Audio Upgrade - Options?
- Thread starter SamUK
- Start date
Happy New Year...
Bought the JL Audio 700/5 Amp today with Bass Control - not sure how useful the bass control will be?
Need to decide which speakers & Sub
choices are:
More Virtus @ £240
or
Gladen RS165.3 @ £225 (3 Way)
Not sure if there is any point of putting the gladen sub's behind the seat, if putting a sub in the boot??
Sub: JL TW3-D4. (Or would you suggest something else to match the amp)
Bought the JL Audio 700/5 Amp today with Bass Control - not sure how useful the bass control will be?
Need to decide which speakers & Sub
choices are:
More Virtus @ £240
or
Gladen RS165.3 @ £225 (3 Way)
Not sure if there is any point of putting the gladen sub's behind the seat, if putting a sub in the boot??
Sub: JL TW3-D4. (Or would you suggest something else to match the amp)
Hi Sam, nice to see a fellow car audio enthusiast.
I guess you are right there are not as many of us on here that upgrade their sound....I have seen head units being updated regularly but amps, subs etc is limited.
Being an ex installer and hardcore audio junky, even I haven't update the audio in my Zed....ok intravee not included!!! I guess the engine makes too much of a sweet sound and I don't drive it enough to justify the outlay..
Personally not heard of the speakers you mentioned but they maybe quite specialist so again will limit the no. Of people providing you feedback. They do look the business so I am assuming you will sound deaden the rear sections of the doors and the door cards...
Imo any decent set of components will enhance the sound tenfold especially with an amp. Back in the day, I was using focal, mb quarts or pioneer competition components. I am sure there are better makes our there now.
Who's doing the install? What hu are you planning to use? A power cap would also be beneficial here...
I guess you are right there are not as many of us on here that upgrade their sound....I have seen head units being updated regularly but amps, subs etc is limited.
Being an ex installer and hardcore audio junky, even I haven't update the audio in my Zed....ok intravee not included!!! I guess the engine makes too much of a sweet sound and I don't drive it enough to justify the outlay..
Personally not heard of the speakers you mentioned but they maybe quite specialist so again will limit the no. Of people providing you feedback. They do look the business so I am assuming you will sound deaden the rear sections of the doors and the door cards...
Imo any decent set of components will enhance the sound tenfold especially with an amp. Back in the day, I was using focal, mb quarts or pioneer competition components. I am sure there are better makes our there now.
Who's doing the install? What hu are you planning to use? A power cap would also be beneficial here...
Nice bit of kit.
2 way and bridge the channels. Plenty of power for them.
A power cap won't do jack for that amp as its already incredibly efficient. Money would be better spent on upgrading earthing points on the battery and in the engine (and then maybe the battery if necessary).
Gladen are good, blade ice is the one to get them from in the UK. Wouldn't go to anyone else purely as Am Singh's service is nothing short of amazing. I still would rather opt for a 2 way though. Anything you perceive to lose though not having that midrange can be bridged with a decent eq.
Wouldn't bother with the OEM subs, get a decent box made for a 10" in the boot.
2 way and bridge the channels. Plenty of power for them.
A power cap won't do jack for that amp as its already incredibly efficient. Money would be better spent on upgrading earthing points on the battery and in the engine (and then maybe the battery if necessary).
Gladen are good, blade ice is the one to get them from in the UK. Wouldn't go to anyone else purely as Am Singh's service is nothing short of amazing. I still would rather opt for a 2 way though. Anything you perceive to lose though not having that midrange can be bridged with a decent eq.
Wouldn't bother with the OEM subs, get a decent box made for a 10" in the boot.
Well that's disgraceful! Being an ex installer and not sorting out the sounds in your car lol
Yes the car sounds awesome..but sometimes you just want to cut out the wind noise and listen to some tunes..
Still not sure if I need a Dension or a Intravee..as still looking into which will work for me..
I will install the speakers myself..and find an ex installer or similar to install my amp ;-)
The audison bit10 - looks complicated.. And I can't find anyone who will install it at a decnent price..I don't have one in the e60 and the sounds is good..not sure if spending £400 odd will make a wale of a difference...?
Okay..so I just made an offer to the guy selling the Morel Virtus 4" @ £210 delivered (new) did not think he would accept it..and he has.. Lol
Oh well..good price I think...
Definaly getting a sub for the boot...
Yes the car sounds awesome..but sometimes you just want to cut out the wind noise and listen to some tunes..
Still not sure if I need a Dension or a Intravee..as still looking into which will work for me..
I will install the speakers myself..and find an ex installer or similar to install my amp ;-)
The audison bit10 - looks complicated.. And I can't find anyone who will install it at a decnent price..I don't have one in the e60 and the sounds is good..not sure if spending £400 odd will make a wale of a difference...?
Okay..so I just made an offer to the guy selling the Morel Virtus 4" @ £210 delivered (new) did not think he would accept it..and he has.. Lol
Oh well..good price I think...
Definaly getting a sub for the boot...
The bit10 is easy to install (just as you would install a line out convertor)
The only difficulty is in configuring the software, but again, plenty of help about for that.
In all honesty, to go through all that effort to only have the factory stereo as a means for controlling the sound, it's a massive waste.
Out of interest, what prices have you been quoted for the bit10 install and where abouts are you based?
The only difficulty is in configuring the software, but again, plenty of help about for that.
In all honesty, to go through all that effort to only have the factory stereo as a means for controlling the sound, it's a massive waste.
Out of interest, what prices have you been quoted for the bit10 install and where abouts are you based?
whats all this about needing a lineout converter and binning the oem subs?
If you've got a DSP amp in the car, then 100% you've already got lineout. absolutely nothing needs to be done bar cutting four wires and soldering on some RCA plugs.
If you dont have DSP, then I'm still about 80% sure you have linenout already.. but if you dont, it'll just be a software setting that can be flipped by inpa / ncsexpert!
As for the oem subs, running them off an aftermarket amp they sound nothing like how they do on the dsp amp.
they sound simply amazing and so much better - anyone who's seen my car since I upgraded mine will vouch for this.
If you've got a DSP amp in the car, then 100% you've already got lineout. absolutely nothing needs to be done bar cutting four wires and soldering on some RCA plugs.
If you dont have DSP, then I'm still about 80% sure you have linenout already.. but if you dont, it'll just be a software setting that can be flipped by inpa / ncsexpert!
As for the oem subs, running them off an aftermarket amp they sound nothing like how they do on the dsp amp.
they sound simply amazing and so much better - anyone who's seen my car since I upgraded mine will vouch for this.
By the seaside...
NeilP said:
I am in London - the guy who is installing my amp is charging £80 - he does not know much about the sound processors..
i was quoted near £150 for a JL cleansweep - guessing it will be the same for a bit10..seen Bit10's go for about £200 on ebay..
im not too keen about leaving my car in a audio shop that does work behind closed doors - and charges an arm and a leg..
do you know anyone who can install.
I have just got back into a Z4 and seen these in the doors and footwells, I assume they are non standard from the silver colour. I am hoping I can add an amp for some more clarity (dont like bass or volume, just clarity) - can anyone make some cost effective suggestions?
seriously... why do you need a bit ten?
explain the reason to me, cos I don't get it.
you're not putting in thousands of pounds worth of high definition cones... and the stereo provides line out as standard...
seems to me that your just spending money for the sake of it?
and considering these cost around £280 a go, it's a LOT of money?
explain the reason to me, cos I don't get it.
you're not putting in thousands of pounds worth of high definition cones... and the stereo provides line out as standard...
seems to me that your just spending money for the sake of it?
and considering these cost around £280 a go, it's a LOT of money?
yeah.. that's not helpful to ME, as I already know what these things do and what they're for.
I realize that the oem headunit likely has equalization across it's high-level outputs.
But then, the same oem headunit also provides low-level, unaffected outputs rendering the need for this type of processor irrelevant.
Yes - your current, BMW OEM headunit, in your car right now, provides a pre-out for use with an amplifier as STANDARD
Finally, using any four-chan amp worth it's money, you can 'fudge' any remaining equalization issues by adjusting the gain for your bass, mid and high frequency band blocks.
So my questions are again this:
1: Why are you using line converters?
Your stereo already provides a low-level output and all you're doing is degrading the sound and spending money doing so
2: Why are you even considering a DSP?
Unless you're changing all of your speakers to high level components, spending money properly deadening the car interior, and buying a suitably high-quality amplifier (or two), I fail to see how you're ever going to get your money's worth from it?
I have an e85 with NO line converter, an Alpine PX-V9, the standard "carver" subs and "top hifi" speakers and tweeters - sounds great (not comp-spec by any means, but above and beyond OEM quality of any car I've personally been in).
I realize that the oem headunit likely has equalization across it's high-level outputs.
But then, the same oem headunit also provides low-level, unaffected outputs rendering the need for this type of processor irrelevant.
Yes - your current, BMW OEM headunit, in your car right now, provides a pre-out for use with an amplifier as STANDARD
Finally, using any four-chan amp worth it's money, you can 'fudge' any remaining equalization issues by adjusting the gain for your bass, mid and high frequency band blocks.
So my questions are again this:
1: Why are you using line converters?
Your stereo already provides a low-level output and all you're doing is degrading the sound and spending money doing so
2: Why are you even considering a DSP?
Unless you're changing all of your speakers to high level components, spending money properly deadening the car interior, and buying a suitably high-quality amplifier (or two), I fail to see how you're ever going to get your money's worth from it?
I have an e85 with NO line converter, an Alpine PX-V9, the standard "carver" subs and "top hifi" speakers and tweeters - sounds great (not comp-spec by any means, but above and beyond OEM quality of any car I've personally been in).
fair point - short answer is - i dont know... lol
im a learner...
I will be installing the following:
Morel Virtus Components
JL 700/5 Amp
10" JL sub in the boot
Sound deadening to the doors and boot lid.
audio shop recommended - maybe an option to upgrade the stock rear and foot well speakers as they maybe under powered (as will still run off the head unit) ? or disconnect them
If i can do without a sound processor - great (as i dont have one in my e60 with a similar upgrade but no sub, and it sounds ok.
i have one of these in my e60
http://caraudiosecurity.com/connection-sli2-2-channel-line-output-convertor
im a learner...
I will be installing the following:
Morel Virtus Components
JL 700/5 Amp
10" JL sub in the boot
Sound deadening to the doors and boot lid.
audio shop recommended - maybe an option to upgrade the stock rear and foot well speakers as they maybe under powered (as will still run off the head unit) ? or disconnect them
If i can do without a sound processor - great (as i dont have one in my e60 with a similar upgrade but no sub, and it sounds ok.
i have one of these in my e60
http://caraudiosecurity.com/connection-sli2-2-channel-line-output-convertor
I think that's my point..
there's a lot of information out there, and most of it is from peoples personal experience - and that experience may not be attributable to the exact car in question.
For example, I still get told in pm's that our car's don't have any pre-out whatsoever and that you have to modify the headunit.
Which I know to be completely wrong, as I've not modified my headunit, don't have a line converter, and yet am happily running a low-level amp in my car with zero problems.
I am not saying a DSP isn't a good bit of kit, but I genuinely don't understand why people recommend it for our cars.
I'm all up for learning, and if someone can give a reason for it that's solid, then I'd actually be grateful for the additional knowledge.
But until that happens, I can't see any point for spending hundreds on one at all - it just seems a bit of an expensive way of gaining something you already have?
there's a lot of information out there, and most of it is from peoples personal experience - and that experience may not be attributable to the exact car in question.
For example, I still get told in pm's that our car's don't have any pre-out whatsoever and that you have to modify the headunit.
Which I know to be completely wrong, as I've not modified my headunit, don't have a line converter, and yet am happily running a low-level amp in my car with zero problems.
I am not saying a DSP isn't a good bit of kit, but I genuinely don't understand why people recommend it for our cars.
I'm all up for learning, and if someone can give a reason for it that's solid, then I'd actually be grateful for the additional knowledge.
But until that happens, I can't see any point for spending hundreds on one at all - it just seems a bit of an expensive way of gaining something you already have?