Bang & Olufsen vs Meridian vs Harmon Kardon
Discussion
True, but then Meridian don't make all the drivers etc. in their speakers and I still think they are the best speakers in the world.
The B&O system is quite bright and lively, but can get a bit tiring after a while.
The Meridian 350w system is OK, pretty good, but the 825w system is damned good. It is very detailed but quite laid back, you can crank it up without the missus telling you to turn it down costantly which has to be a good thing.
The BMW system is good, the top hi-fi system, the first upgrade (hi-fi) is hardly any better than the shower of s
te that is the base system. Then you have the Individual system as well silly expensive but meant to be very nice, but around £5k or something so never seen a car advertised with one.
The B&O system is quite bright and lively, but can get a bit tiring after a while.
The Meridian 350w system is OK, pretty good, but the 825w system is damned good. It is very detailed but quite laid back, you can crank it up without the missus telling you to turn it down costantly which has to be a good thing.
The BMW system is good, the top hi-fi system, the first upgrade (hi-fi) is hardly any better than the shower of s
te that is the base system. Then you have the Individual system as well silly expensive but meant to be very nice, but around £5k or something so never seen a car advertised with one. I'm 2 weeks into an ex jaguar management XE-S - had driven several cars with the basic meridian 350 Watt System - which was ok, the Meridian digital upgrade in this XE is one step beyond, havent finished tuning it yet - needs a little more bass, but it's crystal clear with CD & high bit rate MP3.... I had the HK system in the v60 polestar - this was not quite as good as the HK system in my Merc ML - both of which were better than the SPP in my cayman and the BOSE in my 911...
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craigjm said:
What B&O "system" though? There are a number of variations and price points across their auto installations. Some are quite cheap at about £500 upgrade and some £8000.
I'm presuming that not one £13k car on the market would have the £8000 system fitted? I have seen them in RS6s and S8s but don't think they are quite at the £13k mark just yet?
I'm a huge fan of B&O stuff, I have owned many pairs of Boelabs over the years, only just sold my last pair of 6000s, but I do think the B&O systems I have heard in cars can be a bit bright, which is surprising as their active speakers are quite the opposite.
Just buy whatever car you want then send it to a good audio specialist to have upgraded speakers and amps put in.
The very best aftermarket systems will come in at a fraction of the price of new factory options.
EG a pair of high end component speakers is around £300.
A decent sub is around £200.
Amp to drive 4ch of speakers (4x 2 pair) approx £400
Single ch amp to drive sub £80
All can be hooked up to OEM head unit without issue.
If you want extra crispness then a DSP can be added but costs grow exponentially from here.
The very best aftermarket systems will come in at a fraction of the price of new factory options.
EG a pair of high end component speakers is around £300.
A decent sub is around £200.
Amp to drive 4ch of speakers (4x 2 pair) approx £400
Single ch amp to drive sub £80
All can be hooked up to OEM head unit without issue.
If you want extra crispness then a DSP can be added but costs grow exponentially from here.
xjay1337 said:
Just buy whatever car you want then send it to a good audio specialist to have upgraded speakers and amps put in.
The very best aftermarket systems will come in at a fraction of the price of new factory options.
EG a pair of high end component speakers is around £300.
A decent sub is around £200.
Amp to drive 4ch of speakers (4x 2 pair) approx £400
Single ch amp to drive sub £80
All can be hooked up to OEM head unit without issue.
If you want extra crispness then a DSP can be added but costs grow exponentially from here.
In your example of two sets of speakers, an amp and a sub you have spent £1280 and that's before fitting. That's a big chunk to throw into a 12k and get zero back upon resale. If I saw two, let's use the example of the XF in the OP, one that had even the basic Meridian branded system and one with something aftermarket in it I would buy the factory original. The very best aftermarket systems will come in at a fraction of the price of new factory options.
EG a pair of high end component speakers is around £300.
A decent sub is around £200.
Amp to drive 4ch of speakers (4x 2 pair) approx £400
Single ch amp to drive sub £80
All can be hooked up to OEM head unit without issue.
If you want extra crispness then a DSP can be added but costs grow exponentially from here.
craigjm said:
In your example of two sets of speakers, an amp and a sub you have spent £1280 and that's before fitting. That's a big chunk to throw into a 12k and get zero back upon resale. If I saw two, let's use the example of the XF in the OP, one that had even the basic Meridian branded system and one with something aftermarket in it I would buy the factory original.
I disagree. Used audio components retain their value surprisingly well. And last well. My Hertz speakers have been with me for nearly 5 years and 2 cars.
I can totally see why you would prefer an original system, but if it's just upgraded speakers and amp running from the factory head unit, you are non the wiser. I for example wouldn't be put off by upgrading door speakers etc, as that's what OEM's do anyway?? (PH logic - aftermarket = bad!)
Certainly if you value your audio you won't be remaining with anything OEM anyway , and for some models getting the upgraded audio from factory was so horrifically expensive that it rarely appear on the second hand market.
Simply offering the option to the OP / anyone else considering audio that for say £2000 installed you can get a VERY high quality aftermarket audio system installed and then when you come to sell the car you will still get £1000 back for the cost of the components.
Obviously this is not something everyone would be happy doing.
In my new Audi q7 I have a beautiful bise 3d surround sound package and it is incredible. I haven't tried Meridian but by the sound of it look good. Bose has great bass and it feels like a cinema. There are many surround sound options on the navigation screen to choose just how you want it.
I think most of it comes down to quality of drivers used, amps used, and how well equalised the systems are for the car (i.e. tuned ot the interior), and not the "brand". Put it this way, my laptop audio is "B&O certified". yeah - it sounds like any other laptop :-)
I wouldn't be looking at which is best - Meridian, Bose, B&O, HK etc, but literally, which specific system in which car sounds best - you really need to try and get a test.
My Disco 3 Harmon Kardon system sounds absolutely superb for a fairly minor upgrade (I assume!) - wonderfully balanced, not harsh, smooth subtle but powerful bass. It has it all, and, you can crank it up to max with no distortion and get proper impressive sound.
However - take the door cards apart (I have) - and they are very basic drivers - no big magnets, not exotic speaker cone material. Just paper cones with modest magnets. What it DOES have, is seperate bass, mid and treble drivers, positioned well, with good door cavities.
I'm a bit into my hifi, home and car, and the Disco HK system is pretty much perfectly EQ'd - i.e. you don't need to go near a bass or treble control, or an EQ for that matter. It is all well balanced and tuneful. That's where the work goes (and good powerful amps).
In previous cars where I'd put very heavy and nice Kicker Mid subs, competition 16cm component door speakers, etc, I never achieved such a balanced non-tiring sound. Not without loads more work with EQs.
I wouldn't be looking at which is best - Meridian, Bose, B&O, HK etc, but literally, which specific system in which car sounds best - you really need to try and get a test.
My Disco 3 Harmon Kardon system sounds absolutely superb for a fairly minor upgrade (I assume!) - wonderfully balanced, not harsh, smooth subtle but powerful bass. It has it all, and, you can crank it up to max with no distortion and get proper impressive sound.
However - take the door cards apart (I have) - and they are very basic drivers - no big magnets, not exotic speaker cone material. Just paper cones with modest magnets. What it DOES have, is seperate bass, mid and treble drivers, positioned well, with good door cavities.
I'm a bit into my hifi, home and car, and the Disco HK system is pretty much perfectly EQ'd - i.e. you don't need to go near a bass or treble control, or an EQ for that matter. It is all well balanced and tuneful. That's where the work goes (and good powerful amps).
In previous cars where I'd put very heavy and nice Kicker Mid subs, competition 16cm component door speakers, etc, I never achieved such a balanced non-tiring sound. Not without loads more work with EQs.
Audi fanboy said:
In my new Audi q7 I have a beautiful bise 3d surround sound package and it is incredible. I haven't tried Meridian but by the sound of it look good. Bose has great bass and it feels like a cinema. There are many surround sound options on the navigation screen to choose just how you want it.
Are you watching movie? As not sure why you want your music piped though a false 3d/cinema sound algorithm otherwise?hyphen said:
Are you watching movie? As not sure why you want your music piped though a false 3d/cinema sound algorithm otherwise?
Whilst I agree with you wholeheartedly normally, the HK system in the Disco 3 has a surround mode, utilising a dash centre speaker and it sounds considerably better with it on. I think it's down to car acoustics. Specifically never being sat in the right place ... I.e the middle of the speakers. I'm very much in your camp normally. Turn all artificial effects off.Meridian trifled is an amazing surround music format too.
It is very subtle but is superb and took me a while to get used to straight stereo again when I lost the matching centre speaker.
In a car it can work really well, after all, we have no issue with time alignment and EQ'ing individual channels, so no different if there are presets in a car to achieve this result.
It is very subtle but is superb and took me a while to get used to straight stereo again when I lost the matching centre speaker.
In a car it can work really well, after all, we have no issue with time alignment and EQ'ing individual channels, so no different if there are presets in a car to achieve this result.
we paid £4k for the Meridian SIgnature System in our new RRS Autobiog.. 23 speakers and 1700watt.
its very good, but just not great for some reason even after tweaking hours on end and trying various sources. If it was £1k as an option fair enough but by no means worth £4k and I wouldn't tick the box again in all honesty. I think the disappointment hit home when I had a courtesy car from LR which had the standard 825watt meridian system and it sounded very similar really, they were not £4k apart I know that much.
The Bermiester in my E63 is half decent but lacks the punch for low frequencies but it doesn't have a separate Subwoofer. I had a Gen2 Panamera before that with the Bose surround sound and that was a little better as it had a separate sub for the lows. Clarity and quality of sound was perfect on both.
From memory one of the best factory systems I've heard was the Burmiester in the gen 1 Panamera, an expensive and rare option just like the Meridian signature in the RRs. It sounded freaking brilliant at any volume!
its very good, but just not great for some reason even after tweaking hours on end and trying various sources. If it was £1k as an option fair enough but by no means worth £4k and I wouldn't tick the box again in all honesty. I think the disappointment hit home when I had a courtesy car from LR which had the standard 825watt meridian system and it sounded very similar really, they were not £4k apart I know that much.
The Bermiester in my E63 is half decent but lacks the punch for low frequencies but it doesn't have a separate Subwoofer. I had a Gen2 Panamera before that with the Bose surround sound and that was a little better as it had a separate sub for the lows. Clarity and quality of sound was perfect on both.
From memory one of the best factory systems I've heard was the Burmiester in the gen 1 Panamera, an expensive and rare option just like the Meridian signature in the RRs. It sounded freaking brilliant at any volume!
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