Component Speaker Recommendation?

[southpaw23]

Hi all,

Am starting to explore my upgrade options for my E46 and wanted to seek your opinions on possible front component speaker replacements.

I don't have specific criterias at this point in time but would like to know if the recommended speakers would require much customisation to the doors. I've read that there are 2 routes to take here, ones that requires little customisation (ie. no cutting etc) and ones that do.

First off, i'm not a hardcore audiophile and don't require the best but would really want to improve the existing sound quality of the ride (it's pretty crap at this stage.)

Inputs would be greatly appreciated. And if i've left out useful information that can assist you all in your suggestions, please shoot and i'll share as much as i can.

cheers!

 

[kenntona]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

DLS Iridium. Not much customisation needed.

 

[marklee]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

can't go wrong with Focal

 

[Breyton]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

I might be wrong... but I'd have thought that most component speakers do not require much customisation.... I think I had 6 1/2" mid-basses in my E46 and didn't need to cut anything - maybe just added an adapter bracket or something. My installer fashioned a pair of angled tubes for the tweeters and placed them at the corners of the windscreen, pointing at the windscreen so that the sound reflects off the screen (hence taking slightly longer to reach you and more in sync with the mid-basses). Again, no cutting required.

 

[donaldho]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Yes, Focal is my choice, get the slim one abt 4cm, no cutting needed.

 

[Rastaman]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Is yr a coupe or sedan ? if u looking for thumping mid bass in front , then its very likely u will need to cut a round in the inner steel panel as e magnets tend to be bigger and e46 spacing between door panel is not much. i have done so before on my previous e46 sedan for alpines n focal speakers. currently on my e46 m3 , i didnt cut but did some diy work on e door panel to fit in e focals..not really the best tho as the speakers need to be mounted firmly and not move to get the best out of it.

 

[southpaw23]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Wow...thanks for all the quick responses guys! I guess Focals seem to be a popular choise eh? First off, my E46 is a sedan. And when i mentioned about the customisation, it was with regards to the cutting mentioned by Rastaman as i heard that some mid bass speakers have larger speaker magnets that require more space behind the speaker mounts.

I can probably do with less 'thumpin' midbass as i plan to incorporate a sub in the trunk. Does that make sense? Feel free to provide feedback on this but my plan was to replace the front components and include a sub in the trunk and have these run off a 4 channel amp running on a passive setup. So the last 2 channels would be bridged to run the Sub.

Regarding the tweeters, do you guys enclose the tweeters in the existing enclosure by the door or customise the A-pillar. I'd ideally like to keep the look as stock as possible but am unsure if the tweeters would fit in the current enclosure.

As for the sub...am still lookin around for options to incorporate one without taking up much boot space. One of the ways i'm thinkin is to fabricate an enclosure to sit on the side of the trunk like what some other folks in the US have done. But don't know how easy it would be for installers to do so and what is the 'compromises' of having that enclosure.

 

[kenntona]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Regarding the tweeters, do you guys enclose the tweeters in the existing enclosure by the door or customise the A-pillar. I'd ideally like to keep the look as stock as possible but am unsure if the tweeters would fit in the current enclosure.

The tweeters will be tricky - depends how you want the staging to be. Do your A-pillars hold the airbags? Else, the curvature or the instrumental panel and the ERP IU are important factors. I had my IU shifted to the centre of the dashboard in my previous ride to improve the staging.

 

[southpaw23]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

The tweeters will be tricky - depends how you want the staging to be. Do your A-pillars hold the airbags? Else, the curvature or the instrumental panel and the ERP IU are important factors. I had my IU shifted to the centre of the dashboard in my previous ride to improve the staging.

No airbags on the A-pillar for me. But good point raised onthe ERP IU unit. Is shifting the IU an easy thing to do? And would it not look awkward in the middle of the car?

And would retaining the current tweeter location compromise on the staging much? I do note that it isn't in the most ideal position but don't know what are my options other then customising the A-pillar.

 

[kenntona]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

No airbags on the A-pillar for me. But good point raised onthe ERP IU unit. Is shifting the IU an easy thing to do? And would it not look awkward in the middle of the car?

Use the A-pillars then. Can have higher & more centralised staging. Lesser distortion. Shifting the IU is easy.

And would retaining the current tweeter location compromise on the staging much? I do note that it isn't in the most ideal position but don't know what are my options other then customising the A-pillar.

It all depends how much of an audiophile are you. I could hardly tell the difference when my soft-top was down.

 

[marklee]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Are components at the rear necessary? Have heard people say rear speakers spoil the staging...but somehow I prefer front and rear still...

 

[southpaw23]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Use the A-pillars then. Can have higher & more centralised staging. Lesser distortion. Shifting the IU is easy.


It all depends how much of an audiophile are you. I could hardly tell the difference when my soft-top was down.

Haha...good point...i'm not as particular an audiophile so will probably not be so hung up over the staging i guess. I'll explore using the existing enclosure first with the worse case being customising the A-pillar. Thanks for the inputs!

Now anyone willing to share their neat setups on here? As in incorporated sub and amp that doesnt eat up bootspace

 

[kenntona]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Now anyone willing to share their neat setups on here? As in incorporated sub and amp that doesnt eat up bootspace

I had a simple set-up, dugged out the spare-tyre, sub-woofer hidden in a tank.... twin amps sitting nicely........

 

[Breyton]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

....Now anyone willing to share their neat setups on here? As in incorporated sub and amp that doesnt eat up bootspace

I had two amps (one tube/transistor hybrid for components and one 2-channel bridged for the sub) in a customised enclosure mounted to the rear of the rear seats, so that didn't take up much space at all. I sacrificed the spare tyre, made a custom fibreglass enclosure that fit in the spare tyre well, on top of which sat the 15" sub. This was protected by a thicker custom boot floorboard and perspex cover for the sub. I still had at least 90% of my boot space and importantly still had the full width to use for golf bags.

BUT, no spare tyre....

 

[Breyton]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

I had a simple set-up, dugged out the spare-tyre, sub-woofer hidden in a tank.... twin amps sitting nicely........

Ahhh.... nice... mine was similar except that my amps and sub swap positions from yours....

Regret that I never took any photos of my setup...

 

[southpaw23]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Thanks for sharing guys. Just curious, how do you guys deal with removing the spare tyre? What do you do in the event of a flat tyre?

 

[Breyton]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Was carrying one of those instant tyre repair kits.... which was rather useless the one time I had a flat cos it was a sidewall puncture.... Had to call tow truck!

 

[southpaw23]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Oh and any opinions on DB Drive Speed Series Amplifiers? They seem to have pretty good bang for buck. Their new SPA 150.4 pushes out pretty decent power for the price. Probably not able to compare with the higher end amps. But i'm thinkin it's pretty decent numbers/specs it has going for it. Any one with any direct experience with these amps? And any shortfalls that i need to be aware of? And is there any other alternative amps that i should be lookin out for?

Thanks in advance for sharing. Cheers!

 

[southpaw23]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

Was carrying one of those instant tyre repair kits.... which was rather useless the one time I had a flat cos it was a sidewall puncture.... Had to call tow truck!

That's funny...i guess it's not so much a problem if you are in Singapore. I'd hate to run into a flat on my way up to KL

As such, think i won't go the route of sacrificing the spare tyre for now.

 

[Breyton]

Re: Component Speaker Recommendation?

That's funny...i guess it's not so much a problem if you are in Singapore. I'd hate to run into a flat on my way up to KL

As such, think i won't go the route of sacrificing the spare tyre for now.

Yeah, didn't take the risk when I was running up to KL (was going up and down every week) - I just plonked the spare tyre in the boot like any other cargo during those trips.