You people suck. 12 years later, I finally replace speakers.

[Ricky Bobby]

^You got it just sent you PM - I'm a big fan of OEM mounting and wiring solutions so I'm making this as clean as possible - I even ordered some German Tesa cloth tape to wrap the OE speaker wiring in so that there is zero chance of rattles once I swap all the speakers out.

[semcoinc]

I just drove 1150 miles over 2 days with no rattles at all on my four door speaker and Eonon GA6166 upgrade.

Very impressive improvement in sound quality and clarity. So impressed that I HAVE to do a similar upgrade for my E46.

Mike

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by semcoinc

Very impressive improvement in sound quality and clarity. So impressed that I HAVE to do a similar upgrade for my E46. :busting up

[X53Jay4.8is]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

^You got it just sent you PM - I'm a big fan of OEM mounting and wiring solutions so I'm making this as clean as possible - I even ordered some German Tesa cloth tape to wrap the OE speaker wiring in so that there is zero chance of rattles once I swap all the speakers out.

Yeah that Tesa cloth tape will add a few more tenths of efficiency to those speakers.

[Ricky Bobby]

Looking at that BSW link for the E46 as well as what they used to provide for the E53, and just browsing on Crutchfield for what is recommended, why are 5.25" speakers recommended? Is it because a lot of the 5.25" speakers have those 4 mounting "wings" that maybe are large enough to be able to screw the new drivers down in a housing requiring 160mm speakers?

If you look closely on the BSW E53 install video, he had installed a 5.25" speaker in the factory woofer pod which was screwed into some sort of an adapter I think, that he glued in place in the factory pod.

I guess its easier for Crutchfield to recommend smaller speakers that you glue in place than bigger say 165mm speakers that need trimming?

[Ricky Bobby]

^thats great Mike for the price wow! Those are the original ones Prop installed the TR series right?

[semcoinc]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

^thats great Mike for the price wow! Those are the original ones Prop installed the TR series right?

I'm not sure if those are what Prop installed in his E53 originally

Mike

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

^thats great Mike for the price wow! Those are the original ones Prop installed the TR series right?

WAY back on the 1st post of this thread...

I bought the VR650's for the E46 bc they came with crossovers I will need for the E53 when the time is rt. I have thoughts ab why I did this backwards between the two vehicles, but no time to share them rt now.

[Clockwork]

awesome find. but which speakers are better?

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

awesome find. but which speakers are better?

EXCELLENT question! Here's what I have found between the two. The differences are bold and a bit larger text:

TR650CSI

• component speaker system includes two 6-3/4" woofers, 2 tweeters, two in-line high-pass filters, and two woofer grilles
• mica-filled polypropylene woofer with butyl rubber surround
• 1/2" textile dome tweeter
• 4-ohm impedance
• 10-50 watts RMS power range
• frequency response: 59-25,000 Hz
• sensitivity: 91 dB
• depth: 2-1/2"

VR650CSI

• injection-molded mica-filled polypropylene woofer with butyl rubber surround
• 3/4" silk dome tweeter
• 2-way external crossover with 3-position tweeter level control
• 4-ohm impedance
• **15-60 watts RMS power range**
• frequency response: 59-25,000 Hz
• sensitivity: 89.5 dB
• depth: 2-1/2"

I (once again) have some heavy E46 content here, but speaker specs are speaker specs. The important items here that have us on the edge of discovery apply to an E53 just as well, so dear E53 barnstormers, do read on.

** Power range** TR: 10-50 vs VR: 15-60

Now, I do not *know* this, but if someone here who does know it can tell me that we're on the rt path, I will find some relief. But here's what me and my friend think after installing the VR's in the E46 and being.. not just underwhelmed... Not just unimpressed... Just DISAPPOINTED! Why? They sound like A$$! I mean- echo-rich, fudzy sudzy hollow sounding YUCK balls!

And so we *think* it has to do with the E46 OE HK system that does not have quite the power needed to push the VR's which bottom out at 15w. The OE HK's have a power range starting at 11w- MUCH closer- and importantly, LOWER than the TR's 10w minimum.

We seek validation that the VR's 15w floor is just too high for the OE Nav system in the E46. Is it possible that they sound so bad bc they're under powered? If it is possible, then that puts a new urgency on the Eonon install. Comments and experience sought here.

**Crossover** TR: In-line vs VR: external

I needed external crossovers for the E53. I will use the ones from the VR in my E53 when I remove the DSP amp with the new head unit. I sure hope that a crossover sold in packs with one set of speakers will work with another set. Comments welcome here as well.

I have seen JL crossovers sold on Ebay for $30-$50/pr. That's a significant savings if you don't need them and choose to sell them instead.

**Tweeter size** TR: .5" vs VR: .75"

I'll admit that I did not notice this before, but the larger tweeter will have plenty of room in either E46 or E53 application.

**Sensitivity** This is so close I have chosen not to worry ab it unless someone suggests I should.