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      03-21-2022, 12:28 PM   #1
dtox9
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micro sub and bass knob installed F25

I know there are a handful of install posts related to adding an external sub to their X3...
Here's mine...

I chose the JL Audio micro 10 in a sealed enclosure due to the footprint.
The ported version probably would perform better, but I didn't want to give up those extra few inches in width and length.

@ 400 watts, it should perform better than any of the others I found in the market with similar size... Actually, no real competition regarding the size that I know of / this fits PERFECTLY between the latch rail and the side wall, so I can still open the trunk floor if/when I need/want to.

Self powered, so no additional amp to try to find real estate for...
and a bass control knob for personalized song-by-song performance.

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-YxxSG9...xoCIoMQAvD_BwE

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-AqSrTq...BoCGQQQAvD_BwE

Connections really could not be easier than in this car... Absolutely no reason anybody with extremely minor skills couldn't DIY this install.

NO SPLICES - - I used the TechnicPNP add-a-sub harness, which was plug and play at the amp behind the rear side panel, and used that with some rca cables to run the low pass signal to the amp/sub combo.

https://technicpnp.com/product/hifi-...ub-harnessloc/

Using an amp wiring kit from Kicker, 8ga fused hot wire and ground wire were a breeze.
HOT just bolted onto the battery at an access point.
GROUND just bolted onto the factory ground stud used by the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/Kicker-46PK8-...a-965633672357

The RCA cables routed along the side and across behind the rear seats.
The HOT cable routed across the other power cables to the opposite side, and tucked nicely under the floor rail.
The GROUND cable routed nicely under the rear floor.
and
The Bass Knob wire went across from behind the rear seats, alongside under the kick plates to the front floor boards, and EASILY tucked under the weatherstrip to enter beside and into the dashboard where I mounted it inside the headlight control unit / just under the fog light switch.

Actually, this was the most challenging part of the process - getting this to fit into that location.

Hard to see in the photos, but the enclosure is velcro'd both to the trunk flooring carpet, as well as the carpeted side wall for some stability. I may look into some kind of tether if I see this start to move around any, but I don't think it will.

Here are some pics:
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      03-21-2022, 03:16 PM   #2
sbacchus
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Nice work. Curious, where did you get remote power signal from? I did a similar install recently and eventually tapped the power outlet at the back because I couldn't find anything else. Only problem is that does not turn off immediately when the car turns off, there is like a 5 minute wait before it does.
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      03-21-2022, 03:57 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sbacchus View Post
Nice work. Curious, where did you get remote power signal from? I did a similar install recently and eventually tapped the power outlet at the back because I couldn't find anything else. Only problem is that does not turn off immediately when the car turns off, there is like a 5 minute wait before it does.
The amp picks up the remote signal from the low pass rca's.

The LOC does have a line out signal wire, but I taped it off since the amp had the option to utilize the rca.

It actually has all three options available... low pass, high pass, and signal wire.
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      03-21-2022, 09:06 PM   #4
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Gotcha, my LOC supposedly could pick up the signal and trigger the remote power, but I never could get it to work as expected.
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      03-22-2022, 07:18 AM   #5
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Agreed, nice work! I've done stereos for decades in my cars including and only up to my 135i. Never tackled the X3. Yet haha.

Looks like you started off with the Bavsound for the rest of the speakers? Which stereo package came with the car? Doesn't look like the HK system.

For my 135i I did a JL amp and sub in a custom (Musicarnw) enclosure. The amp powers the front 8" underseat mids as well as the sub and it works beautifully, the extra power under the seats made a big difference all by itself. Have been considering similar for the X3. But - this isn't my thread!
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      03-22-2022, 08:20 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tracer bullet View Post
Agreed, nice work! I've done stereos for decades in my cars including and only up to my 135i. Never tackled the X3. Yet haha.

Looks like you started off with the Bavsound for the rest of the speakers? Which stereo package came with the car? Doesn't look like the HK system.

For my 135i I did a JL amp and sub in a custom (Musicarnw) enclosure. The amp powers the front 8" underseat mids as well as the sub and it works beautifully, the extra power under the seats made a big difference all by itself. Have been considering similar for the X3. But - this isn't my thread!
Thanks!

I started off swapping out the hi-fi amp with the bavsound amp.
(BEST DECISION EVER)

Then I swapped out the underseat woofers with the bavsound ghosts - this tightened up the mid-bass extremely well and I'm glad I switched them out. However, they just never reach low enough for a complete fill to my ears.

So I added the single 10" in the back for that.
So far I like it - I do think the ported would fill better / but it's a trade off I'm willing to accept in order to utilize the perfect size of the sealed unit.

All my other speakers are from the original hi-fi bmw system.
They are quite capable in my opinion and for my tastes (once they have proper power behind them).
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      03-22-2022, 12:46 PM   #7
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Are there a built in connectors for the RCA's by the amp? Or do you use pigtails.
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      03-22-2022, 03:15 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BMW JA View Post
Are there a built in connectors for the RCA's by the amp? Or do you use pigtails.
The amp has right and left rca inputs built in.

It also came with pigtails to wire to speaker leads if I wanted to go that route,
in addition to a port to connect a remote turn-on wire.

Extremely plug-and-play.
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