BMW 6 Series F13 Audio Upgrade Problem

djan

Hi, exploring options on a relatively budget audio upgrade for a BMW 6 series F13. Found this set (MTX TX6 BMW) for around €450 which is plug and play. Given that the current system is the base model should offer some improvement. Looks like an amp is recommended to make the most of them but I wonder how DIY possible it is with zero sound install experience or if there would be any shops within Leinster to get this or any alternatives done.

I'd greatly appreciate any help in this!

MTX TXBMW product page (mtxaudio.eu)

TherapyBoy

If the amplifier in the current radio in the car is weak (as base models can often be) changing the speakers might not solve your problem. If the MTX component speaker set you linked above say an amplifier is recommended then your OEM radio might not be powerful enough to drive them.

It’d be worth getting a professional opinion. In Dublin I’d recommend I.C.E. on the Sandford Road in Ranelagh, they’ve been going now over 40 years & know their stuff.

djan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120328266#Comment_120328266

Those were my initial thoughts about amp being recommended too. I was just thinking to try speaker replacement first and then amp after if required.

Thanks for the recommendation will get in touch with them. Is baffling the standard of audio put in a 100k car when new.

TherapyBoy

They might be ok, those OEM radio units are often very underpowered.

djan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120330775#Comment_120330775

Thinking about maybe just putting in the amp from the start myself. Looking online it ranges from fairly easy to do to others saying it's quite tough with wiring needed being done throughout car. Would you have any experience with putting one in?

TherapyBoy

Yeah, I used to do this stuff. It’s like everything, not difficult if you know what you’re doing. 😂

Depending on where you put the amplifier it’s likely that you’d need to run wires throughout the car. You’ll at least be running speaker wires from the amp to each speaker position, wires from the tuner unit to the amp & finally heavy power & earth cables from the battery & body to the amp. Depending on the available outputs on the tuner you might need an adaptor or harness to enable you to get your input for the amp.

If you're not sure it’s best to get it done professionally, they’ll be able to run the cabling quickly & correctly without any hassle & they’ll know exactly what’s needed before they start working. Another thing to keep in mind, especially if you’re running speakers (instead of a subwoofer) from a separate amplifier, is the way all the cables & wiring are run is very important to avoid picking up interference. Even if it’s all connected up properly any electrical interference picked up through the wiring will be turned into noise & put out through your speakers. It can be tricky to avoid & can also be caused by using incorrect cables or cheap harnesses/parts/etc.

I wouldn’t buy anything online just yet. Go talk to a professional, ICE or whoever & ask their opinion. MTX make good speakers but they’re not the only crowd who made 3-way component speaker kits. 👍🏼