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      07-05-2012, 09:42 PM   #1
Mako
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premium sound? 420 watts or 600?

under the highlights for the 3 series it shows the premium sound as 600 watts but when you go to build it the description of premium sound says 420...
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      07-06-2012, 12:28 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mako View Post
under the highlights for the 3 series it shows the premium sound as 600 watts but when you go to build it the description of premium sound says 420...
I think 420W is the old numbers for the e90. Here is a link for more details

http://www.bmw.harmankardon.com/en/v.../benefits.aspx
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      07-08-2012, 06:56 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ric124 View Post
I think 420W is the old numbers for the e90. Here is a link for more details

http://www.bmw.harmankardon.com/en/v.../benefits.aspx
Thanks for the link!
Is that link only for the F30 3's?

I too had the same question, as BMWusa.com shows 420 watts for the 3 series sedan.
But, that link shows the sedan as having 625 watts total.

Here' something interesting I found at that site:
In the new Sedan the Harman Kardon Logic 7 DSP amplifier, with a total power output of 625 watts, provides abundant power for captivating surround sound. The sound specialists packaged the amplifier of the Coupé and Touring with a peak output of 420 watts and due to its different speaker configuration, a DSP amplifier with 340-watt total output was selected for the BMW 3 Series Convertible.

The coupe and touring have 420 watts total power, and the convertible is only 340 watts. Interesting that the vert would get so much less power.
Granted, it doesn't have the same interior volume to fill, but with the top down, I would want/need the extra power.
And, the touring uses a couple of "planar" speakers/drivers in the headliner. Cool.
Also, 2 different types of mid's, 1 for sedan, and the other for touring, coupe, and vert.

The subs in the E90 were 200mm/8", just like in my 135i.
The F30 shows the subs to have grown to 217mm/8.5"
I was hoping to take my 135i 8" earthquake subs and install them in my 335i, but I don't think they'll fit, as it's 8.5" now.
Oh well, I can sell the 8's, and then find 8.5's. Problem is that earthquake doesn't show an 8.5" sub, not yet anyway.

Last edited by RPM90; 07-08-2012 at 07:15 PM..
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      07-09-2012, 12:08 PM   #4
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It's somewhat of a specious way to rate it. It's all the individual channels added up, and some of those channels are for the Logic 7 "surround-ish" channels which never get driven anywhere close to full power. Those are some of the speakers which got left off of the vert, thus totalling a lower number. It's entirely possible that the per-speaker ratings are the same in the vert. It's unlikely, but possible that the vert uses a different, analog-input amp (like the "harman/kardon" system in the Mini Countryman, which is really a reprogrammed HiFi amp from BMW

The old Premium Sound amps were using deck-power IC amps for the outputs. The new ones are using Class D from what I hear - so they should have more power, certainly.

You're not going to find an 8.5 driver from anyone. What you're going to need is a different adapter ring (if the speaker did actually change, that is). We have a post out for local F30 owners now, and we hope to be offering validated F30 kits within 30 days.
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      07-10-2012, 04:45 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VP Electricity View Post
It's somewhat of a specious way to rate it. It's all the individual channels added up, and some of those channels are for the Logic 7 "surround-ish" channels which never get driven anywhere close to full power. Those are some of the speakers which got left off of the vert, thus totalling a lower number. It's entirely possible that the per-speaker ratings are the same in the vert. It's unlikely, but possible that the vert uses a different, analog-input amp (like the "harman/kardon" system in the Mini Countryman, which is really a reprogrammed HiFi amp from BMW

The old Premium Sound amps were using deck-power IC amps for the outputs. The new ones are using Class D from what I hear - so they should have more power, certainly.

You're not going to find an 8.5 driver from anyone. What you're going to need is a different adapter ring (if the speaker did actually change, that is). We have a post out for local F30 owners now, and we hope to be offering validated F30 kits within 30 days.
The rating thing you just wrote is spot on.
That's exactly the problem with these ratings, they don't say how much power is driving what.

But remember, coupes, touring, verts, sedans all get Logic 7 with 7.1 channels.
Look at the specs on that link, and you see that the sedan gets mids and tweets for each channel.
The other variants use only get mids for certain channels and no tweets.
Yes, over all power use will change as there are fewer channels.

Seems surround mode will sound different in different types of 3 series.
But, stereo mode is likely that same or very similar among them.

Here's a guess. Tell me what you think.
Let's take 7.1 for total power. There are 7 non sub channels, and 1 sub channel. But, there are dual subs. So I'll use 9 channels, 7 + 2 subs.
Subs will need more power than any other channel.

If each non sub channel had 50 watts, that's 50 x 7 = 350 watts.
150 watts for each sub = 300 watts.
350 + 300 = 625 watts total.
Hmmm...that's pretty close, and gives the subs good power to work with.

In 7.1 there are 9 channels, and each channel has a tweet and mid. Per channel power is then split between tweet and mid at X-over.
Subs are single, the ".1".

7 tweet/mid channels for a total of 14 speakers + 2 subs = 16 speakers.

In standard stereo mode for music, with no surround processing, there will only be Left front and Right front, Left rear and Right rear, and subs.
50LF + 50RF + 50LR + 50RR + 300Subs = 500 watts for stereo use.
That's not too bad if it does break down that way.

In my last 325i setup I had 125watts rms to each front L & R.
Sub in trunk was fed 425watts rms.
The above channel to sub ratio isn't bad.


Yeah, it would be nice to have adapters. I wonder if my 8" Earthquakes are actually better than what BMW is using. I would tend to think, YES, but I don't know for sure.
8.5" sub is an odd size, but BMW has to source them from somewhere.
If these are one offs just for BMW, then BMW is paying too much to have them custom made.
Why not just stick with 8" or 10"?
Or, maybe the 8.5" is misleading, and it really is 8".
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