Hey fellow Mini CM owners! Upon buying a new-to-me 2011 Countryman S a few months ago, and doing the important engine/exhaust bolt-ons, I turned my attention to the audio situation in the car. This car was not optioned with the HK system, so as others have said in the forum - I found the output a bit lacking. Not one to leave good-enough alone, I've lurked through the threads here to weigh my options. Seems like the biggest barriers were the 4" stock size, mounting depth, and lack of 'drop-in' options. Looked at reference photos of the door panels, looked at various speaker specs, and eventually put together a plan that would start with the back doors.
Disclaimer: This was not a 2hr project. It involved measuring more than twice, cutting many things, grinding, planning, store runs, and overall patience. The results I think speak for themselves - but if you don't want to risk a big oopsie, I don't blame you.
I tried to take as many process pictures as possible (when I remembered) and hopefully this can help with the confidence you'll need to try it yourself!
Disclaimer 2: Do NOT do the below steps in any location where you don't want plastic dust everywhere. I did part of this in my home office and that was a mistake. Good lighting and a hand vac are also essential.
Disclaimer 3: Final appearance 10/10. Functionality...eh, just read till the end. Need some input here from my Mini people.
Level of Difficulty: i would give this 3/5 stars. Not because anything was actually difficult (20/20 hindsight), but due to the planning, hacking, and chances for mistakes. The first door took almost 3 days to make sure everything came out perfect: second door took ~5hrs.
Tools Needed: Plastic pry-tools. Dremel with cutoff wheel, and big/small sanding bits. Wire cutter/stripper. Screwdrivers. Power drill + various bits. Painters/masking tape. Tracing paper. Shop knife. SAFETY GLASSES, and mask.
In proper DIY fashion, here's the end result:


I'll try to best describe how I got here, let me know if I missed out a key part or you have questions. Here we go!
Speakers chosen: Rockford Fosgate P152 Punch 5.25" 2way

• Come with grills - and matched my red/black interior panels!
• Come with adapter plates (which helped greatly as stencils)
• Mounting depth looked right
• Multiple mounting holes/channels for attachment points
• Good specs (nothing crazy) and good reviews
• 4ohms matches the factory speaker rating
• 2way means no separate tweeter to wire/mount (internal crossovers)
• Good price + Amazon Prime
• Also come in 4" size, in case you want a drop-in option (possibly the fronts...)

1. Take the door panel off. There are many videos and guides for this. There are a lot of round compression clips that hold the panel on. Start at the bottom and work your way up, the leverage will pop the upper clips easily. I used this link as reference before I started yanking on things. Once I got the panel loose, I put all the clips in a small baggie (visually reference where the blue ones go on the door - don't know the difference from the white but I assume they're there for a reason).
2. The panel is stall attached to the door by the wires. Carefully unclip the fiber-optics. I put tape-labels on the wires for easy reassembly. Use a plastic pryer to unclip the small fasteners from the panel holding the wires in place. I snipped the speaker wire where it met the speaker; I wasn't going to be able to reuse the Mini-specific clip on the new speakers.
   
3. With the door panel free, I was able to review my requirements for the new speaker. I measured (very scientifically lol) the overall depth from the panel to the top of the stock speaker; I didn't want to go any larger as that would press up against the foam barrier on the door (you can see the circular intent above), and literally right behind that is the window glass. I had about 2.25" to play with overall. The RF 5.25" speakers have an advertised MD of 1.91"....perfect.
   
4. Removed the speakers. 3 screw-nuts (arrows). Easy. That gave a proper look at where a much larger 5.25" mounting location would go.
   
5. The new speakers arrived and I got really excited - they were exactly what I wanted. Here's a comparison shot of the 4" stock vs 5.25" RF Punch. Check out the magnet especially - as a wise man once said, there's no replacement for displacement! The blue line on the profile shot shows that despite the RF being much larger, the mounting depth is basically exactly the same; the stock speaker is a back-mount, and I planned on a top-mount for the RF.
   
   
6. During the 'research' phase, I noticed that the stock speaker grill was held on by plastic rivets to the door panel; luckily it wasn't part of the door mold. I'd have to remove the grill in order to top-mount the new speaker and grill. A dremel and sanding bit made short work of each circular plastic rivet. Be careful not to grind the actual flat panel too much, and wear your safety equipment - molten hot plastic shards in the eyes is not fun. You can use a paint scraper or flathead screwdriver to chip off the remnants.
   
   
7. One interesting note is the stock speaker grill is not flat - it has a defined waviness to it - like a melted Pringle chip. I got worried, as that meant the door panel was not a flat, flush surface to mount the speaker to. In the end, the door panel flexed enough to allow a tight seal. The Dynamat also helped with any gaps.
   
8. The mounting bosses of the stock speaker were in the way of a nice, flat surface for the new speaker. So, those protrusions had to be flattened - along with the ring. A cutting wheel on the dremel, and a steady hand got that done. Go slow, make sure you don't slice through the panel. Make lots of little cuts vs one big chop. You can always remove more; you can't add it back! It doesn't have to be pretty, nobody will ever see it again. In this picture, I got the 'towers' flat, but still needed to do the ring.
   
9. After the ring was removed, I put a piece of 150 grit sandpaper on a block and gave it a rough sanding, so I'd have a bit more 'clean' surface for the sound deadening to attach to. After the sanding, bring out the shop vac and get it cleaned up. A little rubbing alcohol as surface prep is not a bad idea either.
   
10. Alright, if you've gotten this far, you're in it to win it. No turning back. This step is a critical one. Gotta drill the mounting holes using the new speaker grill as a template. We'll obviously have to cut away more of the panel to fit the speaker through, but we gotta figure out where that hole needs to be. So, flip the door panel and using some masking tape, temporarily mount the new grill to the door. IMPORTANT: this is where you have one shot at getting the alignment perfect. I'm very OCD about these things, so I wanted the screws holding the grill to lineup with the top of the door - and the awesome red RF 'jewel' to be at 6:00. The RF grill fits nearly perfectly in the door-socket - I will fully admit this was a happy accident and was ready to try another set of speakers if it didn't' work out - or maybe try to retrofit the stock grill somehow. Anyways, mock it up, stand up the panel, and look it over from near, far, and with other people's eyes if they're handy.
    
11. With the tape in place, and being careful not to move it, drill pilot holes with a thin drill bit through the 4 mounting holes. This will be a valuable reference when you flip the panel and have to align the big hole that the speaker will sit in. It'll also make it easier to screw the final mounts nice and straight, and without warping the panel.
12. Another great plus for the RF speakers: they came with mounting templates in case you wanted to mount these in a 4x6 or 6x9 location, with the ability to bend&snap off excess. I was able to take that template, match up the mounting holes I just drilled, and have a perfect stencil to trace onto the panel where i needed to cut out the larger hole. Then I used the cutting wheel and the dremel, cut slowly, and had a perfectly-aligned hole for the new speaker. This is another critical step, as the grill > speaker > panel alignment has to be accurate since the grill fits within the door indent so well. I outlined the template below and showed where my alignment holes were. We won't be actually mounting to this template - but i guess you could. I had a more custom idea, as you'll see.
    
13. Test-fit the speaker through that hole (don't mount it yet, obviously). Check to see that the panel is not interfering with the speaker basket; if so, mark that location and grind away a little bit more. You definitely don't want to mess with the overall alignment of the speaker within that hole, just want it to sit flush.
14. These next steps are where I go more custom; you could get the speaker + grill mounted, wire it up and reattach to the door at this point and you'd be set.
15. After more research, I ordered a box of sound deadening that didn't have the Dynamat brand-tax. I got the heavyweight 80mil KILMAT brand, and it was awesome. Way more than I would need, but I'll use it for the fronts whenever I get there. Link to this stuff -
    KILMAT 80mil, 18sq ft
    KILMAT 80mil, 18sq ft
    . I also ordered the roller application tools - but i didn't need them; any plastic handle from a screwdriver or whatever would work.
16. Template time! Being a designer, I had sheets of tracing paper laying around, so this was very handy. I made a template of the area I wanted to cover with the KILMAT to isolate potential vibrations. The hard part is the Mini door panel is nowhere near flat - lots of waffles, towers, curves, etc. Took a couple tries (early version below) to get the stencil just-right, but overall was happy with the amount of eventual coverage. The small tower I left near the speaker was a nice reference 'keyhole' when it came time to mount the real material. Don't worry about the big center hole, you can cut that out of the KILMAT after a rough-fit. PROTIP: keep this template for doing the other door: you'll have to just flip it over (since mirrored).
    
17. Trace onto the KILMAT and cut the outside shape. Cuts easily with heavy-scissors, or with a shop knife. Cut out the small 'keyhole', and lay it on the panel. Don't cut the center hole yet! <-- I learned this the hard way when I did the first door. If you're happy with the way the insulation lays on the panel, remove the backer and carefully apply. Keep it very light in case you misalign. Use the keyhole as your starting point, and work your way out. Once lightly stuck, you can flip the panel and carefully trim out the center hole. I left about a 1/8" of insulation showing inside the hole, so the speaker basket could seal to that and prevent potential vibrations against the actual panel.
    
18. Using the roller tools or any plastic thing, flatten the foil squares so you know it's sealed to the surface. You can trim any excess or trouble-spots, but we're mostly concerned about the area where the speaker will mount to.
    
19. At this point, the speaker and grill can be mounted from the other side. The RF speakers came with a special bit for the screws. The screws go easily through the KILMAT, but you may have to reflatten it around them.
    
20. Again, we could stop here, and I almost did. I test-fitted the panel on to the actual door (easy without all the clips in the way), and I actually had some room between the back of the speaker and the door foam. Top-mount was the correct choice! That gave me an idea about how to fully enclose the speaker. Using the 4x6 template from before, I knew the opening hole was 4.5" in diameter. Another scientific measurement showed the height of the speaker once mounted:
    
21. I needed some wiring pieces anyways, so at the DIY store, I took a walk through the plumbing section, and found some potential pre-fab 'speaker' enclosures. I was specifically looking for a PVC cap-fitting at 5"d x 2.5"h. But, they don't make 5" couplings. I got a 4" rounded cap, measured the ID, and figured with a bit of tweaking it would work. Got home, measured out knowing it had to be taller than what I showed above (so, right at 2") and marked it for cutting.
    
22. OMG the plastic PVC shreds go everywhere. If you have a bandsaw, I am very jealous. The cutting wheel on the dremel did the job, but took about 4 times very slowly around to cut through. I used the sandpaper+block to make it nice and flat afterwards. The post-cut fitment showed I was close enough with the measurements - no touching the top of the speaker. However, I did have to bevel the inside edge to widen it just enough to fit over the speaker basket (you can see a bit of a gap in the below pic where it meets the KILMAT). Another happy accident: the PVC cap didn't interfere with the mounting screws!
    
    
23. Now with the cap ready, I had to figure out the wiring. I wasn't going to be able to use the speaker wire on the wiring harness (too short, and the connection covered by the PVC cap). I used extra speaker wire I had around and connected to the speaker, making sure to mark red/black on the other end. I also marked the PVC cap where I'd need to feed the wire through.
    
    
24. Used a big drill bit and cut a large hole to feed the wire through. I thought it could be a small hole for just the wire, but the spades I used for the connectors were too tall. Sanded the rough edges.
    
25. At this point, the PVC cap was sitting loosely, so I need to attach and seal it to the door panel. A 2.5" wide strip of the KILMAT, with relief cuts every two squares, made a perfect insulation and adhesion ring. I even cut a little piece to seal off the wiring hole.
    
26. Door panel speaker enclosure completed! Last step is reattaching to the Mini. I did the speaker connection last - the other wires (once reattached) helped hold the door panel in place while I sautered the speaker wires together. Be sure to take care re-routing the door-pull wire, it needs to fit inside the foam channel or else it won't allow the panel to seal to the door. Drove me crazy until I figured that out. Also, make sure the door lock wire is through the door lock hole before you reattach the panel, and the speaker wires don't interfere. PRO TIP: use a bit of tape to hold the round door clips in place on the panel - some move around while you're fighting to get the panel in place, and make mating them all up to the holes reeeeally frustrating.
    

So, in conclusion, how did it turn out?

• Good news: looks exactly how I hoped. Upgraded, but stealthily stock. Looks like a factory option, esp with the red/black colored interior.
• Good news: Careful planning, careful cutting, careful installation means I feel like a job well done. I didn't have to 'make do' with any of the steps. Which is why I'm passing on the knowledge
• Bad news: AAAARRRRRGGHHHH - I totally glanced over the fact that while the HK system puts out healthy power ratings, the stock audio is woefully underpowered. The stock speakers are quite efficient at making that work-out, but not these RF upgrades. So, long story short there is basically zero bass response from the new rear speakers; I just don't have the watts to properly power them. I wasn't going for a full multi-thousand watt upgrade with subs enclosures and big amplifiers, but looks like I will have to explore at least an amplifier solution once I figure out the front speaker upgrades. Let this hopefully be a lesson to those that read this far
• Input needed
  • After the install, I have a few questions about how to finish this off. I'll obviously do the front speakers as well, and would IDEALLY like to also put the same 5.25" RFs up there. Won't be able to use the RF grills, but am willing make a custom mount for inside the door panel...if they could possibly fit. Otherwise, would using the 4" RF Punch create an unbalanced sound between front/back running off an amplifier pushing ~40watts to each?
  • As for the PVC caps I turned into enclosures - good idea or nah? Should I keep the wiring hole open for sound port/heat dissipation, or am I foolish for thinking this will make any sort of real difference in sound projection with this setup?
  • I've looked at mini-amplifiers, and am very interested. I was thinking of being able to mount behind the center stack, between the CD player and the heater controls. They're very small, like 3 cell phones stacked together, and are around 40-50w x 4. Could I have a shop wire one up hidden in there without mounting it in the rear and running a ton of wires under carpeting and whatnot? Sony mini-amp
    • Any links to removing the center-stack in an R60 so I can see if this is even feasible, before I go to an audio shop and pay for them to tell me 'no way'?
  • I know the under-seat subs are another weakspot, and the BavSound dropin upgrade looks awesome - but that's quite a price on convenience. For now I'd like to make do with more mid-range from larger-than-stock door speakers. Think that's a reasonable goal?

Overall, thanks for reading and I hope it inspires a few people to try something new. Safe travels!

 

Hey everyone! The front speaker install is completed, I'll be posting that update with pics soon. I went with the 4" RF Punch T142s, thinking they'd be drop-in since same size as stock.
Well - they are not the same size as stock, they were definitely not drop-in, and overall was a much bigger ordeal than I was expecting.
However, I am pretty happy with the custom fitment I was able to achieve while keeping (most) of the stock grille for a 'factory-ish' look. Still have one or two minor details to finish up, but stay tuned!

 

Hi @CountryJim .
Sorry if I revive this very old topic.
First and foremost, fantastic tutorial and terrific work there.
I am planning to do the same on my car just with different speakers (but same size-ish).

I have two questions for you:
1 - If you end up adding an amplifier to the system, and if so, what setup have you installed?
2 - If you have checked what sort of frequency output comes out of the x9331 connector? (I am suspecting that the front signal is full-range because the underseat woofers should be paralleled to the front speakers, while the rears have probably a bass roll-off EQ'd, and that's another reason why your RF underperform).

Many thanks.

PS: If anyone knows more about this, specifically question no.2, please let me know!

 

The rear speakers do have the bass roll off, I personally used the under seat speakers as my input for my Kicker LOC. It is the full range, I just spliced into them with T-tap connectors.

I use a Skar SA125.4 to power my door speakers and added tweeters, running the wires to all the speakers isnt fun, but its definitly worth it.

 

Thank you for confirming my doubts.

The thing is that ideally I'd really like to keep things as OEM as possible, including the fader.

You've probably lost that, tapping a Kicker LOC for the amp, from what the original HU setup considers a dedicated front channel, isn't it?

Yeah, work-wise must be a pain in the neck to basically rewire most of the cabin. Did you have to pull up the carpet and all of that, right?


I am going for a double JBL 9004 Stage setup, where one will take care of the front (doors, tweeters and underseats) and the other the rear (door coaxial and sub).

The idea was to buy two Kicker Keyloc (active/smart LOC), one to feed each amp respectively from the front and rear HU lines.

But I am concerned that while the front will be fine and harvest a good signal to clean up, the rear will get only part of the spectrum, and I am not sure if the Keyloc can restore that.

 

You could go with AudioControl instead (The LC2i), their LOC will provide for both amps repair the signal loss and frequencies that are missing. This was my original plan but Im opting to replace the head unit later on. I didnt remove the carpet, the carpet floor actually sits around 2.5"-3" above the actual metal floor pan with foam blocks/padding. I fished the wiring under the carpet and pull it through to the speaker under the seat. The wiring through the cabin is easy, its fishing the wires through the door jambs that is the headache.

I dont use the fader, so this wasnt an issue for me. If you use the LC2i, you can control the fader through that instead if needed. Alternatively, you could use the LOC of your choice off the front wires and then the LC2I for the rear to fix the signal and keep the OEM fader.

 

That's actually a good (money-saving) idea. Mounting a passive LOC for the front and an active LOC for the rear (assuming the first to have a cleaner range and not in need of relevant readjustments like the second).
I wonder how clean the native signal from the HU is in general, though, as I have always heard it to be rubbish and with weird EQ, made not to trouble the poor OEM speakers set.

Can I also ask why you would prefer the LC2i over the Keyloc?