Audio Upgrade for BMW X5 E53

[wullaby]

I had DSP with premium sound. It sounded awful. I recommend a low cost solution. Buy a used or new head unit ~150, used 4 channel amp ~150, then get a single subwoofer box with a mono amp ~200, you will sound way better for under $600. Using an aftermarket radio on the factory premium speakers with DSP AMP disconnected sounds great by itself, throw in a sub to get that little boom boom is a bonus!

[nom3rcy]

Originally Posted by wullaby

I had DSP with premium sound. It sounded awful. I recommend a low cost solution. Buy a used or new head unit ~150, used 4 channel amp ~150, then get a single subwoofer box with a mono amp ~200, you will sound way better for under $600. Using an aftermarket radio on the factory premium speakers with DSP AMP disconnected sounds great by itself, throw in a sub to get that little boom boom is a bonus!

There is no need for an aftermarket deck (especially a cheap one) because the oem BMW decks are quite good, offering a balanced 5v output from the factory.

I'm using the factory NAV and it sounds excellent. I wouldn't recommend replacing it unless you were doing a $5k+, extremely involved SQ setup.

[NextGen]

Originally Posted by wullaby

I had DSP with premium sound. It sounded awful. I recommend a low cost solution. Buy a used or new head unit ~150, used 4 channel amp ~150, then get a single subwoofer box with a mono amp ~200, you will sound way better for under $600. Using an aftermarket radio on the factory premium speakers with DSP AMP disconnected sounds great by itself, throw in a sub to get that little boom boom is a bonus!

The problem with this setup is that you have to make sure the headunit can handle the ohm requirements of the speakers. Otherwise you can damage both the speakers and the head unit. But, yes, this is an option.

[duboy]

I'll chime in as an owner of an X5 with the BSW stage 1 kit installed.

I will preface this by saying I did not purchase the kit myself, it was on the X when I picked her up (and actually my X is the one that BSW used to test fitment etc for the kit) but I have heard stock X5 w/DSP and various other BMWs with DSP. They use Rainbow (i think the IQ line?) drivers/tweeters in the kit. It doesn't affect the dual coil sub in the rear obviously, so you don't get any more "punch" than you do normally, but with the kit installed there is actually separation and clarity.

If you want considerably better audio quality/clarity but don't want to mess with the actual DSP amp etc, then it's really not a bad kit. Yes you can spend less and get awesome sound too, but keep in mind that the BSW kit has the proper fitment and resistance ratings etc for your E53.

[heuer21]

I am looking into keeping my OEM DSP head unit but replacing the factory amp and speakers as well as putting a JL stealth box where the exsisting woofers are in the trunk.
With a balanced 5 volt out going to an aftermarket amplifier located where the crap stock one is w/ nice components. Then mount the mono amp in the trunk because I do not have Nav or CD changer back there. Or just get a 5 channel amp.

Something like that...
Any thoughts?

[nom3rcy]

Originally Posted by heuer21

I am looking into keeping my OEM DSP head unit but replacing the factory amp and speakers as well as putting a JL stealth box where the exsisting woofers are in the trunk.
With a balanced 5 volt out going to an aftermarket amplifier located where the crap stock one is w/ nice components. Then mount the mono amp in the trunk because I do not have Nav or CD changer back there. Or just get a 5 channel amp.

Something like that...
Any thoughts?

perfect

[NextGen]

Originally Posted by heuer21

I am looking into keeping my OEM DSP head unit

When you say head unit do you mean the MID and radio tuner\cd player? If so I don't believe those components will work without the amp. All of these components communicate on the iBus. They actually ping each other periodically while running. If they don't detect each other then the amp and radio\cd turn off.

[heuer21]

Originally Posted by NextGen

When you say head unit do you mean the MID and radio tuner\cd player? If so I don't believe those components will work without the amp. All of these components communicate on the iBus. They actually ping each other periodically while running. If they don't detect each other then the amp and radio\cd turn off.

If they ping each other and won't work w/o each other then keep that garbage in the car but have the output of the cd, radio goto an aftermarket amp.

[glassjoe]

Originally Posted by heuer21

I am looking into keeping my OEM DSP head unit but replacing the factory amp and speakers as well as putting a JL stealth box where the exsisting woofers are in the trunk.
With a balanced 5 volt out going to an aftermarket amplifier located where the crap stock one is w/ nice components. Then mount the mono amp in the trunk because I do not have Nav or CD changer back there. Or just get a 5 channel amp.

Something like that...
Any thoughts?

I have a 2004 X5 w/DSP (no Nav.) and wants to replace the DSP amp with aftermarket to power the 10 stock speakers. How do you wire up the 10 OEM speakers to a 4-channel amp is where I am lost? Thanks!

[admranger]

Originally Posted by glassjoe

I have a 2004 X5 w/DSP (no Nav.) and wants to replace the DSP amp with aftermarket to power the 10 stock speakers. How do you wire up the 10 OEM speakers to a 4-channel amp is where I am lost? Thanks!

Don't do it unless you're ready to dump significant $ into this.

It's not simple. Do some googling on it. There are a bunch of threads on this on the web (search bmw dsp).

My advice is to instead replace the front soundstage speakers with something like Hybrid Audio Technologies Imagine 6.5 speakers.