I'd like to upgrade my stock stereo, but still don't know where to start. I don't want to spend a lot. If possible, I'd like to keep the stock deck. I've heard of mixed results by replacing the stock speakers. Most aftermarket speakers require more power than the stock head unit provides. Anyone know of some quality speakers that are as efficient as the stock ones?

Or should I start somewhere else? With an amplified sub woofer, perhaps? Or should I get over the idea of keeping the stock head unit?

 

I'm thinking about this also. Tacotim can probably give a better answer, since
he's done posts on this and has data on the stock drivers (front sensitivity is
90 db/watt, rear 92 db/watt but no extended treble since it's basically a woofer).
There are many 6x9 2 way and 3 way speakers with 93 db/w sensitivity, and
a few 6 1/2 component sets with 92 db/w sensitivity (make sure you
check the ratings - 93db/2.8V is often quoted abroad which is 93 db/w for an 8 ohm
speaker, but actually 90 db/w for a 4 ohm speaker as found in car audio). I
haven't seen anything more efficient than 93 rear 92 front.

 

Here is a post by Tacotim about replacing stock speakers:

The front door speaker on the base system is a 5.25". The HK system uses a 6". The grille opening, trim, and mounting depth easily accomodate most 6.5". Whatever speaker you install, in front, needs a bracket/spacer. This is simple to construct. I have made CAD drawings of the stock speaker, which gives me the info, I'd need to make a bracket to fit an aftermarket speaker. Let me know if you need help with the bracket.

The stock front speaker is pretty efficient (89.7 dB @ 1 meter with 2V input), and has reasonable low end extension (75 Hz resonance, Qt 0.68). It has good high end extension to 10 kHz. It's response is generally downward tilting (more lows than highs), and low excursion (2 mm). The latter are its relative weak points. I have a lot of data on the stok driver, if you're interested. (If you can make sense of it, it may help in finding a suitable upgrade)

I would prioritize finding a driver with equal or better efficiency, equal or lower resonance, and greater excursion (xmax). If you plan to keep the stock tweeter, you'll likely need a different crossover to work with most aftermarket drivers-they typically don't extend to the 9kHz crossover of the stock system.

I had been helping another MINI owner plan an upgrade, and found the Focal 165V2 kit to be my top choice for the front doors, if you don't plan to change the grilles, or cut the door trim. If you do have that in mind, then I think the Focal 7V4212 DB is by far the best woofer for the front door. I haven't found a tweeter efficient enough to work with it, but I do have a custom crossover in mind to "step up" the stock tweeter to work with it.

The stock 6x9 is a good driver. Efficiency 92 dB, resonance 74 Hz, Qt 0.83, excursion 3 mm, response to 6 kHz. I'd say that the limited high frequency extension is this driver's primary weakness. Any aftermarket driver with a good tweeter and crossover should yield a noticeable improvement. Finding something as efficient as the stock part may be difficult. If you find something only 89 dB (typical), the 3 less dB of efficiency is like driving the speaker with half the power. Keep this in mind while shopping.

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For the full thread see
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...mp;topic=13534

Here's what to do. First figure out what you want out of the audio system. Second- what is your budget.

What is lacking for you? Need more bass? Add a subwoofer (the Infinity BassLink is a good powered sub that some people like for adding to the stock audio) for $400 installed and up. Need a better sub? Consider the JL Stealthbox- it's made for the MINI but costs alot more- maybe $700 installed plus you need an amp to run it plus installation.

If you are looking for an easy fix then there isn't a very good solution. For all cases. The stock Head Unit isn't that powerful. The stock speakers are reasonably efficient. To get "better" sounding speakers is easy but to find them with high efficiency and low price is tough. Usually the better speakers don't have as good efficiency so they need a good amp to sound good plus the prices for the speakers are high from $100 to $400+ a pair.

Another idea is to change out the Head unit. This gives better power and could add some features. But it could change the black dash look and you loose the ability to power up the radio without the keys. Also consider that the stock audio system has a full 4 year warranty from the dealer. While your add ons have at best a one year parts/labor warranty.

Still another option is to add a good amp that gives clean power to the front and rears. About 25 to 35 Watts x 4 channels. And it might also be possible to add an amp only for the front speakers (since they are less efficient than the rears and most of the sound comes from the front). So a two channel amp for the front speakers and drive the rears off the stock head unit's power.

To get full sound you'll need a sub. The front speakers can't make that much bass- even if you increase power, even if you upgrade the speakers to something much better. It is due to the small size of the speakers relative to what a sub can do. If you want good clean deep bass in abundance then don't overwork your front speakers, add the sub and let it do the work. Then use the front speakers for mid range and highs. The rear speakers are for fill in and to balance the sound stage front to rear as you like it.

These comments can also apply to HK upgraded systems depending on what a person wants. You'd be supplementing your system in any case. Personally I'd leave the stock audio system alone and add a sub maybe and for the HK system leave that alone but get the settings tuned up for personal taste.

Spending alot of $$$ with stereo upgrades is easy. Be careful and think before you start doing things. Have a budget.
The hidden problem is sometimes there can be trouble with interference noise that is hard to pin down and eliminate.
A professional shop usually can do the work to fix this. If you do it yourself it can be tricky. See other threads in audio about using shielded (grounded to the radio) RCA inputs for amps. The shielded aftermarket wires (zero noise) are not good enough. Also be careful to use an installer that knows MINIs because it is easy to run into trouble and the wiring in a MINI like all BMWs can be a nightmare.

 

POLK EX series speakers 6x9's rear and 6.5" components in the front. Better sensitivity than stock, and much better sound. An easy upgrade, and the speakers are relatively inexpensive.

 

I have had Polk Ex series speakers front and rear in my old van in the past using the stock head unit. Not too bad sound up front but only marginal sound improvement in the rears over the stock 6x9. I showed my Polk EX II 3 way speakers to a pro shop that I was working with for adding speakers for my MINI and they didn't like the Polk EX 3 ways saying that in general, 2 ways would be less expensive and better anyway. (Hard to do 3 ways speakers well in 6x9 under a budget). Anyway they didn't like the Polks and recommended MB Quarts front and rear.

No matter what you choose, if you can be sure to try to listen to the speakers before you buy. It's sometimes hard to go on the specs and it can be deceiving. There are so many factors that affect the sound you do get. Trust your ears. If you do add the 6.5" speakers to the front doors you will need an adapter ring or it will not fit since the stock speaker is 5.25" or so. The 6x9 opening in the rear is standard.

Tacotim-
Got any comments about Polk EX series car speakers?

 

Do you think speaker baffles are worth buying? Crutchfield sells them, and I am thinking of getting them before installing my new speakers. Do they improve the sound, or is that just hype?

 

I'd like to try an upgrade on my stock speakers in my car. It's the h/k system in an '03 S. Of course I'd like to redo the whole system with new amps dynaudios and a sub etc, but I also want to travel this year.

last week I had my car stereo place dynamat my doors, and this helped the huge peak in the bass response a bit. I listen with the bass all the way down and wish it would go a bit more. who could design such a boomy system? what sort of ears did this person have?

was thinking about trying some different drivers in the front. they would need to be very efficient and have a different Q I guess. need less bass. an EQ would help.

those stock speakers sure do crack or buzz when you try to turn them up. the dynamat did help, maybe they needed some felt or something.

anyone try a direct front speaker replacement? am I looking for 6" or 6.5"?

 

Greg, in my opinion the stock speakers are not where I would start (in a non HK system). Putting in a better head unit will make the stock speakers sound a lot better as the head unit is the weak leak in the stock system. For example an alpine head unit will add more power and clarity and also fine tuning.

The other option is to add an amp and a sub to fill out the low end.

Replacing the stock speakers is the last thing that I would do. You will notice the least difference if you just replace them without changing the head unit in my opinion.

The upgraded HK stock system is a whole different story that I am not very knowledgeable about, but there are other threads that talk about it if you search.