Audio upgrade in E60 535d

[amattila]

Did you transfer the mist optical connector from your original harness to the new plug and play harness?

And be careful with it as it is optical and delicate.

No.. I didnt actually. I just plugged those big connectors together. Took the power wire out from the bundle as I powered the unit from battery.

That must be it. I have to open it up tonight again.

Thanks. I'll report how it goes

[gizze]

Sorry, was a bit of a rushed reply earlier as I was on my iphone.

You need to slide the two optical wires out from the original block, seen in this pic, one is green and the other has a black corrugated shroud on it, there is a small lever that you need to press down and then they slide out in there own connector, this then slides into the new plug and play block.

When you are behind the head unit you can tuck the original connector block to the side of the cage that the radio slides into or just under it, there is then plenty of room to slide the radio back in without squashing anything, it is a bit of effort to get it in there but it will go.

[amattila]

That was it. SOS warning disappeared

Thanks a million!

[gizze]

No problem.

[amattila]

Now I have the radio interference sound... can be heard on top of speak. CD/DVD/AUX - no interference.

I think its got something to do with placement of amplifier. Antenna is integrated to backwindow, and I think that amplifier sends out somekind of signal that disturbs the fm reception...

I had the speaker cables from head-unit straight to back, and tried to move speaker cables around, but that didnt help. Havent tried to move the amp around yet... Anyone has a receipe for this?

[gizze]

Class D amps have harmonics that are in the same frequency as FM, and they do mess with the reception, the harmonics are carried across the cables like aerials.

I came across this on the Der 1er BMW - :: Index the other day, it is a document released by BMW after alot of people were complaining that they had lost FM after fitting the official Alpine amp to their cars, also a Class D amp.

I would pay special attention to pic 3.

[Kildegaard]

ORIGINAL POST BY GIZZE IN 1 SERIES THREAD:

Mate, if you are going to upgrade the 5 series get the following...

Blaupunkt THA-555 pnp amp.

BMW plug and play cable with 5.5m extension.

DLS R4 speakers.

2 earthquake SWS-8 subwoofers. (these guys make the BMW sub and it drops right in.)

Totall cost around £600, it is all fitted without cutting a singe wire and it sounds absolutely fantastic.

The locations of the BMW speakers is the best designed set up of any car, using the door sills as subwoofer cabinet is genius, plus having the subs up front intergrates the bass perfectly.

I would now say to anyone speccing a new BMW to not add any audio upgrade and put this in. I always thought that the Logic 7 was just really good components for an OEM set up, but it is more the fact the stock locations are spot on and really do get the most out of them.

Hi Gizze,

Getting the kit priced up as we speak. Does the amp power the front and rear speakers as well, taking it away from the headunit amp ?

Apparently (don't know for sure) the bog standard subs in the E60 are 6.5" not 8", as only the HiFi and Logic7 get 8".

Any experience with this? Maybe if this is the case the 6.5" subs are in an adaptor ring?

Cheers

Paul

Help – my upgrade did really not do any good to the sound in my BMW e60.

I had the standard stereo (eu) and installed speakers in the doors and the back, Installed the THA555, and installed the 8” earthquake with separate wires from the subs to the amp.

The amp is connected directly to the battery, and both the + and ground cable are really good ones with fuse in between.

At first I used some tweeters that I had with cross-over filters But the sound ws really to hard. So I ordered the original L7 tweeters (Top HiFi) and installed them.

But never the less, the sound is really ugly. I can’t imagine that any of you would consider this as good sound. Does any of you have any ideas about what can be wrong.

(I went to a carFi shop and listened to some tweeters (silk) and they really sounded thousands times better – my system isn’t playing music – its just some really hard sound. It’s like the tweeter eq. is compressed so that all the tweeter sund is sounding “Fat”

The dealer where I heard the good silk tweeters said that it is the headunit that is pre EQ’ed and I have to change this to get any better sound!

Where is that sweet soft and smooth bass that I expected, and where did the ultra violent tweeter sound come from?

I really like music and I’ve really looked forward to get the upgrade done, but unfortunately I’m so disappointed – please if anyone has a god idea.

[amattila]

Help – my upgrade did really not do any good to the sound in my BMW e60.

I had the standard stereo (eu) and installed speakers in the doors and the back, Installed the THA555, and installed the 8” earthquake with separate wires from the subs to the amp.

The amp is connected directly to the battery, and both the + and ground cable are really good ones with fuse in between.

At first I used some tweeters that I had with cross-over filters But the sound ws really to hard. So I ordered the original L7 tweeters (Top HiFi) and installed them.

But never the less, the sound is really ugly. I can’t imagine that any of you would consider this as good sound. Does any of you have any ideas about what can be wrong.

(I went to a carFi shop and listened to some tweeters (silk) and they really sounded thousands times better – my system isn’t playing music – its just some really hard sound. It’s like the tweeter eq. is compressed so that all the tweeter sund is sounding “Fat”

The dealer where I heard the good silk tweeters said that it is the headunit that is pre EQ’ed and I have to change this to get any better sound!

Where is that sweet soft and smooth bass that I expected, and where did the ultra violent tweeter sound come from?

I really like music and I’ve really looked forward to get the upgrade done, but unfortunately I’m so disappointed – please if anyone has a god idea.

Glad that someone else is having the same issue that I have noticed. My tweeters were installed by a audio shop. I took the car back to them and said that tweeter sound hurts my ears.. They put it to account of new tweeters, and said that I should come back if problem still exist after run-in period.

Then I thought that maybe the standard mids are just too low, and bought Audio System mids + 8" bass elements. After that install, mids were better but tweeter sound was still the same.

Then, thought that maybe amplificating the speakers will do a improvement for the sound. And maybe with that I can get rid of that tweeter sound also. Now, when I have amplified the speakers, there are more dynamics to sound and bass is eave better, but tweeter issue is still the same.

Tweeters are DLS UP1C (Should be good).

Only thing that helps, is to put treble to min, and turn the fader to 3/4 to back. But that isnt quite the thing you want to do because the high tones gets kind of muted in progress. And sound stage moves to the middle of the car.

One thing would be to test play something from external audio source with cd and compare it to sound through head unit.

[gizze]

What levels have you set on your amps???

What mids have you used??

[amattila]

What levels have you set on your amps???

What mids have you used??

I have the Audio System AS100 mids.

Levels like shown in picture. High-pass set relatively high. I noticed that when I turned it higher, the tweeter was a bit less violent, but still not good.

[gizze]

What crossover are you using with them?? The DLS crossover or the crossover from the Audio System??

The DLS tweeter is very sensitive at 93db, where as the mids are only 89db I think?

This would make the tweeter alot louder.

I would set the low pass on the sub at 125hz, and because it needs driving a lot harder than the mids and tweeters you need to set the gain at around 5v.

Set the high pass on the fronts to around 110hz and the gain to 8v.

I then set the rears so there is only everything below 250hz going to them, I think that is setting the low pass to max?? Can't remember the settings on it now.

I am not a fan of mixing different brand tweeters and mids, unless you are talking really high end and you have an active system to tailor it properly.

You need to make sure the subs are at a level where you can hear them, otherwise it sounds far too bright, upping the sub channel gains adds the warmth.

The OEM head unit is not EQ'd on the non amplified system.

Edited September 30, 2009 by gizze

[gizze]

On the Audio System you have to cut a blue wire to reduce the tweeter by 3db, has your installer done this?? if there are using the Audio System crossover of course.

[amattila]

What crossover are you using with them?? The DLS crossover or the crossover from the Audio System??

Crossovers came with DLS speakers. There are two settings on crossover, high and low. Now its set to low.

The DLS tweeter is very sensitive at 93db, where as the mids are only 89db I think?

This would make the tweeter alot louder.

I think you are right - that must be the reason.

I'm wondering what is the sensitivity of the original speakers.. Lower I think, beacuse when I listened that audio system speaker on the other door and original on the other, it was clear that audio system speaker was louder.

I would set the low pass on the sub at 125hz, and because it needs driving a lot harder than the mids and tweeters you need to set the gain at around 5v.

Set the high pass on the fronts to around 110hz and the gain to 8v.

I then set the rears so there is only everything below 250hz going to them, I think that is setting the low pass to max?? Can't remember the settings on it now.

Why to put only low everything below 250hz to rear..? I think that their sound range is something like 90hz and up.

I am not a fan of mixing different brand tweeters and mids, unless you are talking really high end and you have an active system to tailor it properly.

You need to make sure the subs are at a level where you can hear them, otherwise it sounds far too bright, upping the sub channel gains adds the warmth.

The OEM head unit is not EQ'd on the non amplified system.

Sub-area is covered. Bass sound is very good now.

Maybe I should order Audio System tweeters to replace those DLS ones. Damn shame, because I'm sure that those DLS tweeters are top quality.

Or would it be wiser to order new midtones? Or maybe if there is crossovers that can fade the signal going to tweeters?

Thanks again for lightening things up

Edited October 1, 2009 by amattila

[amattila]

Help – my upgrade did really not do any good to the sound in my BMW e60.

At first I used some tweeters that I had with cross-over filters But the sound ws really to hard. So I ordered the original L7 tweeters (Top HiFi) and installed them.

Isnt L7 tweeters 2ohms? I think they are getting two times the power compared to mids that are 4ohms.

I think you're having the same problem as I am. I guess your tweeter sound is eaven more violent that I'm having.

I noticed that, one thing that has significant impact to tweeter sound is actual media. MP3 tunes compared to real CD:s have a big difference. MP3 compresses highs so much that when levels are bit wrong, it does not sound good at all - distorted / teared. Eaven with very high bps mp3s - like 256.

Edited October 1, 2009 by amattila

[Kildegaard]

On the Audio System you have to cut a blue wire to reduce the tweeter by 3db, has your installer done this?? if there are using the Audio System crossover of course.

I’m confused

I thought that the L7 tweeters was factory fitted with crossover filter on one of the wires?

I can’t see any blue wire to cut!

I thought about installing an equalizer that takes in speaker signals, and put out linesignals til the Tha555 amp. That way i could lower the signal to the tweeter and make sure that only the highest freq gets to the tweeter.

Anyone experience with equalizing in the car.

[amattila]

I’m confused

I thought that the L7 tweeters was factory fitted with crossover filter on one of the wires?

I can’t see any blue wire to cut!

You dont have a blue wire, because you dont have Audio System tweeters with Audio System crossover. Neither do I.

You must have small L7 crossover box between midtone speaker and tweeter. Mine is glued to the doorpanel and wrapped to yellow plastic. Without that it will surely sound awfull.

[Kildegaard]

You dont have a blue wire, because you dont have Audio System tweeters with Audio System crossover. Neither do I.

You must have small L7 crossover box between midtone speaker and tweeter. Mine is glued to the doorpanel and wrapped to yellow plastic. Without that it will surely sound awfull.

That could solve it. Did you get them separately or did they came with the tweeters.

(on one of the two wires on my tweeters, there is a component - is that the filter?)

[gizze]

The L7 tweeter has a filter to stop any frequencies below a certain level reaching the tweeter.

Your Audio System mids should have a crossover, this will do 3 things...

1) set the crossover point between mids and tweeters

2) set the slope at which they crossover, ie they may give a 12db slope so they crossover slowly and overlap a lot or they may have a 6db slope so they crossover less.

3) set the gain of the tweeter, this is usually 0db (for when the mids and tweets are net to each other), +3db (for when the tweets are further away than the mids) and -3db (for when the tweets are nearer to you than the mids).

So if you have a crossover with the Audio System mids you should have removed the filter from the L7 tweeters, you may have frequencies missing!!!

Then I would set the tweeter level to -3db to start with and take it from there.

[gizze]

Tweeters may say 2ohm, but that would be at a certain frequency, most of the time they will be around 8ohm or higher, so not really an issue.

[amattila]

The L7 tweeter has a filter to stop any frequencies below a certain level reaching the tweeter.

Your Audio System mids should have a crossover, this will do 3 things...

1) set the crossover point between mids and tweeters

2) set the slope at which they crossover, ie they may give a 12db slope so they crossover slowly and overlap a lot or they may have a 6db slope so they crossover less.

3) set the gain of the tweeter, this is usually 0db (for when the mids and tweets are net to each other), +3db (for when the tweets are further away than the mids) and -3db (for when the tweets are nearer to you than the mids).

So if you have a crossover with the Audio System mids you should have removed the filter from the L7 tweeters, you may have frequencies missing!!!

Then I would set the tweeter level to -3db to start with and take it from there.

My setup :

- Audio System mids,

- DLS tweeters with DLS crossovers.

Those crossovers have only one switch: high/low. They are set to low - as the installer guy said that its not so loud then.

But I'm starting to think that this high/low switch adjusts actually the crossover point - not the actual sound volume level.

Actually it might make things worse, when its set to low. If those high frequencies overlap with mids too much, it makes the highs eaven louder.

Hmm, maybe I should just get those audio system tweeters and crossovers. Its 100 euro... But.. I saw that someone commented those tweeters, and said that the highs are too aggressive..

Or maybe just proper crossovers with lots of different switches. Fader, cross over point adjust, slope adjust .. I think there are none such things..

[Kildegaard]

My setup :

- Audio System mids,

- DLS tweeters with DLS crossovers.

Those crossovers have only one switch: high/low. They are set to low - as the installer guy said that its not so loud then.

But I'm starting to think that this high/low switch adjusts actually the crossover point - not the actual sound volume level.

Actually it might make things worse, when its set to low. If those high frequencies overlap with mids too much, it makes the highs eaven louder.

Hmm, maybe I should just get those audio system tweeters and crossovers. Its 100 euro... But.. I saw that someone commented those tweeters, and said that the highs are too aggressive..

Or maybe just proper crossovers with lots of different switches. Fader, cross over point adjust, slope adjust .. I think there are none such things..

I run the L7 tweeters without of a crossoverbox. The only filtering is to the tweeters as you described.

I did try to install a complete kit of mids/tweeter and crossoverbox, but that was even verse that just with the L7 tweeter and filter. are any of you satisfied with just the L7 tweeter and filter, or did any of you cut the factoryfitted filter and added a crossoverbox!

NB Mine is so bad now so that i have to run it with minus 5 in the trible settings! So I guess I have to get be a good filter/crossoverbox. Can any of you recomend a really god one with a lot of settings Both damp and cross freq.

[Kildegaard]

I run the L7 tweeters without of a crossoverbox. The only filtering is to the tweeters as you described.

I did try to install a complete kit of mids/tweeter and crossoverbox, but that was even verse that just with the L7 tweeter and filter. are any of you satisfied with just the L7 tweeter and filter, or did any of you cut the factoryfitted filter and added a crossoverbox!

NB Mine is so bad now so that i have to run it with minus 5 in the trible settings! So I guess I have to get be a good filter/crossoverbox. Can any of you recomend a really god one with a lot of settings Both damp and cross freq.

Would it be a good idea to use the individual crossoverbox with my top hifi tweeters.

According to the BMW drawings the mids are getting the signal direct from the headunit and not from a crossoverbox! RealOEM.com   BMW E60 520d SINGLE PARTS F FRONT DOOR TOP-HIFI SYST.

[gizze]

I will comment on the L7 tweeters with the standard mids and subs tomorrow.

I had L7 in my last car and thought it was good.

I have heard the L7 tweeters in a 3 series, no other mods just the tweeters, and thought they sounded good, he had the treble on -2 by the way.

I will put my tweeters in tomorrow with the standard stereo mids, there is a filter on the mids as there is the tweeter, which is as good as crossover.

Those that have a harsh sound, what is your FM reception like??

[amattila]

Those that have a harsh sound, what is your FM reception like??

I have a quite a lot extra noise on FM stations close to 92mhz. When moving out from that freq, they seams to fade, or disapper totally.

[amattila]

Tweeters may say 2ohm, but that would be at a certain frequency, most of the time they will be around 8ohm or higher, so not really an issue.

But isn't that a generic issue? Doesen't it mean that 4ohm speaker can be 16ohm at the same time. So there will still be a double power to 2ohm speaker, right?

As a general rule, I have heard that its bad to mix two different ohm speakers because of volume level difference. Lower ohm speaker sounds always louder.