[v-spec]

Hi All

So i am about to embark on a complete audio install on my bmw 118d m sport. It came with the really basic setup, so BHU and 6 speakers. It sounds [email protected] and ive had enough of it.

So over the weeks ive been scouting ebay and buying bits and pieces.

This is what i have so:

BMW 2010 Professional Head Unit with bluetooth and USB function (autodab to come soon) or maybe the alpine EZI Dab

Audison Bit Ten D with controller

http://audison.eu/index.php?page=product&id=41

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this takes a high level input so the PHU will connect into this and convert the signals in to low level RCA.

http://www.mtxaudio.eu/products/caraudio/spk/item/tx6bmw

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Now for speakers there were so many options from focal, mb quarts, dietz etc, but MTX released there own version a few months back so i purchased these instead and very reasonably priced, i was lucky enough to pick them up for £230.

http://www.alpine.co.uk/p/Products/v-power-amplifiers32/mrv-f300

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I'll use the alpine amp rated at 75w rms per channel to power the MTX, 2 channels for the underseat subs and the other 2 for the mids and tweets.

For the rear parcel shelf i was just going to buy some two way speakers, haven't decided which brand yet, but i wont spend a great deal of money as most of the sound is coming from the front.

I also have a 10inch Vibe Subwoofer and Vibe mono amplifier, ill buy a retro fitted box:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-E87-E...619918?hash=item2361ea990e:g:QyAAAOSwQItULlD6

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Now here comes the hard part is installing it all.

I don't have issues replacing the speakers and wiring it all up, i just need help and advice on the best way.

I will need to make my own wiring harness it seems, unless theres someone on here that can do it for me?

Otherwise i was going to buy a QUADLOCK cable adaptor extension lead and modify it to meet my needs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QUADLOCK-...331755?hash=item3a930eebab:g:XNEAAOxyOalTa--S

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plan to make my own harness, what i need to know is if the PHU as a remote wire output to switch the amps on, i would also need to take the front and rear outputs of the stereo to the Audison bit ten which means leading speaker cables to the boot, and then from the amp back to the harness to power the mids and tweets, also new speaker cables from the amp to the underseat subwoofers as they run off the headunit?

Please see the pictures:

Any help and guidance would be appreciated! ill keep you posted on the project.

Also any coders out there? Need to have the PHU coded to my vehicle!

http://postimg.org/image/twzj233iz/full/

http://postimage.org/

http://postimg.org/image/y7qv8ejtx/full/

http://postimage.org/app.php

wish me luck!

 

[Tom_B]

Hi v-spec,

I installed the MTX kit myself recently, and have been very impressed with the resulting sound quality.
They are pretty much a drop-in solution, the only minor challenges are finding places to mount the crossovers in the doors, and then chopping off the factory wiring connectors to suit the bullets on the MTX cables.
When I get a chance I'll post a picture of my crossover mounting if that would help.

Tom

 

[v-spec]

Hi Tom

I was wondering if anybody else has bought the MTX speakers! Really looking forward to installing them and get them amped up.

Please do send pictures of your install and placement of crossovers.

Ill be leading new speaker cables to the Underseat subs and powering them separately through the amplifier and controlled via the eq.

Are your MTX running through the stereo?

Vish

 

[Sonic1506]

I've got Gladens in mine, Pioneer Double DIN up front and JL Audio XD400/4 in the back. Still more audio that needs to be done.

 

[Tom_B]

Hi Vish,

I'll upload a picture once I work out how, but in the meantime I'll try and describe it: I opted to mount the main body of the crossover in the recess formed by the armrest, with the second inductor stuck near the lower fixing boss for the grab handle. I supported it with a cable tie through the inner skin of the window switch cavity, but backed it up with hot-melt adhesive (you could use Sikaflex instead).

I've got a Rainbow 4-channel amp which I'll be installing at some point in the next couple of weeks, but as an experiment I've fitted the speakers first and am just running them directly from the output of the Business HU. Frankly, given the miserable power output from the HU they sound far, far better than I've any right to expect and can generate really quite impressive bass! Given their very high sensitivity it's probably not a surprise, but still better than I imagined.

One thing to bear in mind when you're wiring up the underseats: the original BMW units were down-firing, whereas the MTX drivers are "conventional". This means that if you connect them up like-for-like they will technically be running out-of-phase. To correct this, I simply inverted the polarity of the vehicle wiring when connecting them up.

Tom

 

[v-spec]

Well i received the MTX speakers today, i have to say they are quite impressive to look at, well built speakers.

My only concern was the magnets on the subwoofer are really small, hard to believe they can handle almost 150wrms.

Also it did not come with any instructions, hard to figure out what the input cable is on the cross over and then the connections to the mid and tweeters.

Also noticed 6 lug type nuts? These to bolt the mid to the door?

The great thing about the Audison bit ten D is that i can control the polarity, frequency etc to the underseat subwoofers! Means i can fully control the sound to the corresponding speakers.

Just got hold of a e87 lci business cic sat nav and screen with the controller. Think a retrofit is going to happen instead of using the bmw PHU.

 

[Sonic1506]

Well i received the MTX speakers today, i have to say they are quite impressive to look at, well built speakers.

My only concern was the magnets on the subwoofer are really small, hard to believe they can handle almost 150wrms.

Also it did not come with any instructions, hard to figure out what the input cable is on the cross over and then the connections to the mid and tweeters.

Also noticed 6 lug type nuts? These to bolt the mid to the door?

The great thing about the Audison bit ten D is that i can control the polarity, frequency etc to the underseat subwoofers! Means i can fully control the sound to the corresponding speakers.

Just got hold of a e87 lci business cic sat nav and screen with the controller. Think a retrofit is going to happen instead of using the bmw PHU.

The crossover should be marked as to what connection is what. Usually the first pair are tweeter, the next pair is mid and the third pair is input to the amp (on 2 way component speakers). 3 way component speakers won't be too dissimilar.

If it's a neo magnet, then it's fine (I'm guessing it is). Neo magnets are stronger, lighter and just generally better than the conventional ferrite magnets used in speakers, hence they can be smaller and still handle the same amount if not more power.

What lug-type nuts do you have? Are they attached to anything or separate, wrapped in a plastic bag?

 

[Tom_B]

Hi Vish,

You're right: great speakers, terrible instructions! I contacted MTX Europe who were quite helpful and sent me a (very) slightly better wiring diagram than the one on their website. I'm not sure how to upload files here but I could email it on to you?

On first glance I had the same concern about the magnet sizes - but it's simply because they're neodymium as opposed to normal ferrite, which enables them to be much smaller & lighter. Fear not, they kick really hard…

You'll find some nuts, some odd steel brackets & bunch of other bits & bobs which you don't need. I'll PM you with a run-down of what bits are what

Tom

 

[v-spec]

A few pics of the speakers

http://postimg.org/image/hzl2jg79p/

http://postimg.org/image/j356verwt/

http://postimg.org/image/dziiky66l/

http://postimg.org/image/4cf0b8d71/

http://postimg.org/image/bgwtk9kgd/

http://postimg.org/image/wt4bhy4el/

http://postimg.org/image/jvcg8clhp/

http://postimg.org/image/c3vq9shcd/

http://postimg.org/image/li1ntkxjh/

http://postimg.org/image/5xua31nf1/

Thanks to Tom for his advice and help, please see his email below!

Hi Vish,

Here are a few notes that might save you some head scratching when fitting the MTX speakers:

Woofers - You can remove the old drivers & fit the new ones without unbolting the plastic housings in the floor - the speakers are held onto the housing via 4 (small) screws. You need to peel off the fabric glued on top of the old speaker to reveal these. I believe in some cases the BMW speakers are also glued/friction welded onto the housings too, but mine were simply screwed down.

Mids - Initially I thought the nuts supplied with the speakers were to hold them into the doors, but they are the wrong size! I simply re-used the old ones, but put washers between them & the plastic speaker chassis to spread the load.

Tweeters - these come with a range of different bases to give you some mounting options. I wanted to mount them inside the mirror sail panels, so did the following: remove the outer housing & grille, and replace the rear housing with the small one supplied in the pack (twist to unlock the retaining tabs). If I remember rightly, the grille had to be carefully levered off the plastic housing (held on with some sticky glue) which felt wrong but was actually necessary to get the thing apart.
The bare drivers will now push into the retaining "fingers" in the sail panel. I used a liberal amount of glue (or use silicone/Sika) to be doubly-sure they couldn't move. The flying lead is quite long, so I wrapped it around the outside of the retaining fingers to use up the surplus length, leaving about 6" hanging below the sail panel.

Crossover - the lead with the fork terminals and an inline inductor supplies the mids, the shorter remaining cable connects to the vehicle (cable comes from same end of X/O as the cable for the mids) , and the long cable joins the lead coming from the tweeter. You'll find that the vehicle-side connector needs to be chopped off and some ordinary bullets crimped on. I covered the cables in soft sheathing and glued it to the inside of the door panel to stop any rattles. I've not got round to uploading a photo, but could email you a pic of my crossover mounting if it helps.

Tom

 

[Tom_B]

Hi Vish,

I've attached a picture of my crossover positioning - there are probably a few options but this seemed to work quite neatly. If you use this approach, you do need to be careful that the second inductor doesn't prevent the door card bolting down properly at the lower grab handle position. It's quite obvious when you do it though, and both of mine went straight back on without clashing.

http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/Tom_Blows/media/Crossover mount_zpsgaviohml.jpg.html

When putting it all back together, I used separate lengths of the cable sleeving to cover up the bullet connections and prevent any rattles.

Tom

 

[v-spec]

Thanks Tom!

I will be installing the speakers this weekend with the help of your notes, ill be sure to take pics of the process and post them.

Thanks again mate.

V