New speaker install in 2005 x3

[jknj]

Hello all, thought you might like to hear about my success in upgrading my factory Nav / No DSP '05 x3 to new speakers. I installed Infiinty Kappa 42.9i speakers in both front and back, which I purchased on Ebay for $77 a pair. I started with the back speakers, saving the drivers door for last. The first door was a little tricky getting the faux wod grain off, but once I figured it out I could do it in my sleep. The back doors went really well (I do not have rear door airbags.) I did remove power from the ground on the battery. I did a speaker at a time, just to make sure there were no problems. All went well with the back but the front doors were a hassle, because it appears that the airbag connectors are permanent! I had to prop the doors up on a basket so that I could put it the new speakers while the airbags were still wired in. I also had to add extensions to the wires in the front, becasue the factory wires would not reach the little crossover units in the front. The back ones were long enough, although it was tight. The crossovers I tied down with Velcro.

A couple of lessons learned: Buy some extra clips. They are easily crushed. The Infinity's fit, but just. They are much heavier than the factory speakers. I used two of the three mounts, and added a washer to hold down the third mount. I did not use the tweeters (they sound pretty bad to me.)

The net result was well worth it: Much better midrange, and equal or better volume. Much more midbass, and much smoother overall. I used to push the fader somewhat to the back to kill the crappy tweeters in the front. This killed the soundstage. Now the fronts sound great! I would agree that the front speakers are the only ones you need to change. I would even suggest that just disconnecting the front tweeters might give an improvement in sound; they are that bad. Just turn the treble up a bit. The midrange units seem pretty well made, and based on the sound in the back before the upgrade, decent quality. Less bass but smoother treble.

Anyone have any questions, just ring me up. I am off to the dealer to get some extra clips. If I had purchased them ahead of time, I would not have to take the door apart twice.

[weasel56]

Glad you're happy with it. I tried some JL's in mine w/DSP... they sounded great, but weren't even comparable to the OEM. My tweeters sound good, but thats with DSP. I unplugged the tweeters in my E36 when I did its sound.

And the airbag connections aren't permanent, just gotta release the clip. The flat side that faces outward of the plug is a retaining clip. There is a small grove on the plug body that lets you get under it with a pocket screwdriver. It pops back/out about 1/8 inch, then the whole plug clips right off.

I will end up buying the BSW stage 1 kit soon enough, and will be putting the JL audio 10" stealth box in the back as well.

Come to think of it, if you or anyone else want to run the tweeters (oem or aftermarket) through some decent crossovers, I have a set of a/d/s 334is.2 crossovers I can sell at a decent price... They have separate outputs for high, mid and woofers with some adjustment.

[Halston Pitman]

Glad you were able to get something in there that works for you

We should very soon have a plug and play complete speaker package!

[jknj]

Great, because I may want to swap out the subwoofers next! They are now the weak link.