A client from Midlothian recently visited Extreme Audio to talk about upgrading the audio system in his 2016 BMW 535i GT sedan. He wasn’t happy with the overall balance of the system and hoped we could give it a lot more bass. He also wanted us to install a video entertainment solution to entertain his kids on long trips. We inspected the vehicle to confirm which BMW audio system it had, then put together a solution that would let us tailor the audio system to his listening preferences.
BMW 535i GT Audio System Upgrade
Our upgrade plan for the BMW was simple: We’d add an ARC Audio PS8-50 eight-channel amplifier to the system, along with a JL Audio subwoofer. The amp will drive the front speakers with as much as 50 watts of power and deliver 200 watts to the woofer. We used a T-harness on the output of the factory-installed radio and connected it to the speaker-level inputs and the output of the eight-channel ARC Audio amplifier.
The first step in improving the sound of the factory audio system was to filter the bass signal out of the factory speakers and send it all to the dedicated subwoofer channel. Next, we used our real-time audio analyzer to calibrate the output of each speaker in the car so that they would sound great at the listening position.
BMW Subwoofer Upgrade
Adding a dedicated subwoofer to the BMW is an important part of the upgrade. Not only does the JL Audio CS110TG-TW3 play a lot lower, but it will also play a lot louder. Alleviating the need for the smaller speakers in the car to produce bass actually enables them to sound better and play louder.
The CS110TG-TW3 comes with a dual 4-ohm voice coil subwoofer. We swapped the sub out for a dual 2-ohm driver that we wired to present a 4-ohm load to the ARC amplifier.
We added one of the LR1 remote level control knobs to the PS8-50 amplifier and configured it to work as a subwoofer level control for channels seven and eight. The remote is mounted in the front of the vehicle so the owner can fine-tune the amount of additional bass from the subwoofer, based on the music he’s listening to or his mood.
BMW Rear-Sear Video Entertainment
To entertain the kids, we installed a set of 10.1-inch high-resolution touchscreen monitors on the seatbacks. The Audiovox AVXSB10UHD system includes two displays with 1024×600 pixel capacitive-touch screens. The headrest units run the Android operating system and play video from DVDs or digital media files from a USB memory stick or SD card.
The monitors include Wi-Fi connectivity and can stream video from smart devices like an iPhone or Android phone using the built-in SmartStream. HMDI inputs allow video from one monitor to be viewed on the other unit, so the kids can watch the same DVD at the same time. The client can control the video displays from the front seat using the free Voxx Link app, should he choose.
Unlike headrest monitors, the Audiovox AVXSB10UHD clamps to the headrest posts, so there’s no need for permanent modifications to the vehicle. This is a great solution for leased vehicles.
Richmond’s European Vehicle Upgrade Experts
With the subwoofer and amplifier installed and the system tuned to suit the client’s listening preferences, the owner returned to Extreme Audio to pick up the vehicle. We reviewed how to use the new rear-seat entertainment system and helped him download the Voxx Link app and connect his phone to the devices. We finished with a thoroughly enjoyable music listening session to ensure the client was absolutely thrilled with the audio upgrades.
If your BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche or Land Rover stereo system doesn’t put a smile on your face when you turn up the volume, drop into Extreme Audio in Midlothian or Mechanicsville. A member of our team would be happy to work with you to design an upgrade that works with your budget and meets your performance expectations. If you can’t drop by, give our store nearest to you a call or send our team an e-mail using the contact page on our website.
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