R56 speaker replacement how-to

[clutchless]

I found DLS C36, 3 way components for a good price from a well regarded Swedish speaker manufacturer. 6.5, 4 and .8 silk tweeter. The mid is listed as 2.28 " deep. Outmotoring in the initial post listed the mid depth as 2.25 ". It is not much deeper, think I could get it to fit? Here is a link http://www.dls.se/en/car/prod.html?produkt=en_57

[mrravioli3]

does anyone know the specific sizes for the front speakers?

[Robin Casady]

Originally Posted by mrravioli3

does anyone know the specific sizes for the front speakers?

I believe they are metric. Why do you ask? I have them out and could measure the lower speakers, it is important. I'd have to find the upper speakers. Exactly, what part do you want measured? I'm not sure what part of the speaker is measured to determine its nominal size. Is it from the centers of the mounting holes, or what?

[miniSQ]

Originally Posted by Robin Casady

I believe they are metric. Why do you ask? I have them out and could measure the lower speakers, it is important. I'd have to find the upper speakers. Exactly, what part do you want measured? I'm not sure what part of the speaker is measured to determine its nominal size. Is it from the centers of the mounting holes, or what?

I have the upper speaker handy....and lower. Let me know how i can help.

[clutchless]

Read the first post of this thread and the sticky titled R56 audio system specs. in this category.

[urameatball]

FINALLY, after buying a new set of speakers and having them in the garage for 2 months, I spent 4hrs replacing the fronts. Yes, I'm new to this kind of stuff.
Purchased Infinity 3022 + 6022 + 6922. They're not as great as my home speakers, but I made a comparison with stock and there was a HUGE difference. I guess that says how poor the oem speakers were.

One problem - I think I didn't clip on the mirror button properly and now I have to push harder to get the mirrors to go. Not a big deal since I never touch the mirrors anyway, but I'll need to get that fixed the next time I'm bored.

Won't be starting the rears yet, don't have the right size torx drivers... but looking forward to it. Thanks NAM for all the great info.

[BMBULBE]

Replacing the rears is a B-I-G job because to get to them you have to gut the interior from the doors back (not including the headliner, of course). Suggest that you have plenty of Dynamat to quiet things down while you're at it. Focals are great speakers. Highly recommended.

[urameatball]

fronts done last week, rears just completed today.
better/tighter/cleaner speakers means you notice the bass fall-off in the rear channels. Will have to do the x9331 channel swap tomorrow.

update: just did the channel swap and OH MY GOD!!! It's just INCREDIBLE how much of a difference it makes. Anyone who hasn't done this is missing out.

[MINImole]

Originally Posted by urameatball

update: just did the channel swap and OH MY GOD!!! It's just INCREDIBLE how much of a difference it makes. Anyone who hasn't done this is missing out.

But does it make sense to do the channel swap if you have decent aftermarket speakers installed the front??

I want to install rear speakers but would like front and back to have fullrange sound and not be cut at 100hz.

[Robin Casady]

Originally Posted by MINImole

But does it make sense to do the channel swap if you have decent aftermarket speakers installed the front??

Do you want the bass going to 6.5" speakers, or 6x9" speakers?

I want to install rear speakers but would like front and back to have fullrange sound and not be cut at 100hz.

If you have the HIFI, adding an aftermarket amp (bypassing the HIFI amp) is how you accomplish that.

With the standard audio, you would need a CleanSweep, and an amp.

[k6rtm]

Originally Posted by MINImole

But does it make sense to do the channel swap if you have decent aftermarket speakers installed the front??

I want to install rear speakers but would like front and back to have fullrange sound and not be cut at 100hz.

My opinions--

(1) it makes sense to do the channel swap even if you've replaced the fronts and have stock rear speakers. One of those physics things -- no matter how "good" your new fronts are, the rear cones are bigger and capable of reproducing lower frequencies better. I ran with the channel swap and original rear speakers for a few weeks before I swapped out the rears.

(2) If you want both front and back to have full range (on the non-hifi system) you're going to need a new amp to drive your speakers, driving the amp off the front speaker signals, as those are the only full-range ones. I'd probably provide resistive terminations (100 ohms or so) on all four original outputs. I have a sound engineering hunch for suggesting that, a general dislike of unterminated outputs.

Have fun!

[urameatball]

Originally Posted by MINImole

But does it make sense to do the channel swap if you have decent aftermarket speakers installed the front??

I want to install rear speakers but would like front and back to have fullrange sound and not be cut at 100hz.

when I had just the fronts installed, I pretty much faded everything to front so channel swapping wouldn't work for me, lol. OEMs sound like absolute junk compared to my mediocre aftermarket speaker upgrade.

You will get better bass if you channel swap even if you only replaced the fronts... however, you'll be stuck with the muddy bass (and muddy everything else) that the stock rear speakers produce, and it'll most likely cast a ugly shadow over your beautiful sounding fronts.
I'd personally hold out on channel swapping until you get decent rear speakers installed.

[paul_voorn]

Ok... Many thanks to all who have posted here and on the 'just reverse the speakers' thread... !

I have an '08 Clubman with HIFI with Sat and HD radio. The collective result is thoroughly underwhelming (the HIFI is like like a 60's transistor radio, the Sat signals are 'compressed' and the HD radio reception is great when you get it but it constantly switches in and out giving an 'echo' effect).

Thank god for my iphone, Pandora/Slacker.

My wife says Santa will bring me $300 of hifi upgrade...

I'm planning on the following:-

- not channel swapping (I have HiFi)

- getting component 6.5/tweeter (Infinity Reference 6020CS $119) and a two-way 4" (Infinity 4022i... but they seem discontinued... should I get the 429i?)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1086020...cs.html?tp=106

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-429I-.../ref=pd_cp_e_2



- not doing the 6x9's (they sound too hard to replace; although I have a hunch on the clubman it's easier, true?)

- adding the BOSS 600 (I just saw it on Amazon for $99 http://www.amazon.com/Boss-BASS600-L.../dp/B000OSZA44

Any suggestions?

Has anybody posted pix of the Boss install in a Clubman boot? I currently have run-flats, but will change... Are people adding a spare wheel? Will the Boss still fit under the lower floor? Is it ok to bury it two layers deep?

[Robin Casady]

Originally Posted by paul_voorn

- getting component 6.5/tweeter (Infinity Reference 6020CS $119) and a two-way 4" (Infinity 4022i... but they seem discontinued... should I get the 429i?)

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_1086020...cs.html?tp=106

http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-429I-.../ref=pd_cp_e_2

With that setup you will have an extra set of tweeters. That may be a bit much.

Not sure if you can disconnect the tweeter on the 429i. Looks like the external X-over is permanently attached.

I recently removed Infinity Kappa 42.7i 4" 2-way speaker from my HIFI MCS. They had a detachable external X-over so you could leave the tweeter disconnected.

Will the Boss still fit under the lower floor? Is it ok to bury it two layers deep?

I don't think you want to bury the Boss Bass600 under any layers of floor. You want the speaker to be exposed.

[toolazyforalogin]

I saw a Bass600 in a clubman underneath where the spare tire would go but I don't remember who's gallery it was in. It might have been in a BRG but I don't remember for sure. Someone else said the 42.9i wouldn't fit b/c of the crossover wiring.

[paul_voorn]

fyi: The reason I asked about the Bass600 down there is because the bass module in my AudiQ7 is mounted (factory standard) inside the spare wheel. My Audi sound is superb (it's the 'base' version audio, but still 12 Bose speakers, and they clearly thought about it, unlike MINI) and I have a hunch that the whole false floor and spare wheel cavity IS one massive subwoofer.

So what IS a good 4" speaker to go in that setup?