I opened up the rear today.
The 6x9 has 149mm width (not 151mm as it should, that's why motormouth couldn't fit the focal 6x9 without using a dremel).
I could fit there the w18nx and cQ 18H with an adapter.

Simulations I did the shows that the cQ 18H can play down to ~60hz at 50W while the w18nx can play down to 30Hz (cone excursion)!

schatzy62,
You wrote that the CQ18H has big advantage over the w18nx.
Can you explain? I assume you refer to the flatness of the freq response? The mid?

 

BTW. The Alpine 9887 sounds very different than the stock one! People hearing both said the 9887 sounds much better (the stock one is connected to the 9887's AUX-IN).

 

Managed to add one more pair of speaker cables to the door!
I did it using the original rubber pipe.
I used Nordost flatline cable.

 

can you give more details? was it necessary to use the flat cable?

 

BXR510 you are planning on putting a high end system in your Mini, then why would you even consider rear speakers?
I would stay far away from the 6x9 subs anything oval shaped cannot possibly give a sound that would match your front speakers.
What about the JL audio 6" w3 subs?

My setup is
Focal Utopia Be kit no6 (I hope they fit in a R55)
Focal utopia Be 8" sub
Steg 4 channel amp possible going to put my other Steg sub amp in as well

Question
What is everyone using to adapt to the factory deck?
I have seen the cleansweep and the audiocontrol piece
Alpine made a unit for a second and then stopped making it for some reason.

 

I am using the Alpine PXE-H650 which is still made as far as I can tell. It was kind of a pain to get working because there are some details about setting it up that are not in the manual. I would recommend getting it installed by an authorized dealer who has training on the unit. Otherwise it is great.

I'm considering putting 6" subs in the back. The ones I am looking at are the Tang Band W6-1139SI. You see that line of TB subs rebadged or used in home audio equipment a lot so it seems like they are pretty OK. JL is almost certainly better but at 3x the price...
http://parts-express.com/pe/showdetl...number=264-832
Notice the 13mm of excursion (one-way).

 

I had a 2002 MCS and it was really hard to put a system in a Mini without getting some engine noise through the speakers.

Do you have any noise?

Alpine removed the PXE-H650 from their website , I wonder if there is something new coming out.

 

I do not have any engine noise problems. The Alpine units runs off the speaker leads so unless something is screwed up with the install it should not have any more noise than the factory system.

The PXE-H650 is still on their website.
It is still there:
http://www.alpine-usa.com/US-en/prod...category=P-FIT

 

Thanks I just missed it

 

1. Actually 6x9 subs can be quite good, but probably not good enough.
I would put speakers on the board in the back, which is a great place for speakers, but I do like the board's shape so I'm not doing it, yet.

2. I used a simple speakers out to RCA adapter (by Stinger) which is about 15-20$ I think
If you ask me, the factory deck probably has bad dynamic range which means nothing will make it sound great. Its Aux-In though, seems to be clearer.

3. The no.6 will fit.
You can also use these adapters.
They are made with two stages which you can dismantle and use just the first.
Both no. 6 and the utopia sub are quiet expensive and personally I prefer other brands.

4. The JL audio 6" w3 subs are very boomy rather than hi-end sound.
I think one needs a lot of tweaking to get an hi-end sound out of them.
The best subs, I think, are the skaaning ones which are very expensive.
I'm going to use the skaaning drivers as well, together with scan-speak tweeters.

 

1. What do you mean by "board in the back" ?

2. agreed you got to make the best with what you have. I would love to be able to replace the factory radio and still have it look factory. I might end up putting a radio in the secret compartment and have the steering wheel controls adapt to it.

3. I have some mdf spacers and will make new ones if needed, thanks for the link. Other than price what do you not like about the Utopia Be line?

4. I have never heard the skanning subs or drivers they are a DIY brand I assume. I am leaning toward just staying with the Utopia , I have used they before and I know I like them.

I sure would love to hear another high end setup in a Mini.

 

1. The board = The rear shelf over the rear compartment.

2. I did put Alpine 9887 in the secret compartment, it sounds much better but it's a hard work. I wouldn't do that again. I rather put a car PC instead.
It is possible to use the 9887 and it will give you a good bluetooth handsfree together with the new Alpine adapter.
You can control it with a PAC adapter from the steering wheel.

3. Utopia Be: Never heard them, just the old ones. If I had them already I would use them as well.
Personally I prefer dome tweeters rather than metallic ones.
They're mid-bass gives good mid but lacks bass.

4. I agree.
If you like the Utopia's, stay with them.
I had scan speak 5.5" revelators at the front and they had good bass, but I didn't like the mid too much.
I did came to the conclusion that it will be very very hard to achieve the sound I get from scan-speak home speakers.

 

Where did you hook up the remote wire? Also, did you have to cut the alot of the plastic inside the secret compartment to get the alpine in? Is there a part you can buy to replace it if u had to put it back so u can sell it?

 

I actually had a pro do it, although I helped him a lot.
I didn't have the PAC back then so it's not wired up.
PAC has a guide of how to do it in the old Mini. It's probably the same.

I didn't do any change to the plastics whatsoever.
The plastic is taken out and you can just put it back when you sell the car - but you will have to dismantle the plastics again - The secret compartment is taken out only after dismantling the surrounding colored trim.

One remark: It's hard to see the display of the Alpine from the drivers side - actually you don't even look (I close the cover anyway).

 

There is always a part you can buy to replace it

 

I think this might have been the case with the old ones the new woofers are able to get nasty low, in fact I have not ran a sub in over a year

I absolutly love the mid-bass/bass response of the Be woofer , it would be hard for me to think anything could sound better than these.

I sure would love to find something close thats not as expensive , Thats why the DIY stuff peeks my interest.


Do you have any pictures of your Alpine setup in the compartment?

 

Pics of the Alpine - You can see post #2 here.

 

Some description on how to wire more wires into the door:

* First, I take no responsibility for any damages that will happen using this description.
* I did it after I dismantled the trim panel leg so I can access the wiring from the vehicle to the location of the door connector.

1. I Opened up the screw holding the rubber over the connector.
See: Door connector
2. I took out the connector and pull down a lever on the bottom of it to dismantle the plug from the socket.
3. I wired a flat speaker cable (Nordost) from the vehicle side through the holes in skeleton to the hole of the connector.
4. I pulled out the rubber from the door side.
5. I wired the cable through the connecting rubber to the door up to the speaker.
6. While putting the connector back to its place I pulled the flat cable over the connector top. The flat cable enabled me to put back the connector firmly in its place.

 

Answers for some questions I've been asked:

You don't need to use the flat cable along the side at all! I used another thick wire there.
The process is easy after you dismantle all the plastics.
Look at the main thread about how to replace the speakers
----------------
Question:
how to get it through the rubber boot and once you have done that how to get the wire down to the footwell or somewhere you can get access to it inside the cabin

Answer:
Well, the rubber boot you just pull it from the door from one side, and the other side you open the screw there (I will post some pics on the thread).
Then you have to disconnect the connector which is very easy and pull it out a little bit. There you should just thread the wire through the connector's hole to the holes at the front inside the cabin (after dismantling the plastics of course).

 

Yes. You can remove that area. First you have to remove the plastic pieces that are around it with a screw driver. After that just start unscrewing!

 

Im sorry to say but the pictures you posted on the 1st page look terrible. That installer should be ashamed of himself. I would be embarrased to give someone their car back looking like that. Where did you find this guy working at a flea market?

 

You're quiet right. It was cheap but worthless, so actually expensive.
That's why I realized I should get into it myself.
----------
btw,
I do have some rattles from the plastics, I will need to make some reinforcements and dynamat work to avoid those.

 

That installer should be embarrased! Check out my install. That is how it should be done!