Great Job BSW! E60 install w/pics
Ok guys it's been a long time since I posted but Saturday I had the pleasure of installing a BSW Stage 1 kit in a 09' 535ia sedan with the logic 7 audio system. I took the time to document the installation and evaluate the cost, benefit, value of the BSW kit verses the aftermarket options that we offer at my place of business. After the test I was inspired to share this all with you. This was my first 09' E60 chassis that received the basic stage one upgrade with nothing else. The client was looking for an overall sound improvement without any sacrifice of space and cosmetics. BSW has always offered a very well rounded modest upgrade package in my opinion, that would satisfy the needs of the any client looking for a moderate improvement in audio performance. The "new" Stage 1 kit included what appeared to be a newly designed mid/woofer that is extremely well built. The kit also includes a new 25 mm silk dome tweeter with inline 6/db high-pass filter. The installation took me roughly 4 hours to remove the center, rear grills and remove/re-install all 4 door panels and add the supplied sound dampening to all 4 doors. Before I started the installation I took a few minutes to listen to my reference CD's I've used for tuning extremely well designed and far more elaborate systems than the stock BMW H/K logic 7 system. The stock system seemed to have no life/emotion to it, what I like to "GET UP AND BOOGIE" to it. The midrange seemed hollow and thin, the bass was more of a thud than a snap. But for a upgraded stock system on par for the course.
After the installation was complete and I powered up the new system for first time and the sound improvements were immediately noticeable. But I have a habit of breaking speakers in before listening in order to allow the voice coils/spiders to warm up and move a little more freely to produce a better sound. So I tracked up full range 20-20K pink noise at about 3/4 volume for about 30-45 min as I cleaned the shop and finished my paperwork with the owner. The owner and I sat in the car a queued up a reference track and about 1 min into the track the owner turned to me and asked "is this my car?" The mid rage and high frequencies were crisp, clear, and very detailed. The mid bass seamlessly blended in with the factory floor mounted subwoofer and anchored the bass response in front of the listening position. I was amazed at the tonal balance and linearity the BSW stage 1 kit revealed as we listened to everything from Diana Krall to Snoop Dog. Hats off to BSW on this kit, they have done an incredible job at improving the BMW's sound quality with very minimal effort. I highly recommend this kit to all E60 owners.
Jeff Smith
Autosound Specialist
Atlanta,GA
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