Musicar Northwest Owners

Homer Jay · 09-29-2013, 09:53 PM

Hi everybody.

I have a 2011 335is with the HiFi Audio system. I am looking at doing one of the MusicarNW upgrades. I see that many forum members have upgraded with these kits. I am thinking of going with Level 2 or Level 3 with rear speaker retain (rear PDC). I am also trying to decide on the 4 way system with the sub enclosure. My last after market system was the Morel Elate 6 (3 way) and a single 10" sub.

So can I get some feedback on the MusicarNW owners. Who is running what? Level 2? Level 3? Trunk Sub? What is your overall combination and your opinion on it overall, especially in relation to the sub?

Thanks.

ctuna · 09-30-2013, 12:32 AM

I am running a level two system no sub
Jehnerts in the floors and Morels in the doors.
Its provides very accurate sound it goes loud enough to
to make my ears ring and still does not distort.
I think the proper underseats will contribute more to the
overall sound than a sub . If you want a thumper system
then I guess you need sub. Recently VP had a system up that
used German Maestro underseats and a processor he said gave
amazing results .

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=833581

Homer Jay · 09-30-2013, 10:49 PM

Thanks for the information and link.

scienceguy · 10-17-2013, 03:09 PM

Does anyone know if Ken from Musicar is away for a while? I am ready to make a purchase from Musicar and I've emailed him twice in the last couple weeks, but no response. I see he hasn't posted here since Oct 8.

He responded to my first two emails super quickly with great info; and he seemed like a super knowledgeable and gregarious guy. I hope he doesn't think I was just mining for info and didn't intend to buy anything...

OC40 · 10-17-2013, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scienceguy

Does anyone know if Ken from Musicar is away for a while? I am ready to make a purchase from Musicar and I've emailed him twice in the last couple weeks, but no response. I see he hasn't posted here since Oct 8.

He responded to my first two emails super quickly with great info; and he seemed like a super knowledgeable and gregarious guy. I hope he doesn't think I was just mining for info and didn't intend to buy anything...

I have been in periodic contact with Ken for an F30 upgrade. He is swamped! I believe they are moving to a different building and he is fielding F30 requests. I suggest calling him.

wilbur_the_goose · 10-18-2013, 07:30 AM

Try using the telephone?

bmw325i · 10-18-2013, 10:03 AM

He can be a little hard to get ahold of sometimes. It's worth it in the end though

kaigoss69 · 10-18-2013, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmw325i

He can be a little hard to get ahold of sometimes. It's worth it in the end though

Yeah it's kinda like having a meal in a Southern European restaurant; you have to flag down the waiter multiple times and put up with his attitude, but in the end its so worth it!

bmw325i · 10-18-2013, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaigoss69

Yeah it's kinda like having a meal in a Southern European restaurant; you have to flag down the waiter multiple times and put up with his attitude, but in the end its so worth it!

LMAO

very true Musicar definetly makes up for their lack of customer service, and if you have any issues Ken will take care of it when you finally get ahold of him.

scienceguy · 10-18-2013, 03:52 PM

Yep - I have heard nothing but good things about Ken. And my limited personal experience definitely reinforces that good reputation. I will just have to be persistent. I didn't want to be a pest since I know he is so busy, but then again, if I am going to spend thousands I guess that is a pretty good sort of pest for a business to have!

bmw325i · 10-19-2013, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctuna

I am running a level two system no sub
Jehnerts in the floors and Morels in the doors.
Its provides very accurate sound it goes loud enough to
to make my ears ring and still does not distort.
I think the proper underseats will contribute more to the
overall sound than a sub . If you want a thumper system
then I guess you need sub. Recently VP had a system up that
used German Maestro underseats and a processor he said gave
amazing results .

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=833581

I've had my subs out since I installed my headunit a few weeks ago and I have to agree that the jehnerts alone can put out a good amount of bass. It's almost good enough without a sub. I do prefer having the subwoofers installed though. Overall I think the sound quality is better, simply because you can more accurately reproduce the low frequencies. I think people are afraid of adding too much bass because they don't want to be part of the spl crowd, but with the right music alot of bass actually sounds good.

thinset · 11-07-2013, 11:28 PM

Thought I'd give a review since I finally got everything in.

I've had an "upgraded" stereo in every car I've had for the last 20 yrs (and that's a lot of cars). Every install was always in moderation, because that was the budget available. I'd always yearned for the SQ of an IASCA car and dreamed of the day that my car would be comparable to the sound coming from the lanes of the Spring Break Nationals. Historically, most of the work was done myself with much research and even more trial and error. Now that I live in the middle of the city and own a 10x20 parking spot, there is simply no time or space to do my own install. For the new car purchase I wanted something that would finally get me a SQ install, but completely stealth, with no cutting and no apparent revisions to the interior. With that in mind, I contacted MusicarNW. Ken sent me some options and soon we were on our way.

Long story short, I opted for the MusicarNW Level 3 in my 2010 E91 (3-way setup, fully active). Components include:
Head unit re-coded to Top HIFI (I had the infamous 2010 base stereo with no tweeters, but have navigation, phone, PDC, etc...so MOST is already in the car)

From the headunit, we tapped the MOST connection for toslink to -> Mobridge DA2 -> Helix DSP
This feeds the (2) amps,
(1) Arc Mini Class G 4-channel -> (2) Morel MT-230 tweeters and (2) HAT Legatia L4SE Carbon mids
(1) Arc Mini Class G 2-channel -> (2) German Maestro SWF 8012HE

For comparison, my previous car was an E83 with a not so stock install which was also an active 3-way, but with a subwoofer. I'd call it stage 1 + DSP on MusicarNW's chart, Ken may debate that. Install included:
stock head unit -> JBL MS8 -> Alpine MRX V60 -> Rainbow Audio SLC 210.25 NG (speakers courtesy of MusicarNW, installed in stock door panel, note that the tweeters were powered by the MS8, mids were powered by the Alpine) -> MB Quart RVF 164 (underseat factory enclosures, slightly modified) -> Subwoofer - JL Audio CP108LG-W3v3 (8" microsub)

Back to the MusicarNW Level 3 in the E91, simply put, it is OUTSTANDING. No one believes there are only (6) speakers in the car and no center channel. The imaging and soundstage is simply breathtaking. Everything I yearned for in the E83 is corrected. I always felt the MS8 did a great job centering the image directly in front of me just past the steering wheel, but at the expense of a fairly collapsed stage. The Level 3 in the E91 is as wide as wide gets, with a center somewhere near the middle of the hood and sound emanating outside of the doors. Amazing. Music is breathtakingly clear, with no sense of fatigue. I could listen all day, and do.

That said, I'm 95% satisfied with the install. And for me, that means really impressed. The last 5% is the yearning for a true subwoofer. The underseat German Maestros work their butt off, but simply run out of gas when it comes to anything with truly heavy bass (hip-hop, techno, dance, etc). Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near Portland, OR, so I'll be patiently waiting for them to have another E91 pass through to get a mold for a sub enclosure. Until then, I'm more than content with the current install. Don't get me wrong, 99% of the general public would never ever question the need for a dedicated sub. The German Maestros provide for one of the most accurate low frequency reproductions I've heard in a vehicle, with some serious mid bass attack. As Ken said to me, let's get these (6) speakers installed and then decide.

Kudos to Ken and John for their patience with me and my never ending phone calls and emails. I can't begin to express how satisfied I am with the level of thinking and production that goes into their installs. With MusicarNW you are not buying a bunch of components, you are purchasing a highly considered kit of parts fabricated at a very high level (the underseat subwoofer trims are a work of art, the amp rack and pre-wired connections is simply mind boggling at how perfect they fit). That comes at a premium, but for me, it was more than worth it. I also want to send a big thanks to Jerry and his guys at Showtime Audio in Chicago for seeing the install through.

The best part of the install is that everything looks and functions 100% OEM. It simply sounds 100x better. No echo in the BT, no engine whine, no noise. Dead silent, amazing music reproduction.

I can't recommend MusicarNW highly enough.

wilbur_the_goose · 11-08-2013, 10:24 AM

^^^
A retort to the bass. I'm 53, listen to a lot of AAA, some pop, and 80's stuff (Genesis, for example), and I think the bass is perfect. I don't want to rattle windows - I want an accurate reproduction of what they were recording in the studio. Listen to WXPN (xpn.org) a lot - check out their stream to get a flavor of my taste)

And I'm VERY happy with my Musicar NW Stage 2!!!

09-29-2013, 09:53 PM	#1
Homer Jay New Member 1 Rep 16 Posts Drives: E92 335is Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Arizona iTrader: (0)	Musicar Northwest Owners Hi everybody. I have a 2011 335is with the HiFi Audio system. I am looking at doing one of the MusicarNW upgrades. I see that many forum members have upgraded with these kits. I am thinking of going with Level 2 or Level 3 with rear speaker retain (rear PDC). I am also trying to decide on the 4 way system with the sub enclosure. My last after market system was the Morel Elate 6 (3 way) and a single 10" sub. So can I get some feedback on the MusicarNW owners. Who is running what? Level 2? Level 3? Trunk Sub? What is your overall combination and your opinion on it overall, especially in relation to the sub? Thanks. __________________ 2011 E92 335is
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09-30-2013, 12:32 AM	#2
ctuna Lieutenant General 1911 Rep 13,104 Posts Drives: 325xi 06 wagon MT Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Santa Cruz, Ca iTrader: (0)	I am running a level two system no sub I am running a level two system no sub Jehnerts in the floors and Morels in the doors. Its provides very accurate sound it goes loud enough to to make my ears ring and still does not distort. I think the proper underseats will contribute more to the overall sound than a sub . If you want a thumper system then I guess you need sub. Recently VP had a system up that used German Maestro underseats and a processor he said gave amazing results . http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=833581 Last edited by ctuna; 09-30-2013 at 12:42 AM..
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09-30-2013, 10:49 PM	#3
Homer Jay New Member 1 Rep 16 Posts Drives: E92 335is Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Arizona iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the information and link. __________________ 2011 E92 335is
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10-17-2013, 03:09 PM	#4
scienceguy New Member 3 Rep 12 Posts Drives: BMW 335i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Does anyone know if Ken from Musicar is away for a while? I am ready to make a purchase from Musicar and I've emailed him twice in the last couple weeks, but no response. I see he hasn't posted here since Oct 8. He responded to my first two emails super quickly with great info; and he seemed like a super knowledgeable and gregarious guy. I hope he doesn't think I was just mining for info and didn't intend to buy anything...
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10-18-2013, 07:30 AM	#6
wilbur_the_goose Major 353 Rep 1,245 Posts Drives: 2018 330ix Gran Turismo Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Philly iTrader: (0)	Try using the telephone?
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10-18-2013, 10:03 AM	#7
bmw325i Major General 223 Rep 5,120 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 325i Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: United States iTrader: (8)	He can be a little hard to get ahold of sometimes. It's worth it in the end though
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10-18-2013, 03:52 PM	#10
scienceguy New Member 3 Rep 12 Posts Drives: BMW 335i xDrive Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Yep - I have heard nothing but good things about Ken. And my limited personal experience definitely reinforces that good reputation. I will just have to be persistent. I didn't want to be a pest since I know he is so busy, but then again, if I am going to spend thousands I guess that is a pretty good sort of pest for a business to have!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-07-2013, 11:28 PM	#12
thinset New Member 0 Rep 10 Posts Drives: 2010 328i X-Drive Touring Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Windy City iTrader: (0)	Thought I'd give a review since I finally got everything in. I've had an "upgraded" stereo in every car I've had for the last 20 yrs (and that's a lot of cars). Every install was always in moderation, because that was the budget available. I'd always yearned for the SQ of an IASCA car and dreamed of the day that my car would be comparable to the sound coming from the lanes of the Spring Break Nationals. Historically, most of the work was done myself with much research and even more trial and error. Now that I live in the middle of the city and own a 10x20 parking spot, there is simply no time or space to do my own install. For the new car purchase I wanted something that would finally get me a SQ install, but completely stealth, with no cutting and no apparent revisions to the interior. With that in mind, I contacted MusicarNW. Ken sent me some options and soon we were on our way. Long story short, I opted for the MusicarNW Level 3 in my 2010 E91 (3-way setup, fully active). Components include: Head unit re-coded to Top HIFI (I had the infamous 2010 base stereo with no tweeters, but have navigation, phone, PDC, etc...so MOST is already in the car) From the headunit, we tapped the MOST connection for toslink to -> Mobridge DA2 -> Helix DSP This feeds the (2) amps, (1) Arc Mini Class G 4-channel -> (2) Morel MT-230 tweeters and (2) HAT Legatia L4SE Carbon mids (1) Arc Mini Class G 2-channel -> (2) German Maestro SWF 8012HE For comparison, my previous car was an E83 with a not so stock install which was also an active 3-way, but with a subwoofer. I'd call it stage 1 + DSP on MusicarNW's chart, Ken may debate that. Install included: stock head unit -> JBL MS8 -> Alpine MRX V60 -> Rainbow Audio SLC 210.25 NG (speakers courtesy of MusicarNW, installed in stock door panel, note that the tweeters were powered by the MS8, mids were powered by the Alpine) -> MB Quart RVF 164 (underseat factory enclosures, slightly modified) -> Subwoofer - JL Audio CP108LG-W3v3 (8" microsub) Back to the MusicarNW Level 3 in the E91, simply put, it is OUTSTANDING. No one believes there are only (6) speakers in the car and no center channel. The imaging and soundstage is simply breathtaking. Everything I yearned for in the E83 is corrected. I always felt the MS8 did a great job centering the image directly in front of me just past the steering wheel, but at the expense of a fairly collapsed stage. The Level 3 in the E91 is as wide as wide gets, with a center somewhere near the middle of the hood and sound emanating outside of the doors. Amazing. Music is breathtakingly clear, with no sense of fatigue. I could listen all day, and do. That said, I'm 95% satisfied with the install. And for me, that means really impressed. The last 5% is the yearning for a true subwoofer. The underseat German Maestros work their butt off, but simply run out of gas when it comes to anything with truly heavy bass (hip-hop, techno, dance, etc). Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near Portland, OR, so I'll be patiently waiting for them to have another E91 pass through to get a mold for a sub enclosure. Until then, I'm more than content with the current install. Don't get me wrong, 99% of the general public would never ever question the need for a dedicated sub. The German Maestros provide for one of the most accurate low frequency reproductions I've heard in a vehicle, with some serious mid bass attack. As Ken said to me, let's get these (6) speakers installed and then decide. Kudos to Ken and John for their patience with me and my never ending phone calls and emails. I can't begin to express how satisfied I am with the level of thinking and production that goes into their installs. With MusicarNW you are not buying a bunch of components, you are purchasing a highly considered kit of parts fabricated at a very high level (the underseat subwoofer trims are a work of art, the amp rack and pre-wired connections is simply mind boggling at how perfect they fit). That comes at a premium, but for me, it was more than worth it. I also want to send a big thanks to Jerry and his guys at Showtime Audio in Chicago for seeing the install through. The best part of the install is that everything looks and functions 100% OEM. It simply sounds 100x better. No echo in the BT, no engine whine, no noise. Dead silent, amazing music reproduction. I can't recommend MusicarNW highly enough. Last edited by thinset; 11-07-2013 at 11:38 PM..
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11-08-2013, 10:24 AM	#13
wilbur_the_goose Major 353 Rep 1,245 Posts Drives: 2018 330ix Gran Turismo Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Philly iTrader: (0)	^^^ A retort to the bass. I'm 53, listen to a lot of AAA, some pop, and 80's stuff (Genesis, for example), and I think the bass is perfect. I don't want to rattle windows - I want an accurate reproduction of what they were recording in the studio. Listen to WXPN (xpn.org) a lot - check out their stream to get a flavor of my taste) And I'm VERY happy with my Musicar NW Stage 2!!!
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