Front speakers

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:37 am

Right Ive finally blown my front speakers....what are my options as replacments?
I know they are 13cm speakers but will I be restricted with the height/depth of the speakers i put in if i want something that just bolts in?

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:18 pm

Ratfink wrote:Right Ive finally blown my front speakers....what are my options as replacments?
I know they are 13cm speakers but will I be restricted with the height/depth of the speakers i put in if i want something that just bolts in?

If you have front e/w then maybe it's worth the mess and putting 16cm speakers in doors? I think you should feel the improved sound quality then...

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:24 pm

I didnt really want to have to cut the door cards about.
Would I get 3 way type speakers in there?
Iv put pioneer 3 way speakers on the rear and the origanal grills wernt deep enough

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:34 pm

Ratfink wrote:I didnt really want to have to cut the door cards about.
Would I get 3 way type speakers in there?
Iv put pioneer 3 way speakers on the rear and the origanal grills wernt deep enough

3way coaxoal speakers in the front and the sound quality is not compatible. At least you should install compunent speakers - 13cm woofer in the footwell and the tweeter on A-pillars or the dashboard

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:19 pm

Sounds like a plan!
Im sure i saw somewhere tweeter holders that sit on the other side of the wing mirror??

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:03 pm

I use infinity 2 way's 13cm f/r and are loud and full of quality sound. they are not that expensive either.

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:04 pm

I use infinity 2 way's 13cm f/r and are loud and full of quality sound. they are not that expensive either.

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:04 pm

I use infinity 2 way's 13cm f/r and are loud and full of quality sound. they are not that expensive either.

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:17 pm

I run Alpine components in the front foot wells wiht tweeters on the A pillar.

I reckon it's pretty pointless having 3 ways up front as how often do you drive with your head in the foot wells :lol:

Post Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:54 pm

But then how often do you drive with your head on the parcel shelf?

Can you buy something to mount tweeters on the a post?

Post Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:09 am

I have just been reading the guide in the articles section and that kind of makes it sound like it isn't really worth doing much unless I go to 6" or bigger. I don't want to cut up the door cards either and I don't have time to make door builds or whatever so if I upgrade it will be to something that fits like it is, I think the 13cm component systems you are talking about fit without modification (except the tweeters need fitting)? BUT what difference would these make to sound output and quality over the standard front speakers (the car already had 6" rear speakers on the parcel shelf and a VDO head unit)? Would it be a worthwhile improvement?

Aston

Post Sat Oct 22, 2005 4:28 am

I would like to keep the door pockets though because there isn't a lot of storage space in my 323i (really only glovebox and door pockets). I also don't have a lot of money to spend once I buy the speakers and I am in Australia so I don't know if placey would ship them here or how much extra that would cost. Finally what happens to the place where the factory front speakers are, is it just a hole then? I would have to go to a bit of trouble and extra expense to get it looking right. You said that the door builds need to be securely fixed to the door so that might require screwing holes or something in my door trims and stuff which I'm not sure I want to do either.

If some of those issues have been addressed then I would consider them but I think it would just be easier to replace the factory speakers with something that fits and add some tweeters, providing there is a worthwhile increase in sound quality and output.

Aston

Post Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:31 am

There is no need to cut any holes to fit the twetere, because in almost every speaker kit there should be surface - mounting cups. All you have to do is to lead the wires and stick the cups where desired, so if you choose to have 13cm components no cutting is needed.

Post Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:00 pm

each step steady improves the sound from the front:

the factory supplied speakers made a noise.

any decent replacements will sound better if screwed into the factory recess.

they'll sound better again if a little dynamat is used in there too.

better again if mounted using an mdf ring/baffle.

better again if separate tweeters are utilised - the factory loom includes tweeter wires running up to the door mirror triangles so either find a pair of factory tweeter triangles or adapt tweets to the standard triangles.

better again if the mids can be angled up into the cabin - some mdf/glassfibre work and trimming involved - maybe half a day.

better again if the mids are located in the doors rather than the footwells, thus improving sound projection into the cabin.

better again if 17cm components are used - this is the big step - a huge difference in sound quality becomes apparant. making a pair of builds and keeping the door pocket is straight forward if care and patience is available.

better again if tweeters are placed more ideally than just put into the triangles - this can sound harsh and lead to a fragmented soundstage unless components are chosen specifically for that location - basically drive the car into a dealer and get them to trial fit component sets in place until the right set is found if you're intent upon the factory tweeter placement. some tweets have to be closer to the mids to sound good, some don't.

better again if both inner and outer doorskins are dynamatted.

better again if door mounted mids are ported into the doors.

best i've heard was 3 way components with 17cm mids in door builds, 4cm upper mids and tweeters in the footwells, facing into the cabin. sounded unbelievably good. (there was no need for any other speakers in the car - but there were 2 15s in the back too!)

it all depends on how much time and effort the installer is willing to put in. i do have a set of door builds here that i'd be willing to let go. if cutting of the doorcards is an issue then source another pair from a scrappy/donor car and mount builds to them - then it's an easily reversible mod.

hth - paul

Post Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:00 am

Ratfink wrote:Sounds like a plan!
Im sure i saw somewhere tweeter holders that sit on the other side of the wing mirror??

You mean these, they turn up from time to time on ebay and the Zone part for sale section

Post Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:10 pm

Thats them!
Are these common? Am I likley to find these in a breakers yard?
Thanks

Post Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:14 pm

I dont think they are that common, but they do crop up from time to time. You might get lucky and find some in a breakers but like i said keep an eye out on ebay and the zone.

If you look at the for sale section, (might have to go back a few pages) you can find some for sale, you could PM the seller to see if they still have them. Long shot but might work

Post Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:54 pm

I read somewhere that ebay USA is good for these bits as they were standard (So I read) they were optional on UK cars.

I got mine out of a tourer I broke up.

Post Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:40 pm

I tried to buy some from the stealers Ãƒ”šÃ‚£25 each or there abouts!!!!

Ordered em and only one came the bloke in the parts dept said that they are now unavailable and therefore i only had the one and sent it back.

A nice guy of here gave me some blank ones as i have tweeters screwed onto the old ones but i think im going to wait a bit until i try and put them on again its hard work!!

Post Sat Oct 29, 2005 5:49 pm

Ratfink wrote:Thats them!
Are these common? Am I likley to find these in a breakers yard?
Thanks

Looks like you could be in luck they didnt sell last time around
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... ic&t=20606

Post Sat Oct 29, 2005 11:58 pm

How much would you have to spend to upgrade from the factory speakers, or are they absolute rock bottom?

Post Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:08 pm

datourer wrote:How much would you have to spend to upgrade from the factory speakers, or are they absolute rock bottom?

I recent upgrade from the factory speakers. A pair of Kenwood three ways for the front kick panels were about Ãƒ”šÃ‚£60.

Model number KFC-C1339ie

Post Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:10 pm

cheers, what's the maximum depth for foot-well speakers?

Post Sun Oct 30, 2005 5:35 pm

Cotty180 wrote:
Ratfink wrote:Thats them!
Are these common? Am I likley to find these in a breakers yard?
Thanks
Looks like you could be in luck they didnt sell last time around
http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... ic&t=20606

Looks like Herman also has a set

http://www.e30zone.co.uk/modules.php?na ... 042#219042