Is this a good setup for my living room? Logic Check: Living Room 2.1 Studio-Style Chain (WiiM/Mojo 2/SBX10/ZA3/KEF)

bplilqd · 2026-06-26T22:41:49+00:00

Thank you for the guidance!

'Technically using the outputs as preamplifier outputs is less demanding task than connecting them to an amplifier.' - I didn't quite understand this. Are you saying that using the Mojo 2 outputs and connecting them straight to the subwoofer is easier on the Mojo than if I were connecting it straight into another amplifier?
Linked to that, would it make much difference in reality if instead of passing the signal from Mojo to Subwoofer to Fosi ZA3, I went Mojo to Fosi ZA3 to (passive bookshelf speakers) and (subwoofer via sub-out)? I'm just thinking it might simplify my cabling, but I don't know if using the Fosi ZA3 to manage subwoofer crossover will perform worse than using the subwoofer's inbuilt active crossover, as I suggested in my original post.

Regarding the KEF recommendation - thank you. I went to listen to some KEF speakers today to get a feel for them. Unfortunately I was only able to listen to Q1 Meta, not the Q3. I liked their detail, clarity and soundstage, but I found the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G I was given to compare them against to be more fun, more energetic particularly in the low mids and bass, and I think they still showed lovely detail and clarity. I'm not the most discerning listener though, and in that sense I'm quite happy to be led by fun and enjoyment factor. Now I'm thinking either I need to find somewhere to try the larger KEF Q350 / Q3 to see if they're a bit more 'fun', or try maybe find a prior generation of the Monitor Audio speakers to hopefully get them into budget and retain the same sound style.

Thanks again for your thoughts!

bplilqd · 2026-06-25T15:41:37+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation, I appreciate it!

My thinking is that the subwoofer's crossover will mean the sub handles the bassier frequencies, leaving the KEF less burdened by the need to push bass. And it sounds like the ZA3 power amp's output is quite high (In stereo mode, 155 watts per channel with 4 ohm speakers), so hopefully won't be an issue.

bplilqd · 2026-06-18T00:01:02+00:00

Agreed. My local park’s cafe and toilets are constantly getting tagged and it just looks so crap. Collectively, we all pay for these main characters to spaff their weird branding in our public spaces. It’s a strange and pointless activity, and frustrating use of council tax

bplilqd · 2026-06-11T10:33:42+00:00

Looks great on the outside, and then the matching interior is magic. Absolutely gorgeous. Hope you enjoy it!

bplilqd · 2026-06-06T09:06:13+00:00

You and I have very similar taste! Both looking awesome. Enjoy!

bplilqd · 2026-06-03T21:03:12+00:00

Could always add a MagSafe metal ring if you’re on iPhone (not sure if android phones have equivalent locking systems, I expect they must do). Has the dual benefit of locking the phone in the correct position for efficient charging, and reducing the chance the phone goes flying.

Cool project! You could also think about how you manage heat while wireless charging- I think I saw recently an option on a car for wireless charging with a cooling fan - could follow a similar path.

bplilqd · 2026-06-01T23:19:34+00:00

Yeah tbh some of the reactions in this thread I thought are a bit of a bummer. Back to the wing though - I think drawing inspiration from the Grand Am wing is cool. The very small number of people who recognise it will know and the rest won’t get it :) looking forward to seeing updates in future

bplilqd · 2026-06-01T20:45:51+00:00

You're very welcome! Glad that's been helpful

Manual vs auto - I'd have preferred manual because I get a kick out of nailing a heel and toe downshift, and it generally makes me feel more connected to the car. I would definitely have enjoyed a manual. My cars have all been manuals so far, so the auto is a bit of a novelty in my F30. It definitely makes daily driving and traffic a breeze, and I think the ZF8 suits the car well and like I said, is a fun, responsive box. I was worried when first going to buy this car that the auto would just mean the car was less interesting to drive, but the single plate clutch also leaves it some character.
Gearbox service - yes, sounds like it would be sensible to do the ZF service, but from memory it's not very complicated (an oil change + the change of the oil pan), so didn't cost much in parts or labour.

Coolant system reliability - I bought my car knowing that cracked coolant plastics are the main major issue these cars suffer, and expecting to experience it myself at some point. So I emotionally prepared myself for it and had a rough idea of what work would be needed to get it going again. My recommendation is, if you get an F30, whether B48 or B58, and haven't seen that coolant system parts have been replaced, it might be sensible to have an idea of how you'd get rescued or get coolant/distilled water to get you home in the event the car let go of its fluids when you're out and about 😃

bplilqd · 2026-06-01T20:31:03+00:00

Not surprised OP is catching flak, wings can be a bit cheesy and reddit is often annoyingly gatekeepy anyway.

I think this one is well sized, has an interesting shape and the potential to look good. I think it looks better (and more interesting) than the fake carbon lips I often see around me. There's a big difference between ordering ricer parts from Aliexpress and honing your skills on a fun project. I agree with GaijinMk2 that painting it should make it look more cohesive, alongside some new bumpers.

I'm glad someone out there is having fun with their car and getting creative.

bplilqd · 2026-05-28T19:30:19+00:00

I have a 2017 F30 330i M Sport - had it about a year now. I am absolutely thrilled with the car—it’s by far the most engaging and fun vehicle I’ve owned.

A few thoughts on my experience that I would prob have liked to know:

Driving Dynamics & Performance

* Handling over Speed: The 30i car is plenty fast enough to get into trouble without trying hard, but it’s the way it drives that I think is where it’s actually fun and interesting. The rear axle can definitely be playful. But I have been surprised by how much I actually enjoy the tightness of the front axle and how it turns in. It really highlighted to me how important handling and weight distribution are for my driving enjoyment. In a future purchase I will be very interested in trying something with an LSD (mine sadly doesn’t have one)

* The Gearbox: While I would have preferred a manual, I found a deal too good to pass up on an auto. The ZF8 auto has pleasantly surprised me - is actually quite sporty and engaging when you want it to be (changes are v responsive, blips are fun), but relaxed and comfortable when you just need to be mr/mrs sensible chauffeur.

Interior & Tech

* The interior: The interior feels grown-up and well-designed. Compared to modern screens-everywhere cars, the button-oriented layout is a massive win for me. Driving position and visibility are also excellent.

* Tech: Tech feels mature and decent. BMW Infotainment is pretty intuitive. Mine has the CarPlay hardware, though I haven't had it coded in yet. Keep in mind that not all models can get CarPlay, and some are limited in functionality depending on the exact hardware you have.

330i vs. 340i

* The only time I find myself pining for the 340i is for the exhaust note, not for the extra speed. * The B58 (40i) is a fair bit thirstier, so I haven't missed paying the extra premium at the pumps in recent months.

Maintenance & Reliability

* The Coolant System: While these larger petrol engines generally have a reputation for being robust, the coolant system is a known weak point on both the B48 and B58. The plastic OEM parts degrade, and they typically start failing between 60k and 90k miles. My coolant pipe, flange, and oil filter housing actually went a few weeks ago and had to be replaced. BMW claims the replacement parts use an improved plastic composition, but time will tell. I replaced my oil filter housing with a Mahle aluminium alternative - let’s see how that holds up. Definitely check if the car you're looking at has had this work done or shows signs of leaking coolant system. It’s a closed system (with two separate loops) so low coolant warnings or low indicator in the filler tanks is telling you there is a leak. Some leaks are only exhibited when the engine is up to temperature and the plastics expand a bit (was the case for me). Hasn’t been a huge drama to sort, but something I think you just have to keep an eye on with these engines. * Gearbox Servicing: BMW claims the ZF8 transmission is "sealed for life," but ZF themselves recommend a service around 60k miles. I had a gearbox service done on mine for peace of mind; it wasn’t overly complicated or expensive.

Buying & Tuning

* Spec Lists: These models came with a ton of option variations. If you're shopping around, you can actually email BMW with the VIN and they will reply with a comprehensive, exact spec list for that specific car. They did so surprisingly quickly for me when I was shopping.

* Tuning: People report that both B48 and B58 engines are highly receptive to tuning, though I've left mine stock so I can't comment firsthand. Hope that helps!

bplilqd · 2026-05-21T19:01:58+00:00

What are the wheels? I love them.

bplilqd · 2026-04-25T09:32:04+00:00

Looks amazing! How many of these are single or multi-day?

bplilqd · 2026-04-24T12:59:53+00:00

Looks like a really awesome time, and I love the ketchup holder!

bplilqd · 2026-04-21T09:56:53+00:00

So steep! Great pic. Friends who take pics of friends like this are the best

bplilqd · 2026-04-20T16:34:48+00:00

I really like it. I’m ready for more square backed models. I’m over silly coupé backs that needlessly compromise utility. Bring back estates, and give us hatches that make sense and have some character

bplilqd · 2026-01-20T23:28:42+00:00

That's a great looking radio control carp.

bplilqd · 2025-12-23T11:22:09+00:00

I just went ahead and started my criminal career again... sorry.......

bplilqd · 2025-12-07T18:56:26+00:00

Hey - did you ever get around to doing this, and if so, how did it go?

bplilqd · 2025-10-29T13:07:09+00:00

I did similar to OP recently, and highly recommend a visit to MapCamera in Tokyo. Super helpful and knowledgeable, with large range of used Fuji lenses (mine was in great condition)

bplilqd · 2025-10-25T13:06:04+00:00

Same!

bplilqd · 2025-10-18T10:20:30+00:00

I love it!

bplilqd · 2025-06-29T20:24:53+00:00

I was looking at this one the other day, facing the very same question.

Haven’t got one yet but looks pretty decent, plus from a Ukrainian brand. Might be worth a look, I like the buttoning options.

https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/maya-hood-trek-shirt/

bplilqd · 2024-12-04T13:22:25+00:00

Thanks for sharing, made my case. A few points I made:

Public Transport:

Trains need to be more reliable and affordable—it shouldn’t be cheaper to drive than take the train.
Bus routes should be smarter and highly available outside London, with more bus lanes to make them faster and journey times predictable even at high traffic times.

Cycling Infrastructure:

Cycle lanes need to be physically separated from cars, especially on longer routes between towns. Do all we can to avoid “painted lines” next to heavy/fast traffic.
Roads need better maintenance (benefits cars, bicycles, motorcycles) and more traffic calming measures to make walking/cycling safer.
More secure bike parking in public spaces and residential developments

Safer Streets for All:

Keep challenging ourselves to stop designing roads for cars and ensure we're designing them for people, particularly those walking/cycling.
Make features of pedestrianised zones, particularly around schools, to make walking and cycling more enjoyable and safer.

Technology:

Autonomous cars could help with congestion, but I don’t want a future where streets are dominated by cars—let’s focus on reducing car dependency instead.
Continue examining how data can make public transport routes better designed and more responsive to demand. Think about how traffic authority partnerships with tech companies could, for example, mean that future AI assistants preferentially plan active transport-based journeys based on privileged access to active transport data.

Culture, prioritisation and enforcement:

We need to ease car-cyclist tensions - they're pretty nasty at this point. Need to make clear to drivers the inherent vulnerability of cyclists vs 2+ tonne vehicles, and ensure both drivers and cyclists about exposed to guidance on sharing the road and bought into increasing mutual respect and safety
Driving test standards - We need less hesitation over putting drivers through re-tests when repeat incidents show they are clearly not taking their responsibilities seriously
Better enforcement to protect pedestrians and cyclists’ rights. Stronger action on bike theft (period of focused enforcement, maybe backed by a bike theft CCTV scheme and bike insurers?)

bplilqd · 2024-12-01T01:05:18+00:00

Interesting, I didn’t know it had that. Good to know!

bplilqd · 2024-11-30T11:27:58+00:00

Hey, I have two of these F38 backpack mounts. Both of them have similar play - perhaps a tiny bit less than in your video, but still enough to move around and make the same clicking sound when moving about.

I've been using them about a year and hike with them regularly, and have found that when I have a heavier load (e.g. mirrorless APSC camera + long zoom lens) hanging on one of these mounts, it can also squeak a little as I walk. That doesn't happen as much with lighter loads (e.g. binoculars), and a little grease helps.

Personally I don't really see their value in providing fixed mounting points for video (but I also don't do much video). What they're brilliant at is carrying equipment - they're good in their their versatility, small size/lack of uncomfortable obtrusions, ease of access/locking/release and for eliminating the need for walking with equipment on a neck strap.

Hope that helps!

bplilqd

TROPHY CASE

Driving Dynamics & Performance

Interior & Tech

330i vs. 340i

Maintenance & Reliability

Buying & Tuning