BMW i8 B-Pillar Speaker Size
The BMW i8 B-Pillar accommodates a 1 inch speaker size and 4 inch speakers, covering 2 unique speaker sizes across all model years. Compatible types for the location include tweeters and midrange units. The specifications cover the years 2014 through 2017.
| 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 B-pillar location in the BMW i8 sits between the front and rear door openings, positioning speakers at approximately ear height for seated occupants, which makes the site acoustically significant for direct sound delivery.
- A B-pillar mounting point typically offers a narrow, structurally rigid cavity, which constrains the physical diameter of any speaker that can be installed and influences how sound radiates into the cabin.
- The 1-inch driver diameter corresponds to a tweeter, a speaker type engineered to reproduce high frequencies, generally in the range of approximately 2,000 Hz to 20,000 Hz or beyond.
- At the B-pillar position, a 1-inch tweeter benefits from the near-ear placement to deliver high-frequency content with minimal time delay and strong stereo imaging across the cabin.
- Tweeters of 1 inch are typically dome or film-type transducers, where the small diaphragm mass allows rapid movement necessary for accurate high-frequency reproduction.
- The 4-inch driver diameter corresponds to a midrange speaker, a type designed to handle the middle portion of the audible frequency spectrum, generally spanning roughly 300 Hz to 5,000 Hz.
- The BMW i8 B-pillar's structural rigidity reduces unwanted resonance that could otherwise color the midrange speaker's output, since panel flex introduces distortion into the reproduced frequencies.
- A 4-inch midrange at the B-pillar is well positioned to reproduce vocals and upper-mid musical content directed toward the listening area without the long throw distances that degrade imaging precision.
- The pairing of a 1-inch tweeter and a 4-inch midrange at the same location indicates a multi-driver arrangement within the B-pillar, where each driver handles a distinct frequency band rather than a single full-range unit covering the entire spectrum.
- The 4-inch cone diameter is small enough to fit within the spatial constraints of a B-pillar housing while still moving sufficient air to reproduce midrange frequencies at adequate output levels.
- The BMW i8 B-pillar speaker configuration remains consistent across the 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 model years, with both the 1-inch tweeter and 4-inch midrange slots present in each year listed.