BMW 3 Series (E93) Speakers & Amplifier Step-by-Step Installation Guide

By some considered one of the more iconic BMW 3 Series generations, the E9x is one heck of a car. That being said, it's often missing something, especially if you are an audiophile. Luckily, our BMW speaker and amplifier kits sound worlds better than anything you could find in any of the available trim levels. Whether it's the factory base system, the Hi-Fi system, or anything else – the complete Alpha One BMW audio upgrade will simply blow you away. 

But since you’re already here, you probably don’t need any more convincing. You want to learn how to get it up and running in your ride. And in this article, we’ll show you just that: the step-by-step guide on installing the Alpha One Speakers & Amp in BMW E90, E91, E92, and E93.

Coming up, you’ll learn:

• Why is it so easy to install our Speakers & Amplifier in BMW 3 Series (E9x)?
  
• How to prepare for the installation of your own Alpha One complete audio set?
  
• What does the installation process look like for the BMW E9x Speakers?
  
• How to install the BMW 3 Series amplifier in your E9x?

Want to get a better look at all the steps described below? Then watch this video. 

Let’s Prepare! The Tools You Will Need & Safety Tips

The installation of the complete Alpha One BMW audio system in your E90, E91, E92, or E93 is super simple, DIY-friendly, and easy to accomplish. All you need for that are our BMW DIY Essentials kit and BimmerTech Trim Tool Kit, both available on our website. 

If you're not comfortable doing this yourself, you can always find one of our installers in about 30 countries worldwide by visiting our website. Based in the Orlando, Florida area? Then you can stop by our showroom and have us do it for you! Coming back to planet DIY, let’s take a look at what you’ll need to prepare before getting to it on your own.

Here are the tools you will need for the job:

• BimmerTech Trim Tool Kit
• Torx screwdrivers (T20, T15, T50)
• Phillips head screwdriver
• Zip ties
• Electrical tape
• Double-sided mounting tape
• Heat gun

The whole process may take up to around 180 minutes, but it's not difficult with the right tools. Just to be safe, we also strongly recommend disconnecting the car battery. How to do that? Simply follow the instructions or the video tutorial below:

1. To begin, remove the cover on the right side of the trunk by turning the fastener 90 degrees to the left and removing the flap. 
2. Now that you have access to the battery, remove the negative connection. 
3. Using a 10-millimeter socket wrench, simply unscrew the bolt and remove the connection.
4. And there you have it – your battery is now successfully disconnected! 

PRO TIP: wrap a towel around the door latch to prevent it from locking you out if it closes.

Step-by-Step BMW E93 Speakers & Amplifier Installation Tutorial

While the video we are going to be mostly referring to covers the installation process for the BMW E93, it will be similar for all 3 Series models of this generation. However, if you’d like to get a better look at what should go where we also have a tutorial specifically for the BMW E90 Speakers available on our YouTube channel: 

Now to the installation part. We’ll divide it into four chapters, each focused on a different part of the audio system – front BMW speakers, rear speakers, BMW E90 underseat woofers, and finally the amplifier. Starting at the front…  

Chapter I – BMW E93 Front Speakers Installation

…with the midranges. Begin by using a trim tool and your hands to remove the decorative trim. 

1. Remove the handle trim by prying it up from the bottom. 
2. Next, remove the five T20 screws – one in the handle and four along the middle. 
3. Once all the screws are out, use a trim tool and your hands to pry the panel off. 
4. Remove the door handle cable and all other connectors by pulling them out.
5. Bring the panel over to your workbench and remove the three T20 screws holding the speaker in place, then remove it. 
6. Take a spacer kit from your Alpha One box and place one spacer on each screw hole. Place the Alpha One BMW E93 midrange speaker on top and install the three new T20 screws from the spacer kit. 

Let’s get to the tweeters, followed by reconnecting the cables and reinstalling all the panels. 

1. Grab the tweeter trim and articulate it out, removing the foam. 
2. Carefully pry back the retaining tabs with a pick tool while applying upward pressure on the tweeter to pop it free. 
3. Snap the Alpha One tweeter in place and reinstall the foam.
4. Take your filter cable and plug its mid-out into one of the ports on the speaker. 
5. To reinstall the trim, slide in the bottom tab first, then snap the rest in place. Note: it may take a couple of tries. 
6. Plug the tweeter cable into the other port on the speaker, and ensure the lead from the amplifier is plugged into the other side of the filter cable. 
7. Plug everything that you removed back in. Line up all the fasteners, feed the door pin into place, fit the panel back in place, reinstall all five screws, and replace both trim pieces.

PRO TIP: when reinstalling the door handle, make sure it is in the proper position and reinstall the cable. 

Chapter II – BMW E93 Rear Door Speakers Installation

For the rear speakers, start by pulling up and removing the bottom rear of the seat. CAUTION: this is where most of the differences between BMW E90 and E93 lie in terms of the installation process. Since the BMW E93 is a convertible, it obviously doesn’t have a rear door; though the same steps will apply to the BMW E92 coupé.

1. Use your trim tool and hands to remove the decorative trim. You can pull off the armrest for easier access to the screws. 
2. Remove the two T20 screws, then pull them up and away on the trim to remove it. It may be easier to remove the side seat bolster, which we do for reinstallation. 
3. Disconnect the three connectors by pulling them out, then remove the three T20 screws holding the speaker in place. 
4. Just like in the front, add the three spacers, put the Alpha One speaker back in place, and screw it down with the new screws. We decided to remove the side bolster to make things easier – just pull away on it from the bottom.
    
   PRO TIP: if the locking tab stays in the car, pinch it out and snap it back into the bolster.
   
   
5. Plug in all the connectors you removed, including the speaker connector, which you'll plug into the filter cable. Again, add the filter cable mid-out to one of the ports. Line up the tabs on the two panels, articulate the panel you took out back into place, and snap it down. 
6. Reinstall the screws, the side bolster, the armrest, and the decorative trim. 

Chapter III – BMW E93 Underseat Subwoofers Installation

Now for the BMW subwoofers. 

1. Start by moving the seat all the way back. Remove the two T50 screws holding the front of the seat down. Then, move the seat all the way forward and remove the three T50 screws in the back – two on the outside and one on the inside. 
2. Once free, carefully tilt the seat back to expose the subwoofer grille. Remove all the T20 screws holding it down and take it out. 
3. Remove the four T20 screws securing the sub to the vehicle. Disconnect the harness by pressing the center tab and pull the BMW subwoofer out.
    
   PRO TIP: use a trim tool to assist with pushing the center tab in.
    
4. Put the Alpha One BMW E93 Subwoofer in its place and connect it. 
   Use the factory T20 screws you removed to secure it. Replace the grille and reinstall all the screws. Carefully drop the seat back in place and reinstall all T50 screws. 

PRO TIP: hold up with screwing them all the way down until each one is lined up; once they are, finish tightening them down.

Chapter IV – BMW E93 Amplifier Installation

Moving on to the Alpha One BMW amplifier. In the case of the BMW E93 convertible, start by putting up the top to gain as much access to the trunk as possible. 

1. Open the trunk and remove the four panels as well as the cover plate. For the corner plate, use a trim tool to rotate the locking tab 90 degrees and pull the trim out. 
2. Use a trim tool to remove the two fasteners on top of the side trim. Next, open the storage compartment and rotate the locking tab 90 degrees. Note: you may need a screwdriver if it's tight. There are also two more in the back that need to be rotated and removed. 
3. In the back corner, loosen the Phillips screw in the fastener and pop the fastener out.
   
   PRO TIP: to get these panels out, we found out it's best to get the top to its halfway position. Once there, you’ll be able to lift the panel and the storage tray out. This will also expose the amplifier. After removing all the panels, move the top all the way back up again to give yourself more room. 
4. To remove the factory bracket, remove the four 8 mm bolts holding it in place. Once free, pull the bracket out. 
5. Disconnect the one connector by pressing the center tab and rotating the arm. To remove the amp, slide out the two locking wedges. CAUTION: they will be tight! Have a good grasp on the amplifier so you don't drop it.
6. Take the Alpha One BMW E90 Amplifier with the pre-mounted bracket and place it in place. Plug the harness into the amp. CAUTION: each connector can only go in one port. 
   
   PRO TIP: you can tidy up any slack using zip ties.
    
7. Place the USB cable on the other side as well, then take the assembly over to the car and slide it in. Plug the BMW connector into the Alpha One harness, place it in, rotate the arm to pull it down, and lock it into place. 
8. Reinstall the 8 mm bolts. For the one on the lower left of the screen, make sure it goes through the Alpha One bracket as well.

For reassembly, get the roof in the halfway position again. 

1. Start with the top panel, then lower the roof halfway. 
2. Place the storage tray bottom back in and reinsert the front locking tabs. Rotate them 90 degrees to secure them. 
3. Articulate the side panel in; it will take some wiggling. Reinstall the last three locking tabs and rotate them 90 degrees to secure them. Make sure it's under the weather stripping.
4. Insert the two fasteners in the back and the one Phillips fastener. 
5. Put the roof fully back up to reinstall the last panel. Snap the last trim piece back in, put the floor panel back in… 

…and you're done!

Is the Alpha One BMW E9x Speaker & Amp Upgrade Worth It?

That is how you install our Alpha One Speakers and Amplifier on your BMW E93 convertible. A simple plug-and-play upgrade that offers unparalleled audio quality and doesn’t require a time-consuming installation process. 

If you want this for your car, head on over to our website, enter your VIN, and find the correct kit for you. In case you would like to install it yourself, make sure you pick up our DIY Essentials Kit and Trim Tool Kit. 

Don’t feel like installing it on your own? No worries! Find one of our certified installers near you – we have them in around 30 countries worldwide. Or, if you're in the Orlando FL area, stop by and we’ll do it for you.