# New cd receiver vs. new speakers for new 325i



## belsouth (Aug 16, 2003)

I just picked up my new 325i last Saturday, and everything is great except for the stock (non-HK) stereo. I'm used to an alpine cd/polk speaker setup in my old Honda which blows the system in the 325i away. I'd like to upgrade the system in increments, and I'd like to get some opinions on whether adding a new cd receiver or speakers would yield the greatest improvement. 

A local audio guy told me that receivers from Germany don't broadcast a full frequency range due to restrictions in Germany or Europe (can't remember exactly), and, as a result, a new cd player would improve the sound significantly. I've never heard this before and can't imagine that this would be accurate.

Any opinions/suggestions?

Thanks.


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## jaisonline (Mar 24, 2002)

this should be in the car electrionics forum but no big deal. i wrote a long post there a few months ago. do a search for all posts written by me.

in summary...
-keep all factory products in the car as is except the rear dexk speakers.
-remove thew rear deck speakers and buy the jl audio stealthbox.
-buy a decent mono amp for the subs and wire in series since the jl subs are 8ohm and should be 4ohm.
-fine tune the amp's gain and bass levels. low pass x-over should be no more than 75-100hz. do this will keeping the head unit's bass setting at no more than 1/4 high.

after all this, your car will rock despite the subs being only 8 inches each. trust me, u will like the sound.


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## belsouth (Aug 16, 2003)

jaisonline said:


> this should be in the car electrionics forum but no big deal. i wrote a long post there a few months ago. do a search for all posts written by me.
> 
> in summary...
> -keep all factory products in the car as is except the rear dexk speakers.
> ...


Thanks, jaisonline. The local audio shop I'll be going to carries the JL product line.


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

belsouth said:


> I just picked up my new 325i last Saturday, and everything is great except for the stock (non-HK) stereo. I'm used to an alpine cd/polk speaker setup in my old Honda which blows the system in the 325i away. I'd like to upgrade the system in increments, and I'd like to get some opinions on whether adding a new cd receiver or speakers would yield the greatest improvement.
> 
> A local audio guy told me that receivers from Germany don't broadcast a full frequency range due to restrictions in Germany or Europe (can't remember exactly), and, as a result, a new cd player would improve the sound significantly. I've never heard this before and can't imagine that this would be accurate.
> 
> ...


Is it you who merely misquoted, or where you told by the audio guy that German receivers don't broadcast?

The restricted frequency range sounds like one of those "this is how they do it in Europe" lines, which is easy to trot out and is just as nonsense as ever .

FM stereo uses a 19KHz pilot tone (and therefore 38KHs carrier) in Europe just like it does around the rest of the globe, limiting high frequency modulation (and therefore high end accuracy).


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## belsouth (Aug 16, 2003)

andy_thomas said:


> Is it you who merely misquoted, or where you told by the audio guy that German receivers don't broadcast?
> 
> The restricted frequency range sounds like one of those "this is how they do it in Europe" lines, which is easy to trot out and is just as nonsense as ever .
> 
> FM stereo uses a 19KHz pilot tone (and therefore 38KHs carrier) in Europe just like it does around the rest of the globe, limiting high frequency modulation (and therefore high end accuracy).


That's what the sales person told me, but I knew something was not kosher. He was trying to lead me into buying the Nakamichi CD-400 which he said would be an immediate improvement in SQ. I have read it's a nice unit, however.


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