[Technic]

The F30 OEM HiFi system is supposed to be a 205W max, 8-speaker system. OEM amp is supposed to have a very basic DSP built-in with some time alignment and dedicated center speaker channel.

In fact, it does not sound like anything like that.

Significantly weak volume output for 205W, strange time alignment and bass boost on the OEM woofers, typical OEM tweeters lack of accuracy. Quite low sound quality overall.

To overcome all that mediocrity a complete overhaul of all the components after the iDrive unit was performed in a 2015 320i, all with the fundamental requirement to be 100% Technic PnP and 100% reversible back to stock -with one exception:

• - OEM amp replaced by Alpine PDX-5 and Alpine PDX-4.150
• - Addition of the Alpine PXE-H800 DSP processor
• - Replacement of all OEM speakers with Eton B 100 W (front/rear), B 150 USB BMW (underseat woofers) and the addition of Eton silk tweeters at center and rear doors
• - Replacement of all OEM HiFi speaker grills with OEM HK grills -addition of rear tweeters demanded that all grills matched. There are no HiFi tweeter grills for rear doors
• - Addition of MusicarNW F30-molded 10" sub enclosure with JL Audio 10w6v3 sub

These are the general steps and result conclusions:

Eton B 100 W F30-dedicated 4" mids, 100% PnP (OEM mids are left, Eton are right), OEM HK grills:


Eton OEM replacement 25mm silk tweeters, 100% PnP (OEM tweeter left, Eton right):


Front door install:






Rear door install:




Add-on Eton tweeter using OEM rear door HK tweeter bracket and OEM rear door HK rear tweeter grill:


OEM HK tweeter cut out is visibly marked on door panel. Use a 52mm drill hole bit (fine cutting for plastics) for an OEM cut:


Center speaker Eton tweeter add-on plus OEM HK center speaker grill:






Eton B 150 USB BMW woofers install:






The F30 OEM woofer enclosure changed the diameter of the OEM woofer opening -it is slightly smaller than in the E90 and smaller than the aftermarket woofers that used to fit in the E90 and even in the current F10:


The actual opening has a built-in groove underneath, which if followed and cut converts the opening into the correct diameter for aftermarket woofers (F30 OEM woofers still fit after cutting, sealing still provide coverage). Eton woofers will not fit if no cutting of the OEM woofer enclosure:








OEM woofer grill back in place over the Eton woofers:


OEM amp replacement using custom 5ft HiFi harness:




Made two slit cuts into OEM trunk storage bin so cabling could be passed by:


Sub install:


Alpine amp stack install (H800 install in OEM amp location not shown, sorry):




Notes:

1. The first thing to be noticed after this upgrade is that this is a clean and loud system. Very clean and very loud.

2. The H800 uses a microphone to measure and set both time alignment of each speaker and a user-selected reference EQ curve. The main benefit of this is that the center speaker is truly a center speaker. With so much mid- and sub-bass available now this make the front stage much more balanced and clear. Stereo separation is remarkably increased -if was noticed at all with the OEM amp.

3. The replacement of all the OEM speakers with this Eton set is noticeable even with the OEM amp. Eton speakers make the OEM amp weaker which is expected as the total impedance was increased 100% (OEM 2ohms vs Eton 4ohms). For those looking to do just an OEM speaker replacement, just pay attention in the impedance and sensitivity of the replacement speakers. You will be disappointed if the speaker specs are ignored and you decide to keep the OEM amp.

Now, the PDX amps output the same power regardless of the speaker impedance, thus replacing the supposed OEM 205W amp with more than 1200W of power will compensate for any changes in the impedance. Easily. Strong midbass from the front and rear doors (140Hz and up), insane midbass from the new woofers (50Hz to 200Hz bandpass) and 5 new silk tweeters all around complete the OEM speaker replacement. New sounds in old songs are suddenly noticed, voices are clearer (including Bluetooth phone calls via the center speaker), front stage is above the shoulders while bass is everywhere. It is simply fantastic.

4. Then the MusicarNW/10w6v3 sub (20Hz to 80Hz bandpass) is connected and tuned to blend with the cabin. H800 have plenty of sub tuning options, including phase switch which I use to match the Eton woofers output (underseat woofers are in phase, trunk sub is out of phase). The result is the kind of bass that is fundamentally felt, that fills any bass/sub bass holes that the Eton woofer cannot cover. With a deepness that feels that goes on and on and on. No need to fold the seats to feel and hear the sub. This sub bass will go thru the seats like nothing.

There is a reason that this woofer is expensive. This is it.

5. Overall, this is perhaps the best aftermarket system that I have ever installed yet.

[Coolhydro]

Great job. Looks like a easy DIY option.
How much does this whole upgrade cost?

[Technic]

This is a ~$4000 system for the public. To me was less than half of that as I already had most of the parts and I do my own installs.

[RocketBoots]

Originally Posted by Technic

5. Overall, this is perhaps the best aftermarket system that I have ever installed yet.

T,

That's some pretty high praise, coming from you.

Regarding the Eton underseat woofers, what did you have them bandpassed at?

Did you play them without the sub? If so, how was the midbass?

What other underseat woofers have you heard, and how do the Eton's compare?? (Kicker, Jehnert, Gladen, Morel, etc)

Thanks!

BTW, those PDX amps sure do stack nice; almost like they were meant for this application

[Technic]

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

T,

That's some pretty high praise, coming from you.

Regarding the Eton underseat woofers, what did you have them bandpassed at?

Did you play them without the sub? If so, how was the midbass?

Originally Posted by technic

...insane midbass from the new woofers (50Hz to 200Hz bandpass)

What other underseat woofers have you heard, and how do the Eton's compare?? (Kicker, Jehnert, Gladen, Morel, etc)

Thanks!

BTW, those PDX amps sure do stack nice; almost like they were meant for this application

I have heard and installed mostly all aftermarket underseat woofers (Morel and Kicker do not have any woofer application that is PnP in the BMW) and all sound to me relatively similar just because I use (and filter) them as woofers and never as subs. These Eton woofers are no exception. Even the OEM 8" woofer sounds better with aftermarket power and proper midbass tuning. What aftermarket woofers bring better than OEM woofer in general is higher power handling. They are just more reliable at higher power ratings and volume than OEM woofers. That creates the sensation that they are louder and "better" than OEM woofers when in fact if you push an OEM woofer with higher power (100W RMS at least) they will sound relatively as loud and deep as any of those aftermarket woofers at the same power output. It is just that they will not last as long as those woofers obviously.

Most of my installs keep the OEM woofers in place with aftermarket amps.

Only a real sub in the trunk makes a significant difference in the bass output in BMW.

[mightycrown]

thats a nice setup. I am just wondering who to contact for the sub enclosure? Are you able to make a scale mark up of the center speaker area. I am thinking to cut it open and fit in a center speaker.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by mightycrown

thats a nice setup. I am just wondering who to contact for the sub enclosure? Are you able to make a scale mark up of the center speaker area. I am thinking to cut it open and fit in a center speaker.

Please contact forum vendor MusicarNW/VP Electricity for details and pricing of the F30 10" sub enclosure.

If you have an F30 then the center speaker mount is in there, just covered.

[RocketBoots]

May I ask where you got the OEM HK tweeter grills for the front door? And did you simply un-bend the tabs of the HiFi grille to remove and replace? I like that mod a lot, actually, now that I look at it some more.

[Technic]

Your local dealer has them... P/N 51337323509 and P/N 51337323510.

OEM speaker grills are fully assembled; the actual metal mesh is not sold separately. All HiFi OEM grills are completely removed and replaced by the HK's.

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

May I ask where you got the OEM HK tweeter grills for the front door? And did you simply un-bend the tabs of the HiFi grille to remove and replace? I like that mod a lot, actually, now that I look at it some more.

[RocketBoots]

Originally Posted by Technic

Your local dealer has them... P/N 51337323509 and P/N 51337323510.

OEM speaker grills are fully assembled; the actual metal mesh is not sold separately. All HiFi OEM grills are completely removed and replaced by the HK's.

I actually was hoping they sold just the metal mesh part, since the midrange grill is sold separately. Thanks though.

Btw forgot to mention that this was a pretty darn nice install. And the info about the underseat enclosures will be helpful to anybody looking to upgrade their woofers

[cdgatti]

Nice install with reasonable components. Technic is this your personal car? Do you find the subs in the boot of the F30 to be more effective than with the e90? I wonder if they would because the F30 doesn't seem as tank like as the e90?

[Technic]

Originally Posted by cdgatti

Nice install with reasonable components. Technic is this your personal car? Do you find the subs in the boot of the F30 to be more effective than with the e90? I wonder if they would because the F30 doesn't seem as tank like as the e90?

Yes, this is my company car.

Hard to compare as I was not using JL Audio subs in my E9x with MusicarNW enclosures. This sub is something else...

[cdgatti]

OK thanks... Yea the W6 has quite the long standing reputation as a great sub.

[RocketBoots]

Originally Posted by Technic

Your local dealer has them... P/N 51337323509 and P/N 51337323510.

OEM speaker grills are fully assembled; the actual metal mesh is not sold separately. All HiFi OEM grills are completely removed and replaced by the HK's.

Don't know why I didn't think of this before, but do you know if the metal mesh part is the same size/dimensions as that on a 4-series? Best guess would be great. The 4-series part is about 3 times the price

[Technic]

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

Don't know why I didn't think of this before, but do you know if the metal mesh part is the same size/dimensions as that on a 4-series? Best guess would be great. The 4-series part is about 3 times the price

Grill assembly P/Ns are the same between the 3- and the 4-Series.

The 4-Series HK tweeter OEM mounts are P/N 51337401151 and P/N 51337401152.

[RocketBoots]

Hey T, where did you ground the DSP and amps?

[Technic]

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

Hey T, where did you ground the DSP and amps?

DSP = OEM amp ground
Amps = chassis ground

[greekcs]

Awesome job. And a leather dash to boot.

[RocketBoots]

Originally Posted by Technic

DSP = OEM amp ground
Amps = chassis ground

Thanks! Is the OEM amp ground part of your harness? Also, for the amp ground, did you make a new spot or use an existing one with OEM grounded to it already?

[Technic]

Originally Posted by RocketBoots

Thanks! Is the OEM amp ground part of your harness? Also, for the amp ground, did you make a new spot or use an existing one with OEM grounded to it already?

Yes, OEM amp ground it is part of the harness but only applicable to low power devices and not aftermarket amps. Amps are grounded to existing OEM bolt.