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

[semcoinc]

As a result of this thread I have placed the following in my E53:

Dash Midrange: Memphis Audio PRX275 (4 Ohm?????)
Front A-Pillar Tweeter: JL Audio C2-075-ct (4 ohm)
Front Door Woofer: C2-600 (4 ohm)
Rear Door Woofer: Dayton Audio RS150-4 6" (4 Ohm)
Rear Door Midrange Position: JL Audio C2-075-ct (4 ohm)

I am very pleased with the sound quality upgrade running through my Eonon GA6166 HU. Nothing has blown up and I gave it a thorough 1200 mile shakedown cruise just after the speaker installs.

Based on how WOW'd I am with the Vifa/Peerless mids in my E46, I am ever so gently considering putting them in the E53 rear door positions.

When I get back to the E53 I'm going to sit in the back and listen intently to determine if I'd like a stronger mid range back there.

As I experienced first hand with the 8ohm Founteks in a previously 3 ohm factory position, the higher impedance/resistance knocks down the effective volume one hears from the higher impedance speaker. Assuming moderate power inputs, I would not think any damage to amplifiers would occur. BWTHDIK????

I am now thoroughly enjoying my E46 GM5150 Eonon HU. Once I heard what was possible in the E53, I cringed at the sound of my E46 factory 15 year old HK speakers.

This has been a great speaker upgrade thread and thanks to everyone for contributing their research and experiences.

Stay tuned.

Mike

[Ricky Bobby]

You really wouldn't have an issue Mike - all the BSW speakers used to be 4ohm replacement - but the Founteks would serve you fine in those locations, either of them is a higher quality driver than what is coming out -

[Clockwork]

true, and Mike has already "formed" them for an easier install for me. I also read that mixing 4ohm and 8ohm speakers while using a 8ohm amp makes the 8 ohm speakers seem louder than the 4 since it takes more power to push the 4ohm.
needless to say the Vifa are over double the price of the Fountek's adn I wasnt willing to spend that much on speakers since I have bigger issues to solve on the e53 as of late. So thanks to Mike (Semcoinc) for helping me out with getting rear mids for a good price.

[semcoinc]

Enjoy them Clockwork!



PS: If anyone is looking for a pair of JL tweeters from the

JL AUDIO TR650-CSI 6.5'' EVOLUTION kit, let me know.



I have a spare pair

Mike

[Ricky Bobby]

Something new - Since this has turned into the master OEM+ upgrade thread for speakers, I'm now theorizing about the OE DSP woofers in the back, I don't have exact measurements but I know they are around 5-5.5" or so - I need to take some measurements when I have my car back - From researching the E39 boards and knowing we basically share amps, looks like each woofer gets about 20-40 watts RMS from an 8ohm load, and is dual voice coil.

Its been a while for me, but depending on how its wired, you could potentially (once I check measurements) use the 4ohm or 8ohm versions of these Dayton Audio 125 Reference woofers - they are efficient (87 db for 8ohm, and 89 db for 4 ohm), and the frequency range is almost OEM (65-5400 hz on Dayton's, 30-6000 hz on OEM)

Dayton Audio RS125-8 5" Reference Woofer

Wondering how I can make an OEM+ woofer upgrade and keep the DSP amp happy and healthy -


Only question is how would wire them without taxing the amp - if you wired both + and both - together on the 8ohm version would that be a total 4 ohm or 2 ohm load?

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

Wondering how I can make an OEM+ woofer upgrade and keep the DSP amp happy and healthy -

Isn't that what this is? (even if it is ugly)

[semcoinc]

That looks great prop!

Please tell us again, what size those woofers are.

I have retrofitted a factory DSP sub and aftermarket separate amp into my E53 and love the improvement. Now with the separate subwoofer volume control of the Eonon GA6166 it is even better.

I like the factory DSP solution for its enclosure simplicity, its already designed to go into the rear side well of the vehicle.

Getting a nicer sound out of it as opposed to the over 10 year old speakers that are in it would be a another great upgrade even for those of us without factory DSP, IMHO, this is a great, quick and simple sub solution and the enclosures are plentiful on eBay.

Mike

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by semcoinc

That looks great prop!

Please tell us again, what size those woofers are.

They're 6". I got them in the cheapie bin at Amazon. Here.

I think that 5.75 or 5.5 would be better cause it could be trimmed more closely to stock sizes. I cannot say how it actually sounds. I gave it to a service writer at the shop so he could drop it in his '01 (or '02) with DSP. I haven't remembered to ask him ab it.

[Clockwork]

Thanks to RB for his idea to strip the factory mid ranges...
Ok so I took my time last night to:
remove the factory dash mids,
Using a soldering gun I heated up the solder and simply pulled the factory wire harness off which left me with nice solder covered wire ends,
remove the magnet off the black plastic basket using a drywall trawl and then dremel off 3 "legs" of the basket (leaving the leg with resistor clip),
then cut off speaker cone and cleaned up surface where old cone adhered to rim (so now I have a naked black ring essentially to let my new speakers sit in),
cut the new Fountek speakers from square metal to round and press fit into naked ring (lining up new + & - terminals close to where the original position is). I needed NO adhesive at all since when I press fit my cut metal edges into plastic it was catching and holding inside the black plastic ring extremely well. So a test fit was all that was needed. I couldn't remove them easily (tho I could).
Soldered on the wires (first time soldering and it's an art form I found out),
Sat back and enjoyed the perfectly factory looking speakers again.
Installed and have been enjoying the cleaner sounds. I have always thought the tweeters and mid range speakers have sounded muddled, and after installing these Fountek's I sooooo agree that the pillows have been removed. Now I'm curious how new JL C2 600 tweeters will also brighten up the sounds.

[semcoinc]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

Ok so I took my time last night to:
remove the factory dash mids,
Using a soldering gun I heated up the solder and simply pulled the factory wire harness off which left me with nice solder covered wire ends,
remove the magnet off the black plastic basket using a drywall trawl and then dremel off 3 "legs" of the basket (leaving the leg with resistor clip),
then cut off speaker cone and cleaned up surface where old cone adhered to rim (so now I have a naked black ring essentially to let my new speakers sit in),
cut the new Fountek speakers from square metal to round and press fit into naked ring (lining up new + & - terminals close to where the original position is). I needed NO adhesive at all since when I press fit my cut metal edges into plastic it was catching and holding inside the black plastic ring extremely well. So a test fit was all that was needed. I couldn't remove them easily (tho I could).
Soldered on the wires (first time soldering and it's an art form I found out),
Sat back and enjoyed the perfectly factory looking speakers again.
Installed and have been enjoying the cleaner sounds. I have always thought the tweeters and mid range speakers have sounded muddled, and after installing these Fountek's I sooooo agree that the pillows have been removed. Now I'm curious how new JL C2 600 tweeters will also brighten up the sounds.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hi Clockwork,

Your mod sounds great and sounds like you had the same reaction that I did to the improved sound when I did my E53 dash mids to Memphis Audio.

I predict you are going to LOVE the C2 improvement you get in the door woofers

Mike