[crazyoll]

I'm looking to upgrade the speakers in my base audio 2012 F31 320d.

Love the car but the sound is lacking.
I'm planning to change the door trims to give me room for tweeters.
I'm then going to install component speakers in the front doors.
I'm also going to add some sound deadening.

Anyone have any experience with rockford fosgate or rainbow component systems?

Also, is there room in the door to mount the crossover units?

Any help appreciated.
Thanks

[Billfitz]

Upgrading speakers is a dubious proposition, as there's little to no engineering data that backs up the claims that after market speakers are any better than stock. I can't speak to the quality of the base radio speakers, as I don't have the base radio, but I can say that the stock speakers of the hi-fi system are quite good, and it would not be easy to improve on them.
Even with the hi-fi and H-K options the weak link is the amplification and EQ capabilities, and the base radio is far worse. In that regard you'll find this thread helpful:
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1475424

[ramparts]

I have the rainbows (Mid/Tweeter plus crossovers) in the front of mine. BIG improvement, but the crossovers are quite bulky so a little pain to fit, but doable.
Did both sides in just over an hour

[crazyoll]

Thanks for the replies.
davidoff86, Where abouts in the doors did you stash the crossovers?

cheers?

[ramparts]

If I recall, right at the bottom as there’s a nice gap.

Before I even ordered anything, I took the door off first:
- firstly so I knew how to take the doors off
- so I could assess and plan the install


When it came it installation, took me 2 mins to take the door card off. Most of the time was faffing about with the door trim that houses the tweeters.

[crazyoll]

Thanks, that's a good idea. I might do a dry run then I can do the job in one hit Inc dynamat or alternative.

Does anyone know if the wiring to the underseat subs is standard? Mine has no subs but wondered if the wiring is standard?

Thanks

[joe_bimmer]

Originally Posted by crazyoll

I'm looking to upgrade the speakers in my base audio 2012 F31 320d.

Love the car but the sound is lacking.
I'm planning to change the door trims to give me room for tweeters.
I'm then going to install component speakers in the front doors.
I'm also going to add some sound deadening.

Anyone have any experience with rockford fosgate or rainbow component systems?

Also, is there room in the door to mount the crossover units?

Any help appreciated.
Thanks

I'm planning to do the same. Actually was waiting for Black Friday to get a good deal on something. But I was tilting more towards Alpha One Speakers by Bimmertech or BavSound. Would also like to know more about other options

[TeaAndBiscuits]

I am the same, was looking at the Rainbow, the Audison and the Helix Match series for front components.

From previous experience, just adding tweeters make a big difference, although on this car I would like to pre-plan potential future improvements (ie amp)

I like the idea of an amp that just plugs into existing OEM harnesses and works without fuss, or minimal wiring through the car hassle.

Given the fact it's a stereo so is amp'ed from the HU only, cheap options do not seem plentiful!

I don't mind spending a couple of hundred quid, but the amps recommended are usually 500/£600+ and when you then factor in speakers, it becomes too expensive to justify.

Might just start with the fronts again and see how bothered I am later down the line.

FWIW the door trims with tweeter housing can also be had without the HK branding, I personally prefer it without if they are not HK speakers, as no point it saying HK when the speakers are Rainbow

[andrew.webber]

Originally Posted by TeaAndBiscuits

Might just start with the fronts again and see how bothered I am later down the line.

FWIW the door trims with tweeter housing can also be had without the HK branding, I personally prefer it without if they are not HK speakers, as no point it saying HK when the speakers are Rainbow

This is exactly what I did and just brought the Rainbow component speakers for the front doors and the window sails for the tweeters. Whilst I am no audiofile by any means the difference was very big for me and enough so that I stopped there (I was going to do sound deadening as well but never got around to it)

There are some sellers on eBay selling the Rainbows for under £200 as well nowadays!!

HTH
Andrew

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by crazyoll

I'm looking to upgrade the speakers in my base audio 2012 F31 320d.

Love the car but the sound is lacking.
I'm planning to change the door trims to give me room for tweeters.
I'm then going to install component speakers in the front doors.
I'm also going to add some sound deadening.

Anyone have any experience with rockford fosgate or rainbow component systems?

Also, is there room in the door to mount the crossover units?

Any help appreciated.
Thanks

I would go with plug and play speaker options that are designed for BMW doors.
If you go with standard universal speakers, the gap between the door panel and window is quite tight so you might have problems closing/opening the windows.
Or you will have to buy spacers for the speakers.

[TeaAndBiscuits]

Originally Posted by andrew.webber

This is exactly what I did and just brought the Rainbow component speakers for the front doors and the window sails for the tweeters. Whilst I am no audiofile by any means the difference was very big for me and enough so that I stopped there (I was going to do sound deadening as well but never got around to it)

There are some sellers on eBay selling the Rainbows for under £200 as well nowadays!!

HTH
Andrew

I can believe it mate, on my last F30 I fitted the HK tweeters and front door mids, and put some sound deadening in the door panel, and that was genuinely enough, so I am going to go with the Rainbows and some sound deadening as I have some left over from before!