# 2004 M3 Audio upgrade...



## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

In my personal opinion, only two threads are required read for anybody looking to upgrade their E46 sound system without major surgery, both in the car and in the pocket:

http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e46m3/forum.php?postid=2786337&page=10

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=121826

Everything to know about the audio internals of the E46 is on those two threads. Without further delay, this is it...

*Components:*

_A pillars:_ CDT Audio UpStage system UP-519XT -TW19 .75" Titanium tweeters/5OOXT Upstage Blending Modules

_Front doors: _CDT CL-6 6.5" mid-woofers/CDT TW24 1" Silk tweeters/BSW 2.5"Midrange/CDT HD30 Three Way crossover

_Rear:_ CDT CL-69 6"X9" woofers/CDT TW24 1" Silk tweeters/CDT Two Way Elliptic SatNet 400 crossovers

_Subs:_ JL Stealthboxes with 8" Kicker 05C8-4 subwoofers

_Equalizer:_ AudioControl EQS

_Amp: _JBL GTO755.6ii 6 Ch 560 Watts

_Battery: _Optima YellowTop Deep cycle

*Planning and preparation:*

MDF plank as trunk platform for the amp, EQ and crossovers/modules...









Bought used HK amplifier, removed the main connector and created custom harness...









Created custom MDF adapter rings for the front doors and HK subwoofer enclosure...


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

*Speaker comparisons:*

OEM HK subwoofer vs. CDT CL-69...









HK 6" vs CL-6 6.5"...









HK mid and tweeter vs. BSW midrange and CDT tweeter...


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

*Mounting:*

Mid and tweeter in MDF bracket...









Rear door tweeter (using Dynamat as mounting "bracket")...

























Front Doors...









A pillar Upstage system...









6" X 9"'s...

















Amp/EQ rack...









Yellow Top Battery with custom MDF bracket...


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

*Finished:*

For now, this panel have to be refined...









*Review:*

The obvious... this set up is several times better than the HK even while running the stock navigation Business tuner (the Professional tuner audio quality is much, much better). Sound quality, loudness, clarity. Whatever the HK was lacking this set up fixed it. However, two components really took this upgrade to another level, the CDT Upstage system and the EQS.

First, the Upstage system... it really does what it is supposed to do and then some. The staging is moved to the windshield, the highs are now clearer than before. I tought that this was a gimmick at first until I disconnected this system while playing Herbie Hancock's _A Song for You_ and _Stitched up_...

Damn... Christina Aguilera really loses some kick when these suckers are not working. It is just that a chunk of the highs are better positioned way up front that balances the subs at the rear, creating this sound stage up front that simply honors the name of this system. This effect can be adjusted some 50+ ways depending the position of 4 -2 to 3- positions switches and three levels of power.

Then there is the EQS. Separate front, rear and subwoofer equalization bands and level input and outputs. I can move the soundstage front to back and viceversa. Hard, tight or deep bass, or a combination of the three. For the last two weeks I've been tweaking this EQS to get it to that magic point that all types of music will sound perfect... and I will be insane by next week. Between the EQS bands and internal jumpers, the Upstage switches, the crossovers' switches (one for the tweeters and one for the front midranges) and even the JBL crossovers switches, I had reduced to none the hiss and any trace of alternator whine while at the same time improved the audio quality many times over the OEM system... and almost passed out in my garage in this Florida 100 degrees heat wave of the last week.

This system allows the complete personalization of the audio to my taste. Clean, tight bass at more volume than before, really bright highs, much better defined vocals and overall definition. Sheesh... even the Bluetooth _telephone conversations_ sound better than before because I moved the vocals more towards the upper midrange in the door and not at my feet as before.

For those undecided to upgrade the audio from stock, just do it... you will be very happy to do so. :thumbsup:


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

... this is after replacing the AudioControl EQS with a RF 360.2 and an AC Matrix:










What is left to be done is a nice plexiglass/carpet cover to finish...


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## el_duderino (Aug 1, 2005)

Nice pics... I have concerns about "A" pillar mounting in cars with "A" pillar curtain bags, though... worried that if I ever got in a fender bender I'd have a tweeter for an eye and loook like Colonel Klink...


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