Individual Audio under seat subs?

[mweisdorfer]

For all M3 owners, who have the individual audio sound system. What are your feelings regarding the subs under the seats.

Good, bad indifferent?

I have read that they are 8ohm & are around 140 watts RMS.

I have a 335i and am upgrading all my logic 7 speakers to individual audio. I have not bought the subs yet.

I have a JBL MS 8 and a JL Audio 600/6v2 amp. I also have a small 2 channel 60w per channel JBL amp to run my logic 7 subs. I'm not overly impressed with the logic 7 subs. I do realize that I'll need a much more powerful amp to run the IA subs because they are 8ohm, and that I need to make sure the amp can run an 8ohm sub.

Are the IA under the seat subs worth the trouble or should I stick with what I have and wait till a set of used kicker SSMB 8's comes up for sale on eBay or this forum?

Please Advise...

[EJT86]

Earthquake SWS subs are better than the individual

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by EJT86

Earthquake SWS subs are better than the individual

The logic 7 subs are more of a mid-base sub than a base sub. That's what I'm really looking for. I just think the logic 7 sub is weak and sort of creates a mid base hole.

Do you find the IA subs to be a mid-base sub or a traditional base sub.

At some point, I'll add a 10" subwoofer in the trunk, but I want to look into better mid base subs for now.

[EJT86]

I’m not much of an Audiophile. I do have individual audio but when the subs blew I replaced them with earthquakes. I don’t recall much about the individual ones cuz it was years agobut the earthquakes ones are better. The individual ones didnt have as much deep bass and the design leaves the wire susceptible to breaking. So if you’re considering the individual subs I’d skip them and get the earthquake ones

[noremaC]

Originally Posted by EJT86

I’m not much of an Audiophile. I do have individual audio but when the subs blew I replaced them with earthquakes. I don’t recall much about the individual ones cuz it was years agobut the earthquakes ones are better. The individual ones didnt have as much deep bass and the design leaves the wire susceptible to breaking. So if you’re considering the individual subs I’d skip them and get the earthquake ones

With the earthquake subs, a couple questions:

- are they plug and play? Or do they require a special harness?

- with individual audio system amp, won't a 4ohm impedance sub/speaker overwork and overheat the amp? If you look at an upgrade like Bavsound Ghost woofers, they stick with the stock 8ohm impedance (again, for the individual/DIRAC system) because of this

Thanks

[EJT86]

Originally Posted by noremaC

With the earthquake subs, a couple questions:

- are they plug and play? Or do they require a special harness?

- with individual audio system amp, won't a 4ohm impedance sub/speaker overwork and overheat the amp? If you look at an upgrade like Bavsound Ghost woofers, they stick with the stock 8ohm impedance (again, for the individual/DIRAC system) because of this

Thanks

There’s a pigtail connector you gotta buy also and splice the new subs to it then plug into the car. It’s been about 3-4 years since I had to replace them. The earthquake SWS8 has a model that’s a direct replacement for the individual one which I have now but I don’t remember which exact one. Sorry

[noremaC]

Originally Posted by EJT86

There’s a pigtail connector you gotta buy also and splice the new subs to it then plug into the car. It’s been about 3-4 years since I had to replace them. The earthquake SWS8 has a model that’s a direct replacement for the individual one which I have now but I don’t remember which exact one. Sorry

Thanks. Do you remember where you bought them? Are they significantly better than stock?

[EJT86]

Originally Posted by noremaC

Thanks. Do you remember where you bought them? Are they significantly better than stock?

I bought them here

https://www.bavauto.com/catalogsearc.../?q=Earthquake

I wouldn’t say they’re significantly better than the Individual ones. I wouldn’t spend the money on THESE as an “upgrade” but I’d say if you’re replacing failed ones then these are the better way to go

[SAMM3Y]

I think I have IA. It's an 08' e92 with silver grilled speakers with orange/copper cones. I was sold the car by a dealer who claimed it had ten speakers but I count 13 but have read somewhere it should be 16? I've got center dash, 2 in each door 2 in each rear quarter 2 in rear deck and 2 under seat. Is that IA? It sounds great, I'm sure it could be better but it's definitely good enough for me. I think if something broke I wouldn't upgrade, I'd stick with OEM.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by SAMM3Y

I think I have IA. It's an 08' e92 with silver grilled speakers with orange/copper cones. I was sold the car by a dealer who claimed it had ten speakers but I count 13 but have read somewhere it should be 16? I've got center dash, 2 in each door 2 in each rear quarter 2 in rear deck and 2 under seat. Is that IA? It sounds great, I'm sure it could be better but it's definitely good enough for me. I think if something broke I wouldn't upgrade, I'd stick with OEM.

If you have the center channel and speakers have a green sticker on the back, it's probably the IA.

[Asianoak]

By no means is this a direct comparison considering I upgraded a different BMW with a different base system but the info may still be helpful.

So I had an e92 328 with the Logic 7 system that I traded in on an X3 with a base system. I was extremely disappointed with the X3s system compared to the L7 so I would up swapping out all of the speakers for individual audio units from an M3.... except the under seat "subs." I instead installed a single Focal 10.

I personally feel like the X3 system is now vastly superior to the individual audio system in my M3. It's not quite as nuanced in the highs but overall the sound quality is much better.

So, if I were you I'd just swap the speakers... leave the L7 subs and install a 10 or 12 in the trunk

[xcusem3]

I've owned a 335i with the logic 7 system and now an m3 with the individual system and yes the individual is leagues ahead of the logic 7 in terms of sound quality, most noticeably when the system is turned way up. The bass is noticeable as well, on the logic 7 you seem to hit the nail on the head, it's more of a mid range bass than a true sub.
The individual subs do pump noticeably harder than the L7 but I suspect a big part of that is the amp.
If you can find cheaper IA subs I would go for it over an aftermarket upgrade but make sure you've got the individual amp or it's all for nothing

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by xcusem3

I've owned a 335i with the logic 7 system and now an m3 with the individual system and yes the individual is leagues ahead of the logic 7 in terms of sound quality, most noticeably when the system is turned way up. The bass is noticeable as well, on the logic 7 you seem to hit the nail on the head, it's more of a mid range bass than a true sub.
The individual subs do pump noticeably harder than the L7 but I suspect a big part of that is the amp.
If you can find cheaper IA subs I would go for it over an aftermarket upgrade but make sure you've got the individual amp or it's all for nothing

I don't have the Individual amp. However, I will probably get a 4 Channel Amp. Maybe a JL Audio 400/4 v2 and use it as a two channel amp to power just the subs. I think it produces 200 watts a channel at 4ohm that way, which should be more runs enough. The IA subs are rated at around 140 watts or so at 8ohm...

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by SAMM3Y

I think I have IA. It's an 08' e92 with silver grilled speakers with orange/copper cones. I was sold the car by a dealer who claimed it had ten speakers but I count 13 but have read somewhere it should be 16? I've got center dash, 2 in each door 2 in each rear quarter 2 in rear deck and 2 under seat. Is that IA? It sounds great, I'm sure it could be better but it's definitely good enough for me. I think if something broke I wouldn't upgrade, I'd stick with OEM.

Yep sounds like IA. It counts as 16 speakers although they have paired up some elements in the same box.

[Redd]

I have a slightly different experience with IA. Yes IA has great clarity but I find it lacking in the bass department. I listen to a fair amount of rap/hip-hop and I find it lacking in the really low bass freqs.

Recently I had one of my underseat subs die on me. Rather than replace with original, I went with Eton B150 underseat subs. These are designed for BMW, and plug and play into the wiring harness and original underseat sub enclosure. Huge difference in bass level. Now I can finally feel my thumping beats. Plus they are cheaper than original.

[G80indy]

Originally Posted by Redd

I have a slightly different experience with IA. Yes IA has great clarity but I find it lacking in the bass department. I listen to a fair amount of rap/hip-hop and I find it lacking in the really low bass freqs.

Recently I had one of my underseat subs die on me. Rather than replace with original, I went with Eton B150 underseat subs. These are designed for BMW, and plug and play into the wiring harness and original underseat sub enclosure. Huge difference in bass level. Now I can finally feel my thumping beats. Plus they are cheaper than original.

Interesting. Did you ever take pics of each to compare/contrast?

[Redd]

Originally Posted by 330indy

Interesting. Did you ever take pics of each to compare/contrast?

Didn't take pics. But the Etons fit into the original sub enclosures and plug into the original connectors without modification.

[Nazty Naze One!]

Originally Posted by Redd

Didn't take pics. But the Etons fit into the original sub enclosures and plug into the original connectors without modification.

With the Etons, they work fine with the individual audio setup despite being 4ohms only?

[JP478]

When your subs blew out did they they just go silent or was there still some noise coming from there?

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by Nazty Naze One!

With the Etons, they work fine with the individual audio setup despite being 4ohms only?

I ended up getting a 5 channel Alpine amp.

I use 2 channels for the subs under the seat & the sub channel for a 10" JL Audio sub that's enclosed in a custom, fiberglass corner mount box.

My trunk sub is rated at 300watts RMS & the sub channel produces 300watts RMS.

I put in Kenwood mid-bass subs underneath the seats. You have to get a little creative with a dremmel to get them to fit. I also put the front seats up 1/2" higher by using 1/2" SS nuts & slightly longer bolts.

I think I'm pumping 100w a channel into the mid-bass subs

I'm only 6'1" tall & I didn't have the seat all the way down, so it works for me, height wise.

I cross over the mid-bass at 90 & use 90 for the trunk sub. I also plugged (taped over) the holes in the floor where the underneath subs go with car audio insulation. They face upward instead of down. In fact, I used car audio insulation all over the doors & cavity where the underseat subs go. That made a big difference IMO.

You don't have to turn up the bass on the actual amp that high to get phenomenal results.

True IA speakers aren't known for bass. They are absolutely known for clarity, especially when you crank it. I'd you want bass, you need to purchase & install mid-bass subs & a trunk sub.

I am no means a bass head. However, if I were to listen to Metallica or Rap music my system will accommodate the bass typically found in that type of music rather well.