# BMW E60 Set Up - suggestion needed



## telegogo (Jan 6, 2010)

My car is 2009 BMW E60 523i come with factory fitted audio system (not Logic 7).

I have modifed the system and the equipment in my car is as follow :
i) Morel Hybrid Ovation 4" 2 Way Speaker for front stage
ii) Orignal full range speaker under front seat (2 nos)
iii) original 4 " speaker at the back
iv) Audio Control LC6
v) Helix 4 C Tube Amp Model Espirt E40, 4 x 80W
vi) Original Head Unit

The connection is shown int he diagram.

Result is good but seems need to improvement on low frequency range.

Tried to connect an active Xover for RCA output Channel 3, 4 as a low pass filter to simulate the spekers under the front seat as a sub-woofer/low range speaker. Some improvement on the low frequency, but limited due to the quality of the original speaker and that speaker is a full range ones.

I do not want to sacrify the space in the boot so I don;t think I will put a huge sub-woofer box there. Can anyone recommend on the brand/model of the speaker (low range/sub-woofer) which can replace the ones under the front seat? The space seems not much there and the speaker I guess must be very slim. I did not take out the speaker for checking. I do not want to modify too much on the car.

Any other recommendations are welcome.

Thanks a lot


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## Technic (Oct 10, 2008)

telegogo said:


> My car is 2009 BMW E60 523i come with factory fitted audio system (not Logic 7).
> 
> I have modifed the system and the equipment in my car is as follow :
> i) Morel Hybrid Ovation 4" 2 Way Speaker for front stage
> ...


The standard E60 iDrive unit (HiFi) has *6* outputs, 4 high level outputs and 2 low level (balanced) outputs. The 4 high level outputs are internally high pass, the 2 low level outputs are low pass. The 4 high level outputs go directly to the OEM front and rear speakers, the 2 low level outputs go directly to a trunk mounted OEM amplifier, which in turn power the underseat OEM woofers. 

The high pass outputs have an slight OEM EQ curve built in, it is not a flat signal.

Your problem is that you are *not* using the low pass signal at all, therefore no meaningful bass.

What you need to do is:

1. Set the LC6i inputs as follows:
- CH1/2 = iDrive front outputs
*- CH3/4 = OEM amp woofer outputs*
- *sum* CH1/2 + CH3/4 using the LC6i internal jumpers

The LC6i will output a full range, low level, 2-channel signal with this configuration.

2. Split that 2-channel LC6i output signal into 4-channels using 2 "Y" RCA cable splitters.

3. Use these 4 RCA outputs as your E40 amp inputs:
- set the E40 CH1/CH2 to high pass around 100Hz
- set the E40 CH3/CH4 to low pass around 200Hz

Try those settings and adjust gain to taste, that should do it.

Eventually you will want to try to replace the OEM woofers with SWS-8, for a much better and deeper bass response.


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## telegogo (Jan 6, 2010)

Technic said:


> The standard E60 iDrive unit (HiFi) has *6* outputs, 4 high level outputs and 2 low level (balanced) outputs. The 4 high level outputs are internally high pass, the 2 low level outputs are low pass. The 4 high level outputs go directly to the OEM front and rear speakers, the 2 low level outputs go directly to a trunk mounted OEM amplifier, which in turn power the underseat OEM woofers.
> 
> The high pass outputs have an slight OEM EQ curve built in, it is not a flat signal.
> 
> ...


My E60 is a special one sponsored by BME Hong Kong to government for a regional sports game. They elimiate quite a lot of the features. It seems there is no OEM amp (or can you let me know where it is, and I will further check on it) and no tweeter. 

Also, my Helix amp has no low pass, but only hih pass.

Do you think an addiitonal active Xover added on the full range signal can serve the same purpose? Now the low level output from head unit is not being used. Do you think it is better to connect the low level output to the LC6 even I add an active Xover?

Does SWS-8 fits the space under seat? Any modification needed for installin this speaker?


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## Technic (Oct 10, 2008)

telegogo said:


> My E60 is a special one sponsored by BME Hong Kong to government for a regional sports game. They elimiate quite a lot of the features. It seems there is no OEM amp (or can you let me know where it is, and I will further check on it) and no tweeter.
> 
> Also, my Helix amp has no low pass, but only hih pass.
> 
> ...


Yes, the SWS-8 is a 90% direct replacement for the OEM woofers. 

There's no need for an additional crossover with the equipment that you have, just do not sum the front and woofer outputs with the LC6i and just pass them thru into the E40. Follow the same steps above without summing, then use the LC6i CH1/2 outputs as the E40 CH1/2 inputs, and the LC6i CH3/4 outputs as the E40 CH3/4 inputs.

Attached is the E60 sound system in detail...


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## Inventor (Sep 1, 2010)

Picking up another old thread:

The european setup is different. The hifi and top hifi system is available here too, but the smallest system is more simple: The front door speakers and the subs under the seat is paralel wired, and the rear deck speakers is separately wired. No tweeters at all and it sounds like crap. Shame on BMW for making this.

Will the LC6i work on this system too? I guess it has 4 fullrange outputs but with an simple line converter there´s no bass.

I would like to get the Audison Bit One but it is just a little bit too expensive......The LC6i would do the work with the features I need. Or should I get the MTX re-q or similar instead?

There is no low level output in my car. Maybe not in Telegogo:s either?


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## mcqueena (Sep 9, 2010)

Inventor said:


> Picking up another old thread:
> The european setup is different. The hifi and top hifi system is available here too, but the smallest system is more simple: The front door speakers and the subs under the seat is paralel wired, and the rear deck speakers is separately wired. No tweeters at all and it sounds like crap. Shame on BMW for making this.


My friend's 2010 US version? is wired this way, and you're right it sounds like crap. He was pretty upset at BMW for this as well. The "Subs" are playing full range and the fronts and rears are paper coned 1-ways. We've already replaced the fronts and the rears with a Polk 2-way. He's planning on adding a JBL MS-8, running the "Subs" under the seat as mid-bass (replaced with Earthquake SWS-8), and then adding a sub and sub amp.


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## Inventor (Sep 1, 2010)

Is it the F10-2010? I think the e60 in the US dont have this simple sound system. 

I have speakers on the shelf waiting, but need some kind of processor to tie it together. It´s good if you tell me about the result of your install. I will check out the JBL MS-8, maybe it´s the thing for this.


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## mcqueena (Sep 9, 2010)

Inventor said:


> Is it the F10-2010? I think the e60 in the US dont have this simple sound system.
> 
> I have speakers on the shelf waiting, but need some kind of processor to tie it together. It´s good if you tell me about the result of your install. I will check out the JBL MS-8, maybe it´s the thing for this.


I don't know much about the BMW lineup. It's a 2010 335i sedan, so I guess that makes it an E90?. The "subs" are definitely running full range. When we pulled out the fronts and rears to replace them, we turned on the system for a test, and a full range signal was certainly coming out of the "subs".

The initial plan is to install the MS-8 and power the fronts, rears, and mid-bass of it's internal amp. The sub will be an external amp he already has. If there is not enough power then he'll get an additional amp for the front's and mid-bass. It may be a while before anything gets installed, he's not in any hurry.


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## Technic (Oct 10, 2008)

mcqueena said:


> I don't know much about the BMW lineup. It's a 2010 335i sedan, so I guess that makes it an E90?. The "subs" are definitely running full range. When we pulled out the fronts and rears to replace them, we turned on the system for a test, and a full range signal was certainly coming out of the "subs".
> 
> The initial plan is to install the MS-8 and power the fronts, rears, and mid-bass of it's internal amp. The sub will be an external amp he already has. If there is not enough power then he'll get an additional amp for the front's and mid-bass. It may be a while before anything gets installed, he's not in any hurry.


That's an E90 and that is the Stereo system, 6 speakers -no tweeters- with the front and underseat woofers connected in parallel with a heavily equalized full range signal and the rears high passed at around 150Hz.


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## mcqueena (Sep 9, 2010)

Technic said:


> That's an E90 and that is the Stereo system, 6 speakers -no tweeters- with the front and underseat woofers connected in parallel with a heavily equalized full range signal and the rears high passed at around 150Hz.


Thanks for the info. So it essentially the same as the European system listed above, right?


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## Inventor (Sep 1, 2010)

My mistake-I assumed it was a 5 series.

This mean the reason I got bad result using the rear speakers to my high-low converter was the 150 Hz high pass? I just realized I don´t know much about car sound.

Maybe before doing anything else I should just replace all speakers like my first plan and wire the converter from the under-seat subs to the bass box in the trunk. I took it out because of the crappy sound, but it´s DLS and it really sounded good in my e34.

This is a family car and I would settle for much less audio equipment then most of you here in this GREAT forum. But it´s really annoying to think BMW, the car in my heart really, would build a sound system THIS bad! 

I´ll be back with more questions. (maybe in the dumb q section!)


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## mcqueena (Sep 9, 2010)

Inventor said:


> My mistake-I assumed it was a 5 series.


No problem, I didn't give you enough information.




> This mean the reason I got bad result using the rear speakers to my high-low converter was the 150 Hz high pass? I just realized I don´t know much about car sound.


That would do it.



> Maybe before doing anything else I should just replace all speakers like my first plan and wire the converter from the under-seat subs to the bass box in the trunk. I took it out because of the crappy sound, but it´s DLS and it really sounded good in my e34.
> 
> This is a family car and I would settle for much less audio equipment then most of you here in this GREAT forum. But it´s really annoying to think BMW, the car in my heart really, would build a sound system THIS bad!
> 
> I´ll be back with more questions. (maybe in the dumb q section!)


Sounds like a good plan.


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## GhostWorks (Oct 7, 2010)

I'm currently in the process of upgrading my sound system as well (E60 2004 530i ES europe)

came with the following that I know..

1. no tweeters in either front door or rear parcel shelf
2. only mid-range speaker in fron door and rear parcel shelve
3. not sure there is subs 6.5" or 8" under the seat (most likely in parallel with door speaker)
4. Business Sat nav ( single DVD CD Slot and narrow Monitor 6.5" )
5. Bluetooth Telephone system ( 644 cradle under arm rest )
6. Telematics controler in left trunk 
7. no DSP or no Amplifier in boot, only Telematics and coaxil with 3pin ibus connections#

I've ordered a set of L7 Tweeters from a BMW Dealer ( £45.99 Each ex-VAT ), as well as 2 x SWS-8x Earthquake Subs and a Blaupunkt THS-555 PNP Amp with the wiring harness for the E60 BMW 

Now will ordering a JBL MS-8 and installing that with the Blaupunkt amp be even better ..lol


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## HK_M3 (Sep 12, 2009)

Considered doing an Fi IB sub in the rear package tray? That might be a great solution


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## Uche-Lah (Dec 7, 2010)

*Audio BMW 523i E60*

I have BMW 523i E60 2006 comes with factory fitted audio (with LOGIC7)
Can I put in an amplifier and modulator to get an aux input...?


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## Technic (Oct 10, 2008)

*Re: Audio BMW 523i E60*



Uche-Lah said:


> I have BMW 523i E60 2006 comes with factory fitted audio (with LOGIC7)
> Can I put in an amplifier and modulator to get an aux input...?


There's is an AUX input already in your iDrive, but it is just the connection in the rear. You will need the OEM AUX cable and a trip to the dealer to enable it.


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## The Baron Groog (Mar 15, 2010)

GhostWorks said:


> I've ordered a set of L7 Tweeters from a BMW Dealer ( £45.99 Each ex-VAT ), as well as 2 x SWS-8x Earthquake Subs and a Blaupunkt THS-555 PNP Amp with the wiring harness for the E60 BMW
> 
> Now will ordering a JBL MS-8 and installing that with the Blaupunkt amp be even better ..lol


For the money you're spending on the tweeters you could actually get some fairly decent 4" components-if you've not paid for them yet then I'd cancel the order!

How's the IOM? Last time I was there I was lucky enough to be 13yrs old and staying in the 6th Form girls dorms at King Edwards(?) It was like St Trinians


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