Audio system, completed
06-02-2005, 12:10 AM
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My Ride: 545i Sport Auto (see sig)
Pictures of my completed aftermarket audio system now in the gallery.
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?act=module...cmd=si&img=2470
This is with the new Arc Audio DXE Digital Hybrid crossover/EQ. The crossover/EQ components keep the audio completely in the analog path, but are digitally controlled via two remote displays, one for the EQ controls and one for the crossover controls. As you can see they mounted the EQ display in the otherwise useless pocket hole in my dash; the crossover display is in the trunk above the top amp.
This baby was not cheap at around $2000 not counting installation, but it's incredible. The EQ display lets me switch between two inputs. One input is from the factory head unit - radio, PDQ, phone, etc. The other input is direct from my iPod. This results in clearer sound since the iPod audio is no longer going through the factory head unit (via the BMW aux input), factory amps, and LOC anymore.
They've also run the iPod charger behind the dash, so no more ugly wires hanging out. Only problem is they wired it in such a way that the iPod continues to draw power if the car is off, preventing the car from sleeping (since the iPod continuously charges itself in the presence of voltage). Not a big deal though since the battery is fine even after left like this for two days; I just have to remember the unplug the iPod if I plan to leave the car unused for a while. Rewiring the charger would require disassembling the entire dash again.
The connection from the iPod to the EQ is exposed in the glove box, so I can easily splice in another device if I want, such as my laptop when I want to RTA my system:
I've also painted the woofer grills black, which I think looks much better.
Total system cost is now about $12500. Worth every penny. The only upgrade I can imagine doing for the future might be more powerful subwoofers and subwoofer amp (1000 to 2000 watts), but I can't do that until some method comes out for upgrading the E60's alternator. I don't want to risk pulling any more power out of the E60's electrical system with the load these amps are already placing on it. I've seen no problems so far, but another 1000 watts will surely cause trouble.
I should probably summarize the entire system for those who haven't seen the earlier threads. I got my system upgraded at AMS Car Stereo in Santa Clara, CA (Kurtis is the main man there - 408-248-1111). These guys specialize in high-end cars and systems.
The front speakers I've replaced with Morel Elate 6 three-ways. A hole was cut in each front door for a 6" woofer. The back speakers are Morel Elate 5 three-ways. A hole was cut in each rear door for a 5" woofer. The back half of the trunk is now taken up by a subwoofer box containing two Arc Audio 12D4 subs. The box ports into the passenger compartment via a hole behind the rear console (which must be left down to hear the bass, the trunk being so well isolated).
Three Arc Audio amps hang off the back of the box to power the entire system. The front speakers are powered by an Arc Audio 4150XXK amp rated at 2x320w bridged at 4 ohms. The rear speakers are powered by an Arc Audio 2100XXk amp rated at 2x100w stereo at 4 ohms. The subs are powered by an Arc Audio 1500XXK amp rated 900w bridged at 4 ohms (but actually measured at 1000w). So total is 1840w.
Since the factory head unit has no pre-amp outputs, we took the output from the factory amp and factory sub amp and ran it through an AudioControl LC6 LOC (line-output converter). The output (combined, which mostly cancels out the factory crossover) is then run into the Arc Audio DXE crossover/EQ as one input. Separately, the output from the iPod is run into the DXE as another input, as described above, which gives me a pure audio path for the iPod. The output from the DXE then runs directly to the amps, which run to the speakers.
The power wire to the battery for the amps runs through a 140 amp Phoenix Gold circuit breaker, which I haven't tripped yet. The E60 alternator is 160 amps, so the breaker will trip long before the point where I'm risking shutting down the car computer.
The sound is indescribably good. The system reproduces so well that it's impossible for me to listen to the satellite radio now because of the horridly high compression ratio Sirius uses (at most 60 kbps). CD quality, bullcrap. That's one $13 monthly bill I won't be paying come next year. In contrast, I rip my MP3s at LAME VBR 256kbps; blind listening tests with audio experts on a $40,000 home system have shown that for ordinary music 256kbps MP3s are indistinguishable from the source CD material.
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?act=module...cmd=si&img=2470
This is with the new Arc Audio DXE Digital Hybrid crossover/EQ. The crossover/EQ components keep the audio completely in the analog path, but are digitally controlled via two remote displays, one for the EQ controls and one for the crossover controls. As you can see they mounted the EQ display in the otherwise useless pocket hole in my dash; the crossover display is in the trunk above the top amp.
This baby was not cheap at around $2000 not counting installation, but it's incredible. The EQ display lets me switch between two inputs. One input is from the factory head unit - radio, PDQ, phone, etc. The other input is direct from my iPod. This results in clearer sound since the iPod audio is no longer going through the factory head unit (via the BMW aux input), factory amps, and LOC anymore.
They've also run the iPod charger behind the dash, so no more ugly wires hanging out. Only problem is they wired it in such a way that the iPod continues to draw power if the car is off, preventing the car from sleeping (since the iPod continuously charges itself in the presence of voltage). Not a big deal though since the battery is fine even after left like this for two days; I just have to remember the unplug the iPod if I plan to leave the car unused for a while. Rewiring the charger would require disassembling the entire dash again.
The connection from the iPod to the EQ is exposed in the glove box, so I can easily splice in another device if I want, such as my laptop when I want to RTA my system:
I've also painted the woofer grills black, which I think looks much better.
Total system cost is now about $12500. Worth every penny. The only upgrade I can imagine doing for the future might be more powerful subwoofers and subwoofer amp (1000 to 2000 watts), but I can't do that until some method comes out for upgrading the E60's alternator. I don't want to risk pulling any more power out of the E60's electrical system with the load these amps are already placing on it. I've seen no problems so far, but another 1000 watts will surely cause trouble.
I should probably summarize the entire system for those who haven't seen the earlier threads. I got my system upgraded at AMS Car Stereo in Santa Clara, CA (Kurtis is the main man there - 408-248-1111). These guys specialize in high-end cars and systems.
The front speakers I've replaced with Morel Elate 6 three-ways. A hole was cut in each front door for a 6" woofer. The back speakers are Morel Elate 5 three-ways. A hole was cut in each rear door for a 5" woofer. The back half of the trunk is now taken up by a subwoofer box containing two Arc Audio 12D4 subs. The box ports into the passenger compartment via a hole behind the rear console (which must be left down to hear the bass, the trunk being so well isolated).
Three Arc Audio amps hang off the back of the box to power the entire system. The front speakers are powered by an Arc Audio 4150XXK amp rated at 2x320w bridged at 4 ohms. The rear speakers are powered by an Arc Audio 2100XXk amp rated at 2x100w stereo at 4 ohms. The subs are powered by an Arc Audio 1500XXK amp rated 900w bridged at 4 ohms (but actually measured at 1000w). So total is 1840w.
Since the factory head unit has no pre-amp outputs, we took the output from the factory amp and factory sub amp and ran it through an AudioControl LC6 LOC (line-output converter). The output (combined, which mostly cancels out the factory crossover) is then run into the Arc Audio DXE crossover/EQ as one input. Separately, the output from the iPod is run into the DXE as another input, as described above, which gives me a pure audio path for the iPod. The output from the DXE then runs directly to the amps, which run to the speakers.
The power wire to the battery for the amps runs through a 140 amp Phoenix Gold circuit breaker, which I haven't tripped yet. The E60 alternator is 160 amps, so the breaker will trip long before the point where I'm risking shutting down the car computer.
The sound is indescribably good. The system reproduces so well that it's impossible for me to listen to the satellite radio now because of the horridly high compression ratio Sirius uses (at most 60 kbps). CD quality, bullcrap. That's one $13 monthly bill I won't be paying come next year. In contrast, I rip my MP3s at LAME VBR 256kbps; blind listening tests with audio experts on a $40,000 home system have shown that for ordinary music 256kbps MP3s are indistinguishable from the source CD material.
06-02-2005, 01:10 AM
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My Ride: 530iA Silver Grey , black interior. Premium Package, Navigation System, Head-up Display, Radio Satellite, Adaptive Xenon Headlights. AC Schnitzer Front Lip, H&R springs, Rear red reflector, All season Floor mat,
WoW 
You're the man, Merzbow
You're the man, Merzbow
06-02-2005, 05:48 AM
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My Ride: [i][b][u]Since 19 august 2004[/u][/b][/i]: [color=red][b]530i[/b] High Executive[/color], Silvergray with beige interior, Popular wood, Servotronic, Sportssuspension, electric foldable and dimmed mirrors, dimmed interior mirror, pappelmaser braun wood, cupholders, styling 123 18" wheels, Logic 7, Steptronic, alarm class 3, electric sunscreen in the rear and suncreens for sidewindows, Comfort seats, heated seats, Xenon with headlightwashers, Adaptive corner lights ALC, Advanced airconditioning, lightpackage, Nav Pro, 6 cd changer, side airbags rearseats, bluetooth siemens S55, chrome kidneys, gearlever with wood, voice recognition retrofit, front windshield with green band.
Waiting for trunkopener button from Hobi :)
Very impressive!! You tha man!!!! 
06-02-2005, 10:14 AM
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My Ride: 545i Sport Auto (see sig)
Originally Posted by jtp1947' date='Jun 2 2005, 07:50 AM
All this on a leased E-60
Seriously, great job, I would love to hear it!
Seriously, great job, I would love to hear it!
[snapback]135475[/snapback]
06-02-2005, 04:44 PM
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My Ride: 2004 525i Jet Black on Grey Interior---
Tint: Sides 20% Rear Windshield 5% Front Windshield 35%
Wheels: Zenetti Five's 20" by 8.5(front) 20" by 10(rear)--
Tires: Pirelli Asimmetrico 245/35/20(front) 285/30/20(rear)--
Body: Hamann Full Front Spoiler, Rieger Side Skirts, Rieger Rear Apron, AC Schnitzer Trunk Wing
Interior: AC Schnitzer Pedal Set and E-Break
Springs: H&R Sport Springs--
Audio: 2 12" Kicker L7's with a Rockford Fosgate 1501bd Amp With Custom Trunk Enclosure
SOON TO COME:
-M5 Mirrors
-M5 Trunk Finsher
-Brembo GT Big Brake Kit
-Hamann 6 Series Front Spliter Molded
-Hamann Roof Wing
-Full Custom Sound System with TV's
well im gonna habe to fly to CA to see whos thumps louder 
.. haha jk looks very professional shit must bump good luck man
.. haha jk looks very professional shit must bump good luck man