[hyperzulu]

Originally Posted by huma

Thanks, $400 a sub is expensive. Do you know if Crutchfield offers coupons or something? lol. I tried searching online, but it seems like CF and one other company is the only ones that carry the Focal sub.

400 a sub is expensive. I can't imagine them being better that much better than the Jehnert subs, other than the name and they are more of a drop-in replacement, as the connector will allow for the oem connector to fit. The earthquake subs might have a higher xmax allowing for deeper bass, but any shallow sub is going to have compromises.

If you want a clean, musical sub, the Jehnert will fit. Want a more bassy sub, try the earthquakes (at least on reputation).

[Gizzy's_M235i]

I just picked up a pair of Focals that I wanted to install in the rear deck. Does anyone know where I can get an adapter or harness that will allow me to plug the Bmw speaker wire directly into these Focals. I don't want to have to splice anything.

[Gizzy's_M235i]

What's up everybody. I'm just entering the world of stereo upgrades, pretty much learning by reading these forums. I picked up a pair of FOCAL Access 100AC that I am now thinking I will put in the doors. I am looking for a cheaper (under $50) set of speakers to put in the rear deck. Ive been looking around on EBAY and found these kickers and these Audiobahn and these Pioneers. I am assuming something with a built in tweeter is better since I dont plan on replacing the amp. Thanks in advance for your help.

[huma]

Originally Posted by Gizzy's_M235i

I just picked up a pair of Focals that I wanted to install in the rear deck. Does anyone know where I can get an adapter or harness that will allow me to plug the Bmw speaker wire directly into these Focals. I don't want to have to splice anything.

Technic sells the harness.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by Gizzy's_M235i

I just picked up a pair of Focals that I wanted to install in the rear deck. Does anyone know where I can get an adapter or harness that will allow me to plug the Bmw speaker wire directly into these Focals. I don't want to have to splice anything.

It is very easy to splice the Focal connectors onto the stock wires. It is much easier than replacing the wiring harness.

[chaswyck1]

Ok, I've read this entire thread and first let me say that I am mightily impressed by the knowledge and expertise that many of you have. Unfortunately, I have neither. I have the stock, base audio system and I'm just looking to improve the sound so that it's at least "acceptable" (it's terrible now). My car is a lease so I'm not looking to put a whole lot of money into it as it is very unlikely I will remove whatever I put in at lease end. I'm also not an audiophile nor do I want to shake windows with bass. It sounds to me that simply swapping out the stock door and rear deck speakers for Focal ISC 100's or JBL GTO 429's and disconnecting the center speaker might produce the improvement I'm looking for. Does this sound about right?

[hyperzulu]

What is "terrible" about the system now? What you want to improve will dictate what will need to be done.

[MrBallooKnot]

Originally Posted by chaswyck@yahoo.com

Ok, I've read this entire thread and first let me say that I am mightily impressed by the knowledge and expertise that many of you have. Unfortunately, I have neither. I have the stock, base audio system and I'm just looking to improve the sound so that it's at least "acceptable" (it's terrible now). My car is a lease so I'm not looking to put a whole lot of money into it as it is very unlikely I will remove whatever I put in at lease end. I'm also not an audiophile nor do I want to shake windows with bass. It sounds to me that simply swapping out the stock door and rear deck speakers for Focal ISC 100's or JBL GTO 429's and disconnecting the center speaker might produce the improvement I'm looking for. Does this sound about right?

Yep. I'm not even sure you need to swap out the rear speakers to see a significant improvement.

I'm still on the fence about the center speaker. I've disconnected it for about a week now as it was really easy to do (just pull up on the grill starting with the pointy side). I'll probably hook it back up after another week to see if it makes a + or - difference for me.

[chaswyck1]

Thanks, MrBalloonKnot. That's what I was hoping to hear.

I also listen to news and sportstalk radio on Sirius. Will disconnecting the center speaker in that regard? Finally, it seems like the Focal ISC 100 speakers have been discontinued. Does anyone know whether the IS 100 speakers are the same?

[chaswyck1]

I've done a lot of research into speaker upgrades today and I'm reading some things that say that the 2 Series base sound system doesn't even have a separate amplifier; that it is powered by the head unit in the dash. Is this true and if so, would that present a problem with after market speakers like the Morel Maximo 4C or the Focal IC 100?

[akuan99]

Originally Posted by chaswyck@yahoo.com

I've done a lot of research into speaker upgrades today and I'm reading some things that say that the 2 Series base sound system doesn't even have a separate amplifier; that it is powered by the head unit in the dash. Is this true and if so, would that present a problem with after market speakers like the Morel Maximo 4C or the Focal IC 100?

Base stereo does not have separate amp.
However US version comes with HIFI system as base and it does have a separate 7-channel amp.
I've verified it.
Morel Maximo speakers are very efficient and I have no complaint with the sound level output using the OEM HIFI amp.

[chaswyck1]

Originally Posted by akuan99

Base stereo does not have separate amp.
However US version comes with HIFI system as base and it does have a separate 7-channel amp.
I've verified it.
Morel Maximo speakers are very efficient and I have no complaint with the sound level output using the OEM HIFI amp.

Thanks for the info. Where in the car is the amp located? Is it the orange box under the truck floor?

[akuan99]

Originally Posted by chaswyck@yahoo.com

Thanks for the info. Where in the car is the amp located? Is it the orange box under the truck floor?

It is on driver side trunk floor area just behind tail light.
You have to remove the side lining to access it.
Same location as F30 but F22 does not have removeable top tray cover.

[chaswyck1]

Originally Posted by hyperzulu

What is "terrible" about the system now? What you want to improve will dictate what will need to be done.

The sound quality is absolutely awful. I am not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination, but music is actually hard to listen to. There is no "crispness" at all. Everything seems muddled. It reminds me of my youth listening to music on a transistor radio. Thankfully, I listen to a lot of talk and news or I would have gone crazy by now. I ordered two sets of Morel Maximo speakers and a Rockford Fosgate R600x5 amp from Amazon. Total cost of the equipment is $440 and even with installation it will be a good bit cheaper than the HK system and I think (hope) is will be much better than the HK. We'll see, but it HAS to be a big improvement over what it is now.

[hyperzulu]

Fair enough. I mean I trekked through Europe with the base Hifi system while I still had my e92 with the 16 speaker HK system and I didn't think the Hifi was the worst thing I've ever heard in my life, but it was lacking quite a bit compared to the HK on my old car. But to some people it may have been perfectly fine.

Weakest points in terms of sound were low end extension and authority and high end reproduction. The mids are not very detailed either, but in truth most people either a) don't listen to high quality sources to notice a difference and/or b) don't have a sharp enough ear to appreciate the nuances produced by an accurate mid.

With a new pair of mids, you will get more accurate tonal reproduction, and since you have coax speakers with a tweeter, it should fix the highs as well. Your subs still will not reach down low, but most people concern themselves with midbass (unless they're bass heads), which the stock subs should do just fine with the extra power you'll give them. They won't be superb midbass drivers (midbass is really hard to get right), but they'll be better.

A couple things about your choice in amp though, careful. First, it's widely understood that the Hifi systems use a balanced differential output, which not all amps are capable of accepting. The JL Audio amps are used because they specifically mentioned using balanced differential inputs. Alpine PDX amps seem to also work by way of how they are engineered. Mosconi, Zapco, etc. Here's a great thread: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=641323

Second thing is 150w to each of the stock subs could be a recipe for disaster. I'm not sure they will live a long life at that power, but I guess it depends on how you play them, if you've set the gains properly, etc. Even then, wiring them into one channel may not be ideal for midbass. I would probably cross over anywhere from 125-200hz and those frequency wavelengths may be too directional to sum L/R into one channel. Maybe not... you'll have to play around and see if it sounds good and if it matters much to you.

[chaswyck1]

I really appreciate the input and your MUCH better explanation of what I'm hearing. I don't pound the bass by any means and don't crank it up so that people three blocks away can hear it. I was just looking for a conbination that would make listening to music pleasant as opposed to frustrating. I went low end on the amp because the car is a lease and I probably won't pull everything out at lease end. I can justify equipment that costs $450 in terms of three years of significantly improved listening. If I intended to keep the car for a long time I would have gone for a more powerful amp and swapped out the subs. I want to thank you for your contributions to this thread. They were very helpful to me as I am obviously not very competent in this area.

[hyperzulu]

I'm in the same boat, actually. I'm leasing my car, but I put the gear in and will replace it all when the car is due. This lets me justify spending a little more on the hardware because the value is something that'll carry over to future builds. That being said, I'm actually looking for a used JL Audio XD600/6 which can be had for $300 lightly used. Should be able to find one of those easily. I'm just waiting until I've lined some other things up financially.

[chaswyck1]

Originally Posted by akuan99

It is on driver side trunk floor area just behind tail light.
You have to remove the side lining to access it.
Same location as F30 but F22 does not have removeable top tray cover.

Yikes! That's going to make things a bit more complicated. My wife has a 328 and I was able to see the compartment you're referring to. It's going to be a PITA to remove that side panel. You would think that if they're going to install a sound system as terrible as this one they would at least make it easier to get to. Thanks for the info.

[Technic]

BMW uses an upgraded analog-inputs OEM amp for the 2-Series HK. It uses the exact same 42-pin connector as the HiFi OEM amp, the exact same 7ch outputs but with 12 speakers (instead of the HiFi 7 speakers) and 360W max (instead of the 205W of the HiFi OEM amp).

Early 2-Series owners complained to BMWNA about paying the same $875 as the F30 full MOST (digital) 600W/16 speaker HK system but getting way less and BMWNA issued an option credit of about $350 to settle this issue for those that contacted them.

Originally Posted by akuan99

Yes the Hi-Fi setup is the best for aftermarket upgrade. It has analog high-level flat (un-equalized) outputs from the head unit to separate 7-channel amp.
The HiFi amp has built-in equalization and Hi and Lo pass filters.
Changing speakers only will still leave Hifi equalization effect on aftermarket speakers.
There is boost in upper midrange and uppes bass so it is not ideal to just upgrade speakers (although result is much better than stock setup).
However tweaking bass/treble controls can make them sound more a bit more natural.
In my case I have set treble -3 and bass -1.
On the other hand HK system is not easy to upgrade.
HK amp does not use analog signal so the head unit's output is digital.
There is no direct amp replacement for this system.
In addition HK amp outputs are heavily equalized and upgrading speaker only may not give desirable result.

[horsepower_and_hounds]

Originally Posted by Technic

BMW uses an upgraded analog-inputs OEM amp for the 2-Series HK. It uses the exact same 42-pin connector as the HiFi OEM amp, the exact same 7ch outputs but with 12 speakers (instead of the HiFi 7 speakers) and 360W max (instead of the 205W of the HiFi OEM amp).

Early 2-Series owners complained to BMWNA about paying the same $875 as the F30 full MOST (digital) 600W/16 speaker HK system but getting way less and BMWNA issued an option credit of about $350 to settle this issue for those that contacted them.

Yep they did.......

[akuan99]

Originally Posted by Technic

BMW uses an upgraded analog-inputs OEM amp for the 2-Series HK. It uses the exact same 42-pin connector as the HiFi OEM amp, the exact same 7ch outputs but with 12 speakers (instead of the HiFi 7 speakers) and 360W max (instead of the 205W of the HiFi OEM amp).

Early 2-Series owners complained to BMWNA about paying the same $875 as the F30 full MOST (digital) 600W/16 speaker HK system but getting way less and BMWNA issued an option credit of about $350 to settle this issue for those that contacted them.

Good information, I was assuming F22 HK system was similar to the F30 HK but with less speakers.
Do you know if power connection supply connection for the F22 HK OEM amp upgraded from F22 HIFI one?
I'm thinking of tapping power supply from existing wiring instead of running power cable directly to battery post.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by akuan99

Good information, I was assuming F22 HK system was similar to the F30 HK but with less speakers.
Do you know if power connection supply connection for the F22 HK OEM amp upgraded from F22 HIFI one?
I'm thinking of tapping power supply from existing wiring instead of running power cable directly to battery post.

If you are replacing the OEM amp then that line is 40A fused. But if you are keeping the OEM amp then don't tap that line as it is shared with other modules.