BMW E89 Audio Systems and Upgrades

cosminr86 · Post by **cosminr86** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 1:10 am

Hi!
I got a 23i, 2009, and I want to upgrade the factory audio.
My car have 8 speakers (footweel, midrange and tweeters on the door and midrange on the back).
I bought an audison ap 5.9 amplifier.
Today I had stripped out the boot(and done some sound deadening), but I did'n find an amp. It is possible to be located elsewhere? The rear speaker cables seems to come from the front of the car.

Chippie · Post by **Chippie** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 7:00 am

[quote=cosminr86 post_id=<a href="tel:<a href="tel:1754031">1754031</a>">1754031</a> time=<a href="tel:<a href="tel:1592784624">1592784624</a>">1592784624</a> user_id=34357]
Hi!
I got a 23i, 2009, and I want to upgrade the factory audio.
My car have 8 speakers (footweel, midrange and tweeters on the door and midrange on the back).
I bought an audison ap 5.9 amplifier.
Today I had stripped out the boot(and done some sound deadening), but I did'n find an amp. It is possible to be located elsewhere? The rear speaker cables seems to come from the front of the car.
[/quote]

I think you have the basic 6 speaker unit that doesn’t have an amp, have a read through peters 1st post at the start of this thread, he gives a very good explanation of the different systems fitted and upgrade options

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 9:57 am

cosminr86 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 1:10 am Hi!
I got a 23i, 2009, and I want to upgrade the factory audio.
My car have 8 speakers (footweel, midrange and tweeters on the door and midrange on the back).
I bought an audison ap 5.9 amplifier.
Today I had stripped out the boot(and done some sound deadening), but I did'n find an amp. It is possible to be located elsewhere? The rear speaker cables seems to come from the front of the car.

As Chippie says..you have the 6 speaker basic system with the amp capablity (15w max per channel) built into the head unit..no external amp..

Audison recommends the AP8.9 unit for your car/version and provides a wiring kit for it..

You may be on your own with the amp you bought, although maybe some of the 8.9 wiring kit could be used?

https://www.audison.eu/spc-source/?y=22 ... =56&type=3

cosminr86 · Post by **cosminr86** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:05 am

I bought the 5.9 for cheap. I will make my own harness, just a bit more work to do.

thanks for the info!

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:29 am

cosminr86 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:05 am I bought the 5.9 for cheap. I will make my own harness, just a bit more work to do. thanks for the info!

No worries, just be aware that the line level out from the head unit is around 2.5v not 600mv so you don't overdrive the inputs to the amp otherwise you'll get bad distortion, looks like it has high level line inputs which should be ok..

cosminr86 · Post by **cosminr86** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:46 pm

Yes. It has high level inputs. I was wondering if the footwell speakers have separate channel?

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 1:10 pm

The footwell speakers are not wired in / don't exist on the 6 speaker system

2 channels drive the door mounted speakers and the two sub woofers are wired in parallel with these two speakers..and two channels drive the rear speakers at shoulder height in the rear side panels

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89- ... m/2dSFzfuN

refers..

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:08 pm

I've take the opportunity to update the details based on working with some owners on their systems and added a few extra details..

cosminr86 · Post by **cosminr86** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 5:24 pm

Pbondar wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:08 pm I've take the opportunity to update the details based on working with some owners on their systems and added a few extra details..

There's another alternative to the hu. 10.25" screen android. It uses the line in of original hu. It's somehow plug an play in the middle of the dash (you have to take almost all the dash apart, tough), replacing original screen or the box.

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 6:16 pm

cosminr86 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 5:24 pm
Pbondar wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 4:08 pm I've take the opportunity to update the details based on working with some owners on their systems and added a few extra details..
There's another alternative to the hu. 10.25" screen android. It uses the line in of original hu. It's somehow plug an play in the middle of the dash (you have to take almost all the dash apart, tough), replacing original screen or the box.

Hi there, there are a few issues, primarily if the focus is on audio quality then so far these units have had fairly poor critics...

If you want gadgets / gizmos / maps / reversing cams then they offer a lot..

I’ve yet to see one in an E89 install that blends in well with the existing cockpit..maybe you can advise?

cosminr86 · Post by **cosminr86** » Mon Jun 22, 2020 7:42 pm

I could say it bleends pretty well.
https://hifimaxnavi.com/

: 20200622_192852.jpg (213.46 KiB) Viewed 1489 times

I ordered the 8 core 4 gb of ram version. The sound quality seems good, maybe it needs some tweaks, but i must upgrade the $itty sistem first. I just installed this weekend so no long term review

A dumb question:
I got an audison apbx10, and I wanted to mount it "landscape". The problem is that it is too tall (with about 4-5 cm too tall) and the roof does not close properly in the boot.
It's a good ideea to enlarge the middle square from the back wall and flash mount it with the carpet? Do I have enough space between boot carpet and plastics behind the seats? The sub is about 16 cm deep.

: 20200622_181731.jpg (221.38 KiB) Viewed 1489 times

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Tue Jun 23, 2020 9:27 am

Hi all noted interested to see how it works out ref the head unit..

Your integrated sub woofer needs to fire into the cabin..the cubby hole behind and between the seats is the only hole from the boot to the cabin..

There’s not enough depth to flush mount the subwoofer on the boot side of the bulkhead firing forward and place the carpet back without a serious trim..imho..

So you’ll have to ‘bodge it’...I’m sure it won’t be a bodge..

Colin_E · Post by **Colin_E** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:54 pm

Beware the perils of idly browsing a thread and beginning to formulate plans that never existed before

I was a bit peeved to realise those little tweeter grills on my A pillars are empty - sheesh. Maybe I should look a little more critically under the bonnet to see if anything there is just a housing or a plastic replica

Anyway I'm thinking -maybe- of a fairly timid upgrade by switching the OEM door speakers and adding tweeters with a so-called 'plug & play' ETON B100N kit.
Two questions:
a) Has anyone done this with these particular speakers on a stock (base) 6 speaker E89 and have any comments on whether they found the improvement worthwhile?
b) I'm circumspect about removing & refitting door cards. I used to do it with my old Z3 to lubricate the window mechanisms as she got elderly & creaky and eventually learnt some tricks but broke a few clips the first time I did it

Anything different to watch here and are Z4 replacement clips easy to source?

Silverstar · Post by **Silverstar** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 8:17 pm

Colin_E wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:54 pm b) I'm circumspect about removing & refitting door cards. I used to do it with my old Z3 to lubricate the window mechanisms as she got elderly & creaky and eventually learnt some tricks but broke a few clips the first time I did it Anything different to watch here and are Z4 replacement clips easy to source?

I recently had the door cards off, it's quite straight forward, remove the various screws and the door mirror tweeter cover, once you do that stick you hand in the gap you see between the door card and door panel in the area where you removed the tweeter cover and pull and then work you way around the pulling each clip in turn.

The first time I did this none of the clips broke but the second time I removed the cards I managed to break one clip, but it just pushed back in without any problems. When I get around to upgrading my speakers I will get a new clip and replace it, I believe they are readily available from the stealers. If you put 'BMW E89 Z4 door panel' in You tube search box you will find some useful videos on how to remove the cards.

Pbondar · Post by **Pbondar** » Thu Jun 25, 2020 8:32 pm

Colin_E wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:54 pm Beware the perils of idly browsing a thread and beginning to formulate plans that never existed before
I was a bit peeved to realise those little tweeter grills on my A pillars are empty - sheesh. Maybe I should look a little more critically under the bonnet to see if anything there is just a housing or a plastic replica
Anyway I'm thinking -maybe- of a fairly timid upgrade by switching the OEM door speakers and adding tweeters with a so-called 'plug & play' ETON B100N kit.
Two questions:
a) Has anyone done this with these particular speakers on a stock (base) 6 speaker E89 and have any comments on whether they found the improvement worthwhile?
b) I'm circumspect about removing & refitting door cards. I used to do it with my old Z3 to lubricate the window mechanisms as she got elderly & creaky and eventually learnt some tricks but broke a few clips the first time I did it Anything different to watch here and are Z4 replacement clips easy to source?

It’s the duty of longer-serving Forum members to lead the ‘yoof’ away with their biases and prejudices...

What version of E89 do you have?

Sadly the B100Ns will not turn your 6 speaker base system into a 8 channel DSP power-amped entity...

However they are much better tonally and more efficient in terms of watts per decibel..

IMHO... they would be a good first step, if you then decide to go further then you’ll need something of that quality to use with your better headunit/amp..

As far as door cards..I recommend the Bavsound E89 door card removal / new speakers as it takes you through it in great detail..

https://youtu.be/LnyP_-vs3T4

It may be worth getting some of the push fit clips That hold most of the door card in place..that tend to get destroyed either on removal or when you’re re-fitting..

Again all IMHO..

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