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BMW 3-Series and 4-Series Forum (F30 / F32) | F30POST > Technical Forums > Navigation, iDrive, Audio, Video, Bluetooth, Phone, Cameras, Electronics > F30 Base Audio Upgrade - Alpine or Hi-Fi?
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      11-06-2019, 02:43 PM   #1
paul_e88
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Post F30 Base Audio Upgrade - Alpine or Hi-Fi?

Right now i have the base audio on a F30 and i feel the need for an upgrade, starting from the quality of the sound and continuing with the volume and punch of the system. (non-existent on the base stereo)

For almost the same money (around 500$), there are two options that i know of and that seem plug and play (kind of):

- the official Alpine upgrade (6 channel amp, front mid-speakers and tweeters + re-coding)
- the Hi-Fi option, as an used part (6 channel BMW amplifier + all the original speakers)

Has anyone heard both of them and can make an objective comparison?
Also, i've read about people installing the Alpine upgrade, but can anyone compare the upgraded sound with any prior systems (Hi-Fi on the E90 or any other comparable system)

Lacking the possibility of testing these two systems, i'm trying to make the best choice and not regret it afterwards.

Thanks!
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      11-06-2019, 03:54 PM   #2
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OEM alpine upgrade with the 8" woofers of the HiFi. That will be a significant sound upgrade.
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      11-06-2019, 04:59 PM   #3
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Much of the improvement will come from a good DSP/EQ, which the BMW Hi-Fi does not offer. Even the H-K/Top Hi-Fi option EQ is marginal. The Alpine is better.
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      11-07-2019, 08:33 AM   #4
paul_e88
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So the Alpine option is the winner.

On the E90 i read that it was not that good, but on the F30 people say it’s better.

For the money, i can’t think of anything that comes with DSP and speakers, even if the Alpine kit doesn’t include the subs.

Will keep you posted, i will make a decision these days and hopefully post a positive review.
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      11-07-2019, 09:17 AM   #5
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Be sure to shop around. I found one site that wanted $5,000 for the BMW Alpine kit.
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      11-13-2019, 03:40 PM   #6
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If you really want good sound, you need DSP ability. Time alignment, having proper x-over settings and tuning ability via parametric EQ and a mic are second to none. None of the OEM systems sound good.
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      11-13-2019, 04:05 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fox88 View Post
If you really want good sound, you need DSP ability. Time alignment, having proper x-over settings and tuning ability via parametric EQ and a mic are second to none. None of the OEM systems sound good.
My son installed in his F20 second hand F30 hifi underseat woofers, door mids + tweeters and they are powered by a 4 channel Audison DSP amp AP4.9bit. Amp is connected same way as the Alpine kit with a harness from the underseat sub connectors. Rear speakers are still powered by the head unit. The amp has lot more power than the hifi amp (or the Alpine amp) and everything can be adjusted with a laptop via usb port. I would recommend same (or similar) setup for any F series base stereo system.
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      01-05-2020, 11:18 AM   #8
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I got around to installing the kit, it's not as simple as it seems, but fortunately, it's the most plug and play you can get.

The Alpine amp is said to have a 56-bit DSP and has 6 channels. Which is pretty hard to find for ~500 euros.

But yes, the downside is that the DSP is what you buy is what you get. As far as i know, it's not programmable - it's already set-up for the Alpine speakers and a couple of cars. (it has a switch on the back, where you can set it up for 1-series, 3-series, 4 series, etc.)

After the painstaking install of the kit (BMW mentions 2h necessary for install - i think that's an understatement), the sound was clearly better, most of which had to do with the new presence of the tweeters.

But without coding, it was painful to listen for longer periods of time. The bass and the treble had to be set to a minimum, and even then, the mid-frequencies were somewhere in the back and muddy. Still, better than stock.

After coding and a couple of days of listening, it's another story. The sound is clearer and from the first second you notice the tweeters and the more "airy"sound.

But there is a fault with this upgrade. Although the amp does seem to have the power to make you deaf at high volumes, the stock (base) woofers just can't take it.

If at 3/4 of the volume, they just manage to produce enough sound, at over 3/4 they just give up. The bass is pretty much gone and i suspect that they are probably distorting and going out of their comfort zone, range-wise. All you get is just mids and highs, with lesser bass than at 3/4 volume.

From what i researched, the stock woofers are 4 ohms and 6.25".
What would be the best budget upgrade for these?
I was thinking of the Hi-Fi woofers, but those are 8 ohms i think.
Would i need to search only for 4 ohms?

Thanks for the replies and if you have any questions regarding the install/sound of the Alpine kit, feel free to ask!
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      01-05-2020, 12:43 PM   #9
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The best under seat woofers available are the Earthquake SWS-8. They're better than both OEM and other replacement brands. They need a lot of power, but if you have it they're the way to go. They come in 2 (Xi) and 4 (X) ohm versions, get whichever is the lowest impedance that your amp is rated to handle. As for the door speakers, I have yet to come across anything better than OEM, though that's with respect to the hi-fi and HK versions. I can't say about the base versions.
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      01-08-2020, 10:48 AM   #10
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I heard people complaining about the lack of midbass of the SWS’s, so that’s why i’m still hesitating.

The OEM HiFis are 2 Ohms so no go.
A plausible option would be the Logic 7 underseats from the E90.

Right now i found a pair of SWS’s 4ohms from an E90 for about 120$.

Would they play better than stock underseat 6.5”s in the Alpine configuration? (2x 55w for underseats from the Alpine amp)

Thanks!
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      01-08-2020, 11:29 AM   #11
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The SWS has lower overall sensitivity than most woofers. That's the price paid for its ability to go lower louder than any other that I'm aware of. Compensating for that lower sensitivity is why it needs more power.
Just about any eight inch option would be better than the 6.5s with any amp other than the base head unit internal amp. 2x55 isn't enough to get the most out of the SWS. One thing I would not do is buy any of the BMW OEM drivers at retail. It's not that they're not good drivers, they are, but they're priced about twice what they're worth. If you can get a good deal on a used set then they're a viable option.
If you have to buy new and want a higher sensitivity driver for 2x55w these would work well at a sensible price: https://www.soundimports.eu/en/b200-4.html

I just googled the driver, this was the first result I got on your side of the pond. Shop for the best price.
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      05-02-2020, 09:43 AM   #12
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I've just checked back, as the bass from the 6.5" stock drivers is lacking.

The GRS drivers you mentioned are available here, but i cannot find any reviews for them.

What do you think about the Match 8BMW-D woofers as opposed to the GRS drivers?
They're around 70$ cheaper here.

Thanks!
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      05-02-2020, 11:21 AM   #13
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The GRS woofer is more sensitive than the Match, so it will play louder with the same amp settings. It also has a longer cone excursion, 5.5mm versus 4mm, so it will go louder with less distortion.
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      09-03-2021, 08:38 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_e88 View Post
I've just checked back, as the bass from the 6.5" stock drivers is lacking.

The GRS drivers you mentioned are available here, but i cannot find any reviews for them.

What do you think about the Match 8BMW-D woofers as opposed to the GRS drivers?
They're around 70$ cheaper here.

Thanks!
What did you end up doing. I just installed the alpine retrofit kit and dropped the hifi 8in 2ohms without checking the resistance and without even trying the 6.5 woofer. It play well but not sure if the alpine amp can handle it ...

thank you
Patrick
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