Rear/Side speakers.

[Loxford]

I have speakers on the outside rear of each of the seats (just outside of the headrests).
They give a great pseudo surround sound, the problem is balancing them with the front speakers. They just don't put out enough level compared to the front speakers in order to benefit from them while driving.
Any way they can be cranked up further? Otherwise they are wasted.

G

 

[Maniac]

Yes, use the fader function on your stereo to pull the balance to the rear.

Personally the stock balance is right and you can check this by fading the speakers all the way to the front.

 

[Loxford]

Thx,
The fader works but to actually enjoy hearing them in the mix means the overall volume is compromised too much for when your are driving.
They seem to be extremely underrated compared to the main speakers which can kick out good quality at a high level.

 

[Anonymous]

Which version of the audio system do you have?

 

[Felixlamb]

Thx,
The fader works but to actually enjoy hearing them in the mix means the overall volume is compromised too much for when your are driving.
They seem to be extremely underrated compared to the main speakers which can kick out good quality at a high level.

Same with me

Which version of the audio system do you have?

I just have the standard 6(?) speaker setup. Ones to the side of each seat are basically inaudible in my car unless the fader is massively tweaked.

 

[Maniac]

Not inaudible. Just not immediately determinable. They are surround speakers right next to your ear and so are detuned for that reason.

 

[Anonymous]

Maniac view is correct, it’s a strange set up see wiring diagram..


https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e89-z4-sdrive20i-roa/wiring-functional-info/body/audio-video-telephone-navigation-most-ring/sound-output/stereo-speaker-system/2dTsrUXu

BMW have set it up in a fixed set up with limited adjustment...quite why it is like this I don’t know...

Interestingly I seriously updated my system and it’s true too much drive to those speaker locations ruins the spatial image..maybe that’s a bit subtle for some music lovers.

However it’s a crap system that they didn’t dare sell in the US.

 

[Loxford]

Which version of the audio system do you have?

BMW Professional

Can't knock it for sound quality, it's fine, plenty loud enough to the front.
Turn the engine off and the surround is also really nice when balanced but the price is very low db.

Seems a near miss to go to the trouble of including those speakers just to the outside of the headrests yet rate them with so little power that they render the overall level simply to quiet for driving.

 

[Anonymous]

You guys have different systems..

Stereo is the 6 speaker non external amp version

Business is the 11 speakers external amp/DSP (no DSP adjust option)

Professional is the 14 speaker external amp (bigger) / DSP with DSP adjust

In addition if its a 18i 20i 28i you probably have the BMW active sound design in circuit whcih injects 'brum brum' sounds into the speakers at all times..irrespective of speaker set up!

 

[Silverstar]

Many years ago I was told by a car audio professional that really your main focus should be in front of you not behind, in my old car back then he installed speakers in the front and subwoofer in the rear, he didn't bother with any other speakers in the rear and the soundstage was pretty decent. Maybe this is why BMW have done this just to have the rear as a surround and not as main speakers. Maybe though things have moved on since when I had that system installed, I don't really know.

 

[Anonymous]

My new system uses the Audiotec Fischer BMW match DSP/amp...

https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/match/amplifiers/up-7bmw

This via its pc tool kit allows infinite control of the DSP / amps...

Small changes can make massive effects to the sound stage/ brightness etc...

Is a truism that for correct soundstage the mid range / higher frequencies need to be frontally based.. so the rear mid range have only a supporting role..sub woofers can be placed anywhere...

Woofers ideally at the front..where they are in the footwells in the Z4..

 

[Loxford]

A lot of stuff is mixed surround.
Looking at that diagram I have the 6 speaker set up (Blue).

Sub woofer traditionally can be anywhere as the bass frequencies are not directionally perceived. Instead you are fooled into thinking they arrive from the same source as the your main speakers. If you have a sub woofer in your house, move it around and see (or hear!).

I remember decades ago when surround was in it's expensive early days we used to wire rear speakers to our existing front stereo speakers. It was called the Hafler System and it worked very well for very little cost.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafler_circuit

 

[Anonymous]

A lot of stuff is mixed surround.
Looking at that diagram I have the 6 speaker set up (Blue).

Sub woofer traditionally can be anywhere as the bass frequencies are not directionally perceived. Instead you are fooled into thinking they arrive from the same source as the your main speakers. If you have a sub woofer in your house, move it around and see (or hear!).

I remember decades ago when surround was in it's expensive early days we used to wire rear speakers to our existing front stereo speakers. It was called the Hafler System and it worked very well for very little cost.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hafler_circuit

The BMW Z4 echoes many of your thoughts, the sub woofers wired across the mid rnage speakers and as you and others suggest strange rear channel processing of various types...the one thing I'm not clear on is that in the 676 and 677 systems aka business and professional how much signal processing is done in the head unit and how much in the amp..

When I have a bit of spare time I may see what changes if I take just the front two feeds from the headunit and then use the Match DSP to process the signals to the 8 amp circuits!!