E53 4.8is Stereo upgrade starting in a few weeks

[ajacks8]

So, it sounds like crossovers can offset DSP requirements? Since I don't have JL crossovers laying around - would you recommend these for me? (x2?)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036D1DQI..._t2_B003QQ67HA

Also, by utilizing crossovers...should I be fine with the MX280/4 amp? I'm still a little confused on impact of DSP concept...but I'm hoping that with Eonon head unit - I might have some flexibility?

Lastly, I've always kept an eye on this european seller's solution on eBay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-X5-E53-...53.m1438.l2649

Seems like sourcing C2 level stuff on Amazon makes more sense than this kit of C1 level stuff...but I don't have experience with either that may be a bad assumption. Can anyone tell if the "mounting collars" included in the eBay kit come standard with what JL sells? If not - might getting those be worth the difference in performance/installation? Sorry for the naiveté...I'm used to just moving my old JL setup from vehicle to vehicle...but I recently retired that setup after 17yrs and want to custom match a new system to my new rig! Thanks for any insight.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by ajacks8

So, it sounds like crossovers can offset DSP requirements? Since I don't have JL crossovers laying around - would you recommend these for me? (x2?)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0036D1DQI..._t2_B003QQ67HA

Also, by utilizing crossovers...should I be fine with the MX280/4 amp? I'm still a little confused on impact of DSP concept...but I'm hoping that with Eonon head unit - I might have some flexibility?

I will be using these same crossovers from my wife's E46 and a similar 4ch amp from JL. The crossovers will take the function from the DSP amp and deliver only the right frequencies to the correct speakers.

My install will be with an android unit that is pretty much like the rest of them.

Originally Posted by ajacks8

Can anyone tell if the "mounting collars" included in the eBay kit come standard with what JL sells? If not - might getting those be worth the difference in performance/installation?

There are no mounting kits in the JL speakers I purchased. It doesn't look like those rings will really serve well in an E53. It's very easy to use tin snips and trim the JL speakers to fit the OE mounts on the E53. The OE mounts include the connections as well so you can retain factory wiring all the way up to the JL connections- if that sort of thing is important to you.

I referenced the thread from Jay who used JL C2's in my 650CSi thread. Both are a solid read for you to learn a bunch without rehashing it here.

[Maruzo]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

I will be using these same crossovers from my wife's E46 and a similar 4ch amp from JL. The crossovers will take the function from the DSP amp and deliver only the right frequencies to the correct speakers.

My install will be with an android unit that is pretty much like the rest of them.

There are no mounting kits in the JL speakers I purchased. It doesn't look like those rings will really serve well in an E53. It's very easy to use tin snips and trim the JL speakers to fit the OE mounts on the E53. The OE mounts include the connections as well so you can retain factory wiring all the way up to the JL connections- if that sort of thing is important to you.

I referenced the thread from Jay who used JL C2's in my 650CSi thread. Both are a solid read for you to learn a bunch without rehashing it here.

Are you going with Seicane or Dynavin 7?

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Maruzo

Are you going with Seicane or Dynavin 7?

Neither! LOL

That's a Xtrons branded unit. Same screen as Seicane that somebody did, but I found that Xtrons advertised one with 8 core, 4GB RAM, 32GB ROM and Android 8.0. I think the Seicane now has this unit up on their site. That's how fast these things change. 3 weeks ago, it wasn't there. (or I missed it) My experience with the Eonon in my wife's E46 was consistent with my experience with Android phones and tablets:

Android will use any resource you can throw at it. So the more you can buy, the better it will be.

I installed a quad core with 2GB RAM and only 16GB(?) ROM in the E46. A few months later, I installed the 8 core. The difference was incredible. Downloading offline Google maps was nearly impossible in the quad core. It's very speedy now.

I've tested this unit in an E39 for a few minutes and it is outright speedy. I'm looking forward to installing the IBus adapter and fiddling around in the couple months before our next ~6k mile Summer road trip.

[Justings1]

If you're having problems finding the correct speaker mounts, I found that if you go to crutchfield and choose the speakers that fit your specific vehicle and put them into the shopping cart, crutchfield adds the brackets to the cart for free. Then subtract the speakers you already have and just order the brackets from them. I found my jl audio c2 components for the price of c1s on Amazon. $100 less a pair than crutchfield and got the brackets from crutchfield.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Justings1

If you're having problems finding the correct speaker mounts, I found that if you go to crutchfield and choose the speakers that fit your specific vehicle and put them into the shopping cart, crutchfield adds the brackets to the cart for free. Then subtract the speakers you already have and just order the brackets from them. I found my jl audio c2 components for the price of c1s on Amazon. $100 less a pair than crutchfield and got the brackets from crutchfield.

Very cool tip!

[crystalworks]

So, it sounds like crossovers can offset DSP requirements?

You won't need any DSP if removing the factory head unit. Your aftermarket amplifier has all the crossovers you need. Plus the android unit will have some tuning options as well.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

You won't need any DSP if removing the factory head unit. Your aftermarket amplifier has all the crossovers you need. Plus the android unit will have some tuning options as well.

Well now I'm confused. I am replacing the DSP amp with a JL 4 channel and I am using external/passive (I think?) crossovers. I understood that we *needed* to do this to produce good sound.

So is your answer bc of the amp that he chose or am I completely off on what an amp does (or doesn't do) for crossover?

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by PropellerHead

Well now I'm confused. I am replacing the DSP amp with a JL 4 channel and I am using external/passive (I think?) crossovers. I understood that we *needed* to do this to produce good sound.

So is your answer bc of the amp that he chose or am I completely off on what an amp does (or doesn't do) for crossover?

Sorry, should have expanded. As Crowz said, different speakers are designed for different frequency ranges. Sending them different frequencies can cause damage (or poor reproduction). The DSP amplifier has 10 channels of amplification (and Xovers) + the subwoofer channel(s).

Typically, a combination of active (the crossovers in the amp) and passive (the crossovers included with component systems like your JL's) are used. You would usually set the amp's Xover network to full range and tune in the middle and let the passive Xovers for the components do the rest with splitting the correct frequencies to the correct driver.

Going full active (amplified Xover for each driver) in the e53 is the "ultimate" upgrade because of the number of speakers we have (10 not including subs) when replacing the DSP while keeping the factory speakers, or using a set of non-passively tuned aftermarket drivers. This is what I think I am going to do on my truck. But doing so will require 2 4 channel amplifiers, and using 2 channels on the android head unit's internal amp. I am also going with JL audio gear as I already have a 500/5 on hand. Will be a complicated install, but should provide me with hours of fun toiling over the minutia of tuning each set of speakers.

Below is a set of e53 DSP speakers for illustration. I have BSW setup, but those are also not filtered or Xover'd in any way as they were designed as a drop in replacement for the factory DSP drivers.