Help: Need best audio upgrade path. I want to significantly improve my BMW audio without tearing up my leased BMW

WinnerLeaser, You are in for a pleasant surprise...a $250 solution is a near-optimal solution. Plus, with one of the nifty kits you can get these days, you can install the upgrade without cutting metal or carpeting in your BMW. Plus this upgrade works for BMW X5, 3- 5-, and 7- series. Read on...

There are three basic BMW Audio System Upgrade options most frequently considered:

1) Upgrade the subwoofer (amp and speaker) by adding a separate, dedicated subwoofer amplifier and integrated speaker. Read on to find out why this is #1.
2) Upgrade just the amplifier to get more power. This will help, but only a little. You'll still need to get better subwoofer speakers, which takes us back to Option #1.
3) Upgrade everything. This will cost a ton of $$ to remove & replace all BMW factory speakers, electronics & wiring, etc but of course it will get the job done.

Let me net it out for you: The *most* lacking area in the BMW stock audio systems is the low-end (bass sound) amplification and the low-end transducers (speakers). This lack of low-end reproduction is lacking in all BMW-installed audio (stock/premium/DSP) even with the BMW-offered upgrade to the Harman/Kardon speakers/system. To solve this, get yourself a self-contained subwoofer that you can install and you will correct the sound reproduction area most lacking in the BMW audio system.

You should consider several key specifications when selecting your subwoofer and installation components:
- RMS wattage in the 175-250 watt range. Self-contained amp/woofer combinations with 200 watts are very common, and 200 watts is more than enough even for larger cabins like X5s. Infinity has recently introduced the BassLink II with 250 watts. You won't need the extra 50 watts in a BMW, so save yourself the dough and get the BassLink I.
- Supports speaker-level signal inputs. Note that the BMW amplifier systems don't have RCA line-level pre-amp outputs. BMW uses twisted pairs which is better since RCA and the shielded cables are often plagued with engine/alternator noise. Both BassLink I and BassLink II support speaker-level (also called high-level) signals.
- Servo controlled speaker. This feature is critical in an automobile application to account for changes in the 'enclosure' (which is your trunk) as you may have more/less dead-space in your trunk on any given day.
- Speaker wire and power wire. The guys at the pro install shop will try to sell you all sorts of fancy/expensive cable product with fancy/expensive packaging and fancy/expensive marketing (aka "Mohn-stah Cable"). Save your dough -- the $99 of Mohn-stah cable will not add any fidelity nor power capacity nor safety. For a subwoofer, the speaker wires only need to carry low frequencies, so your basic speaker wire is more than fine for fidelity. As for the power, any old 14 gauge copper wire (solid copper core for ease of installation) is what is needed to carry the juice up to 300 watts.

Near-Optimal BMW Audio Upgrade: My endorsement goes to the Infinity BassLink. They have several very popular models to select from and IMHO the price is very very reasonable, especially considering the sheer, giddy joy you will get when you finally have smooth, powerful bass tones filling your cockpit. Infinity has recently introduced the BassLink II with 250 watts. If "size matters" to you then go for it.
Go to www.ebay.com and search for Basslink or click here for Basslink search results.

You'll see a lot of units at competitive Buy-It-Now prices (new, and from reputable dealers). The thumbnails look like these:					Get the BassLink Install Kit too as it has all the stuff you'll need to install. The install is easy, even a grandmother can do it. You won't need any special tools, and you won't need to make any cuts. The thumbnail looks like the photo at right.
	Clear 200W	Black 200W	BassLink II 250W	"T" 250W	There are kits for most BMW models, including the X5.	Installation Kit (BassLink I or BassLink II)

Here is further analysis if you still need more information: In writing this, I am well aware of the conventional wisdom (i.e., what the BMW salesperson says) that BMW audio systems are "good enough". I am also aware that for cultural reasons, most BMW owners will say "good enough" is definitely *not* good enough. As a music lover, even the Premium Audio (DSP), and even the HK upgrade is definitely not at all "good enough" and sorely lacks in the low end reproduction.

Analysis of Option #1 - Upgrade everything: This is an option to consider if you have a ton of time and money you *want* to spend (either to impress yourself, or to kill time). It is extreme in concept, and often results in loss of some really nice BMW features (like steering-wheel controls and integrated displays). Worse yet, the money-grabbling, shark-like installers will smell the money a mile away and rip-out the *excellent noise cancelling* twisted pair speaker wiring BMW provides, and replace it with some combination of expensive new speaker wires and expensive noise supression circuitry.
Analysis of Option #2 - Upgrade just the amplifier: This option has a lot of merit in concept, however it turns out that the amplifiers in stock BMWs have almost always been (and certainly true for BMWs in the past decade or so) quite fine in terms of fidelity, and power *except* at the very low end (bass response). Principally, is the problem of too little power in the low end that makes the BMW audio systems just "good enough". Most of us have noted that the BMW Premium Audio adds an amplifier sporting sub woofer outputs, plus sub woofers (usually 2 bass speakers) to the system, but *still* does not have enough amplifier power to bring fidelity to the bass response of the system. Once can certainly replace the BMW factory amplifier (either the standard BMW audio system amp or the Premium Audio amp) with a beefy aftermarket amplifier, however this is typically more expense and hassle than is needed. Let's consider the third option.
Analysis of Option #3 - Upgrade the bass response by adding a separate sub-woofer amplifier and speaker: This is the optimal solution to bring the BMW audio from "good enough" to an audio system that is "bordering on awesome". BMW owners in general are not looking for glass-breaking mortar/bazooka sounds, so the sense of "awesome" is decidedly not "the baddest bass on the block" but rather a full frequency, high-fidelity sound, and spine-tinglingly pleasing across a wide range of program material.

Granted, for the audiophiles among us, there are many more audio gadgets we'd like to spend money and time on. However for the vast majority of BMW owners for whom "good enough" is not good enough, but "bordering on awesome" *is* good enough. The BassLink I with the DIY install kit for BMW is your $250 near-optimal solution.

Regards, NoTickets

Oh... The legal stuff: Basslink and all other trademarks are property of their respective owners. Webpage Design used with permission from www.ultimatebmwparts.com.