BSW stage one speaker kit review E46 vert

[zebrex]

I had a E39 as a fun/ weekend car and a benz Sclass as a daily driver. The sound system in the 540 was terrible, but I only drove it for fun once in a while and didn't really mind. The S500 that I drove daily had a BOSE system that I was very impressed with and considered it to be one of the best sounding car audio systems I had ever heard (I managed a car audio store and was a certified installer while in my 20s)

I decided to sell both cars and replaced them with one car, a 04 330CIC with the sport package and the HK audio system. The factory stereo sounded ok with the exception of the plate speakers near the door handle. They where blown and sounded awful. I considered replacing just the plates but as I was looking at my options I found the stage 1 speaker kit and sub kit for my vert from BSW. I ordered both on 7/31. Both kits were backordered. I was considering canceling my order but found it the whole thing shipped out last friday 8/24. Yesterday 8/28 the stage one kit showed up the sub has not but I am hoping it arrives today.

I watched the installation videos on youtube before even opening the boxes. I am glad I did as having someone show me the exact way to get the door cards and interior panels off versus figuring it out yourself saved me a good hour.

The new speakers looked to be high quality but lighter than I expected based on my experience with high quality aftermarket separates. The attention to detail in the kit is high. The documentation is non existent. The rear mid base speakers come with a precut piece of foam tape to put between the speaker and the metal on the car to make a seal, and new longer screws to accommodate the spacer to allow the new smaller driver to fit. I suspect the speakers are rebranded aftermarket speakers that BSW has an arrangement with. Otherwise if they are actually making the speakers in house then I would expect them to be a direct fit replacement and not using spacers or adapters to make them fit. There was one thing I was disappointed in during the installation process. The drivers for both the rear mid bass and larger 6inch speaker in the door had cheap male spade connectors on them that you are supposed to plug into the factory connector. This method worked, but puts 2 uninsulated connectors in very close proximity to each other and allows them to fall out of the factory connector easily. I used tape to provide a insulator between the spades, and taped the spades into the factory connector. I think at this price lever a connector that plugs correctly into to the factory connector should be provided. The tweeters and mid/ tweet plates do have connectors that plug into the factory connectors. I also had to get online and look up the OEM wire color for the speakers to determine polarity on the drivers. a little tag telling me wire color would of been helpful. The door speakers also came with spacer rings. Because of the lack of documentation I was not sure what to do with them I tried them between the speaker and the door but they didn't seem to fit or be needed so I didn't install them, Again a little note saying they are only used in certain applications would of been nice.
After reading reviews I was very skeptical of this kit and was not expecting it to sound much better than stock. I was very pleasantly surprised. The imaging and clarity are superb. They were able to reproduce very low frequencies, and highs that were much less harsh than the originals. I didn't test them with a real time analyzer but I have a very discriminating ear and was surprised with how full and rich they sounded. I can only hope I am as pleased with the subwoofer when it shows up.

I listened to them using symphonic, Jazz, classical, trance, and pop. I have yet to try rock and metal but will today hopefully. I will not be testing them with country or modern rap. I can see why people complain about the bass on these speakers. They are not big enough to move a lot of air and let you feel the bass but they do an amazing job of playing lower than I expected them to be able to. I would consider this more of an audiophile setup than a bass jammin setup. They sound as good as the system in my S500 but the stock HK amp starts running out of power and causes them to distort at a lower volume than id like. I can see why a larger amp would be warranted. Nothing destroys a speaker faster than under powering them with an amp that is distorting and clipping except maybe poking it with a screwdriver during installation.


I am very satisfied with this half of my purchase and would recommend them to anyone that wants great full sound. I will post my opinions of the sub woofer kit after it shows up and I get it installed

[Addedatmosphere]

They are rebranded, they're from Rainbow.

[Benny Z]

i mean as little personal offense as possible, but when your reference system is a factory bose system, the credibility of your judgement goes out the window.

[TJQMaster]

I have recently put together a kit of aftermarket drivers that I believe will do a better job of replacing the oem HK's.

From what I am reading, (and the BSW installation vids) its NOT much harder, if at all, to install my drivers than these BSWs.

If you still have to use the factory holders (for the 2½" drivers) and clip them in, tape and insulate them, my drivers take only marginally more work. I feel really good about my kit.

[zebrex]

i mean as little personal offense as possible, but when your reference system is a factory bose system, the credibility of your judgement goes out the window.

I take no offense and until I owned that S class I would of whole heartedly agreed with you. We used to set up a pair of Paradigm Atoms on a shelf next to a high end set of Bose at the store I worked at to show how you could out perform a $1500 set of Bose with a $300 pair of Paradigms. brands I considered high end back in the 90s and 2ks when I was into this were, home audio, Theil amps, B&W speakers, Paradigm speaker, nakamichi pre amps, Nad, Denon, Car audio , Sound stream, Orion , Clarion, Eclipse, Mbquart, Linear power amps. JL audio.
Perhaps the fiberoptic Bose system in a 100k benz is of better quality than the Bose Gm puts in there cars. I was very impressed with the clarity, lack of distortion, and sound stage. It is by far the best sounding factory stereo I have ever heard.

[rdorman]

I have been considering for a while the BSW system to upgrade my now 12 year old DSP system. I would most likely build my own sub as a I have a number of JL subs and Xtant amps lying around. Thanks for the review.

Rebranded Rainbows eh? They make a nice product.

[rogan]

Bsw have never hidden the fact they use rainbow speakers.

Nice burn on Bennyz. Very enjoyable. Now me need to hear the mb system

[lrinco01]

Nice write up

I agree

in my E46 M3 I went custom ( Focal 165k, Alpine spx-17pro, JBL W12GTi, JL A6450, JL A1800) BUT AFTER hearing the BSW Stg 1 i will go with them in my wife's 323ci powered by my JL A6450 while i switch to an AUDISON Lrx 5.1K and a JL 10W7 in a custom trunk corner enclosure ;-)