Another E39 build thread - ID, JL, Dynaudio

[PScalfano]

After a few months of planning and gathering equipment, I am finally ready to begin my install. My car is a 2000 540i with DSP. I will begin installing everything beginning on October 7-ish, depending on my job.

Here are my objectives:

-KISS all the way
-Replace OEM tape deck with OEM CD player
-Defeat DSP
-Add DICE radio interface
-Upgrade front stage, ditch rear speakers
-Install 2 10" subs in IB in the rear deck
-Maintain factory appearance and make all modifications reversible

Here is the equipment I have chosen:
-Dynaudio MD100 tweeters
-Image Dynamics OEM 6.5" midrange/midbass
-Image Dynamics IDQ10 v2 d4
-JL 250/1 to power the subs
-JL 300/4 to power the front stage
-Knukonceptz wiring
-Dynamat extreme (1 bulk pack, 1 trunk pack)

The plan is to make some baffles to squeeze those massive 6.5's in the factory location. I understand that it might not be possible, but I am going to do my best to fit them in. The MD100s will go in the factory midrange location as they are too large to fit in the OEM tweeter locations. The IDQ 10s will be IB'd in the rear deck. I plan on cutting some holes in the rear deck that are larger than the 3" dsp holes. This will not be reversible, but I am willing to make that compromise. The JL amps will go in the factory amp / CD changer location. Some metal adapter plates will be built to use the OEM amp harness. I know that not everyone is a fan of the JL slash series. I selected these amps because they accept the differential balanced input that the factory amp sends and because they have good versatility with the onboard active crossovers.

So far, I have put a layer of DMX on my doors and door cards. I put 3 layers on the upper side of the rear deck, and 1 layer on the under side of the rear deck. I ran a 4 channel RCA cable from the radio to the trunk. I have the power wires (4 gauge) run from the battery to the amp location (with open fuse holders until the amps go in). I installed the DICE under the sliding door storage compartment and ran a cable to my euro storage armrest to hold the IPod. I have installed the CD53 as well.

I have not taken any pictures of my install progress so far, but I will take some once the car is taken apart again.


Some equipment pics:





Here is a nice closeup of one of the 6.5" mids. These are MONSTERS!





Thanks for reading - I would really like to hear some input from the veterans as I complete this install.

[12v Electronics]

Looks good. What are you going to use for crossovers for the mid/tweets?

[PScalfano]

I'm going to send a full range signal from the head unit to the 250/1. From there, I will send a highpass output (>80ish) from the 250/1 to the 300/4. The 250/1 has an option where it sends out a highpass signal that is set to the same frequency as the low pass sub filter. Then I will use the crossovers on the 300/4 to effectively have a bandpass filter going to the mids (2500ish>mids>80ish) and send a highpass signal to the tweets. (>2500ish). I will have to see what slopes and frequencies work best once I install everything.

[12v Electronics]

I see. I did not know you could get a HP signal out of the sub amp.

It might be better to cross those mid over lower though. You may be wasting some valuable low frequency capabilites from them.

[PScalfano]

Assuming I can squeeze them in the doors, I will definitely try out some different crossover points.

[12v Electronics]

I'm sure you can with a bit of work. There are at least 3 people here running 8's or 8.5's in their E39 doors.

[brandon5069]

Woot!

Good luck!

you're going to have one heck of a time fitting those mids. E39's don't have much mounting depth room....

But if you make a baffle and mod your door panel like bennyz, rogan, blacksapphire then you might have something going....

[PScalfano]

Yeah, I know those mids are really deep. I am going to try to fit them with some pener panels. TMRM5 did it with some very similar mids... and I am hoping I can do it too. I do not plan on doing any modifications to my door cards - if they will not fit, I will get some different 6.5s.

[rogan]

Can't remember where but I'm pretty sure there's some pics somewhere of ID chameleons in Pener panels so they should fit fine.

Do you have a ski pass through. If so it'd probably be easier anc cleaner to IB the subs through that

[1NAWTY5]

Goodluck with your setup

*subscribed*

[PScalfano]

Rogan, no ski pass here. I had initially planned on getting some of the m-audio subs and taking the subs out of the plastic housing. I would use that housing to hold the 10's. Then I decided that MDF would make a much more secure baffle. I am pretty stuck on the rear deck for my subs, though. This is my inspiration:

[rogan]

Any link to that install? I'm interested cos it's another option for my boot install.

[Benny Z]

Can't remember where but I'm pretty sure there's some pics somewhere of ID chameleons in Pener panels so they should fit fine.

those would be tmrm5's that he referenced...

[TMRM5]

www.tmrmzine.com/m5

[MrMckie]

very nice i'm subscribed..lol

[PScalfano]

I made a lot of progress today. Tuesday was my first day off, but it was raining. I spent the day shopping and generally being irritated at the rain. I did this (in my kitchen!)



Today was a beautiful day, so I got started early and worked most of the day. Everything pictured is for the driver's side. The passenger's side I will do tomorrow.

I cut holes in the rear deck for the 10s to fire through:



I fabricated the IB baffle (it's not fastened together yet)



I also modified the factory midrange speakers to accept my tweeters



And mounted them in the door panels. I let the factory mount aim the tweeter for me.



I also fabricated the baffles for the midbass drivers. It took two iterations to get it right. Many thanks to BrazeauRacing for designing such a superior baffle!

First try:







See how the bracket is off... I had to cut a bracket out of 16ga steel because I had some and did not feel like going out.



I'm going to seal the baffle to the door card with dynamat tomorrow. I have already put a layer under the vapor barrier but forgot to take a picture of it. I have not tried to get the door panels back on yet... I really hope they go back on.

That's it for now. Tomorrow I am going to mount the amps and finish the passenger's side.

[PScalfano]

Well I did end up having to trim the doors a little bit so that the IDs would fit. I took a few pictures of the passenger door as I was trimming.









I also mocked up the amp racks.

Factory amp:



Replaced with 300/4



added 250/1 in a modified CD changer bracket. The trim panel won't close but I'll deal with that later.



I also carpeted the baffle and got it ready to install. Tomorrow I am going to do wiring and hopefully power up.

[12v Electronics]

I like the amp install!! What are you going to cover it with? I assume the stock panel will no longer fit.

Any considerations for air circulation?

[PScalfano]

I'm not sure right now what I will use to cover it. I might purchase another trim panel and hack it up. I have also thought about implementing some sort of fan when I figure out the cover, but they are going to be done after the basics are complete.

[12v Electronics]

Cool. I would recommend a squirrel type cage fan. They rotate very slow and are quiet, but move alot of air. You may want to plan a relay into your amp turn on install now if you are going to do this. A simple Bosch relay will do fine.

[Scuba2001]

Nice looking install so far. Been looking to do something with the equipment I have sitting around collecting dust, so I'm eager to see how you finish things up on your E39.

[PScalfano]

Yesterday I finished the sub baffle and got it installed. Here are some pics:





I also buttoned up the doors and fired up the amps. Now on to setting the gains etc.

[PScalfano]

I'm really liking how the IB 10s sound. I noticed that the parcel shelf (not the metal part I deadened, but the trim) is vibrating, especially on the low notes. I will have to put some sound deadening on that. I figure while I have the parcel shelf out, I will remove the rear speakers to give the bass somewhere else to go. I also made some RCA cables out of the cheap radio shack ends, and they are very crappy and loose. I ordered some Neutrik ends to replace the radio shack ones - they should be in tomorrow.

Here are a couple pics of the amps wired up. I still have to devise a cover for the amps and maybe some air circulation.





And another pic of the IB subs...



I'm still playing with the crossover points, and surely I will be for a long time. The 300/4 is pretty tough to access to tweak gains, but I think the trunk space makes it well worth it.

[kendogg]

How are you sealing the backside of your door mids off from the front?

[PScalfano]

I got some 3/4" dense foam weather stripping from Home Depot and stuck it to the mids so that it seals the front to the door panel.