BMW i3 Rear Door Panel Speaker Size
The BMW i3 rear door panel accommodates a 1 inch speaker size and 4 inch speakers. Compatible types across both size categories include tweeter and midrange audio units. The specifications cover the 2014 to 2017 model years.
| Year | Type | Size (inch) |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2017 | Midrange | 4 |
| 2016 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2016 | Midrange | 4 |
| 2015 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2015 | Midrange | 4 |
| 2014 | Tweeter | 1 |
| 2014 | Midrange | 4 |
Speaker Types
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Tweeter | A small driver built for high frequencies, typically from about 2,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz. It adds treble detail and clarity and is usually mounted near ear level or aimed at the listener. |
| Midrange | A driver for the middle of the audible range, typically from about 300 Hz to 5,000 Hz, where vocals and most instruments sit. It is often paired with a tweeter and a woofer. |
Additional Notes
- The BMW i3 rear door panel accommodates 2 distinct speaker sizes simultaneously, with 1-inch and 4-inch positions coexisting within the same door panel cavity.
- Rear door panels are vertically oriented surfaces mounted within the passenger compartment's rear section, positioning speakers at a lateral angle relative to seated occupants.
- The 4-inch opening in the rear door panel is associated with midrange speaker compatibility, a driver size suited to frequencies roughly between 500 Hz and 4 kHz, covering the core band of vocal and instrumental content.
- At 4 inches in diameter, a midrange driver in a door panel location benefits from the door cavity acting as an enclosure, which can reinforce lower-midrange output in the rear of the passenger compartment.
- The 1-inch position in the BMW i3 rear door panel is designated for tweeter use, a driver type that handles high-frequency content typically above 2 kHz to 3 kHz.
- A 1-inch tweeter mounted within a rear door panel radiates high-frequency sound with relatively wide horizontal dispersion but limited vertical throw, which affects how treble energy reaches rear-seat passengers.
- Tweeters at 1 inch in diameter have a small radiating surface, which is acoustically appropriate for high-frequency reproduction where shorter wavelengths require less cone area to move air efficiently.
- The pairing of a 1-inch tweeter and a 4-inch midrange within a single rear door panel represents a 2-way speaker configuration at that location, dividing the audible spectrum between 2 drivers.
- Door panel installations position speakers close to the floor line of rear passengers, which influences the angle of sound incidence and the degree of direct versus reflected high-frequency energy received at ear level.
- The 4-inch midrange size is a relatively compact diameter for a door panel application, indicating the rear door panel of the BMW i3 has spatial constraints that limit the size of the low-to-midrange driver.