I've got an E46 sedan. This is what I already have or is in transit to me:

JL Stealthboxes
MB Quart Reference 5.25 for the lower kick panels

Questions:
Stock HU or Aftermarket? I don't mind getting a new HU, but want something that retains a close factory appearance with the E46 interior. I also don't mind keeping my factory HU so long as sound quality does not suffer.

Amp: Would like input as what exactly I need given I will have the 2 stealthboxes, the 2 5.25" in Quarts, the 2 "other speakers" by the door handle, then the 2 tweeters. Can anyone tell me what size these are (the ones by the door handle)? I *think* they are 3", but I don't know. I've searched but can't find it definitively.

So I need to replace the 3" midrange and then the 1" tweeters. Should I go with the Quarts or does someone have another recommendation?

Thanks Audio Gurus.

Well, you asked. I wouldn't bag on your system if you hadn't asked for adivce : )

I think that your mids and highs could be much better for what those Quarts will cost you.

I think that you are confused about what speakers will be operating when you're done. At one point you talk about running two-way components front and rear, then you're talking about the OEM midranges.

The E46 has a front three way woofer-mid-tweeter setup, and the mid is essentially not replaceable. Go with a two-way setup and ace the mid. I use a tweeter with a lower xover point to get as much mid up high as possible (Dyne, DLS, Morel, a/d/s/...)

I think that rear speakers are a communist threat to our American way of life, and I think that you could have a much better sounding system with a 3 or 4 channel amp, a better front set of components, nothing but subs in the rear, and some others who have heard the IB Stealthboxes will come along and tell you what other sub you should use instead.

MB Quarts = lacking midbass and EXTREMELY bright tweeters. I would stay far away from them, I still have nightmares from my old ones.

Ok, I thought I would need to replace all of the speakers in the door, but I only need to replace the lower kick panel one? Do I need to replace the tweeters up by the pillars as well? The 5.25 Reference Quarts were a gift from a friend, so due to money and whatever else, those will stay, but the rest of the system is open to criticism. I hate rear speakers as well and the Stealthboxes will obviously replace those. Stealthboxes are pretty much set because I need the trunk space. What 4 channel amp would you recommend? What tweeters would you recommend if not the Quarts?

Unplug the tweeter and mid in the door and use the MB Quart tweeter up there.

Set the MB Quart tweeter crossover to the lowest setting.

And I REALLY advise you to go to an art store and get a can of that clear spray that they use to preserve pencil drawings, and spray it on the tweeter.

Part of the issue is the tweeter and part of it is the crossover for that tweeter. If you just swap out the tweeter you are not sending the tweeter any more sound, any lower notes, than you were before.

I like the DLS 50x4 amp, many like the JL 300/4 if you can get a good deal on it - what budget are you looking at?

If your going to use one amp to power all of that you need a decent sized one. I would go with the JL 450/4 reversed, so the 150X2 goes to the subs.

See how much you can get for your quarts ; )

-Nate

i use a single amp for my system.

it's a ppi pcx-4125. it would be perfect for your system, too.

only downside is its monstrous size...mounting can be a bitch.

I've been driving around lately with only the front speakers on, trying to get used to the idea of not having rear speakers someday. Funny thing is I lose just about all bass (relatively since there wasn't much to start). Are the front tweets just too close to my face or is the system set up so most low notes go to the back speakers?

Anyone with a CD changer running Stealth Boxes in an E46? Thought I read somewhere they wouldn't fit with the CD changer in back.

I've been driving around lately with only the front speakers on, trying to get used to the idea of not having rear speakers someday. Funny thing is I lose just about all bass (relatively since there wasn't much to start). Are the front tweets just too close to my face or is the system set up so most low notes go to the back speakers?


I don't think that the lowest notes are removed or filtered from the fronts.

But the front speaker mounting is not a good woofer chamber, while the rear speaker mounting is a much better woofer chamber (i.e., the trunk).

If you put a better speaker in the front, it will play more MID-bass, and with a woofer in the rear, your ear will be fooled into thinking the bass comes from the front (that's the goal, anyway).

What does the pencil drawing saving spray do to your tweeters? Tone down the "brightness"?
MB

Think of it as being like a very thin layer of Dynamat.

Tones down the resonance peak. That tones doen the brightness a bit. Less objectionable, but still a candidate for replacement.

I appreciate the help guys. I've decided to save up a bit more money and just go ahead and do the CDT ES series components, and the JL 500/5 amp. I figure if I'm gonna spend the money, I might as well do it right. Should I do the 6.5" components or the 5.25" for the CDT's?

Any suggestions for HU that blends well with the E46 int?

The ultimate at present is the Nak 6-disc MB-VI.

Next is the CD 400.

After that, there are some Eclipses with red buttons but bluish-white displays.

There are some last-year Clarions that are well thought of on the board.

There's the Becker Traffic Pro is you go that way.

And some Alpines will go amber.

What out for Nakamichi though...their decks sound good but their reliability is crap and Nakamichi NA for car audio at least went bankrupt at least once.

-Nate

What out for Nakamichi though...their decks sound good but their reliability is crap and Nakamichi NA for car audio at least went bankrupt at least once.

-Nate

Their NA importer dropped car audio. They are still in business, but dropped car.

I had a CD 40z in my car for 5 years. I know that there were some failures in that series, but mine works great. We've had pretty good reliability with their current stuff - MB-VI, CD-400, CD-700.

Don't buy the trunk-mounted changer, that's a CD eater - but the other stuff is fine as far as I can tell.

As far as amps see if you can find an old (but good) Xtant 3300c
it'll feed you 60w x 2 for the front stage and 180w x 1 for the rear in 4 ohms, 360 x 1 into 2ohms

if you are worrying about the powering of all those speakers with a 3 channel amp, guess what, thats where passive xovers come into play, so you should be in good shape; and those stealthboxes will probably have the 2 ohm load on the sub channel so you'll be happy with the bass

having owned one I can tell you honestly it is MORE than enough for whatever you might need, I have nothing against the JL Audio amps (designed by someone from the good ole Zapco days) and I've never heard the DLS amps but I trust el dude as far as ears go.................

the reason I am suggesting that amp is it is severely underrated, I think it will put out more than what I states at 13.8 volts, it's a rather large amp in size but we are talking about a unique piece (especially if you can acquire all the extras that were options i.e. noisegate, xovers, etc.)

for headunits if you MUST stick with anything close to factory in lighting el dude hit it right on the nose with Nak and anyone else suggesting Alpine is on point too, on a personal note this whole stock lighting thing kills me, I'm looking into a Clarion 755 flip out, and I know that puppy wont even match up, but I could care less
lol

The 3300 is sweet, and the 3150 is still not bad for what it's rated.

I appreciate the help guys. I've decided to save up a bit more money and just go ahead and do the CDT ES series components, and the JL 500/5 amp. I figure if I'm gonna spend the money, I might as well do it right. Should I do the 6.5" components or the 5.25" for the CDT's?

Any suggestions for HU that blends well with the E46 int?

Have you given DLS a consideration? They have a bitchin pair of components for the money.

You shouldn't need the 500/5 unless you want components in the front and rear doors. If so then that will be perfect with a stealthbox!

-Nate

Their NA importer dropped car audio. They are still in business, but dropped car.

I had a CD 40z in my car for 5 years. I know that there were some failures in that series, but mine works great. We've had pretty good reliability with their current stuff - MB-VI, CD-400, CD-700.

Don't buy the trunk-mounted changer, that's a CD eater - but the other stuff is fine as far as I can tell.


I remember their in-dash cd changers sounded like a friquin' gearbox and they went to shit all the time....same with thier old high end tape decks...although Eclipse's in-dash 6 didn't fair much better....quieter though....

-Nate

Have you given DLS a consideration? They have a bitchin pair of components for the money.

You shouldn't need the 500/5 unless you want components in the front and rear doors. If so then that will be perfect with a stealthbox!

-Nate

I heard the CDT's a while back and absolutely fell in love with the sound. Obviously its very difficult to hear high end speakers as hardly anyone stocks them, especially here in KS. I might try to put something in my back doors so if I have any passenegers , they won't just be on bass overload.

As for the factory look, I just think the E46 interior looks good the way it does and I don't like anything flashy on my car. I'm a pretty simple kind of guy in that sense.

I might look at trying to find one of the Xtant amps or the DLS.