For those that did the rear 6x9 replacements, did any one notice if there was excess room back there?

From the photos it looks like the whole is cut into the metal, is this correct?

Think this could be widened to fit a shallow mount 10" sub? Illusion audio has had these type of subs forever, but looks like others are catching on. Hardest part of this if it would fit would be getting it a sealed enclosure.

Also like to thank everyone else for all the great info on this thread and will be replacing the front stage with focals shortly. Had a set of the polyglass in my accord for the past 7 years and really miss them.

 

Does anyone know the volume of the speakers "boxes" (front upper & lower, rear)?

 

A guy from Austria widened the hole for a 20cm (~ 7.87") sub:
http://www.mini2.info/forum/attachme...2&d=1205756040

 

poolemac: just subbed in the JL Audio TR400-CXis and TR650-CXis in my R56 doors, per your recommendation ... WOW.
No cutting, just a couple of drill holes here and there to attach the speakers to the doors where there wasn't a screw-hole -- $160 total, fit perfectly, and sound TERRIFIC with the non-hifi system. Many thanks!

FYI: invaluable tool for pulling the round covers off: a stiff PLASTIC PUTTY KNIFE ... no scratches that way as you're prying on things --

 

Just put a set of CDT ES-620's in the front running off of an Alpine PDX-5 amp with an Elemental Designs SQ10 sub in the back. The CDT's are running with the four channels from the amp bridged to 2 channels at 150W each and the sub running at 300W. The system sounds like what the car should have for a "Hi-Fi" system.

The only issue that I had with the entire install is that the airbag/pre-tensioner warning light now comes on. I had to remove the passenger seat to mount the amp, but I plugged everything back into place. Anyone have an idea how to reset the computer to eliminate the annoying warning message?

 

Nice Basil! Glad it worked out. I just spent way too much money and time on a full system--rear speakers, amp, subwoofer. I knew the JL's were capable of much more.

 

only if they charge north of $1000 for it.

 

True, but for them to claim that the $500 Hi-fi system makes the audio system worth it and then having to pay another $500 on top of that to get the clear audio and additional bass is crazy. I am with you on it all being expensive. I guess if you like the audio side of things enough though, then it's worth it.

 

argh...yeah I am having the same issue.

bf installed an amp under my passenger seat, new speakers (infinity perfect separates) and a sub [https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=138054]. Everything was plugged back in and now the non-stop airbag/seatbelt warning.

how do we fix this?!

 

well I answered my own question....

the airbag warning light can ONLY be reset by the dealer...and they are charging me $124 to do so.

why? because we took the seat out with the key in the ignition and started up the car while the seat was still unplugged/removed (to test things out)...both of which will throw a code that can only be reset by the dealer.

i don't know if it was mentioned here or anywhere else...but let it be know NOT to do that. It's a simple but expensive mistake. I was also told the airbags are disabled while that warning light is on, although the seatbelts still work of course.

 

Great, just what I wanted to hear. I just love systems that aren't user repairable.

 

well, we tried earlier to clear the code with an OBDII CAN-BUS cable and OBDII software with no luck. so to the dealer it is. they are charging me for a standard (hour) of reprogramming/ecu flash when I'm sure all it takes is 5 minutes to clear that code on their end. highway robbery...I'm glad that for most other maintenance items/repairs the stealer won't be getting my money

 

Does anyone know if the wiring for the front pillar tweeters is present in a NON-HiFi system? I checked with my dealer; I can get the pillars for the Hi-Fi system for around $55/ea. I'd like to get the tweeters out of the door for better sound. I guess I could tear the car apart to find out; but I've only had it less than a week.. :(

Still trying to piece all the puzzle pieces together; the standard stereo is not as bad as I thought it would be.

Thanks.

 

The non-hifi wiring diagram I used at http://www.mcaw.info/opossum/R56Radio.png has a clue that may be useful: there are TWO "mid-range speaker, front left" and "mid-range speaker, front right" connectors in the diagram -- not just one each. When I opened up the doors, I found the connectors that had "blue wires and various stripes" at those 4-inch door-speaker locations ... sooooo, the OTHER "mid-range-speaker" connectors on the diagram (br/or+ and bl/rt- left, br/or+ and ge/sw- right) MAY be your tweeter-pillars -- but that's a guess.

The standard stereo was completely acceptable to me once I corrected the error of the cruddy paper-cone original equipment speakers (my two cents!).
Good luck! -- PM if you want some notes on the "just replacing the door speakers" route.

 

Good advice.
I have stock speakers on my 2003 MC.
Right front bass/mid-range was blown by prior owner, probably by overdriving.
As I can find no affordable, precice (5 ohm?, what the devil?) 15 watt speaker, I tried a DIY: dismantled the unit, set on a vertical and sparingly RTV'd bass/mid-range paper cone to join together the rent.
Post install, still had minor scratch at higher amplitudes, but just re-biased to favor driver balance and some front fade, with -1 bass overall.
Oh yeah, stopped playing NIN and switched to Bach.
Cheapest fix I could live with, short of going to the dealer for an OEM replacement, if possible.
Look, it helped having served with the artillery, so this fix may not be for all.

 

O.K. I know nothing about a stereo system but I do know that my new Mini has poor quality sound from its standard stereo. So, I’m already looking into new speakers. I went to a recommended local shop here in Vegas and they suggested JBL or JL component speakers in the front and replacing the back speakers too. My question is this: Do I really need to replace the back speakers? The shop says I’ll be happier if I do but I just don’t know. The total cost for everything is $400.00(including tax) and without the upgraded back speakers its $185.00. Thanks in advance for the advice.[/FONT]

 

My parts-only cost for doing my own fronts (one pair each JL Audio TR400-CXi and TR650-CXi) was $168, and was a couple of hours of my labor total -- so $185 sounds very reasonable. A pair of good 6x9s for the rear will cost another $150-ish, so $400 total to have someone else do all six speakers sounds really reasonable, especially considering the labor hassle of having to remove almost everything behind the front seats to get to the two rear speakers.

I've been very happy with the huge improvement from "fronts-only-replacement" for a few weeks now ... but I WILL replace the rears eventually, once I get a full Saturday to do it the way I want it done (and that's just an engineer-thing ...)

 

Thanks Basil. I'll probably end up replacing all the speakers.

 

Dear MM,

Great set of instructions here for the 6X9's. I installed a set of Infinity 692.9i's yesterday with the help of your written instructions combined with the following pics from a foreign (and I do me foreign) site. No mods necessary and the sound maaaaavalous!!


http://www.newminiclub.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5705

Thanks Milllions,

Bob

 

I swapped out the front speakers this morning. Thanks to all the info posted here, it was easy!



Polk DB651s, purchased on eBay, and they sound a whole lot better.

Next on the list is hardwiring the radar detector, and installing the ham radio gear.

Oh, one thing that might be useful to others -- the existing front speakers use a T25 torx. When I dig into something I make a note in my notebook of any special tools I used, or any problems/issues to watch out for (like whatever you do, don't try starting the car if either of the front seats are disconnected!).

 

wow, this was an incredible thread. Too bad it took forever to read. Who knows, maybe I'll feel motivated enough to make a faq thread eventually...

I have hifi...

Has anything ever been found out regarding removal of the hifi amp? That seems like the most convenient place to mount a new amp as I have DSC. I just don't feel like dealing with having the OBC "looking" for the amp and not finding it, and doing something crazy, or not allowing me to get software updates... Even if it involves "tricking" the OBC with a resistor or something, that'd be good enough for me.

Also, has anyone ever figured out where the crossovers are located? Most evidence seems to point to the rear hifi amp, but someone pointed out that it might be in the HU due to the fact that there is no change in the HU from the standard audio system....

I've got my system all spec-ed out now, the wiring in my head... I'm planning on getting a DIN sized crossover and putting it in the secret cubby in the dash, anyone ever attempted this?

The equalizer I'm planning on getting is this
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...izers/DEQ-9200
or
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PU...izers/DEQ-7600
I have some more researching to do, but it should make the speakers sound incredible. I currently have a pioneer headunit with mb quarts in my car now, and I can't live without the ability to adjust the bass to the rear speakers and put a crossover on my front speakers so they only hold mids... I want to do it electronically, so I can customize due to what types of music I'm listening to...

(i'm an audiophile...)

 

Got my chance to finish the job and do the rear 6x9s ... WOW, again

I was scrounging in my basement and discovered a really nice pair of barely-used Boston RX87s: 40W four-ohm two-way 5x7s ... sooooo, I started thinking, and found a guy who sold me some "speaker-adapters" -- a pair of plastic rings to take my 5x7s up to the 6x9 holes (see the gallery)

THAT should hold me for quite a while now.
Thanks to all who contributed here -- you helped make it an easy three-hour job.
(and see http://www.mjmautoinnovations.com/ for the adaptors.)

 

Basil - did you replace the amp or do you have the Hi-Fi system?

 

NEITHER -- I have the non-hifi system, and left it in place ... it can supply 15W/ch, my new speakers (these plus four new JLs in the fronts -- see above) are all good for much more than that, and together they all sound better than the crappy/buzzy/muddy paper-cone-POS speakers that came original with the car.

 

Having just been in there:
1. There's a LOT of depth there -- nothing to stop a deep speaker with a big honking magnet until you hit the metal for the outside of the car.
2. The 6x9 hole IS cut into the metal.
3. I DOUBT you could fit a 10" sub ... problem is not depth, but that the metal panel on the inside of the car is irregularly stamped for rigidity's sake just outside that 6x9 area (see photo in gallery); to get a good mechanical attachment of speaker to car, you could probably find the 10" span of smooth metal in the vertical direction, but not in the horizontal.

Suggestion: go get the biggest, baddest 6x9s you can find ... they'll probably fit.