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    1. · Registered
      2005 M3 6MT Mystic Blau/Imola Red
      Joined
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      55 Posts
      Discussion Starter · #19 ·
      The JL W3 comes in either 4 ohm or 2 ohm versions. Which one do you have?

      If I had all the $$ that you have to spend on these equipment :), I would run low level RCA cables from the head unit back to the trunk - i.e. you already have 1 pair in place, I would run 2 additional pairs. I would not use the factory high level speakers wires because a) I have no idea how the wires are run, how many connections there are, if they are installed in parallel with high current cables, etc., b) this is the most important - they are not shielded wires which means they can easily pick up noise. If you ran new low level RCA cables, you would (I hope you would) run high quality shielded cables to minimize noise.

      I would initially set the subwoofer crossover at the head unit at 80Hz with 12dB/Octave to start. The crossover frequency and slope (12 dB/Octave is the slope) are greatly dependent on whether you're using a sealed, ported, or infinite baffle setup for your subwoofer. You may need to adjust this based on your taste, interaction with the Bavsound speakers, etc. That means you want to ensure you can adjust this easily without having to take the head unit out every time. Connect this via low level RCA to the trunk. Bridge 2 of the channels from your JL amp to drive this subwoofer. Here you need to be careful as the JL amp, in bridged mode, is only rated for 4 ohm. If your W3 is the 2 ohm version, the amp may not like it. It will work, but make sure you don't overheat/over-current the amp.

      The next decision you have to make is how to provide crossover functionality for your door speakers. I briefly looked at the two links you posted. They are passive crossovers for Focal sets. Unfortunately there are two problems. 1) for the Bavsound speakers for the front door, you need a 3 way crossover because you have mid-base, mid-range, and tweeter. The ones on eBay are only two way crossovers. 2) The crossover frequency is unknown. You have no idea whether these crossovers are appropriate for your Bavsound speakers. You cannot just mix and match passive crossovers with random speakers and expect them to always work well.
      Idk why I thought I had a JL w3 subwoofer, I just checked and its a RF T1D212 (it's the dual-2ohm version). Not sure what this means.

      I was looking at these 3-way crossovers:
      These are rated at 18dB/Oct @600-4000Hz
      These are rated 6-12/12/12dB (3/4/500/3.5kHz), except idk what bi-amps means


      If these could work for my fronts, could I also run these 3-way crossovers for the rears and not connect anything to the tweeter section and use the mid and sub to split the Midbass (80-500) and Midrange (500-4k) at 5 like 00 or 600Hz?
       
    2. · Premium Member
      2005 330xi Auto, 2006 330ci Vert Auto
      Joined
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      2,406 Posts
      Idk why I thought I had a JL w3 subwoofer, I just checked and its a RF T1D212 (it's the dual-2ohm version). Not sure what this means.
      The Rockford Fosgate has two voice coils, each rated at 2 ohm. If you connected these two voice coils in series, you get 4 ohm. If you connect these two voice coils in parallel, you get 1 ohm. That picture shows ithat you have the option of connecting your amplifier to either one of these options. For your JL amplifier, since in bridged mode it's rated for 4 ohm, you should connect the subwoofer in 4 ohm. Having said that, your JL amp, in bridged mode, only provides 200W at 4 ohm. You may not be happy with 200W going to this Rockford Fosgate subwoofer as this is a very substantial sized sub and probably works best with more power. I guess it depends on your taste for subs.
      [/QUOTE]

      I was looking at these 3-way crossovers:
      These are rated at 18dB/Oct @600-4000Hz
      These are rated 6-12/12/12dB (3/4/500/3.5kHz), except idk what bi-amps means

      If these could work for my fronts, could I also run these 3-way crossovers for the rears and not connect anything to the tweeter section and use the mid and sub to split the Midbass (80-500) and Midrange (500-4k) at 5 like 00 or 600Hz?
      You're missing a very important point about passive crossovers. Look at this graph that I found on Google. The x-axis is frequency. You want the behavior of the passive crossover to behave well with your speaker's design frequency range. i.e., the shape and frequency range have to match your speakers. With your Bavsound speakers, you have 3 speakers per side in the front. Each Bavsound speaker has a range of frequency that it was designed to functions at.



      Tweeter:
      -----------------
      Frequency Response: 4,000Hz - 20,000Hz

      Midranges:
      -----------------
      Frequency Response: 500Hz - 4,000Hz
      Power Handling (RMS): 40W

      Midbass:
      -----------------
      Frequency Response: 80Hz - 500Hz

      Here's the important part - the passive crossover needs to be designed and built such that the curve (graph above) matches what your speakers are rated at. As an example, one passive crossover design can have a F(lc) at 120 Hz while a different passive crossover design can have a F(lc) at 200 Hz. The links you provided to the Focal passive crossovers do not provide the necessary information to know whether they would work well with your Bavsounds speakers or not. In short, one brand's 3-way passive crossover may not be the same as another brand's 3-way passive crossover.
       
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