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I'm doing research into upgrading my R56 '07 factory stereo. While speaking with an install tech at a shop (Earmark Audio), he said that the 07 Mini could fit 6.5" in the front doors easily.
This was a relief to me because all the 5 1/4" speakers I auditioned lacked low-mid definition and clarity while the upper mid range --> high frequencies were very piercing and over hyped.
What has been people's experience with installing 6.5" speakers in the front doors? Is it as easy or simple as the tech suggested it will be?
There were some other questions lingering for me that I wanted to answer before I put any money into this.
* Any sub enclosures that people are happy with? Should I expect to have a custom one made?
* Is it easy to access the pre-amplified signal to bypass any possible filtering the Mini factory amp/head might be doing?
* What gauge wire would be ideal?
Getting excited about actually having good sound in a Mini! The factory system is so horrid and the hi-fi system doesn't really sound any better. It's just louder.
A while ago I installed Focal 165VR3 6.5" speakers in the doors and it wasn't too bad. I had to Dremel the speaker hole a little bit for a good fit. Disconnected the OEM connector from the speaker, cut off the connector, and soldered in some extra length of 18 gauge wire (never know when you'll need it). After that I drilled a very small hole in the plastic above the speaker mount to feed the wire through to the back of the speaker (originally you may have noticed that the OEM connector connects above the stock 6.5" speaker, not behind it). Then soldered the wire on to the speaker leads, screwed the speaker into the plastic. Done.
As long as you're prepared and have all the equipment you need ready, this shouldn't take too long.
Last edited by bubblehelix; 10-10-2009 at 09:09 PM.
Reason: whoops
I did not do the install but had the local pro shop do the install. This shop is the high end shop that wins the awards, has the magazine articles and does all the football and baseball players cars. Seems like everytime I walk in these is some Aston, Maserati, Benz and so forth in the shop getting amonster system installed.
My little Copper system was a simple thing for this shop. This was there 1st 09 Cooper S though. They did a great job but said the next 09 Cooper guy is getting charged a lot more. The door panels are tricky and the tabs break easy. I saw them do most of the work.
I have:
Hertz High-Energy HK165 6.5" and a tweet mounted in stock door locations
JL 10" W3V3 sub in a sealed box
Alpine Imprint Processor
Focal FP4.7 being replaced with a JL HD600/4 next week.
Thanks bubble! I'm interested in doing the install myself since I'd like to have more experience with that. Plus, I'll have to compromise on components if I want to pay for the install to be done. Planning on taking a couple days to go slow with it.
Has anyone ever had experience installing the A Pillars for the hi-fi system? My plan is to order the pillars and mount the tweeters in 'em.
Thanks bubble! I'm interested in doing the install myself since I'd like to have more experience with that. Plus, I'll have to compromise on components if I want to pay for the install to be done. Planning on taking a couple days to go slow with it.
Welcome to the slippery slope. Next you'll be adding an amp...
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Has anyone ever had experience installing the A Pillars for the hi-fi system? My plan is to order the pillars and mount the tweeters in 'em.
There is a thread dedicated to that issue. Mine has the HIFI, so I already have those A-pillars. However, I'm going to try it with the tweeters in the 4" speaker location in the doors.
The hardest part you will encounter will be running wire to the A-pillars, I think.
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Robin Casady Bombadil: 2007 MINI Cooper S, R56, Pure Silver, LSD, Wood Shift Knob, Rota Slipstream 16x7, NAV, HIFI...
haha, yeah, I'm definitely getting dedicated amps for the front speakers and a mono amp for the sub so I can match the various component nominal wattage.
The front door speakers seem like a straight forward job. I'm concerned about the sub though. Making an enclosure myself may be the best option, but that is a bit of a project and I don't have any workspace to do it (apartment).
About to measure out everything in the boot and see if there may be a generic sub box out there that will fit.
I'd like to stay away from mounting the sub on the floor of the boot so I don't have to worry about stray objects falling on the sub's speaker cone (even with grilles, it still seems likely that it could be damaged easily).
I wanted to keep this under $1500, but I'm beginning to think that 1750 - 2000 is going to be needed. I also don't have a decent set of tools so I'll need to correct that if I do the install myself.
The front door speakers seem like a straight forward job.
Not if you are running your own wires from an amp.
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I'm concerned about the sub though. Making an enclosure myself may be the best option, but that is a bit of a project and I don't have any workspace to do it (apartment).
...I also don't have a decent set of tools so I'll need to correct that if I do the install myself.
You can put a table saw in your apt. Your neighbors will love the sound of it, and the layer of sawdust over everything gives the place a nice ambiance.
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Robin Casady Bombadil: 2007 MINI Cooper S, R56, Pure Silver, LSD, Wood Shift Knob, Rota Slipstream 16x7, NAV, HIFI...
Welcome to the slippery slope. Next you'll be adding an amp...
There is a thread dedicated to that issue. Mine has the HIFI, so I already have those A-pillars. However, I'm going to try it with the tweeters in the 4" speaker location in the doors.
The hardest part you will encounter will be running wire to the A-pillars, I think.
Tweeters in the 4" pods are a bad idea.
I've used the stock Infinity 60.9cs tweeters and a pair of (really, really good) SEAS 27TAFN ones.
I've aimed them towards the passenger, towards each other, upwards, etc. Here's the problem:
1) The driver will always block the tweeter with his / her knee, and it's too far off-axis to make any difference, anyway.
2) There's a strong possibility passengers will raise their knee and block its output, too.
3) Due to the mounting position, off axis response suffers. You'll get far more midrange power and less high treble with it.
4) Stereo separation is non-existant.
I just got my A panels with the tweeter pods in them. I wonder how hard it is to mount them... I had already given up on the idea, but now I think I may want to try it.
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2010 Laser Blue manual MCS ("Guido"), Chili Package, stock!
And others will say that tweeters in the A-pillar are a bad idea. Tweeters should be as close as possible to the midrange driver. Opinions abound with audio.
My belief: The speaker locations in the doors are less than ideal, but there ain't nowhere else to put them in the MINI.
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I just got my A panels with the tweeter pods in them. I wonder how hard it is to mount them... I had already given up on the idea, but now I think I may want to try it.
Removing and replacing the HIFI A-pillars is not very hard. I'm not sure if any issues will arise going from non-HIFI pillars to HIFI pillars. Nor where/how you would run the wires for them. Perhaps I did not look hard enough for a wiring route.
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Robin Casady Bombadil: 2007 MINI Cooper S, R56, Pure Silver, LSD, Wood Shift Knob, Rota Slipstream 16x7, NAV, HIFI...
You can put a table saw in your apt. Your neighbors will love the sound of it, and the layer of sawdust over everything gives the place a nice ambiance.
yep, and the apartment would have an authentic Man Smell to it. hahaha
I don't think I can mount those tweeters anywhere but head level for those reasons mentioned above.
I agree with you for time aligning reasons that the tweeters should be near the midrange drivers, but not when they're easily blocked. Having high frequencies come from practically perpindicular positions will also destroy the stereo field. As much as you can hear a stereo field in a car anyway.
Not if you are running your own wires from an amp. 
