rogan

Have you seen this one. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/C...n-192923326.htm Looks like better NZ history. It's had a coolant issue but if Team McM fixed it then it's probably not going to be anything to worry about. Any jap import you buy is a risky odometer

Be very careful with the pins at the back of that headie. Apparently they have a tendency to bend.

This is the tread to watch http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showt...d.php?t=1138037

Huge thanks Jochen

Guy in the US, with a 99 e39 540I/6 http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showt...d.php?t=1137154 Any idea?

Ha, yeah I think I'm gonna need to be a titch conservative with the gains or there could be a project phoenix in my front doors.

Think I've seen it, that's where they replace some of the components. There's a guy in Italy who's gone way overboard doing a similar thing. Totally out of my league. I could get away with a mono amp and 1 sub, a 2channel for the mids and a 4 channel for horns and rears but hey what the hell.I would never have considered 6x9s before speaking to Eric Stevens (Image Dynamics designer/owner). He is making an 8" in the same range for the people who won't believe that oval can sound good but reckons the 6x9 is better than the 8 on most if not all levels. It does help being the NZ distributor. Update, still waiting for the amp rack to be welded up - they should be ready this week but then there's trial fitting before powdercoating. Have got just about everything ready but welders are holding me up. Christmas finish on the amps not looking likely now

Another option is the Kinetic batteries that Dave in Wellington sells. [email protected] I'm running a 1000d, a 150x2 and a 40x4 off a 140a alternator and big battery (just a din 92 or din95 can't remember which) and have no problems. Not expecting too many problems with the near-future amplifier upgrade either. Your battery should sit around 11-12v with car and stereo off, and at 14.xx with engine running and stereo off. Might pay to have your alternator looked at just to see what it's doing.

What types of amps (rms rating etc). Are we talking Explode/Reactor etc amps or real ones. Is you battery holding charge? 9.6v seems really low. E30's have a pretty pathetic battery tray, suggest you either get something like an orbital blue top, or go the second battry route but you need to factor in the extra cost of wiring and the VSR (voltage sensing relay) you'll need to handle the charging system.

What do you mean "big audio gear"? And is that 9.6v measured across the battery or at the amps?

Only 9 months since the last update. Trying to get the amps and subs done before Chrimbo. Rapid Radio have the spare door cards and I don't think there's been much / any progress. Few teaser pics

You blow the fuseable links on Pioneer units if you disconnect the amplifier earth before unhooking RCAs. If the amplifier has no earth then it looks for another earth which just happens to be through the RCAs to the headunit. It doesn't matter if you've turned your stereo off first, there can be some charge left in the amps. To avoid blowing them, whenever you're going to do some work on the stereo or disconnect the battery, then turn the stereo off and disconnect the RCAs before doing anything else. IMO 95% of alternator whine problems are caused by poor grounding. Your amp should be earthed through a decent thickness cable to a place on the car which is sanded back. Then cover the area in petroleum jelly (vaseline) to prevent rust

x2. They're called the fuseable links. If you get it serviced the Pioneer techie replace them with a piece of wire instead of the stupid fuse. A simple test is to earth the outside sheath of one of your RCAs at the head unit. If the whinning goes away this is the problem. If not then look at how you've grounded the amps, and what the battery -ve to chassis connections are like. I've had alternator whine for the last 6 months at least. Worst sound ever,made even worse by highly efficient speakers

Sort out the wiring. I'm not too concerned where it's running along, but make sure all joints / terminations are tidy and secure.

But why bother sticking Kappa components in the back? Subwoofer frequencies are generally 20-80hz. Your Kappa would be lucky to get down below say 120hz (yes they will play lower but you'd need to put them in decent enclsoures). A pair of components is wasted in the rear IMHO.

Budget? What type of components and what sub?

I'll drop in tuesday avo and have a look.

Have 235/45/17 all round on an e39. Wanting to get a bit more boot space to install stereo amplifiers. Does anyone know if there is a spacesaver tyre that would be suitable??

9887=$580 inc ipod lead

There's been alot of arguement about oval v round. I was anti 6x9 but got talked into a pair by a speaker designer. Now have 6x9 in my front doors playing 70-1000hz and they're superb. Will be even better once they get some grunty amplification. I'd flag the rears (stick with 5.25s) and get a sub and amp instead

Meant to add: am getting rid of my stock of the IDQv2 which is now a discontinued model. Going out the door below landed cost. $160, $180 and $200 for the 10, 12 and 15 respectively. Very limited stock of the 12 dual 2ohm and the 15 inch. No idea on 9887 pricing, but I did see them in the sale pile. If I get time tomorrow morning I'll post up the 9887 price

IDQ10 v3. RRP $479 Sale $340 IDQ12 v3. RRP $529 Sale $360 Both available in D2 or D4 I'm running the IDQ12v3 at the mo in my car. Stonking thing. Completely different to the v2. Heaps more low end and major output increase. IDQ12v3 will do up to about 800rms. Has 19mm xmax and just slightly smaller cone area than the Max12. There's nothing much that matches it at RRP pricepoint let alone 30% off. Might sound like a sales pitch but it ain't: RRP on these are going to go up after the next order. Costs have gone up a bit. Note NZ is more than 20% cheaper than Aus at current RRP (IDQ12v3 is AU$549 http://www.fastfoursforumscarclub.com/temp..._pricelist.pdf)

Pretty sure they don't sell Soundstream. You fixed on SS. If not let me know the following and I'll try and recommend something: budget, amp power, sub size, music taste, and loud vs quality.

Quick heads up: This saturday 20 Sept, 9am - 4pm Sale at the new Car Stereo Specialists premises: 155 Sunnybrae Rd Glenfield North Shore opposite entrance to Glenfield On Road vehicle testing (from the Harbour Bridge: Take Esmonde Rd off ramp, turn left at lights. Keep going straight ahead for about 3-4km. Building is on your right. If you get to traffic lights where you have to turn right or left then you've wasted 200metres of petrol.) I'll be there all day pushing the Image Dynamics subs. Expect Alpine, Fusion, Sony, Pioneer etc to be seriously discounted too.

When you pull that Kenwood thing out, expect there to be some cutting of the airbox behind it. What's the problem with your a/c, maybe this has something to do with it. I'd replace it with something decent. The factory headunit is a piece of junk (opens can of worms). Have a look at Panasonic, they tend to be a bit cheaper than the other big brands and have some good features.