# Sound system, I know nothing about cars Help!



## 2beemer (Sep 12, 2021)

Hey there, I have a 2017 BMW 230i xdrive coupe. It has regular speakers not H/K. For a BMW the sound system sucks. Should I be replacing all the speakers in the car or just the front door, also looking for suggestions for brands or models that have good quality but doesn’t break the bank account.

thanks


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## ppointer (Sep 29, 2010)

Check out this site for plug-and-play options: BMW Sound System Upgrade: Speakers & Amplifier | BimmerTech


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## hokies (Jul 31, 2013)

Yes the base stereo (actually in the US , the "base" is upgraded and is called Hi-fi) sucks. There are 3 companies that I am aware of that offer 2 series specific upgrades. It's especially tricky with the Hi-Fi system since there are no tweeters. All three have pretty different philosophies.

You have musicar- F22 Level One 3W Upgrade (676) – Musicar Certified Sound . They offer multiple options. Though their recommended "budget" option is an upgraded amp, adding tweeters, and removing the center. They are the only one who sells a real sub, though this gets $$.

You have BimmerTech- (linked above). Kind of similar to musicar but they seem to push replacing everything, including amp. Unlike musicar, you have to buy tweeter housing from your dealership (not a big deal, these things http://musicarcertified.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/F22-tweeter-trims-150x150.jpg)

And then you have BavSound Bavsound || Car Stereo Upgrades, Replacements & Subwoofer Systems . They are unique compared to the other two in that they push replacing all your speakers with coaxial speakers (speakers with built in tweeters). It really is designed to keep your existing low powered amp, and once you change your speakers you can no longer upgrade it . If you contact them they can sell you a package similar to BimmerTech without coaxials. They are also unique in that that you can return and get all your money back.

It's tough because nobody has bought all three so there are no real comparisons. I did BavSound for around $1100, primarily because of the return policy. It's not life changing, but I am happy since the Hifi was truly the weak link in the car. Installation was more involving than I expected- you are not going to want to return/uninstall the speakers. YMMV of course, I am just an average person who doesn't normally work on cars but likes to tackle DIY if there's a good YouTube video.

If I were to do it again, I think I would try musicar. Slightly less involving installation, and when you sell your car you should be able to get a good chunk of your investment back by selling the AMP. Also your car looks slightly more premium by getting the tweeters.


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## 2beemer (Sep 12, 2021)

Thank you ! That was so helpful. I was crutchfield and i was just getting so confused, so this is perfect. I’ll look into all these !


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