I'm shopping around for high end stereo upgrades for my 04 E55. Does anyone have any system recommendations? Post pics.

 

I know this is pretty open-ended, but I want to see what kinds of systems you guys have installed in your E55s.

 

I have 2 Genesis amps, Morel Components up front, and 2 JL Audio 12w3v3's. Very happy with the sound quality. Here is a picture of my trunk. All the work was done by Sounds Good Stereo in Woodland Hills, CA.

 

Hey Akara, just curious does your car have the folding rear seat option?

 

I kept this system very simple without fancy amp racks, fiberglass, neon, etc. All you can see in the trunk is the subs. The amps are mounted on the back of the rear seat. It sounds really clean and very loud. I have gotten a lot of compliments on the sound quality. Get the best speakers you can afford, and build the system around them.

 

Look at Torquey55's sig and that is what you should aim for. Focal component speakers are fantastic. I had a lower line (polyglass) in one of my previous cars and they were awesome so I can just imagine what the Polykevlar ones sound like. JL amps are truly awesome for their price and their subs are also top notch. You could go with JL for subs or Focal, both will get the job done.

 

No, it does not, but the panel behind the center armrest has been vented to allow the bass to come through into the car. The subs are configured to fire right through there.

 

Thanks guys! I think I'm going to get two morel two way systems, two JL 10" subs, and these new alpine plate amplifiers to run it. I'm going to keep the Comand system for now, but I'm going to upgrade all wiring.

The place I'm going to has offered to build an enclosure in the trunk for the 10" subs... they're going to cut two holes in the metal plate that now holds the stock sub for the two 10" subs... they will be facing upwards into the cabin... because they are deeper than the stock sub we're going to build a new roof to the trunk and only lose the top 3" of trunk space... I'll post pics as soon as it's done

 

Where did you put the 2 JL Audio 12s. Factory set up comes with a hole for only 1 sub..

 

they're going to cut two holes in the metal plate that now holds the stock sub for the two 10" subs..

we're going to build a new roof to the trunk

Before you chop your car up, your should try to have them build a box that will fit in your trunk without cutting into the metal plate.. Take a look at Torquey55's system. He has 2 12" subs, and it doesn't look like they cut anything in his car. Just my 2 cents!!!

 

Nothing was cut at all, just like MB Steve said, I had the factory sub removed and the bass enters thru that opening. The whole trunk acts as one big enclosure. If the car wasn't so well insulated I'd probably blow the windows out.

 

The subs are behind the amp rack, in a "V" configuration, firing through the center armrest opening.

 

those of you with big amplified systems, where do you get your amp signals from? do you use line level converters? and do you have adjustable volume control for the subs, or just set the gain right and leave it as is?

sorry i have no idea what audio gear is standard in these cars! do they run separate amps from stock?

Torquey55, do the 165 focals bolt straight in to the factory holes?!

 

My car is leased and the 165 Focals fit perfectly in the stock speaker locations (6 1/2") so no cutting was necessary and they sound PHENOMINAL. I have a knob for adjusting volume on the subs mounted on the side of the center console by the shifter where the edge of the console meets the carpet. As far as line level converters, etc. I have to plead ignorance. I left the car with a very experienced installer and let him do his thing. I wanted a VERY simple system with excellent sound quality that plays loud and super clean. All I needed were the amps, subs, speakers, and a big ol JL Audio 150 Amp fuse (smaller ones blew a couple of times) all tied into the COMAND. The whole system will be very easy to return to stock at the end of the lease, which was very important to me.

 

I think I made it sound a little too dramatic. If you look at the roof of the trunk there is an exposed metal plate with holes in it that hold the stock subwoofer. The tech is going to make two of those holes wide enough so that the magnets on the 10" subs have room. There will be no cutting of anything else - from the inside of the car there will be no difference.

My tech showed me pics of an identical installation he did on Bruce Springsteen's manager's E500 and it looked great. The only loss of space in the whole car is two inches of verticle space in the trunk.

 

Bruce Sprigsteen's manager? Where are you located? East or Westcoast?

 

I thought E55's were not available with folding rear seats.

 

i believe my car is listed as having option 267 (or 287?) which is stated as the Through loading feature with 1/3 2/3 split rear folding seats. Never actually folded them down fully yet, i imagine there will be a huge loading space with the seats down.

 

Guy does your stereos work with stock Command system ???

You just put new spakers, amps and bassbox ???

Any price range ???

 

Everything in my system is tied into the COMAND, just amps, subs, box and speakers. Easy install and easy removal at end of lease. JL Audio amps, subs & Focal speakers are pretty pricey. A good friend is the manager at the shop where I had the install done so I got a decent price break on everything. It's easy to spend several thousand with a simple system and high quality equipment.