component or stock?

[gambit]

Let me get this straight - the ti comes with stock component speakers. I want to replace these to run off my Pioneer HU but I DO NOT want to run an amp. I'm looking for a good sound system with punchy bass but nothing overly loud like subwoofer - basically a sound quality better than the stock without doing too much modification. So I replaced one of the kick woofers (stock) with some cheap alternatives as a test to get the best sound - I have now tried four different types (two 2-ways and two component woofers) all from budget sets ranging from $40 - $100. What is clear is the 2-ways sound terrible so they're out of the question BUT more surprsing is that when I tried the component woofers in the kick they did not even come close to the stock (one was even a polk audio)! I got worried. Is something wrong here? i.e. do I need an amp to get new component speakers to work - why so if the stock ones are working fine? I read somewhere that I should buy low power components instead like the stock woofer (it's 25w) to get more response. It's very wierd as I simply changed the balance from left to right and the stock speaker won hands down evrytime. Do I need to spend more? I have decided to get some Alpine Type Rs (components) but need to know if these will sound better than the stock speakers. Also I don't want to run an amp so will I be limiting their sound by running off my pioneer HU? Please give advice as I don't want to lose any money buy purchasing these unneccesarily. thanks in advance to all

[gambit]

Additional Info:

When testing the kick woofer with different speakers I did not have the component tweeter and hence crossover on that door side connected - it was just running on its own - would it have improved with these connected?

[2ndBimmer]

I read somewhere that I should buy low power components instead like the stock woofer (it's 25w) to get more response.

Perhaps he was talking about ohms and not watts.
If the new speakers your testing are 6 or 8 ohms and the stock are, say, 4, then the stocks will sound louder at a given volume.
Try adjusting for volume and see which gives a cleaner sound at your comfortable listening level. It could just be that you'll need to crank it a little more to get the same perceived volume.

[gambit]

they were all 4 ohms so I didnt think that was the problem.

I didn't fiddle with the HU because in theory the supposedly better component woofers should have simply sounded better with the same settings as applied to the stock. They didn't - I was most surprised by the Polk Audio - shouldn't this outstrip the stock woofer?

will cabling the crossover and tweeter help to improve it sound - i didnt think it should!

[gambit]

more help needed please

[gambit]

anyone else?

[spidertri]

You should try posting this over on bimmerforums in the car audio and electronics forum.

[gambit]

Did that and got no response - I figured 318ti owners would be more knowledgeable

[dave45056]

I am running HU without an Amp and have component speakers in the door and it sounds great. Head Unit is Alpine, speakers are Boston Acoustics Rally. You MUST run component speakes thru the crossover to make them sound right.

[gambit]

okay so are you suggesting if I purchase the Alpine Type Rs to run off the Pioneer HU it will sound better than the stock - I really dont wanna lose out!

thanks in the meantime

[TI-driftin]

I think its very rare that an aftermarket speaker sounds worse than your stock ones. It sounded like you hooked the new one up to one side and the old one to the other side. If so i would try hooking them up correctly. (with both new speakers on both sides). It could be that they have different ohm ratings and that could be causing problems or maybe simply the old speaker has a lower impedance so it takes less power to push it then the new one. These are just guesses but if your having problems it never hurts to hook everything up correctly. (including crossovers/tweeters) You never know, the results can be surprising.

What was the best quality speaker that you tried out? Do you have the model of speaker so we can look it up.

[gambit]

The best were actually some polk audio but as mentioned for some baffling reason were being outperformed by the stock.

model db5251

oh yeah and I'm sure the ouput on the Pionner HU is 4 ohm i.e. matches the new speakers but the stock is 8 ohm i.e. not matching!...im confused: (

[TI-driftin]

Those should definately out-perform your stock speakers. Are you sure those are stock speakers.

You could also eliminate the harness for the speakers if your using one. Just runs speaker wire straight from the HU wires to the speakers. I actually had to remove the harness for space issues in mine. I couldn't push the cd player all the way in with that big honkin harness.