E46 speakers/head unit options?
Discussion
Hi all
Currently have a e46 with the really crappy business unit. The sound system is rubbish and want to get some decent bass/sound out of the car. There is a lot of talk about saying geeting the head unit changed will make the most difference but I want to keep the oridginal lines and look etc.
I also dont want to be pissing around with loads of rewring so was thinking off just adding this alpine sub with built in amp. Would it be easy to install? Any ideas how to do things easy and quckly or what prodcutsare reccomended. Do not want to spend a huge amount of money either....
The sub I am looking at is:
http://www.alpine-electronics.co.uk/index.php?id=s...
Are there others that I should be looking at....
Currently have a e46 with the really crappy business unit. The sound system is rubbish and want to get some decent bass/sound out of the car. There is a lot of talk about saying geeting the head unit changed will make the most difference but I want to keep the oridginal lines and look etc.
I also dont want to be pissing around with loads of rewring so was thinking off just adding this alpine sub with built in amp. Would it be easy to install? Any ideas how to do things easy and quckly or what prodcutsare reccomended. Do not want to spend a huge amount of money either....
The sub I am looking at is:
http://www.alpine-electronics.co.uk/index.php?id=s...
Are there others that I should be looking at....
If you want to retain the stock head unit you could add an in-line amp like this..
http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/amplifier_4.asp
I've gone the in-line amp route since I didn't want to have an aftermarket headunit in the dash. It's doubtful if it'll ever sound as good as an excellent head unit, but my route with a change in speakers has made a huge difference.
http://www.bluespot.co.uk/stock/amplifier_4.asp
I've gone the in-line amp route since I didn't want to have an aftermarket headunit in the dash. It's doubtful if it'll ever sound as good as an excellent head unit, but my route with a change in speakers has made a huge difference.
Hi
If you want to keep the head unit then you can go a number of ways depending on what kind of music person you are.
If it is bass you want then it makes sense to get a seperate sub and amp. As to wiring this then the best place is in the boot for the sub and the battery is in the boot too. That way you can tap into the rear speaker cables using a line converter that takes the output from the head signal into a pre amp output so it can go into a power amp.
You can then turn down the bass on all the other speakers and they will perform better with the sub just doing the work, and remember that bass frequencies are non directional. This would cost you around 200 to do yourself.
If you want a more rounded clean sound, that can still get a kick but with better clarity then you should look at using something like a JL audio cleansweep or one of the Audiocontrol line output converters.
These take all the signals from the head unit, make them a flat output for some amps. You can then get some nice speakers in the doors (bias towards front first) and then even consider no sub, but just a meetier set up rear speakers that can take the bass better than the stock units.
To audiocontrol is what I am about to go for, it needs a handheld pc to set up but should make the car sound pretty good. This all in will cost minimum of £600 but will sound good. You can take out easily too if you change cars, but leaves your head unit as is and nobody would know you have done it from a security viewpoint.
If you want to keep the head unit then you can go a number of ways depending on what kind of music person you are.
If it is bass you want then it makes sense to get a seperate sub and amp. As to wiring this then the best place is in the boot for the sub and the battery is in the boot too. That way you can tap into the rear speaker cables using a line converter that takes the output from the head signal into a pre amp output so it can go into a power amp.
You can then turn down the bass on all the other speakers and they will perform better with the sub just doing the work, and remember that bass frequencies are non directional. This would cost you around 200 to do yourself.
If you want a more rounded clean sound, that can still get a kick but with better clarity then you should look at using something like a JL audio cleansweep or one of the Audiocontrol line output converters.
These take all the signals from the head unit, make them a flat output for some amps. You can then get some nice speakers in the doors (bias towards front first) and then even consider no sub, but just a meetier set up rear speakers that can take the bass better than the stock units.
To audiocontrol is what I am about to go for, it needs a handheld pc to set up but should make the car sound pretty good. This all in will cost minimum of £600 but will sound good. You can take out easily too if you change cars, but leaves your head unit as is and nobody would know you have done it from a security viewpoint.
The biggest difference is to be had by changing the speakers for almost anything aftermarket - the standard BMW/Nokia items are woeful paper cone jobs.
Even the E46 OEM 'Hi-Fi Package' is pretty poor, quality wise. (although that said, after the 'Business' equipped Alpina D3 I drove last week, it sounded like the Albert Hall in comparison)
Even the E46 OEM 'Hi-Fi Package' is pretty poor, quality wise. (although that said, after the 'Business' equipped Alpina D3 I drove last week, it sounded like the Albert Hall in comparison)
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