New to Car Audio

[TJM1959]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to car audio. Music is one of my passions, listening not playing. I've always just used what ever was stock in my cars. This was due to the fact that I leased vehicles for a long time and just recently I've started to buy used cars.

In July of 2015 I purchased a 1997 BMW Z3 roadster. This little fun summer ride has me now looking into car audio. This car came with the stock audio system from 1997. Radio with a cassette and CD changer in the trunk. One of the first things I did was swap out the HU for an Alpine unit with blue tooth and USB so I could listen to my music that was on my phone or USB thumb drives. I also removed the CD changer since it would only work with the stock HU and it freed up space in the already small trunk. This made it more convenient but the sound and volume really isn't where I'd like it.

I'm hear to finish up my research so that I can make some final decisions I what I'll be installing in the next month.

Tim

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[JohnKuthe]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new to car audio. Music is one of my passions, listening not playing. I've always just used what ever was stock in my cars. This was due to the fact that I leased vehicles for a long time and just recently I've started to buy used cars.

In July of 2015 I purchased a 1997 BMW Z3 roadster. This little fun summer ride has me now looking into car audio. This car came with the stock audio system from 1997. Radio with a cassette and CD changer in the trunk. One of the first things I did was swap out the HU for an Alpine unit with blue tooth and USB so I could listen to my music that was on my phone or USB thumb drives. I also removed the CD changer since it would only work with the stock HU and it freed up space in the already small trunk. This made it more convenient but the sound and volume really isn't where I'd like it.

I'm hear to finish up my research so that I can make some final decisions I what I'll be installing in the next month.

Tim

Sounds like you're on the right track already! Even with the improvements car makers have made in their car audio systems, even still you can get much better car audio system in your ride than they install at the factories, because you have to remember car makers' main business focus is making the cars, not making sure any have really great car audio systems in them. Some cars etc. may come with pretty good car audio systems but nothing like the quality YOU can install or have installed for you!

And listen with several grains of salt to all the EGO DRIVEN car audio denizens here as they are mostly interested in saving their own fragile male egos, but they DO also know quite abit about modern car audio systems. They may just steer you into just what THEY want you to have. Which will probably sound great, but not necessarily what YOU want!

John Kuthe...

 

[TJM1959]

Thanks John, I do know that from the BMW forums. I was replacing the suspension and all the advice I was getting was to make it a sport suspension and lower the car. It wasn't what I wanted at all. with the research I've done on the Bimmer forums I know whats in the car and have a decent idea of what I'm going to replace it with but want to get more info from others and see where it leads me.

Thanks again,

Tim

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

Welcome. If you want to learn anything ignore John Kunt post.

Are you looking for a SQ setup or SPL?

 

[Chrisrizzy]

Welcome to the forum!

And yes, Jane Kuthe is not who you want advice from! I am not much better experience wise, but I will not try to lead you astray haha.

It sounds like you will want to start with a speaker upgrade for better sound and added volume. Are you able to find out what stereo option your vehicle has?