Tweeter Installation

[dgm]

Having bought a really well specced 55 plate 3.0d a few weeks ago, I'm trying to upgrade the sound system which is the bog standard,very poor base version. For some reason the original purchaser ticked most option boxes but didn't see the need for DSP or hif speakers.

I added a Blaupunkt THA 275 pnp amp yesterday which has made a decent improvement for less than £150 including all the cables. I've also got hold of a pair of OEM DSP front door tweeters which I'm about to install but before I take the door cards off I have a couple of questions.

Firstly is the plug for the tweeters in the wiring loom of a car without them fitted originally?

Secondly is the T30 screw which secures the tweeter bracket to the door pillar present on a base sound system car? I know the obvious answer is no but I'm asking anyway.

The forum has been excellent since I bought the X5, there's loads of knowledge here that I've tapped into already. I know that several of you will recommend that I replace the speakers and add a sub but for the moment I'll stick with the amp and the tweeters. I've still to add an Intravee and Alpine TUA 100 DAB so that's enough cash to lay out for the moment.

[Sanj]

[quote=""dgm""]Firstly is the plug for the tweeters in the wiring loom of a car without them fitted originally?[/quote]

Think it might be there but not entirely sure - being that most of the E53 is pre-wired for Heated Seats, Steering Wheel, etc see no reason why it wouldn't have the tweeter loom.

[quote=""dgm""]Secondly is the T30 screw which secures the tweeter bracket to the door pillar present on a base sound system car? I know the obvious answer is no but I'm asking anyway.[/quote]

No - nothing there. Just foam.

[X MAN]

[quote=""dgm""]Firstly is the plug for the tweeters in the wiring loom of a car without them fitted originally?[/quote]

I fitted these to my car (non DSP), the wiring for the tweeters is definatley present, blue coloured connector.


[quote=""dgm""]Secondly is the T30 screw which secures the tweeter bracket to the door pillar present on a base sound system car? I know the obvious answer is no but I'm asking anyway.[/quote]

The T30 screws are also present as the tweeter bracket uses the same 2 of the 3 T30 screws that secure the outside mirrors to the car door.

[dgm]

Thanks very much both of you, I'll give this a go tomorrow.

[Sanj]

Go with X man - he knows better than me.

And you're very welcome, even if it was duff info!

[X MAN]

[quote=""Sanj""]Go with X man - he knows better than me.[/quote]
I wouldn`t go that far.


On the down side they only work if you have DSP

[dgm]

[quote=""x man""][quote=""Sanj""]Go with X man - he knows better than me.[/quote]
I wouldn`t go that far.


On the down side they only work if you have DSP[/quote]

So am I wasting my time attempting this? I assumed it would be a simple task of connecting them and they would be up and running. It's the same part nos for the hifi speaker system tweeters, does that system involve an amp or different wiring?

[Sanj]

[quote=""dgm""]So am I wasting my time attempting this?[/quote]

Considering the door card is a case of 4 screws and some gentle persuasion and then unclipping the various connectors and wires I'd take a quick look. It's a 15 minute job at most.

[dgm]

[quote=""Sanj""][quote=""dgm""]So am I wasting my time attempting this?[/quote]

Considering the door card is a case of 4 screws and some gentle persuasion and then unclipping the various connectors and wires I'd take a quick look. It's a 15 minute job at most.[/quote]

Absolutely. It's worth a go, I know that E90 Logic 7 teeeters are plug and play with the standard set up so I'm hoping that will extend to the E53.

[X5Sport]

[quote=""dgm""]So am I wasting my time attempting this? I assumed it would be a simple task of connecting them and they would be up and running. It's the same part nos for the hifi speaker system tweeters, does that system involve an amp or different wiring?[/quote]

DSP version has a different amp with 'surround modes' included and visible on the controls up front. It wasn't £1,000 worth of added option' worth impressed so went one level down.

Did the same for the X6 by ordering the 'Professional' rather than the 'Individual' version. The current versions have subs under the front seats, and the sound quality is much better than the E53 version. Tyre noise is much more intrusive on the latest cars due mainly to use of RFTs which have much stiffer sidewalls do transmit more noise to the car's interior.

BMW seem to have skimped on the soundproofing nowadays. Probably part of the weight saving measures. The X6 also has a plastic front end (front wings) with an aluminium bonnet.

[X MAN]

[quote=""dgm""]So am I wasting my time attempting this? I assumed it would be a simple task of connecting them and they would be up and running. It's the same part nos for the hifi speaker system tweeters, does that system involve an amp or different wiring?[/quote]

Although the wiring for the tweeters is present in the door this did not extend to the car. I removed the plug connector at the A pillar held on with an 8mm bolt and could not find any additional wires for the tweeters, for the audio side of things there was only 2 wires for the standard speaker setup coming from the car up to that point. I did not investigate further to see if the wiring was hidden elsewere in the car.
I left the tweeters fitted and connected in the doors but they do not work.

I`m guessing for the 2 tweeters and the mids in the rear doors additional wiring harness in the car and an amp is required.

[dgm]

As stated the tweeter wiring is present behind the door card but when plugged in the tweeter doesn't work. I've only had time to install one tweeter so far, it's hooked into the front door speaker connection which is being run from the 2 channel Blaupunkt amp. There's a big difference to the sound even with only one tweeter installed, I'm pleased with the result for a reasonable expenditure.

[Raj]

[quote=""dgm""]As stated the tweeter wiring is present behind the door card but when plugged in the tweeter doesn't work. I've only had time to install one tweeter so far, it's hooked into the front door speaker connection which is being run from the 2 channel Blaupunkt amp. There's a big difference to the sound even with only one tweeter installed, I'm pleased with the result for a reasonable expenditure.[/quote]

As you have done is the best way forward due to the OE tweeter wiring not actually being connected to the relevant amp.

Many of the older motors used this setup of having the tweeter coming directly off the midbass driver.

[dgm]

[quote=""Raj""][quote=""dgm""]As stated the tweeter wiring is present behind the door card but when plugged in the tweeter doesn't work. I've only had time to install one tweeter so far, it's hooked into the front door speaker connection which is being run from the 2 channel Blaupunkt amp. There's a big difference to the sound even with only one tweeter installed, I'm pleased with the result for a reasonable expenditure.[/quote]

As you have done is the best way forward due to the OE tweeter wiring not actually being connected to the relevant amp.

Many of the older motors used this setup of having the tweeter coming directly off the midbass driver.[/quote]

Yes, it seems to have worked out really well in my case. I'm a relative amateur when it comes to ICE upgrades so I've been trawling the Internet for a straightforward solution. Intravee and related upgrades like the Alpine DAB unit are the extent of my previous experience along with a couple of Parrot installations.

The second tweeter is now installed and the sound is night and day better than it was originally.