[crazydiamond]

I recently upgraded the stock HIFI sound system on my e90 328i with JL XD600/6 and SWS8 subs using Technic's awesome harness. However, this has created a hole between 100-150Hz and the mid-bass has become somewhat weak.

To fill this hole I am exploring options to upgrade the front door speakers. So far, the following speakers fit my budget and specs:

1. Infiniti 42.9! coaxials ~about $129
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...ppa-42.9I.html

2. DLS K4 Components ~ about $79
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_...Dampening.html

3. Rainbow SLX 210 ~about $194
http://cgi.ebay.com/SLX-210-RAINBOW-...item1e5d75bfb3

I am personally inclined towards the DLS K4 as they seem to be good bang for the buck. The rainbows are highly regarded but they are more expensive as well.

Just wanted to see if anyone has any experience with these especially the DLS K4. Is it a straight forward drop-in?

[kaigoss69]

None of those are going to fill the "hole" between 100 and 150Hz. That's what the underseats are for. But the SWS-8s are notorious for sounding like a$$ above 100Hz, so this is probably not coming as a surprise to you. You can't fill the hole with 4" speakers, you can only fill it by installing dedicated midbass drivers under the seats. Or, you can invest in a DSP, and the SWS-8 may be able to do a bit better, but not great.

[crazydiamond]

Originally Posted by kaigoss69

None of those are going to fill the "hole" between 100 and 150Hz. That's what the underseats are for. But the SWS-8s are notorious for sounding like a$$ above 100Hz, so this is probably not coming as a surprise to you. You can't fill the hole with 4" speakers, you can only fill it by installing dedicated midbass drivers under the seats. Or, you can invest in a DSP, and the SWS-8 may be able to do a bit better, but not great.

I do see your point! Interestingly, all three of these seem to be capable of going fairly low e.g the DLS K4 can apparently do 60hz but I guess they won't be much good at these frequencies.

Does anyone know how low the stock fronts can go before blowing up? I will try to disconnect the SWS8 and see how the stock fronts handle 80-150hz range. That would give a good baseline to compare with the aftermarket options.

[Victorae]

Originally Posted by crazydiamond

I do see your point! Interestingly, all three of these seem to be capable of going fairly low e.g the DLS K4 can apparently do 60hz but I guess they won't be much good at these frequencies.

Does anyone know how low the stock fronts can go before blowing up? I will try to disconnect the SWS8 and see how the stock fronts handle 80-150hz range. That would give a good baseline to compare with the aftermarket options.

I am interested to know which of the three options are most viable as well! any opinions would be appreciated

[kaigoss69]

It's more a limitation determined by physics, rather than a limitation of the driver itself. For a single 4" driver to play 100Hz at 100 dB, for example, it would require an xmax of 7 mm (one-way). Now go find a 4" driver that has that kind of excursion capabilities...

I bet the OEM drivers were not built for more than 2 mm excursion, so you see what the problem is?

[crazydiamond]

Originally Posted by kaigoss69

It's more a limitation determined by physics, rather than a limitation of the driver itself. For a single 4" driver to play 100Hz at 100 dB, for example, it would require an xmax of 7 mm (one-way). Now go find a 4" driver that has that kind of excursion capabilities...

I bet the OEM drivers were not built for more than 2 mm excursion, so you see what the problem is?

I am totally convinced that replacing the fronts alone will not solve the problem. I guess there are two options

1. Replace SWS8s with something that plays mid-bass nicely (XE200?) and then add sub in trunk later.

2. Add a DSP and try to get most out of current setup.

I am more inclined towards option 2 at this point. I don't want to spend $$$ on MS-8 or bitone. Will the cleansweep do a decent job? Any other economical options?

[kaigoss69]

Unless you're an expert tuner, your best bet would be an MS-8. You can pick them up for under $600 new or $500 used. If the MS-8 can't fill that hole, then nothing else can either. Also, it has been reported that the MS-8 makes the HiFi speaker sound very good, so you would not necessarily have to change the speakers.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by crazydiamond

I am totally convinced that replacing the fronts alone will not solve the problem. I guess there are two options

1. Replace SWS8s with something that plays mid-bass nicely (XE200?) and then add sub in trunk later.

2. Add a DSP and try to get most out of current setup.

I am more inclined towards option 2 at this point. I don't want to spend $$$ on MS-8 or bitone. Will the cleansweep do a decent job? Any other economical options?

Did you try the OEM woofers with the XD600/6 before going the SWS-8 route?

I would go with the OEM woofers and the DLS R4 set just for kicks. I did one of those with just a MS-8 and I was nicely impressed with that combo. The R4 is quite punchy and blends pretty well with the OEM woofers as you can adjust its crossover.

[crazydiamond]

Originally Posted by Technic

Did you try the OEM woofers with the XD600/6 before going the SWS-8 route?

I would go with the OEM woofers and the DLS R4 set just for kicks. I did one of those with just a MS-8 and I was nicely impressed with that combo. The R4 is quite punchy and blends pretty well with the OEM woofers as you can adjust its crossover.

I did use the XD600/6 with stock woofers for about a week before doing the upgrade to SWS8. I liked the balance and tonality but there was no real low end bass. After SWS8 install, the low end is quite nice and punchy but the mid-bass has gone.

Today, I downloaded the RTA app for iphone and ran it through some pink noise which showed system as too bass heavy. I moved the treble to +5 which made the sound much better although the curve still slants lower for high frequencies.

I think adding some front door components e.g. DLS K4 (do the R4 fit in E90s?) will put me in a decent happy place :-)

[Technic]

Originally Posted by crazydiamond

I did use the XD600/6 with stock woofers for about a week before doing the upgrade to SWS8. I liked the balance and tonality but there was no real low end bass. After SWS8 install, the low end is quite nice and punchy but the mid-bass has gone.

Today, I downloaded the RTA app for iphone and ran it through some pink noise which showed system as too bass heavy. I moved the treble to +5 which made the sound much better although the curve still slants lower for high frequencies.

I think adding some front door components e.g. DLS K4 (do the R4 fit in E90s?) will put me in a decent happy place :-)

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=518402