $1.2k.

 

[longhorn]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

I am going with Oneheadlight and Iceman recommendations. Change the front to components and add a freeair (wife needs the boot space) subwoofer. Add amp to drive these new additions. .

think others have mentioned this before.... but thot I would share. the guy in the ice shop tells me that installing a freeair sub would require some cutting of your rear panel. this would affect your car when you want to export it later. was told that most markets now do not accept cars which have been "cut up".

suggest u check around b4 getting the freeair.

 

[Ahbengdriver]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Woow...just read this....hehe am on leave this who week doing nothing but ding-dong. Can I steak a peak at the completed ICE masterpieces of anyone, anytime, anywhere? Even a quick-peek[not 'quick pick' in TOTO] say over your cigarette break will do. Ah I might as well leave my mobile number, 98316908...ask for BENG...

graci ......

 

[Motofish]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Finally got my e90 back from PML and went down to to sixth ave to get my ICE upgraded. Blaupunkt amp THA480, Blaupunkt Velocity 10" woofer and CDT component speaker up front. Left the rear speakers alone and configured the front as 3-way system, a config strongly recommended by ICE gurus in the forum. I have to say that the it was sound advise indeed. For a little more than $1.x K, the audio entertainment is 10 times better than stock. Its not the high end audiophile stuff but good enough for average joe like me.

 

[como]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

wow.....congrats on ur new setup..

like what beng says.... could we do a meet up to view ur new ICE......i am excited as beng.....

cheerios

 

[Ahbengdriver]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Finally got my e90 back from PML and went down to to sixth ave to get my ICE upgraded. Blaupunkt amp THA480, Blaupunkt Velocity 10" woofer and CDT component speaker up front. Left the rear speakers alone and configured the front as 3-way system, a config strongly recommended by ICE gurus in the forum. I have to say that the it was sound advise indeed. For a little more than $1.x K, the audio entertainment is 10 times better than stock. Its not the high end audiophile stuff but good enough for average joe like me.

Heh, dont like that leh. Quick quick got sneak preview or not. Buay tah han liao.....me want to feel like a DJ in the cabin.

In return next time I ward off drivers on the road with my MATA CHIA so you can have a joyful ride.

Can da?

 

[longhorn]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Finally got my e90 back from PML and went down to to sixth ave to get my ICE upgraded. Blaupunkt amp THA480, Blaupunkt Velocity 10" woofer and CDT component speaker up front. .

hi! do u hav any pic of the sub woofer in your boot? i m keen to see how much space it takes up. thanks. cheers.

 

[Ahbengdriver]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Hi All,

maybe we should start putting our knowhow together so we can find a solution soonest. Am also itching to ICE my e90. Those interested please put your nick down below.

Cheers.


1. e46sg

Yeah me too. In fact want to upgrade every damn thing in my e90 n get rid of the plice sirens Actually I think we should have an e90 sub forum ...kekeke

1. e46sg
2. Ahbengdriver [ not BENG in short pls ]

 

[Motofish]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

One more benefit of the ICE upgrade - no more rattles and wind noise to complaun about. Not that PML had removed them but the music just cover them up. Shiok a the word to describe my drive this morning. I have not enjoyed the e90 so much since the first day. die die must try. s46sg was there at 6th ave and I think he like the set up. Picture of the set up akan datang (coming soon), actually its very basic. But the woofer took up about 1/4 of the boot so my wife was not too please with that.

I will be there during the next meetup. PM me if you like to arrange an early preview. But I have to apologize up front caused my weekends are usually spend taxing the kids around.

 

[Motofish]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

After driving around for several days with the new set up, I realize that the sound stage is not very ideal. High, mid and low are better. But the sound is very heavy on left and right channel. In the driving positon, I hear most of the music on the right ear, the opposite for the front passenger. Listening from the rear seats is more balance. The stock head unit offer little adjustment other than trebble, bass, balance.

The current set up includes CDT components up front, Blaupunkt amp THA480 (2 channel to CDT and 2 channel bridged to sub), Blaupunkt Velocity 10" woofer in the boot. Left the rear speakers alone and configured the front as 3-way system. The sound is significantly better than stock but not quite there yet, even my wife says that it did not sound natural

1. Should I add a pre-amp with equalizer?
2. Install additional head unit with DSP?
3. Mono amp to sub, replace stock rear speakers?
4. All of the above? (I wish if $ is not a problem)

Gurus, please help.

 

[oneHeadlight]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

No guru but the choice and functions of hardware also plays a part in delivering "natural" sound.

You hear music first from the right ear cos u are nearer to the right tweets !
stock head unit does not have much Eq to play with, and no time aligntment. INstead of a adding pre-amp, u shud consider changing your headunit and/or adding a DSP.

not sure the specs of your amp but it tends to struggle if u use the same amp for fronts and sub together. To fully maximise your front CDT, which is midbass heavy typically, u need at least 150rms as far as i know. A separate amp is always always encouraged. If u can get class AB would be good...but class D should suffice.

take out rear stock speakers.

btw, u are runnign CDT which 3way front ?

 

[oneHeadlight]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

hi! do u hav any pic of the sub woofer in your boot? i m keen to see how much space it takes up. thanks. cheers.

in case u keen..i have a 12" sub with customised subwoofer box to sell .. budget sub. Dual voice coil.

 

[__iceman__]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

After driving around for several days with the new set up, I realize that the sound stage is not very ideal. High, mid and low are better. But the sound is very heavy on left and right channel. In the driving positon, I hear most of the music on the right ear, the opposite for the front passenger. Listening from the rear seats is more balance. The stock head unit offer little adjustment other than trebble, bass, balance.

The current set up includes CDT components up front, Blaupunkt amp THA480 (2 channel to CDT and 2 channel bridged to sub), Blaupunkt Velocity 10" woofer in the boot. Left the rear speakers alone and configured the front as 3-way system. The sound is significantly better than stock but not quite there yet, even my wife says that it did not sound natural

1. Should I add a pre-amp with equalizer?
2. Install additional head unit with DSP?
3. Mono amp to sub, replace stock rear speakers?
4. All of the above? (I wish if $ is not a problem)

Gurus, please help.

Hahah yeah, same problemo in my E46 during 1st month of ownership when the system was still stock. The only thing you can play around now is just to bias the balance towards the passenger side one or two clicks. This would throw the sound more towards the centre.

On the solution - analog pre-amp won't resolve the problem at all. Its just a simple few band equalizer.

There's nothing wrong with your setup configuration. This is the most sensible budget setup. You have upgraded the weakest links in the chain. Rear speakers are not high up in the priority list (rather low actually!). Why touch them when they will trigger another spending to get another amp. When all that is done, you still do not solve yr problem of localized sound from each speaker.

The answer is time alignment.

You can get time alignment via:

1. Replacement of the HU, to a unit that has built in TA. Most good HUs come with a simple form of TA that would already help to resolve this. Advantage is that you may get better sound as most of the HUs have better and cleaner signals going to the amps than your HU hooked up in this way.

2. Add in DSP like the Alpine 701 processor. Advantage is that you get to keep your HU for the matching look, and... the processor opens up a world of tuning advantages to you. 31 band equalizer for each speaker... and a very precise time alignment processor. At the same time,boosts yr original HU signals and processes it nicely before passing it to your amps. Many other functions that you can find on the web. BUT BEWARE - pls only go this route if the installer is able to fully maximize it. This is a very powerful tool that WILL do wonders for you if the installer has a good ear, and tuning skills and is willing to spend time tuning it. Bear in mind that what I really cannot tahan are enthusiasts spending this cash for the mere fact that its fitted in, but installer can get away with just 10 mins of 'tuning' and pressing a few buttons. In the real sense - this is the best upgrade you can do for your system - get it tuned properly, prefably with equipment, if the installer has a Real Time Analyzer on hand. I tell you, once its done, your system would be totally different from now.

Both routes are doable. Each one lays open future upgrade path for you. Option 1 is not necessarily cheaper as you need to remember that you will replace the CD changer too. but option 2 has possiblity to give you more eye popping results with existing setup.

 

[Motofish]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Iceman, Oneheadlight,

Thanks for the advise. Chia from Sixth Ave is also making the same recommendation to add Alpine DSP 701 since I wanted to keep the stock head unit. He will also let me audition a vacuum valve pre-amp on my set up prior to making my decision. The pre-amp cost about 500 while the Alpine cost more than 1K. Will be trying that out on Sat morning. Heard that he is good at tuning. Anyone keen to listen to the set up, do drop by. Adding a mono block to drive the sub is an option for the future. Cheers.

 

[oneHeadlight]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

I once had a detailed discussion with a ICE DIYer on what Iceman listed as the options. Of cos, we can change both but if its a case of either of, the conclusion was to opt for DSP instead of changing the Headunit.

Typical example of all in one systems:
When making changes on an all in one unit like the 9835, say u wanna change crossover settings. U go into the menu, but halfway thrugh you may want to try a different track or change from one CD to another. You have to exit the crossover menu, change the track then press and hold the button, navigate your way back to that section. On a H700, no need. You wanna change tracks, just change from your HU side, then continue tuning from the processor side.


H701 will give you an option of optical (3 different inputs), and analog - one RCA set , one ainet hu and one ainet changer. Add a HU if you like, or use your BMW hu RCA out. You have a controller to mount, but it's not deep like a normal hu. It's flat so you can place it anywhere, or even unplug it and tuck the control cable away when you're done tuning.

H701: L/R independent 31 band GEQ, independent 5 band PEQ, independent x-over, 8 channels allows 3 way front, plus sub. Can go to A/V and decode DTS and dolby digital signals. Can select each speaker phase separately, and can turn off each set independently. Non clipping HU, so u get a clean signal even at max volume.

9835: L and R are stuck together. No 31 band GEQ. Only 5 band PEQ. The PEQ is also stuck L and R, and when you get into serious tuning, you may need to compensate right side but keep left side constant. 9835 will not let you do that. No A/V potential. You may not use it, but next time when u wanna sell it, the buyer may have a use for A/V. 9835 no optical input/output. Only 6 channels. Clips at high volumes.

H701 easier to use. For TA, press the TA button. For x-over, press that X-over button. GEQ, PEQ, DEFEAT also same. Choose channels with channel button, enter is enter.

For 9835/9815, the volume knob is one button, the other buttons around it are multi-functional. Press wrongly and you exit. Haha.

Of course, the other side of the argument is that if you buy the HU, you will definitely learn to use it mah. Same goes for anyone buying a P9, or a H701. so you could say the learning curve is a small thing. Once u know, u know. It's not going to bother you after a while.

 

[longhorn]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

Will be trying that out on Sat morning. Heard that he is good at tuning. Anyone keen to listen to the set up, do drop by.

i m keen to listen in. what time on Sat? cheers

 

[Motofish]

Re: anyone upgraded ICE on E90?

oneHeadlight - looks like 701 is the right choice.

Longhorn - Auto Acoustic opens at 9.30. They take around about 1.5 hrs to install so I guess sometime between 11-12 is a good time.