R56 speaker replacement how-to - Page 5

djchinky · #**101** 06-22-2007, 11:28 AM

can anyone tell me with the base system (non hifi) has all the speaker wires running along one side of the car.. or if they run along both sides of the car into the HU? If that is the case what is the easiest way to tap into the wires so that you can connect an 4ch amp to it?

djchinky · #**102** 06-24-2007, 11:22 AM

nvm.. i think u have to connect the speaker leads from the back of the HU.. which totally sucks

dneal · #**103** 06-24-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchinky

nvm.. i think u have to connect the speaker leads from the back of the HU.. which totally sucks

MotorMouth · #**104** 06-24-2007, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dneal

Rule of thumb is:

Bigger amp if you want it loud,
Better speakers if you want it clear,
Both if you want it loud and clear.

similar statement:

Loud is $
Clean is $$
Loud and clean is $$$$

MotorMouth · #**105** 06-27-2007, 01:14 AM

After 2 days of work I have my sub installed. It's a boston acoustic's 10" powered by a rockford fosgate 300.1 amp.

First - it can go much too loud. As in it can overpower the focals I have up front. After turning the gain on the amp way down it sounds much more balanced. I'm using no where near the full power of the amp.

Second - it is very stealth. So now I go and tell the whole world on the internet about it haha. The box is half fiberglass/half wood and all carpeted. It creates a false floor that is level with the ledge under the back seat rests. The whole top is carpeted with carpet that very closely matches the stock carpet so a casual glimpse into my boot wouldn't reveal anything out of the ordinary.The only clue is a circle of carpet in the middle of the floor (which you'll see when I post pics). It takes up very little stowage space. Above the speaker is a heavy duty carpeted wire mesh (that is reason for the circle of carpet) that is capable of holding a good bit of weight.The amp is tucked into the passenger side compartment in the boot. It fit pretty well.

The sound is really good. I still have some more fine tuning to do with the gain and crossover settings but I'm pretty happy the way it is. Acoustic bass is clear and clean, bass drums thump hard, and electronic bass rumbles the car.

I'll be posting pics tomorrow as it's dark outside now.

The shop who made it for me is willing to mass market the box if they get enough interest. He has all the templates he needs to reproduce them. Give me PM if you want the contact info. It'll probably be about the same price as the JL stealth box alot of 1st gen people use. It has about .7 cubic feet of airspace.

The only thing I could ask for now to make it better is a remote to adjust the amp gain - luckily the amp I'm using has one available and I'll probably get it eventually. Some songs like more bass than others.

MotorMouth · #**106** 06-27-2007, 01:38 PM

First the overview pics of the boot.

Picture with the cover removed and showing the backside of the cover.

pic of the amp for the sub - I think I need to clean off some smudges.

pic of the hi-low converter above the stock amp.

peter314 · #**107** 07-07-2007, 09:36 PM

Dose this apply to the stock boost systems front speakers too? if so that would be awesome, i would really like to replace the stock front two with higher end ones, anyone know if after market speakers will hook right up to the minis plugs for the speakers? if anyone has other pics that he left out that would be great, other than that great job.

DyeLooper · #**108** 07-08-2007, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorMouth

First the overview pics of the boot.

That looks AWESOME!!

MotorMouth · #**109** 07-08-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter314

Dose this apply to the stock boost systems front speakers too? if so that would be awesome, i would really like to replace the stock front two with higher end ones, anyone know if after market speakers will hook right up to the minis plugs for the speakers? if anyone has other pics that he left out that would be great, other than that great job.

You could replace then with 4 ohm speakers of higher quality. There won't be much power gong to them without an amp though. It may not get as loud as it does now although quality may be better. The plugs will not fit an aftermarket speaker. You'll have to cut off the stock plugs and put on regular plugs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DyeLooper

That looks AWESOME!!

THanks =)

kookmyers · #**110** 07-10-2007, 09:17 AM

MM,
You have a 2 amp system in the mini now. one amp under the passenger seat that is driving your front component speakers (with the aftermarket crossovers) and one in the right hand boot compartment for the subwoofer. I am wondering if your rear 6x9s are operational, and if so, how they get powered. I assume the front and the rear line level inputs are fed into the converter which would leave nothing for the factory amp. Did the installer split the signal?
this is probably already mentioned, but where are the front crossovers installed?
Does the sub box use the space that the tool kit is normally placed in?
thanks

Birdman · #**111** 07-10-2007, 11:52 AM

Nobody has installed a SUB yet??

That will be my first, and probably only upgrade. I want to install a small powered SUB under the passenger seat. THAT, will make the system sound 1000% better with very little money.

Common, somebody do it and post pictures for me!!! ;-)

a96bimmerm3 · #**112** 07-10-2007, 11:55 AM

How in the world are you going to fit a subwoofer under the passenger seat? The sub in the false floor looks pretty wicked, I couldn't imagine there being enough airspace down there for a decent sound though...

MotorMouth · #**113** 07-10-2007, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kookmyers

MM,
You have a 2 amp system in the mini now. one amp under the passenger seat that is driving your front component speakers (with the aftermarket crossovers) and one in the right hand boot compartment for the subwoofer. I am wondering if your rear 6x9s are operational, and if so, how they get powered. I assume the front and the rear line level inputs are fed into the converter which would leave nothing for the factory amp. Did the installer split the signal?
this is probably already mentioned, but where are the front crossovers installed?
Does the sub box use the space that the tool kit is normally placed in?
thanks

The 6x9's in the back are being powered off the stock amp. The high-low converter feeding the amps is being fed from only the front speaker input to the stock amp.

The focal crossovers are mounted under the dash.

I keep the fader on my radio at about 4 bars to the front for a couple reasons. One is that I want to keep the sound stage up front. The other is at high volume with the fader in the middle the stock amp runs out of juice to feed the 6x9's and the SQ from them goes down. So the 6x9's are mainly just for a little rear fill and if I have passengers sitting in the back seat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by a96bimmerm3

The sub in the false floor looks pretty wicked, I couldn't imagine there being enough airspace down there for a decent sound though...

I'm not sure if "down there" meant in the back or under the seat.

The Boston G1 10" calls for a minimum of .5' airspace. The box I have has about .7'

now a false floor under the passenger seat would be extremely tight. Maybe could make one for a high quality 6" sub.

Birdman · #**114** 07-10-2007, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a96bimmerm3

How in the world are you going to fit a subwoofer under the passenger seat? The sub in the false floor looks pretty wicked, I couldn't imagine there being enough airspace down there for a decent sound though...

Easy.

There is a big space under the carpet, under the seat. The entire space is filled with stryofoam, you just pull out the big block of styrofoam, and whalla, you have a perfect subwoofer mounting location. Lots of folks have done it to the 05 and 06 models.... there's a pic of the space on a R56 on here, I'll dig it up nad re-post for ya.

aus · #**115** 07-17-2007, 09:51 PM

Any luck on the pic? JL just came out with some very flat subs, but I think they only have 12" and 13" versions at this time.

aus · #**116** 07-18-2007, 04:38 PM

Anyone know of a 6x9 sub? It would be great if the rear 6x9 enclosures are sealed. You could have a nice front stage and 2 subs in the back with a single 4 channel amp.

As for the Focal Polyglass units, I'd consider getting a 2-way Focal 130KP with the TN-52 tweeter, which is a MUCH nicer tweet. The TN-52 was used in the previous Utopia line, before the new Be tweets.
The TN-47 are REALLY bright. I had them and had to get an EQ to tone them down. My friend ended up doing the same thing after he got the same tweets.

MotorMouth · #**117** 07-18-2007, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aus

Anyone know of a 6x9 sub? It would be great if the rear 6x9 enclosures are sealed. You could have a nice front stage and 2 subs in the back with a single 4 channel amp.

As for the Focal Polyglass units, I'd consider getting a 2-way Focal 130KP with the TN-52 tweeter, which is a MUCH nicer tweet. The TN-52 was used in the previous Utopia line, before the new Be tweets.
The TN-47 are REALLY bright. I had them and had to get an EQ to tone them down. My friend ended up doing the same thing after he got the same tweets.

There are probably some good 6x9's out there for bass but you might be better off making a round speaker fit.

The biggest problem I see with the tn-52 tweet is that you can't buy it as part of the polyglass line. You have to buy it seperately (and more expensively). I'm don't know for sure on this but the tn-52 may not fit the factory tweeter cup. The tn-47 fit pretty well.

I put the tweets crossover on -6db and the tweet is fine. It was pretty bright on the -3 setting though. At 0db it overpowered everything else.

I'd love to put in a set of Utopias (or even the polykevlars) but there is no way the bass driver and midrange would fit in the stock locations.

Mgibrace · #**118** 07-18-2007, 08:12 PM

Sat, put focals in the front, access 100 a-1, (rational price) and polyglass 165 cv-1s into my boost system. Kept the 165 crossovers at +3 as they were at my feet, but 0 may have been better. Crossovers for the 165s to door impact beam w/ tape and zip ties. Awesome clarity across the sound stage and adequate power, tho I'm listening with the car sealed up. Minimal dremeling for speaker placement, mirror control a pita, not for inability to get it put back together, but just to get it in the space period. Dremeled lots of little things back there, even the 100 a-1. Def no room for the rubber protector for the 4" magnet.

And who at MINI decided to make the R front lower (+) w/ a brown color wire? Brown is ground in every german car I've mucked with for the last 20 yrs. Had to take the R door apart after noticing the wiring snafu.

Great morning's work. Still unsure about the fronts needing a new amp, at least for now. I know it'll sound better, but the cost/benefit/'letting someoneelse do it' ratios are not clear for me so far.

Thanks to everyone's "doing it first" and making my install so easy.

OasisT · #**119** 07-25-2007, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotorMouth

I'd love to put in a set of Utopias (or even the polykevlars) but there is no way the bass driver and midrange would fit in the stock locations.

I have a set of Focal K2P's with the 6.5's having a mounting depth of 3", so, I am optimistic there will fit. I'm a bit worried about the tweeter though, it seems a bit largish to fit behind the stock tweeter locations. Will report soon. ;-)

**OutMotoring** · #**120** 07-31-2007, 06:09 PM

MotorMouth · #**121** 08-01-2007, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OasisT

I have a set of Focal K2P's with the 6.5's having a mounting depth of 3", so, I am optimistic there will fit. I'm a bit worried about the tweeter though, it seems a bit largish to fit behind the stock tweeter locations. Will report soon. ;-)

Let me know if you get them to fit. If you do I'll be swapping speakers between my truck and MINI.

Robin Casady · #**122** 08-02-2007, 09:29 AM

Are there any tricks to removing the B and C pillar panels? I'm afraid I'm going to break something.

Thanks,

a96bimmerm3 · #**123** 08-09-2007, 06:47 AM

I'd love to see the pic under there!!!! I didn't know there was open space, any under rear seat pics?

Loony2N · #**124** 08-09-2007, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman

Easy.

There is a big space under the carpet, under the seat. The entire space is filled with stryofoam, you just pull out the big block of styrofoam, and whalla, you have a perfect subwoofer mounting location. Lots of folks have done it to the 05 and 06 models.... there's a pic of the space on a R56 on here, I'll dig it up nad re-post for ya.

I'd like to see that, too. The sub in the boot is a problem for me.

Robin Casady · #**125** 08-09-2007, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman

Easy.

There is a big space under the carpet, under the seat. The entire space is filled with stryofoam, you just pull out the big block of styrofoam, and whalla, you have a perfect subwoofer mounting location. Lots of folks have done it to the 05 and 06 models.... there's a pic of the space on a R56 on here, I'll dig it up nad re-post for ya.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LynnEl

I'd like to see that, too. The sub in the boot is a problem for me.

I think that space is only available if you don't have DSC. IIRC, that is the location of the DSC computer.