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Thread: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

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    JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Let me start by saying; as I post this... I am already changing things on the install.
    But, that will probably be a never-ending venture; so here's where I'm at so far:


    First off, the install subject: BMW X6-M
    • 570 horsepower
    • Twin-turbocharged 4.4 litre V8
    • Zero to 60 in 3.8 seconds
    • Will pull a full G in the corners


    This thing is an absolute monster...




    There are some really nice professional installs posted, and I admire the level of detail put into these.
    But, I am just some dude in his (dimly lit) garage, working with everyday tools.
    The cuts aren't fancy. There's no 3D printing. And most of the material came from Home Depot or Amazon.


    The equipment is all the same as what I had in my previous vehicle:
    OEM Head Unit into mObridge DA3 into Helix DSP-Pro Mk II
    Amplification: MMATS HiFi-6150D and MMATS HiFi-4250D
    Front Stage: Sinfoni Tempo 10, Dynaudio Esotar 430, Audio-Development W800-NEO
    Rear Fill: Audiofrog GB10, Audiofrog GB40, Audiofrog GB410 (passive crossover)
    Subwoofer: Audiofrog GB10D2


    As with all my installs, I have two basic criteria:
    1. Sound Quality
    2. Stealth Installation


    Let's start with the install location. Under the rear floor is a hidden cargo hatch, with a fair bit of room:



    With the carpeted floor removed, we have a lot of room to work with:



    Covered the floor with sound deadener, and also up the sides (did the sides later in the process):



    Next, it's time to cut some 3/4" MDF, to make the sub enclosure and amp rack:



    Construction adhesive and brad nails... this thing will never come apart:



    Audiofrog specs 0.6 cu.ft. for a sealed enclosure on this sub. My enclosure nets 0.67 cu.ft. after the displacement of the sub.
    Test fit, with the bottom layer of the amp rack added:
    New Car... Stock Stereo

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    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Now, to start on the power cables...
    I've always used Knukonceptz cables and power distribution block. They just work good.


    Strip the jacketing back about 5/8", and slip it through the gland:



    Bend the wires back over the sheath:



    Thread it in with your fingers, to ensure you don't cross-thread:



    Then, wrench that bad boy down tight:



    Same process with the positive cable:



    Here's the distribution block, mounted on the bottom of the amp rack.
    Everything is zip-tied and screwed down to the board. 0awg in / 4awg out.
    Fused positive on one side (2 X 80amp fuses), and solid negative on the other.
    The smaller separate inline holder is a 5amp to the DSP.



    I also mounted the Helix DSP onto the bottom layer of the amp rack, and ran the RCA's to it:



    Carpeted the sub enclosure, and added some Poly-Fil:



    12awg. Knukonceptz speaker cable for the sub:



    Sub is in:
    New Car... Stock Stereo

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    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Time to bolt-down the lower part of the amp rack... what a rats nest:



    But it cleans up nicely...



    Now for the top layer of the amp rack:



    Pulled the RCA's from the Helix and connected them to the amps:



    Again, everything is zip-tied and screwed down secure:



    RCA's are connected and Power Cables are connected to the amps:



    Speaker cables are all pulled through the vehicle, and connected to the amps:
    (this is definitely the hardest part of the entire job)
    New Car... Stock Stereo

  4. Back To Top    #4

    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Time to bring power to the system...
    Strip back the 0awg. ground cable:



    Slip a ring terminal over it:



    And crimp that baby down!



    Bolt it down to the OEM grounding lug:



    Same process for the 0awg. positive battery cable:



    BMW uses a MOST fiber optic system for virtually everything in the car... including the audio system:



    In order to tap into that fiber optic network, I used a mObridge DA3.
    The DA3 has a built-in DSP, but I bypass that and just use it to tap into the MOST fiber optic.
    Helix also makes a similar unit: # SDMI25. The Helix does not have a DSP, just a Toslink output.



    Just configuring the mObridge to work with the vehicle, and bypass the internal DSP.
    It sends a full-range, completely pure flat signal to the Helix DSP-Pro:
    New Car... Stock Stereo

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    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Now, onto the door speakers... unfortunately, I got focused on doing the work, and forgot to take a bunch of pictures.


    Here's the front door skin removed:



    Not much to see here... except that I needed to pull half of the lower dash out, to run the speaker cables through the Molex, into the doors:
    (what a total pain in the ass, pulling cables through an already packed Molex)



    Cables pulled through:



    The OEM speakers aren't total garbage... but they're far from great:



    This is one of the current changes...
    I used MDF as the base speaker ring, but just today I went and bought a piece of HDPE plastic.
    It'll annoy me, knowing that MDF might swell-up from humidity and temperature changes.
    I'll be pulling the door skins off again, and replacing that MDF with HDPE:



    Tweeters are mounted in the OEM sail panels. Had to cut it a bit to make the Tempo 10's fit:



    Doors all sealed up with sound deadener:
    New Car... Stock Stereo

  6. Back To Top    #6

    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    And for the final ingredient... to replace these weak under-seat woofers:



    Somehow, they produce a decent amount of midbass... but I'm sure I'd blow them up, if I attached them to my MMATS 4250:




    Replacing them with this... Audio-Development W800-NEO:



    Put some sound deadener in the base of the under-seat enclosure:
    It is open vented into the side pillars of the vehicle.



    Cut some speaker rings / extenders out of HDPE plastic:




    Cut the ridiculously long speaker posts down with a hacksaw:



    And soldered the speaker wires to them:



    Then mounted them into the OEM floor boxes:



    That's about it...
    Put everything back together; door panels back on, seats bolted back down, dash and trim put back in place.


    As mentioned; I am already going to change a few things... just because I'm a sucker for 'the latest and greatest':
    1. The mObridge DA3 is getting swapped for the newly released model: DA.G2-PRO. I expect it to arrive early next week.
    2. The Helix DSP-Pro will be getting replaced with the new DSP-Ultra, when it becomes available.


    The MMATS 6150 powers: Front Tweeters (150W each), Front Midrange (150W each), Rear Fill (150W passive per side).
    The MMATS 4250 powers: Underseat Midbass (250W each), Subwoofer (500W bridged).


    I did a bit of basic tuning and time alignment. Just enough to make it sound decent. Actually, it sounds really good!
    But until I get the new components (mObridge and Helix DSP), I'm not going to spend hours tuning it.
    I'll do it properly, once everything is installed.


    Total install time: about 30 hours.
    New Car... Stock Stereo

  7. Back To Top    #7

    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    I might add that; I was planning on waiting until the spring to do this project...
    But you know how it goes... my mind started racing with ideas, shortly after I got the new vehicle.

    I was out in the FRIGGEN' FREEZING COLD garage the past few weeks, working on this.
    Glad to have it done.

    I am getting a bit of vibration from the underseat cone hitting the bottom of the seat rail (at higher volume).
    I'm going to have to pull those W800-NEO's out, and make a shallower mounting ring for them.
    I also have to pull the door skins, and replace those MDF spacer rings. I've made new ones out of HDPE.

    I ordered a new mObridge DA.G2-PRO unit, to replace the DA3.
    Not sure if there's any real advantage to it... but we'll see.
    The new mObridge was supposed to arrive today... but Fed-Ex has lost my package.
    Been fighting with them since last week. Sucks.
    New Car... Stock Stereo

  8. Back To Top    #8
    A Refined Basshead blockrocker's Avatar
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    Nov 2019

    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    I know I mentioned it in a text, but I can't say enough good things about how awesome this is. The gear, the install and the extra effort with the pics. Thank you for sharing!
    For anyone wondering - when he says he worked in the cold, he means -18 to-25 Celsius. It was fucking nasty out the last week or so. You're a warrior JimmyDee!

  9. Back To Top    #9
    Noob Notloudenuf's Avatar
    Real Name
    Kendal
    Location
    Eastern NC
    Vehicle
    '02 330Ci & '20 Tacoma
    Posts
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    Jan 2014

    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Quote Originally Posted by blockrocker View Post
    when he says he worked in the cold, he means -18 to-25 Celsius.
    Yeah...screw that. You guys are too hardcore for me.
    https://www.caraudiojunkies.com/signaturepics/sigpic150_2.gif
    2002 330Ci & 2020 Tacoma

  10. Back To Top    #10

    Re: JimmyDee's BMW Build Log

    Quote Originally Posted by blockrocker View Post
    I know I mentioned it in a text, but I can't say enough good things about how awesome this is. The gear, the install and the extra effort with the pics. Thank you for sharing!
    For anyone wondering - when he says he worked in the cold, he means -18 to-25 Celsius. It was fucking nasty out the last week or so. You're a warrior JimmyDee!
    True! Calgary cold is cold on a whole different level... I have experienced it dozens of times.
    2019 Jeep Wrangler 2 Door - Morel Elate 3 way, Mmats HiFi 6150 & M2000.2, Hutchinson NDFEB 10", MiniDSP w/DL, Fiio X5

    #TRUMP2020

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