E38 735IL Car Audio for Metal

[Simulacrum 0]

Hey Guys,

I've been talking to some of the guys over at nzicemag, but thought I would come here for some specific advice.

I've just got my hands on a 97 735IL and am looking at replacing the car audio, specifically to play Metal. Budget is between 3-5k, though depending on the difficulty and what needs doing I should have people that will be able to help install this for me.

Here are some links to the kind of music I'm talking about.

Here are some pics I took when I got the car

Front Door:

Rear Door:

Head Unit:

Boot:

Rear Tray:

Center Armrest:

I've been scouring forums, looking for similar cars that have nice looking installs, I want to keep everything looking as standard as possible (I want to keep the HU, I have been told that I may be able to buy a DSP which will help with SQ, however I don't know if this will conflict with the standard setup) I don't mind a sub in the boot, however I will be building a wall to keep it from view.

As it is I haven't really heard a decent setup in any car that is designed to play metal and does it well, and from what I've been reading installing audio in this car can be a pain in the ass, so I thought I would come to you guys for some advice.

What would you suggest I get? What would sound good? Would I be better installing components and tweeters in the front and rear doors? I don't want anything in the rear tray, I will likely run a 10" sub for bass. I am looking for SQ over anything here and something that can keep up with the fast double kicks.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: For those interested, here is a link to my other thread. http://forums.nzicemag.co.nz/viewtopic.php...p;sk=t&sd=a

Edited May 6, 2008 by Simulacrum

[jochen 4]

You already have a 120 watt per channel system with DSP

The DSP amplifier, currently fitted to your car, drives each speaker via a separate amplifier.

So you already have 12 x speakers and 12 x amplifiers.

One of the best upgrades you can do to the sound system is just replace the spealers with modern speakers. The rest of the system is pretty good.

Add another subwoofer if you want (you already have a standard BMW subwoofer fitted) and use the existing DSP amp subwoofer outputs to drive the new subwoofer amp.

Be aware that the setup is complex. Consult the wiring diagram for your car (all available online) if you want to tap into any cables etc.

Do not consider replacing the headunit, as the whole integration of the radio, the DSP amp, the DSP controller, the MID, the steering wheel controls, and the multiple AM and FM antennas (ffor diversity reception) is a well engineered system that simply cannot be replicated by anything after-market.

[Simulacrum 0]

You already have a 120 watt per channel system with DSP

The DSP amplifier, currently fitted to your car, drives each speaker via a separate amplifier.

So you already have 12 x speakers and 12 x amplifiers.

One of the best upgrades you can do to the sound system is just replace the spealers with modern speakers. The rest of the system is pretty good.

Add another subwoofer if you want (you already have a standard BMW subwoofer fitted) and use the existing DSP amp subwoofer outputs to drive the new subwoofer amp.

Be aware that the setup is complex. Consult the wiring diagram for your car (all available online) if you want to tap into any cables etc.

Do not consider replacing the headunit, as the whole integration of the radio, the DSP amp, the DSP controller, the MID, the steering wheel controls, and the multiple AM and FM antennas (ffor diversity reception) is a well engineered system that simply cannot be replicated by anything after-market.

Cheers for the advice, I wasn't planning on replacing the HU...I want to keep it looking as standard as possible. If you had 3.5k to spend total where would you put the money? I'm guessing this would depend on the music you listen to, so lets pretend you only listen to metal . Will sound deadening be needed at all?

[jochen 4]

Cheers for the advice, I wasn't planning on replacing the HU...I want to keep it looking as standard as possible.

Good! I whole heartedly agree with you.

If you had 3.5k to spend total where would you put the money?

I would start, and probably stop, at replacing the stock speakers with decent after-market speakers.

Lots of people, especially in the US, have done this and the difference is amazing.

Bear in mind the following:

The front speakers are a 3-way setup. Behind the top grill are a mid range and a tweeter.

The midrange is impossible to find as an aftermarket replacement, so most people replace the front door bass and tweeter speakers.

And the rear woofer and tweeters.

These guys here have a good reputation for speakers for the E38:

http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/product/...e-E38-7-Series/

In fact what they offer is plug and play, the speakers have the exact right connectors for the BMW, all you do is unbolt the old, bolt in the new, no wiring or cutting of connectors required.

Note that the kit replaces tweeters and bass only, the midrange stays in place.

Ask then if their kit also replaces the subwoofer speakers.

Also check if you have a car telephone - in the early cars, the phone sound comes from the drivers speaker, using a special speaker with dual voice coils. You loose this capability when replacing the speaker. The solution is to then fit a separate phone speaker under the dash, hooked into the original phone wiring.

Price for the BSW kit is USD $500, plus whatever the shipping will be from US to NZ.

As long as you don't have 2 x left hands, you should be able to fit it yourself easily.

Will sound deadening be needed at all?

Buy some at the same time, and use as required. Whether you need it or not depends on the rattliness of your car.

My E39 didn't rattle or vibrate at all with the stereo on full volume.

The first bad effects I heard were the speakers bottoming out, creating bass beat distortion. This problem goes away when new speakers are fitted.

Then with the rest of your money decide on what sort of subwoofer you want.

Due to regulations, you cannot cur into the rear parcel tray of the car - this is a structural member and your car will be non-warrantable afterwards.

So for subwoofers, you need to either fit a box in the boot, or replace the spare wheel with a custom-made sparewheel subwoofer - all depends on how much boot space you are willing to loose.

[Simulacrum 0]

Good! I whole heartedly agree with you.

I would start, and probably stop, at replacing the stock speakers with decent after-market speakers.

Lots of people, especially in the US, have done this and the difference is amazing.

Bear in mind the following:

The front speakers are a 3-way setup. Behind the top grill are a mid range and a tweeter.

The midrange is impossible to find as an aftermarket replacement, so most people replace the front door bass and tweeter speakers.

And the rear woofer and tweeters.

These guys here have a good reputation for speakers for the E38:

http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/product/...e-E38-7-Series/

In fact what they offer is plug and play, the speakers have the exact right connectors for the BMW, all you do is unbolt the old, bolt in the new, no wiring or cutting of connectors required.

Note that the kit replaces tweeters and bass only, the midrange stays in place.

Ask then if their kit also replaces the subwoofer speakers.

Also check if you have a car telephone - in the early cars, the phone sound comes from the drivers speaker, using a special speaker with dual voice coils. You loose this capability when replacing the speaker. The solution is to then fit a separate phone speaker under the dash, hooked into the original phone wiring.

Price for the BSW kit is USD $500, plus whatever the shipping will be from US to NZ.

As long as you don't have 2 x left hands, you should be able to fit it yourself easily.

Buy some at the same time, and use as required. Whether you need it or not depends on the rattliness of your car.

My E39 didn't rattle or vibrate at all with the stereo on full volume.

The first bad effects I heard were the speakers bottoming out, creating bass beat distortion. This problem goes away when new speakers are fitted.

Then with the rest of your money decide on what sort of subwoofer you want.

Due to regulations, you cannot cur into the rear parcel tray of the car - this is a structural member and your car will be non-warrantable afterwards.

So for subwoofers, you need to either fit a box in the boot, or replace the spare wheel with a custom-made sparewheel subwoofer - all depends on how much boot space you are willing to loose.

And if you weren't to stop there? Where would you go.

Getting the speakers replaced won't be an issue, have you heard the speakers from bavariansoundwerks? Would I be better off just getting other speakers, rather than spending money getting these imported? Easy of install isn't too much of an issue, I have people that will install these for me. I want to get a pretty decent level of sound from whatever I do, so I'm doing all the research I can now.

There is a carphone currently in the car, though it is is not connected at the moment. I will most likely take this out anyway, as I have no use for it and people just want to play with it all the time.

I will be building a custom box for the sub in the boot, with the size of the boot it doesn't phase me too much.

Another question. While looking at that bavariansoundwerks site I came across this... http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/product/...it-E38-by-DICE/ I really like where this mounts, but unfortunately my E38 is only a 97 and they have told me that this is not compatable... Have you seen anything similar to this? That's the perfect location for my iPod.

[jochen 4]

And if you weren't to stop there? Where would you go.

I'd add the intravee II iPod integration, because there's is the best

Getting the speakers replaced won't be an issue, have you heard the speakers from bavariansoundwerks? Would I be better off just getting other speakers, rather than spending money getting these imported?

Get whatever you like. Google "E38 speaker upgrade" and you'll find tons of references.

I've never heard the Bavarian speakers myself, I left my E39 with stock original speakers.

There is a carphone currently in the car, though it is is not connected at the moment. I will most likely take this out anyway, as I have no use for it and people just want to play with it all the time.

Keep it. It's original and adds value if you ever resell the car.

Another question. While looking at that bavariansoundwerks site I came across this... http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/product/...it-E38-by-DICE/ I really like where this mounts, but unfortunately my E38 is only a 97 and they have told me that this is not compatable... Have you seen anything similar to this? That's the perfect location for my iPod.

The mount will be fine. The compatibility is whether you have the Aux In on the radio for the iPod to connect to.

There were a few generations of different radios, you have one of the earliest.

Plus the CD changer control protocol changed from direct connection to ibus.

For the iPod control you need the ibus CD changer, which may mean swapping out the radio (which controls the CD changer)

When adding iPod you need to patch it into one of the existing audio inputs: tape or CD, as there was no Aux In on your model E38. Most people sacrifice the CD changer.