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Thread: Speakers & Headunit recommendations for an 1999 e39 528i

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    Seminole, FL, USA
    Posts
    108
    My Cars
    1999 BMW e39 528i

    Speakers & Headunit recommendations for an 1999 e39 528i

    Hey Guys,

    I'm looking to replace all the speakers on my e39 as every speaker in the car is currently shot only the tweeters on the right side work.

    If anyone has some recommendations for good upgrades i'm all ears.
    This is what i've found so far:

    Headunit:
    https://www.amazon.com/1995-2003-200...language=en_US

    Speakers Bavsound:
    https://www.bavsound.com/products/st...39-sedan-wagon

    Sub:
    https://www.kicker.com/12-inch-l7t-4-ohm-subwoofer

    Amp:
    https://www.amazon.com/Kicker-CX1800...83839232&psc=1

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West London/Heathrow - UK
    Posts
    7,203
    My Cars
    03 530dT - Ex Police Car
    Hi,

    There's lots of threads all over the many BMW online forums and facebook groups about the cheap chinese replacement head units. Have a read through them and see if you still want one. If reliability, sound quality, great performance are important to you, then you'll likely be disappointed with a chinese unit. If you aren't so fussed with those aspects, get a chinese unit and hope the gamble pays off longer term. In this case, there's no point spending $400 on the Bavsounds as they'll be a mismatch to the sound quality from the head unit, you may as well save yourself $350 and get some $50 2 way components for the front. The subwoofer is quite a capable unit handling 600W RMS and would need a well made enclosure. The Amplifier you've referenced provides 900W RMS, you can use it still, but will need good setting up with respect to the sub. It'd be better to choose a less powerful amplifier in this regard and also for the aspect that 900W RMS of sub bass will drown out 22 RMS or so provided from the head unit. A much better and balanced, thus better sounding setup would be to use a 4 channel amp for the cabin speakers, say 4x60/75/90W RMS per channel and a 400/500/600W RMS sub bass amp. Another consideration is that just the 900W amp on it's own will draw significant current so you'd also need to ensure your car's electrical/charging setup is upgraded too.

    What kind of audio sound quality and performance do you want/like/prefer? as per above, if you enjoy your music and want excellent imaging/staging and fantastic sound quality, the chinese units don't provide that. There's good suggested setups I can reference to you, so it will depend on these aspects along with your budget and the various aspects such as using upgraded door baffles or door builds, upgrading the car's charging/electrical system, how much practicality you are willing to compromise on.

    E39 audio I do specialise and have a keen interest in, so can advise you along with a few other members who'd perhaps concur and which you can cross reference with reputable car audio dealers/installers across the USA.

    Cheers, Dennis!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    Seminole, FL, USA
    Posts
    108
    My Cars
    1999 BMW e39 528i
    Hi Dennis,

    Thanks for the feedback it's appreciated. I do want crisp clear sound, i found reference to that headunit on a youtube e39 sound upgrade vid but seeing it's coming from China that did make me change my mind.
    I'm going to spend quite a bit of time blacking out my entire interior, redoing the headliner & fixing my seats, dash, all trim etc... while i have everything off i thought it would be a good time to setup all my audio since all the panels will be off.

    I don't want to put in an insane amount of money but i want good audio within reason so if you have links or recommendations please shoot them over. I do plan on eventually working on my engine and tuning so if i have to beef up the alternator that can be addressed down the road.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    West London/Heathrow - UK
    Posts
    7,203
    My Cars
    03 530dT - Ex Police Car
    Hi traksion,

    Thanks for the reply back and update!

    Yes, the chinese replacements aren't good units overall, they're built to a very low price in terms of internal quality for the electronics and thus reliability. If you want great audio performance and something that's high quality in all aspects, you wouldn't choose one of these!

    Other's who prefer high quality at a reasonable price have gone this route - https://www.m5board.com/threads/e39-...ng-kit.607350/

    Here's the writeup on my install - https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-Audio-Upgrade


    I can help/advise on getting excellent performance at very reasonable levels of spend, you may not even need to put in an uprated alternator ! - Drop me a PM if you like

    Cheers, Dennis!

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