Notes on a 2011 335i with Harman Kardon system trunk sub install

Technic · 03-30-2011, 06:00 AM

Bass, bass, bass... the #1 complaint of customers of late model 3-Series and M3 is the lack of (deep) bass from OEM systems. This is no exception.

Install in two stages:

Stage 1
- VP Electricity E90 trunk sub enclosure with ID10
- JL Audio XD600/1
- Harman Kardon/Top HiFi trunk sub harness with built in 2-channel LOC

Stage 2
- JBL MS-8 DSP processor replacing the OEM amp and powering front, side rear and center OEM speakers
- JL Audio XD400/4 (3-channel configuration) powering the underseat OEM woofers and the ID10 trunk sub

Some quick photos:

Top HiFi harness (Stage 1 = provides the RCA and remote turn on inputs for the XD600/1, Stage 2 = provides only the remote turn on input to the XD400/4):

XD400/4 and MS-8 installed (no OEM wires cut, spliced or tapped, fully PnP and 100% reversible):

Stock-look/space saving E90 trunk sub enclosure:

Notes:

- Stage 1 just provided a much needed sub bass to an otherwise stock Harman Kardon system. Although it was a quite significant upgrade it also brought up the audio deficiencies of the Harman Kardon, in particular the lack of midbass to blend with the newfound sub bass.

This also brought up the simple fact that all BMW should have a proper iPod USB adapter installed from factory standard. The AUX input is simply awful for any meaningful tuning effort of the trunk sub... it simply sucks in sound quality as transport media, taking a big chunk of the trunk sub improvement away. A custom burned CD with clean dance/trance music MP3 was the ticket for a proper tuning. It was really nice... VP Electricity custom E90 trunk sub is a natural match with the ID10. Deep, cabin-wide sub bass that is not localized, not overwhelming, not flabby. Just tight.

-Stage 2 was the natural upgrade after a couple of weeks of the Stage 1. The OEM amp was completely bypassed with the MS-8 and the XD200/4. Why the XD400/4 and the "downgrade" from the 600/1? The main requirement was a stock look, midbass and overall sound quality improvement, in that order. The XD400/4 fits in the "old" Sirius tuner slot, provides more than double of the output power of the OEM amp to the OEM woofers while providing a solid 200W RMS to the ID10.

The MS-8 function here is to better blend the trunk sub, the new midbass impact with the rest of the OEM speakers sound, while providing many more adjustment possibilities than the ineffective OEM 7-band EQ. All this while providing a better Logic7 processor than OEM.

The Top HiFi harness was modified to interface directly with the MS-8 so all its wired inputs and outputs were done at the harness and not at the OEM wires. No need to remove the OEM amp, any door panel or the OEM HU for anything; in fact all the install was done in the trunk.

This particular vehicle had PDC so the MS-8 was wired following VP Electricity's PDC/MS-8/Harman Kardon integration method : wire only the rear doors OEM speakers to the MS-8 outputs and leave the rear deck speakers connected to the OEM amp, then set the OEM HU Fader to full front. This will allow the PDC to be fully functional thru the rear deck speakers while being silent when music is playing. Otherwise the MS-8 would have either disabled the PDC sound as it only uses the front signals of the OEM amp or make the PDC sound thru all speakers if the rear speaker signals were also used as inputs to the MS-8.

How all this sounds? This is the Logic7 system that BMW should offer from factory. The OEM speakers and the MS-8 power (60W max into 2 ohms, compared with 40W from the OEM amp) sound loud, clear and clean at much higher volume than stock, no need of replacement IMO. Voices are much better defined even thru the mono OEM center speaker -a coaxial should be even better. Midbass is solid thru the OEM woofers with both MS-8 31-EQ adjustments (after calibration) and gain adjustments at the XD400/4 amp. The ID10 blend and impact with the rest of the system was much better than being an add-on, especially after tweaking the sub output at the MS-8 -which also automatically boost the 60Hz band of the midbass at the same time, giving a much better response and an ass massage when Mystikal was playing.

Even the AUX input sounded somewhat... better.

And all this was from the passenger's seat after a -40dB calibration, only the driver's seat was calibrated.

DieselDiner · 03-30-2011, 07:45 AM

Great write up and descriptions, Technic! You have me getting excited about my upgrade, which I hope to install in mid April: Jehnerts, VP box, your harness, and JL HD600/4 on my EPS equipped E90. Hope I get something close to your results.

One install question: do you have any concerns about heat dissipation with the JL directly under the floor panel? You have me considering mounting my amp under the floor.

nelson29 · 03-30-2011, 09:08 AM

Awesome job on the install Technic!!! Love the clean, OEM look!!!

gtron · 03-30-2011, 01:14 PM

wow. that was a great write up. i'm inspired. i wonder how far off it would be for 08' 335xi.

you've already done a lot in the first post but would you mind adding a cost breakdown for us?

kaigoss69 · 03-30-2011, 02:05 PM

Again, great job. It is very similar to my set-up. I'm sure you are aware though that the MS-8 is somewhat handicapped by the lack of a tweeter in the center position. Your customer can do this themselves by "stealing" one from the rear deck and fabricating a bracket to mount it inside the air vent left of the speaker. I strongly believe that it would be better to match the door speakers 100% rather than installing a new driver with totally different specifications.

Skunkedtsi · 03-31-2011, 03:14 PM

Technic, I can't pm you but this is exactly what I am looking to do to my E60 550 with Logic 7 can you email me @ tyler.newland@gmail.com with your paypal address and the cost of the harnesses I will need to do exactly what you did to this 335? By the way your install looks absolutely amazing, if only you lived on the wetside of the country.

Thank you,
Tyler

Denny347 · 03-31-2011, 04:08 PM

Does the stage 1 actually bypass the under seat speakers? My L7 under seats don't sound bad and that is where I am getting all my midbass I am sure. If I bypass those for a trunk sub, I will lose what midbass I have.

kaigoss69 · 03-31-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny347

Does the stage 1 actually bypass the under seat speakers? My L7 under seats don't sound bad and that is where I am getting all my midbass I am sure. If I bypass those for a trunk sub, I will lose what midbass I have.

No, those speakers are an integral part of the system, they should never be bypassed.

VP Electricity · 03-31-2011, 05:21 PM

Yes, that sure is a clean-looking sub enclosure, and we at Musicar finally got the issues in our initial shipment to the customer corrected. Glad things turned out so well!

We just got three more of these enclosures in from the fiberglass manufacturing facility, by the way. One is sold and two are available!

Technic · 03-31-2011, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skunkedtsi

Technic, I can't pm you but this is exactly what I am looking to do to my E60 550 with Logic 7 can you email me @ tyler.newland@gmail.com with your paypal address and the cost of the harnesses I will need to do exactly what you did to this 335? By the way your install looks absolutely amazing, if only you lived on the wetside of the country.

Thank you,
Tyler

Email sent...

Technic · 04-03-2011, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselDiner

Great write up and descriptions, Technic! You have me getting excited about my upgrade, which I hope to install in mid April: Jehnerts, VP box, your harness, and JL HD600/4 on my EPS equipped E90. Hope I get something close to your results.

One install question: do you have any concerns about heat dissipation with the JL directly under the floor panel? You have me considering mounting my amp under the floor.

No concerns...

808MGuy · 04-03-2011, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technic

No concerns...

Especially with the xD amps, there shouldn't be any concerns. I have the class AB Zapco DC650.6 under my floor and after switching to running the underseats at 4 ohm stereo, I have no more heat issues. Running at 2 ohm mono, the amp would heat up and shut down on very hot days after about an hour of play.

IancoleTX · 04-05-2011, 07:50 AM

Wow, that is a sweet setup. Cheers all around.

Likwid · 04-06-2011, 11:24 PM

The Stage 1 is exactly what I want to do to my Logic 7 system. How much is the ID10 enclosure and wiring harness for a 2008 E92 with Logic 7?

Technic · 04-07-2011, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Likwid

The Stage 1 is exactly what I want to do to my Logic 7 system. How much is the ID10 enclosure and wiring harness for a 2008 E92 with Logic 7?

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406246

Likwid · 04-07-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technic

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406246

Thanks! Checking it out now.

ussoldierforhire · 04-29-2011, 11:25 PM

Where Can I buy the VP Electricity's trunk sub enclosure with ID10?

ussoldierforhire · 04-30-2011, 02:02 PM

So in Phase 2, do you actually replace the JL Audio XD600/1 with the JL Audio XD400/4? If so can't I do it all in one shot and not buy the XD600? Also, where do I buy the harness you talk about or is that the stock one that's in the car?

Technic · 04-30-2011, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ussoldierforhire

So in Phase 2, do you actually replace the JL Audio XD600/1 with the JL Audio XD400/4?

Yes, customer wanted to power up the underseat woofers as well as the trunk sub.

Quote:

If so can't I do it all in one shot and not buy the XD600? Also, where do I buy the harness you talk about or is that the stock one that's in the car?

That harness in on backorder until mid May... I sell them.

ussoldierforhire · 04-30-2011, 07:42 PM

Can you quote me on the whole setup?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technic

Yes, customer wanted to power up the underseat woofers as well as the trunk sub.

That harness in on backorder until mid May... I sell them.

Technic · 04-30-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ussoldierforhire

Can you quote me on the whole setup?

Send PM with what you would like, please.

ussoldierforhire · 05-01-2011, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technic

Send PM with what you would like, please.

Not sure if i'm on some trial period on here or what but, i dont have the option to PM you.

03-30-2011, 06:00 AM	#1
Technic Lieutenant General 2295 Rep 13,001 Posts Drives: 2021 i3S, 2024 i4 M50 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Florida iTrader: (18)	Notes on a 2011 335i with Harman Kardon system trunk sub install Bass, bass, bass... the #1 complaint of customers of late model 3-Series and M3 is the lack of (deep) bass from OEM systems. This is no exception. Install in two stages: Stage 1 - VP Electricity E90 trunk sub enclosure with ID10 - JL Audio XD600/1 - Harman Kardon/Top HiFi trunk sub harness with built in 2-channel LOC Stage 2 - JBL MS-8 DSP processor replacing the OEM amp and powering front, side rear and center OEM speakers - JL Audio XD400/4 (3-channel configuration) powering the underseat OEM woofers and the ID10 trunk sub Some quick photos: Top HiFi harness (Stage 1 = provides the RCA and remote turn on inputs for the XD600/1, Stage 2 = provides only the remote turn on input to the XD400/4): XD400/4 and MS-8 installed (no OEM wires cut, spliced or tapped, fully PnP and 100% reversible): Stock-look/space saving E90 trunk sub enclosure: Notes: - Stage 1 just provided a much needed sub bass to an otherwise stock Harman Kardon system. Although it was a quite significant upgrade it also brought up the audio deficiencies of the Harman Kardon, in particular the lack of midbass to blend with the newfound sub bass. This also brought up the simple fact that all BMW should have a proper iPod USB adapter installed from factory standard. The AUX input is simply awful for any meaningful tuning effort of the trunk sub... it simply sucks in sound quality as transport media, taking a big chunk of the trunk sub improvement away. A custom burned CD with clean dance/trance music MP3 was the ticket for a proper tuning. It was really nice... VP Electricity custom E90 trunk sub is a natural match with the ID10. Deep, cabin-wide sub bass that is not localized, not overwhelming, not flabby. Just tight. -Stage 2 was the natural upgrade after a couple of weeks of the Stage 1. The OEM amp was completely bypassed with the MS-8 and the XD200/4. Why the XD400/4 and the "downgrade" from the 600/1? The main requirement was a stock look, midbass and overall sound quality improvement, in that order. The XD400/4 fits in the "old" Sirius tuner slot, provides more than double of the output power of the OEM amp to the OEM woofers while providing a solid 200W RMS to the ID10. The MS-8 function here is to better blend the trunk sub, the new midbass impact with the rest of the OEM speakers sound, while providing many more adjustment possibilities than the ineffective OEM 7-band EQ. All this while providing a better Logic7 processor than OEM. The Top HiFi harness was modified to interface directly with the MS-8 so all its wired inputs and outputs were done at the harness and not at the OEM wires. No need to remove the OEM amp, any door panel or the OEM HU for anything; in fact all the install was done in the trunk. This particular vehicle had PDC so the MS-8 was wired following VP Electricity's PDC/MS-8/Harman Kardon integration method : wire only the rear doors OEM speakers to the MS-8 outputs and leave the rear deck speakers connected to the OEM amp, then set the OEM HU Fader to full front. This will allow the PDC to be fully functional thru the rear deck speakers while being silent when music is playing. Otherwise the MS-8 would have either disabled the PDC sound as it only uses the front signals of the OEM amp or make the PDC sound thru all speakers if the rear speaker signals were also used as inputs to the MS-8. How all this sounds? This is the Logic7 system that BMW should offer from factory. The OEM speakers and the MS-8 power (60W max into 2 ohms, compared with 40W from the OEM amp) sound loud, clear and clean at much higher volume than stock, no need of replacement IMO. Voices are much better defined even thru the mono OEM center speaker -a coaxial should be even better. Midbass is solid thru the OEM woofers with both MS-8 31-EQ adjustments (after calibration) and gain adjustments at the XD400/4 amp. The ID10 blend and impact with the rest of the system was much better than being an add-on, especially after tweaking the sub output at the MS-8 -which also automatically boost the 60Hz band of the midbass at the same time, giving a much better response and an ass massage when Mystikal was playing. Even the AUX input sounded somewhat... better. And all this was from the passenger's seat after a -40dB calibration, only the driver's seat was calibrated.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet

03-30-2011, 07:45 AM	#2
DieselDiner Lieutenant Colonel 486 Rep 1,614 Posts Drives: 335d Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Home iTrader: (2)	Great write up and descriptions, Technic! You have me getting excited about my upgrade, which I hope to install in mid April: Jehnerts, VP box, your harness, and JL HD600/4 on my EPS equipped E90. Hope I get something close to your results. One install question: do you have any concerns about heat dissipation with the JL directly under the floor panel? You have me considering mounting my amp under the floor. Last edited by DieselDiner; 03-30-2011 at 07:47 AM.. Reason: Typo
	Appreciate 0

03-30-2011, 09:08 AM	#3
nelson29 Banned 46 Rep 350 Posts Drives: 2005 E60 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Orlando, FL iTrader: (5)	Awesome job on the install Technic!!! Love the clean, OEM look!!!
	Appreciate 0

03-30-2011, 01:14 PM	#4
gtron powerhouse 708 Rep 1,628 Posts Drives: 2014 Porsche 981 CS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Orange County, CA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2016 Mercedes C450 AMG [10.00] 2016 Lexus RC 200t [0.00] 2014 Porsche [9.50] 2012 550i M-Sport [7.86]	wow. that was a great write up. i'm inspired. i wonder how far off it would be for 08' 335xi. you've already done a lot in the first post but would you mind adding a cost breakdown for us?
	Appreciate 0

03-30-2011, 02:05 PM	#5
kaigoss69 Brigadier General 300 Rep 3,969 Posts Drives: '08 335i Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: JAX iTrader: (6)	Again, great job. It is very similar to my set-up. I'm sure you are aware though that the MS-8 is somewhat handicapped by the lack of a tweeter in the center position. Your customer can do this themselves by "stealing" one from the rear deck and fabricating a bracket to mount it inside the air vent left of the speaker. I strongly believe that it would be better to match the door speakers 100% rather than installing a new driver with totally different specifications. __________________ Mobridge DA2 > JBL MS-8 > ARC XDi 600/4 > JBL Gti 408 Mids & Vifa OT19 Tweeters; PG Ti2 1600.5 > Morel HCW-10 & IDMax 15
	Appreciate 0

03-31-2011, 03:14 PM	#6
Skunkedtsi Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 2007 BMW 550i SMG Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (0)	Technic, I can't pm you but this is exactly what I am looking to do to my E60 550 with Logic 7 can you email me @ tyler.newland@gmail.com with your paypal address and the cost of the harnesses I will need to do exactly what you did to this 335? By the way your install looks absolutely amazing, if only you lived on the wetside of the country. Thank you, Tyler
	Appreciate 0

03-31-2011, 04:08 PM	#7
Denny347 Major 347 Rep 1,076 Posts Drives: 2008 M3 E90 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Indianapolis, IN iTrader: (0)	Does the stage 1 actually bypass the under seat speakers? My L7 under seats don't sound bad and that is where I am getting all my midbass I am sure. If I bypass those for a trunk sub, I will lose what midbass I have.
	Appreciate 0

03-31-2011, 05:21 PM	#9
VP Electricity Brigadier General 289 Rep 3,201 Posts Drives: F34 xDrive Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: portland oregon iTrader: (3)	Yes, that sure is a clean-looking sub enclosure, and we at Musicar finally got the issues in our initial shipment to the customer corrected. Glad things turned out so well! We just got three more of these enclosures in from the fiberglass manufacturing facility, by the way. One is sold and two are available!
	Appreciate 0

04-05-2011, 07:50 AM	#13
IancoleTX Dillo boxers 272 Rep 3,360 Posts Drives: 2019 M5C Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (14)	Wow, that is a sweet setup. Cheers all around. __________________ 2019 M5C Matte MBB / Tartufo
	Appreciate 0

04-06-2011, 11:24 PM	#14
Likwid Private 3 Rep 73 Posts Drives: 2007 M5 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Nashville, TN iTrader: (0)	The Stage 1 is exactly what I want to do to my Logic 7 system. How much is the ID10 enclosure and wiring harness for a 2008 E92 with Logic 7?
	Appreciate 0

04-29-2011, 11:25 PM	#17
ussoldierforhire Lieutenant 51 Rep 545 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA iTrader: (1)	Where Can I buy the VP Electricity's trunk sub enclosure with ID10?
	Appreciate 0

04-30-2011, 02:02 PM	#18
ussoldierforhire Lieutenant 51 Rep 545 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 E92 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA iTrader: (1)	So in Phase 2, do you actually replace the JL Audio XD600/1 with the JL Audio XD400/4? If so can't I do it all in one shot and not buy the XD600? Also, where do I buy the harness you talk about or is that the stock one that's in the car?
	Appreciate 0