I checked Bavsound and there is no kit for a 95, and a google search doesn't bring up anything helpful. I'm planning to get an aftermarket deck too (undecided on which model).
Any help would be appreciated.
Hi,
You need to improve your Google Fu and Forum Fu !!
There's many choices you could go for, single DIN head unit, 5 channel amplifier, 2 way components in the front in custom door builds, 2 way co-axials on the rear shelf and an 8/10/12 inch single or twin subwoofer in a small enclosure. This route would give you the best value for money for audio quality and improvement Vs any other route. You could modify a little more and fit a shallo wdepth double DIN head unit as well. Do some more searches in this forum sub section for what you could acheive in an E36, it can be mild to wild all depending on how well and good, or loud you wish the audio to be.
As you are in Los Angeles, zip over to Costa Mesa and speak to Michael at Method Sound and you can discuss the above and any other configurations you might want
Cheers, Dennis!
i don't know of any difference between 95 and 96 m3 from a speaker perspective....there is a bavsound option for 96+. call them and ask.
tons of threads on audio fixes for e36 coupe's. don't limit to "M3" searches. they are all the same.
Order of operations...
1) Speakers - if yours are original 1995 vintage they're definitely really deteriorated. Replacing them with even cheap new ones will be a huge improvement... but I recommend buying absolutely the best speakers you can afford. This is really "where the rubber hits the road" to use a good car metaphor.
2) Amplifier
3) Sub and another amp
4) Head unit if you really must but it's going to be hard to find something that doesn't look stupid in the E36... truthfully the best thing to do is find a BMW or Rover CD 43 unit. it's plug and play, and there are plenty of options to get Bluetooth, Aux, and USB additions cheaper than a reasonable head unit. If you have actual amps there's zero need for a high power head unit. If you listen to MP3. ACC, Flac files, the head unit isn't going to make a whole lot of difference to the quality coming from the speakers. (the weak link there is usually how well they were burned... if they're good quality lossless files the DAC in the CD43 will handle them just as well as an expensive aftermarket unit.
I'm the worst googler there is. But thank you for this! I'll give him a call.
- - - Updated - - -
Doing this! Thank you.
- - - Updated - - -
Ok, this is good to know. How much would you say is a decent set of speakers all around? $700 ish? Less?
And yeah, I havent been impressed with any head unit but the goal would be bluetooth. I'll do more research on that. Thank you!
First I swapped the C33 "business tape deck" (by Alpine for BMW) with the CD43 Business CD (by Blaupunkt for BMW and Rover). Better... but the speakers were the real issue thus my recommendation to go after that first.
Then I added the Grom unit for USB, Bluetooth, and Aux. (This plugs into the CD Changer plug and can be either in the trunk or stuffed behind the Head Unit (I like the latter). You could just as easily use the "Parrot" or the "Ice" unit, and I'm sure there are others.
Next was the Bavsound Stage 1 (10 speakers in the HK system and leaves the existing sub). It was a huge improvement. All my speaker surrounds (a '99 convertible) were basically dust. (Stage one ~ 700 Canadian pesos)
I then swapped out the HK sub in the ski passthrough (it's a DVC 8 inch in a freeair box (frame really) for a Pioneer flat piston DVC sub designed for small enclosures in a spacesuit tight sealed box in the same location and powered by a Rockford Fosgate P300x1 amp (using the "rear woofer" speaker wires from the HK amp.)
Then I added the AudioControl LC 1200.6, a six channel amp with built in crossovers for each pair to drive the front 6 speakers (using high level inputs from the factory amp speaker outs)... it was too much amp for the Bavsound speakers.
I replaced the front only speakers with Morel Elate 503 components... (not cheap... about 1500 Canadian pesos) I had to enlarge the mid opening a few mm and remove the jute around the woofers but no major surgery... I left the rear Bavsounds connected to the factory amp.
Now sounds about perfect even with the top down at highway speeds.
I will eventually add a matching amp (LC 800.4) and speakers (Elate 502) to the rear and call it finished but I am in no hurry because it sounds great right now.
$700 should get you a fairly high quality set of speakers as long as that $700 doesn’t include installation.
Bookmarks