# E65 (2005 745LI) Complete Audio Overhaul - HELP



## hulklg (Sep 22, 2006)

Hello all,

I am looking to completely redo the sound system in my 745LI. I want to replace all the speakers, add a sub, dynamat the car, add new amps for the mids and highs and one for the sub.

Has anyone done such an extensive overhaul? If so, please post suggestions, or websites or places I can check out. I live in San Diego.

I have the premium sound system currently with the Logic 7 and it sounds like hot trash. Especially the speed/volume control is absolutely terrible and I want to get it completely taken out.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions on how to go about this. I am expecting to spend 10-15K on this system upgrade.

Thanks again for your help,
LG


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## el_duderino (Aug 1, 2005)

La Jolla Audio, just off of I-5, would be my recommendation. 

It would be easier to completely jettison it than to do what they will need to do... but talk to them and they can take care of you.


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## hulklg (Sep 22, 2006)

el_duderino said:


> La Jolla Audio, just off of I-5, would be my recommendation.
> 
> It would be easier to completely jettison it than to do what they will need to do... but talk to them and they can take care of you.


Thanks for the response boss. I am very familiar with La Jolla Audio. Last year I purchased a 2005 Infinity G35 coupe and I went to them first to get a quote.

Lets just say the price quoted was ridiculous!!!! They wanted $10,000 to install the system and $2000 to install the Viper 791VX alarm!?!??!?!!

I went to progressive mobile in Point Loma and they did the EXACT same work for $3000 TOTAL.

Basically I had the same thing done to the G35 that I want done to the 745. I had the entire car dynamated, all speakers replaced with the DLS Iridiums (I checked out your website and saw that you carry DLS - beautiful sounding speakers aren't they?), installed two Zapco amps, Alpine IVA-D901 flip face in front with six disc changer in dash and navigation. custom sub box built for an IDMAX and install the Viper alarm.

I really wanted to go to a shop that was familiar with doing such an exstensive setup on a 745 WITHOUT the exorbinant prices. I check with Progressive and they have'nt done a job like this on a 7 series.

A $45K car and a $95K car are a bit different. I tend to be a bit more cautious with the 7 series if you know what I mean.

Thanks again for all your help.
LG


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## Vortec4800 (Jun 3, 2006)

Jesus, $2000 for a Viper 791?! Best Buy will put in one of those for around $6-700 for the alarm and labor. They may not be as willing to work on the 745, but a G35 should be a non-issue for a place like that. Plus they're all certified and warranty their work for life. Not really the place to go for a high end audio setup (they only carry low to midrange products) but they do have the 791XV.


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

vortec, I send alot of my would be clients to best buy, that are on a budget. the 791 install from best buy would not compare to a $2000 install from that shop. I do compustar, and there might of also been other circumstances for that vehicle that they wanted to do, which could of raised the price. to be honest the saying "you get what you pay for" applies to everything, I know the owner said he got it done cheaper, but I am sure it wasn't no where near what the other shop would of done. However another saying, is that the customer found "value" with the least expensive install, and he is happy with it, which in the long run, is all that matters

tech's get paid $90 an hour at a dealership, why should an installer who has to be a tech, fabricator, and a semi engineer be working for $10 an hour at a car audio shop? 

Also i want to say, there is 2 sides to every story also

getting back to the topic, you can pull the indash cd, and still have everything else work, that way your Idrive still works, and you can add an aftermarket head unit. personally i would keep everything in, use a few summing networks and a processor such as the rockford's 360, or the new audio control piece. and build off the factory unit


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## Vortec4800 (Jun 3, 2006)

esoteric said:


> vortec, I send alot of my would be clients to best buy, that are on a budget. the 791 install from best buy would not compare to a $2000 install from that shop. I do compustar, and there might of also been other circumstances for that vehicle that they wanted to do, which could of raised the price. to be honest the saying "you get what you pay for" applies to everything, I know the owner said he got it done cheaper, but I am sure it wasn't no where near what the other shop would of done. However another saying, is that the customer found "value" with the least expensive install, and he is happy with it, which in the long run, is all that matters
> 
> tech's get paid $90 an hour at a dealership, why should an installer who has to be a tech, fabricator, and a semi engineer be working for $10 an hour at a car audio shop?
> 
> Also i want to say, there is 2 sides to every story also


Of course - and I agree with all of that. I've also found that the "you get what you pay for" applies everywhere too. For a stereo install, especially something custom like this, you want to pay top dollar for all that fabrication and such to make sure it looks nice. When it comes to an alarm, the install is pretty straight forward. There are really no visible parts to not do well - and even if they don't tap into the wires very well their work is warrantied so if anything does happen it will be repaired by either the dealership or another indy shop.

What I'm getting at is something totally custom like a double din setup or a trunk system is - and should be - expensive. You're paying for their skills as a custom fabricator and designer and it gets costly. When it comes to an alarm install which is fairly routine like in a G35, $2000 is nuts. That's like paying $150 labor for a regular deck install using a Metra kit and wiring harness that nearly anyone could do.

Just don't go to the one dollar wire fire and you're fine.


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## el_duderino (Aug 1, 2005)

Vortec4800 said:


> When it comes to an alarm install which is fairly routine like in a G35, $2000 is nuts. That's like paying $150 labor for a regular deck install using a Metra kit and wiring harness that nearly anyone could do.


You're comparing apples and oranges, though. You're assuming that the same work gets done both ways.

Do you REALLY think a high-end install has the brain above the brake pedal? I KNOW a run-of-the-mill install does. And installing that somewhere else is not an hour more labor - it's like 3/4 of a day more labor.

I don't know why they were at 2K - maybe they were doing something stealthy with the start kill, since the G35 forums have posts TELLING people how to get around the Nissan Immobilizer - or maybe they were doing something to protect the HID's, since G's get those jacked all the time. I don't know.

But they know your car, and that's what you asked for.

BTW, I know Progressive - workmanlike, but I don't believe you got exactly the same work. It was what you wanted and that's cool - but it wasn't the same thing exactly.


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## hulklg (Sep 22, 2006)

*Update*

Talked to La Jolla Audio today. Below are their suggestions.

1) Have my rear dvd entertainement play through the stock screen in the front
2) Focals for the front w/ Earthquake 8's under the seats ( I was thinking Morel Elate series)
3) suggested Audison amps instead of Zapco (even though they also carry Zapco)
4) suggested facing the 12" IDMAX into the cabin instead of toward the trunk
5) leave the rest of the speakers including the center channel to be powered by the stock amp
6) use the audio control unit for summing and dsp
7) they would not even mess with putting an alarm on the car, all they would di is lojack

Waiting for them to email me a quote on the work. Will also be getting the entire car dynamated.


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## hulklg (Sep 22, 2006)

*Got the quote*

They want 10K in JUST labor to dynamat, install front door speakers and build a box for my sub.


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

sounds right where i would want to be also if I were doing the work, no offense to bavarian sound werks, but the enclosure would look nothing like theirs, and depending on your goals it would look like it came from the factory...


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## el_duderino (Aug 1, 2005)

esoteric said:


> sounds right where i would want to be also if I were doing the work, no offense to bavarian sound werks, but the enclosure would look nothing like theirs, and depending on your goals it would look like it came from the factory...


I'm glad YOU said it


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

coming from you i don't know if it is an insult or legit... LOL


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## el_duderino (Aug 1, 2005)

esoteric said:


> coming from you i don't know if it is an insult or legit... LOL


I don't insult people (in all seriousness, show me one time that I've insulted a person) but I do criticize companies and products - and installations.

I don't find a stick of butter hanging under a rear deck to be particularly compelling or innovative... but apparently some do:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=619571


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## esoteric (Dec 10, 2005)

C'mon el duerino, I was almost for sure they were going to use some changer brackets to mount the copied box... because they (ED) own's the tooling i am sure. you know I see a BMW owner heading for a mockery...pulls up in shiney BMW, opens trunk and it says "E D" on a rhino lined box. brings to mind Viagra!

Look BSW and ED both have a sealed enclosure strapped to the bottom of the rear package tray, both are hideous with the rhino liner, but after reading the link I have one statement and observation, out of all the BMW owners, subwoofer enclosure designs, and to make a product that would be superior than the other company, I would spend the extra 10 pennies and add some material to blend it... this is where i think ED is deceiving people. there is no way that one person would want the same ugly box, in the same ugly cover material, to hang in the same spot.... period. so i would say he is trying to fluff his company, which looks smaller than my "current" shop (more later on that) and continue to whore sub par junk out with added fluff statements.

ED is basic run of the mill junk, and i gauge it right there with power acoustik, boss, legacy, american bass.... all that offshore, off the shelf, junk.... oh wait,let me buy a piece of tool and say it is something that it is not...


I am done, but i would try suing if i wa a major company and had some foo c'mon and say his is better... or have some puppet do it...


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## hulklg (Sep 22, 2006)

*Update*

Hello Esoteric,

Probably going with Focal 100KP's in the front doors and tweets, 8" Earthquake SWS under the two front seats all powered by an Audison VR4.300. An 12" IDMAX powered by a Zapco 750.2 in a custom box for the rear. Either a batcap or Alumapro 50 farad cap and complete dynamat for the entire car. Will interface through the DQL-8 you suggested.

Also, probably opting to out of the strut grilles and do the AC Schnitzer exhaust with rear lip/apron only. Have you guys done any of those? How does that exhaust note sound if you have?

Thanks


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