Matt Smith, a student at a Southern California community college, had just purchased the Ultimate Driving Machine-a 2000 328i BMW. Perhaps most people would be content simply with the car itself, nut not Smith. After adding wheels, suspension, exhaust and a body kit from BMW tuning house AC Schnitzer, Smith steered his ride towards Sounds Good Stereo in Woodland Hills, Calif., and the capable hands of owner Isaac Goren.

Smith wanted an A/V system that could hit deep, tight bass, but retain its clarity in the mids and highs. The Sounds Good team, led by Goren and installers Shawn Enright and Kevin Binkle, were also given the not-so-simple task of making everything as stealth as possible but also visible for show season.

Smith know the Sounds Good team from the work they'd done on his previous system, as well as the rig they'd done for him mother's Suburban. For his BMW, Smith wanted a system to match the class of his car.

"When I had my 4-Runner, I just wanted something loud," he says. "But then when I got my Bimmer, I wanted something refined that I could show."

Safety First

Installers fist went to work on the Alpine 8063 security system, including window/sunroof control, starter disable, backup battery siren and several auxiliary channels. Smith uses the extra channels to pop open the trunk, work the head unit and light up a set of neons in the sub enclosure. Finally, Sounds Good integrated the 8063 with Mobile Mayday, Alpine's telematics system. At the push of a button, Smith can get directions or request emergency services in the car. If he locks his keys inside, an 800 number gets him in touch with an operator who'll remotely unlock the doors. And should any unsavory individuals abduct his wheels, Mobile Mayday's GPS interface an track down its location.

Keeping in mind that Smith wanted a refined audio-video system, Goren opted for Alpine's CVA-1005 for a head unit (wrapped in a Scosche dash kit) and the companion DVA-5200 DVD player mounted in the trunk above the sub enclosure. Figuring Smith would want to upgrade his multimedia experience at some point, the installers included an auxiliary input for a gamestation.

Foe keeping the audio signal clean, Sounds Good installed a Rockford Fosgate Symmetry unit in the trunk, but ran a data cable up to the front armrest where the installers carved out a spot for the Symmetry remote. From here, Smith can do any tweaking from the driver's seat. Goren, however, didn't want Smith getting too crazy on the EQ curves, particularly while driving, so the Symmetry remote typically remains in the trunk above the brain. The Symmetry unit also features a 28-band crossover chip.

In the glove box is an Alpine six-disc changer, an application that involved much trial and error using a cardboard dummy to determine the best placement. Only then were any holes drilled. Also, the changer needed to be mounted in such a way that didn't interfere with the factory fuse block, located just behind the glove box.

Gone Eurasian

Up front and in the rear deck, Smith stayed true to the Euro theme with his speaker choice and opted for MB Quart drivers all around. Up front in custom kick panels is a set of Quart eight-inch coaxials, while the factory door locations house six-inch coaxials. Firing from the rear deck and covered by the stock grilles is a pair of 5.25-inch coaxials.

In the trunk, however, Smith went Japanese with twin 12-inch Eclipse Titanium series subs in a 2.25-cubic foot, sealed enclosure. Plexiglas windows afford a view of the unique V-enclosure, trimmed out in stainless steel, while eight red bulbs inside illuminate the logos Sounds Good and the brands involved. Wrapped in color-matched vinyl and with two pieces of mirrored Plexiglas a side, it makes for a clean, visually appealing sub setup. And from the front, it's all covered up by the BMW's infamous "ski hole" (the small opening in the rear seat backrests that allows long objects-such as a pair of snow skis-to be placed in the trunk).

Three Rockford Fosgate amps power the system: two Punch 400a4 four-channels work the mids and highs, while one bd1000a drives the subwoofers. One Punch 400a4 runs a bridged, 2-ohm load driving the eight-inch coaxials up front. The other four-channel runs the six-inch drivers in the doors, and the bd1000a drives a 2-ohm load to the twin Eclipse subs.

Before the amps were mounted to the trunk floor, however, they were disassembled and powder-coated blue to match the Bim's exterior, A digital voltmeter was also dropped in the center of each amp, particularly to monitor the system's health during shows.

Under the amps in spare tire well, the Sounds Good team placed most of the system's electrical components, including a Optima Yellow Top and 200 amp solenoid isolating it from another Yellow Top elsewhere in the trunk, and all the fuses, relays and brain of the CVA-1005. Access to the electrical arteries is granted by lifting up one of the amps.

Finally, Sounds Good installed two Scosche one-farad caps, on for the four-channel duo and another for the sub amp.

Accidental Bliss

Smith hadn't thought too long and hard about this system, surprisingly. He didn't have much time to. Prior to this system, he had three JL Audio subs firing through the rear seats, two Fosgate amps and an amber light scheme resembling something out of Close Encounters. Then Smith was involved in the accident that wrecked the BMW's rear and prompted the system swamp.

Not that he's complaining. Smith recently joined IASCA and plans to compete in Novice 601+ for the 2001 season. He's also got designs for an upgrade to a 3.6-liter engine. Good luck, Matt and please let us know when you'll let us take out the Bim for a road-tested sonic evaluation-preferably after that engine swap.