Car audio upgrade options.

hurfdurf

hurfdurf

hurfdurf

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17 Dec 2009
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So my E89 Z4 has every option bar the good speakers set up. It's terrible.

It has 1 6" speaker in the footwells and 1 4" speaker in the door cars.

I have been browsing forums and the go to upgrade is a 4" component set with 1" tweeter to replace the 4" speaker.
(https://youtu.be/0N2ZewKwuIM - this is offered by a well respected car audio shop a few hours from me.)


My local respected car audio dealer has argued that this isn't the best way to do things at all.

They are saying disconnect the 4" speaker entirely, replace the 6" speaker with a 6" component set and 1" tweeter.
They have said that there 6" replacement vs the 4" would give me a better sound, but they are also recommending a mini Kicker Key amp.


They are offering this combo for £600ish installed.

Anyone got any opinions?
 
See if there's a forum member you can travel to that has upgraded. That's what I did with one of my cars previously - similar situation where i'd had every option other than a decent sound system. It was worth the hour and a half drive to really test it because I think sound systems are hugely subjective (for example, I think the Harman Kardon in the Mini Clubman is excellent, while others think it's poor).

Failing that, may be better to go with tried and tested upgrades rather than listen to your local shop I'd say.
 
A lot of the time the cars OEM Headunits are as much to blame as the speakers, you can change the speakers, and then still be very much disappointed because it will still sound crap
 
Haze said:
A lot of the time the cars OEM Headunits are as much to blame as the speakers, you can change the speakers, and then still be very much disappointed because it will still sound crap
Click to expand...

This. To the point you may get away with simply adding one of these speaker level amplifiers that can fit behind the dash. A few times I've simply replaced the head unit and that has given the speakers enough of a kick I have no longer been desperate to change speakers too. These in line amps are usually less than £100, so if you can fit yourself, that might just be enough for you. If you still want to go swapping out speakers after, the amp will still be beneficial anyway.
 
I'd got some hertz components, to replace the default ones in a base 3 series
jpaul said:
Agree I bought Hertz DSK130.3 2-Way Car Speaker 120 Watt 13cm ...
can check specs here
I used some high density packing foam which I cut to fit the existing mid-range
slots in door panels (older bm) and cut slots in these to mount tweeters, which were
much smaller than existing mid range.
Click to expand...
sub £100.
it was not too difficult to do myself. ... I would try speaker upgrade first.


hurfdurf said:
a mini Kicker Key amp.
Click to expand...
is there a line out from the existing head unit (or is amp in the boot?) to drive that ?
 
In the olden days if car audio, you could go into the shop and they would demo the speaker setups. This would allow you to decide between the component setups (in isolation anyway).

You’d need some advice on the head unit as discussed above though.
 
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