Hi-fi variations
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There are 3:
Standard 6 speaker,
10 speaker,
and 10 speaker DSP (also known as THX or Carver).
The way of knowing if you've got the 6 speaker setup is whether there are cubby holes behind the seats. If theres mesh instead, you've got one of the 2 10 speaker setups. On cars with nav, the THX/Carver system has a 7-band EQ, whereas the other 10 speaker system doesn't. When you haven't got nav, though, i'm not sure how you know... Perhaps you can't have the THX/Carver system without nav..?
Standard 6 speaker,
10 speaker,
and 10 speaker DSP (also known as THX or Carver).
The way of knowing if you've got the 6 speaker setup is whether there are cubby holes behind the seats. If theres mesh instead, you've got one of the 2 10 speaker setups. On cars with nav, the THX/Carver system has a 7-band EQ, whereas the other 10 speaker system doesn't. When you haven't got nav, though, i'm not sure how you know... Perhaps you can't have the THX/Carver system without nav..?
I have the 10 speaker Carver system in my car. Be under no illusion, there isn't a BMW system out there that will thump. So if that is what you want, have a separate sub amp and sub installed in your Z4. I went with an Alpine 500 watt monoblock digital amp. Originally I went with a 12" Alpine sub and soon realized that it is more suited to a sedan or coupe. I installed it in my wife's car. I keep the box and installed an Audiobahn sub. The roadster is not the best accoustically so to produce the major thump I wanted, whether just tooling around town or on the interstate at high speed, I went with a major "thump" producing 12" sub. I also have it hooked up so it can and is removed for autocross or high performance driving events.
takedown8:
10 speaker setups = 2 x tweeters by A pillars (on the doors) | 2 x sub/mids in the footwells | 2 x mids in the doors | 2 x mids in the circles behind the seats | 2 x subs in the big mesh behind the seats
6 speaker setup = (guessing) 2 x tweeters by A pillars (on the doors) | 2 x sub/mids in the footwells | 2 x mids in the doors
20ducks - you're right. The reality is that for a proper thump, you need to displace a large amount of air, and to achieve that, you need a large-diameter sub. The Carver/THX/DSP subs just aren't that big because their location doesn't allow it. The upside is that they're very precise and punchy, just not capable of true rumbling bass. In a coupe like mine where the boot space is either completely connected to the cabin or only separated by a thin cover, I'd expect an 8" or 10" sub to be best - probably the 8". A small sub like that is always going to be more accurate than a 10" or 12" but I'm sure would be capable of more than enough punch to fill the small cabin - in that sense, the Z4's small size gives you the best of both worlds. Maybe in a roadster it's different though, given that the boot's separated from the cabin by much more metal/plastic/etc.
10 speaker setups = 2 x tweeters by A pillars (on the doors) | 2 x sub/mids in the footwells | 2 x mids in the doors | 2 x mids in the circles behind the seats | 2 x subs in the big mesh behind the seats
6 speaker setup = (guessing) 2 x tweeters by A pillars (on the doors) | 2 x sub/mids in the footwells | 2 x mids in the doors
20ducks - you're right. The reality is that for a proper thump, you need to displace a large amount of air, and to achieve that, you need a large-diameter sub. The Carver/THX/DSP subs just aren't that big because their location doesn't allow it. The upside is that they're very precise and punchy, just not capable of true rumbling bass. In a coupe like mine where the boot space is either completely connected to the cabin or only separated by a thin cover, I'd expect an 8" or 10" sub to be best - probably the 8". A small sub like that is always going to be more accurate than a 10" or 12" but I'm sure would be capable of more than enough punch to fill the small cabin - in that sense, the Z4's small size gives you the best of both worlds. Maybe in a roadster it's different though, given that the boot's separated from the cabin by much more metal/plastic/etc.
Nice pic. Yeah, you see in the coupe, the hole you that's behind the hoops remains open (or can be covered by a thin roller-sheet thing), so a sub's soundwaves only have to go over the rear firewall to get to the cabin, whereas on the roadster, the hole behind the hoops is filled-in with the roof and book/trunk, so the soundwaves are forced to either travel through the firewall or go through the top of the boot/trunk, into the outside air and then back in through the roof/more air if the top's down.
Best way to think of it is like this I guess: the roadster acts like 3 separate compartments: the engine bay, the cabin, and the boot/trunk. They're all pretty-much sealed from each other. Whereas in the coupe, it's more like 2: the engine bay and the combined cabin+boot/trunk. The only thing separating the boot/trunk from the cabin is air and, if it's deployed, a roller-blind.
Best way to think of it is like this I guess: the roadster acts like 3 separate compartments: the engine bay, the cabin, and the boot/trunk. They're all pretty-much sealed from each other. Whereas in the coupe, it's more like 2: the engine bay and the combined cabin+boot/trunk. The only thing separating the boot/trunk from the cabin is air and, if it's deployed, a roller-blind.
Out of interest, how did you wire-in the Alpine amp? Presumably it was a sub amp (or it's other outputs just weren't used, seeing as they're provided by the car's standard amp) and it was fed by some of the wires that originally plug into the car's standard amp as part of a block? Simple as that?
Dreamer said:How come i have 8 speakers if there was only a 6 and 10 speaker option?
I've got two tweeters in the A-Pillars, two in the doors, two in the footwells and two behind the seats. Thats 8!
Ah whatever it sounds good anyway
The two in the doors are just grills, or it maybe the one in the footwell, it's one of them anyway.
Yeah, sorry Dreamer, but i'm pretty sure you'll only have 6... At a guess, i'd imagine it's the ones in the footwells or the ones behind the seats that are missing, as they'd be the most bother for BMW to cover up when not present (covering the footwell grilles would require a large new replacement part, as would the rear grilles - they're part of pretty big mouldings).
I might be wrong though... It has been known :wink:
I might be wrong though... It has been known :wink:
i now have 9 speaker system Started off with the standard six, which is 2 bass/mid in the footwells, 2 tweeters in the pillars and 2 mids behind seats, I have added an alpine powered sub bass and wired in the 2 mids in the doors (which as stated are just grills) in paralell, sounds much, much better,
I originall wired in 2 co axial in the doors, was far to tinny, as it is very hard just to buy 4" mids without the co ax, so got the carver ones off BMW for £52 + VAT, and they sound really good.
Sp pleased all round
Started off with the standard six, which is 2 bass/mid in the footwells, 2 tweeters in the pillars and 2 mids behind seats, I have added an alpine powered sub bass and wired in the 2 mids in the doors (which as stated are just grills) in paralell, sounds much, much better, I originall wired in 2 co axial in the doors, was far to tinny, as it is very hard just to buy 4" mids without the co ax, so got the carver ones off BMW for £52 + VAT, and they sound really good.
Sp pleased all round
Sounds good RustyZ4! That BMW price doesn't sound too bad at all (oh yes, pun intended :wink: )!
Pretty sure i've mentioned it somewhere here, but for completeness' sake, the Carver speakers (and probably speakers in the lower 6/10 speaker setups too) are manufacturered by Philips.
I'm quite happy with my (THX/DSP/Carver) system as it is at the moment, but it would be nice to know I could produce some real shake-the-engine-from-it's-mounts bass too... Perhaps a future boot-mounted sub upgrade is in order :wink:
Pretty sure i've mentioned it somewhere here, but for completeness' sake, the Carver speakers (and probably speakers in the lower 6/10 speaker setups too) are manufacturered by Philips.
I'm quite happy with my (THX/DSP/Carver) system as it is at the moment, but it would be nice to know I could produce some real shake-the-engine-from-it's-mounts bass too... Perhaps a future boot-mounted sub upgrade is in order :wink:
20ducks said:The rear firewall in the roadster is as substantial as the front one. I tried a pair of 8's in the trunk/boot and it proved to be inadequate for my needs.
I have a double dosage of mesh behind both seats - covering the holes shown in the pic above. A small round piece behind the head rest, and a much larger rectangular bit behind the middle of the seat.
Does that mean I have a 10 speaker setup? The guy I bought the car from didn't mention anything of such.
Also, how can I tell if I have a DSP unit - or do all cars have one? I found these instruction to install the DICE unit - is that the DSP unit, labelled 'factory amplifier' in the pic of page 3?
http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/product-extras/BMW_iPod_Integration_Kit_Instructions_-_DICE_Z4_Roadster_With_Analog_DSP.pdf
Probably does mean you've got the 10-speaker setup bras0782, yeah.
If you've got nav, you can tell if you've got the DSP/THX/Carver system by pressing the Menu button on the stereo. If you see a DSP option, you've got DSP, otherwise you'll have the half-way stereo system.
If you've got nav, you can tell if you've got the DSP/THX/Carver system by pressing the Menu button on the stereo. If you see a DSP option, you've got DSP, otherwise you'll have the half-way stereo system.
Hi Everyone,
I dont know whether I am being difficult but although i have the 10 speakers Carver system I am extremely disappointed with the quality of this system. I used to have a Bose Concerto system with my Audi A4 and it was much cheaper + I must admit it sounded much much better. The difference in quality is so big I cannot even describe in words.
I honestly do not think I have a single good thing to say about the Carver system. Yes it has many speakers the sounds produced was full but not acurate. The mid range is ectremely blurry, the tweeters (higher range) is weak and tinny, and the bass is the worst, it is very loud but extremely inaccurate and unsophisicated. It sounded like a cheap big bass box rather than a high end hi fi system.
I bought my car 2nd hand with this system and at first I was so shocked at the quality that I thought someone has changed and replaced the speakers before I bought the car!
May I ask if anyone agree with my comments? Or am I just being overly picking having been spoiled by the excellent Bose in car sounds systems (I have the bose system in both my Aud A4 and Merc E55).
Without having to sacrifice any boot space or add too much weight on my Z4MC, what is the best recommendation if I am to upgrade my sound system? And what sort of budget should I be aimming for (I am not hoping to over spend on acoustics but would like to achieve similar quality of those Bose systems).
Everyone's views and advice are much appreciated. Cheers!
I dont know whether I am being difficult but although i have the 10 speakers Carver system I am extremely disappointed with the quality of this system. I used to have a Bose Concerto system with my Audi A4 and it was much cheaper + I must admit it sounded much much better. The difference in quality is so big I cannot even describe in words.
I honestly do not think I have a single good thing to say about the Carver system. Yes it has many speakers the sounds produced was full but not acurate. The mid range is ectremely blurry, the tweeters (higher range) is weak and tinny, and the bass is the worst, it is very loud but extremely inaccurate and unsophisicated. It sounded like a cheap big bass box rather than a high end hi fi system.
I bought my car 2nd hand with this system and at first I was so shocked at the quality that I thought someone has changed and replaced the speakers before I bought the car!
May I ask if anyone agree with my comments? Or am I just being overly picking having been spoiled by the excellent Bose in car sounds systems (I have the bose system in both my Aud A4 and Merc E55).
Without having to sacrifice any boot space or add too much weight on my Z4MC, what is the best recommendation if I am to upgrade my sound system? And what sort of budget should I be aimming for (I am not hoping to over spend on acoustics but would like to achieve similar quality of those Bose systems).
Everyone's views and advice are much appreciated. Cheers!
Sorry funkdude, i'd say (although i'll admit to have not heard the exact Bose system in your other cars) that you've had your perception of what's a 'good sound' altered by Bose. Do a bit of Googling and you'll see what I mean, and why many tend to believe BOSE is an acronym for Better Off with Something Else :| Try finding any even semi-meaningful specifications of your Bose systems (frequency response of each speaker, etc) - I bet you'll have trouble. Bose do the same with their home systems, because, slightly unfortunately, there's big areas of the sound that are just ignored - e.g. the subwoofer (although Bose usually use speakers too small to actually be called subwoofers, so they're often branded as 'Bass Modules') will cover a certain part of the audio spectrum, and then a mid-bass/woofer is supposed to cover the area just after where the sub finishes, up until the trebble, at which point a tweeter takes over... Bose systems work in the same way, except each speaker tends not to cover as much as it should, so you end up with certain sections of the sound not being covered by any speaker..!
I'd suggest either having a go at tweaking your settings (remember - you can use the bass/trebble/ballance controls from the TONE button to complement the 7-band EQ of your Carver/THX/DSP system. After that, i'd go to your dealer to see if you can listen to the system in another Z4 to try to determine if you've got a dud. After that, it depends on where you think the system is most lacking as to what you do first.
I'd suggest either having a go at tweaking your settings (remember - you can use the bass/trebble/ballance controls from the TONE button to complement the 7-band EQ of your Carver/THX/DSP system. After that, i'd go to your dealer to see if you can listen to the system in another Z4 to try to determine if you've got a dud. After that, it depends on where you think the system is most lacking as to what you do first.