Terrible standard sound systems

[Leins]

Try a standard BMW headunit when they removed the rear speakers in the factory!

[GiveItSomeWellie]

R56 standard BOOST was absolutely dreadful, and the early option of the Hi-Fi speaker upgrade wasn't much better. I have a 2 speaker system in my Discovery using a pair of 26 year old Range Rover speakers, even they sound better than the BOOST in the MINI, horrid.

We never even got the even more basic WAVE option in the UK, I dread to think what that sounded like.

[tankplanker]

The standard speakers on the Fabia were ~£5 for the pair including dealer markup, so that should highlight how crap they were.

[Rensko]

Gary29 said:

Mk3 Megane = Woeful

Yep - couldn't agree more.

My 250 Cup Trophee with the "upgraded" sound was woeful. 0/10 - would not recommend.

[Paracetamol]

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I had use of a Lexus LS460 in the USA this summer. OMG the Mark Levinson system sounded stunning.

Even when these cars are too old/uneconomic to drive I can see me having one as a sound chamber. Super comfy seats too

[RobM77]

Josho said:

Anything worse than the standard BMW speakers?

F30 BMW with I assume the standard system.

What an absolute ste sound. No bass in it and it just sounds crap. My MK4 Golf sounds a lot better.

For a premium car it is diabolical. I drove some fairly new C Class merc the other day and that was crap.

VW and Audi seem to put pretty decent sound systems in.

The DAB is absolute st. What a crap performance that is. Cuts out every 2 seconds and then goes to FM and plays a few seconds behind.

I know it's just BMW's crap system as the Audi I've driven recently seem brilliant and when it does go to FM it is seemless.

Yes, most cars are similar or worse (Renault, Peugeot, Vauxhall, Toyota etc), and certainly any supermini under £12k. BMW offer a few upgrades, one being just the speakers if you're strapped for cash.

As for the DAB, where do you live?! I have an E90 LCI with DAB and it's fine. The only place it ever cuts out is in a junction in a deep cutting under a bridge, and that's for about 2 seconds. I spend about 9 hours a week in my car and listen to DAB all the time. I live in Berkshire, commute to Hampshire and drive to Wales every other weekend and Dorset most weeks, all whilst listening to DAB.

Are you actually an Audi salesman trying to diss BMW?...

[Buzypea]

Worst standard fit I’ve experienced in the last 15 years or so was in my Fiesta ST2. Woeful sound, exacerbated by the awful rattle from the door cards as soon as any bass was introduced.

Best standard fit I had was a Volvo C70 convertible. Dolby pro-logic system with 11 speakers and 2 subs. Awesome sounding, you could turn it up until yours ears started ringing and without distortion. Shame the rest of the car wasn’t as good....but that’s another story.

Most surprising is the 2016 Astra Elite I’m driving at the moment. Really decent quality with good, tight bass. My mate reckons it sounds as good as optional upgraded system in his M135i.

[shrektus]

Paracetamol said:

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I had use of a Lexus LS460 in the USA this summer. OMG the Mark Levinson system sounded stunning.

Even when these cars are too old/uneconomic to drive I can see me having one as a sound chamber. Super comfy seats too

I have a 2007 and the main problem is the head unit is too old and doesn't support USB, SD cards, or hard drive audio. I think the refresh models are likely better.

[Limpet]

Dave Hedgehog said:

As do Audi and Merc, an easy extra 600-800 just for fitting the £4 speakers instead of the 50p ones

That's the "BMW Advanced" speaker upgrade, which is just replacing crap speakers with slightly less crap ones and charging you £300 for the privilege.

The HK system does at least add 5 extra speakers including subs, and a 360w amplifier into the mix, although of course there's going to be a heck of a lot of profit in the £600 asking price.

It's the way all cars are going now. You can add £10k worth of options to a humble 1-series, all with a healthy margin in them, and most of them with little or no resale value....

[RobM77]

Limpet said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

As do Audi and Merc, an easy extra 600-800 just for fitting the £4 speakers instead of the 50p ones

That's the "BMW Advanced" speaker upgrade, which is just replacing crap speakers with slightly less crap ones and charging you £300 for the privilege.

The HK system does at least add 5 extra speakers including subs, and a 360w amplifier into the mix, although of course there's going to be a heck of a lot of profit in the £600 asking price.

It's the way all cars are going now. You can add £10k worth of options to a humble 1-series, all with a healthy margin in them, and most of them with little or no resale value....

The thing is though, these days a 3 series is a similar cost to a Mondeo. The list price on a 3 is actually less than a Mondeo like for like (or at least it was the last time I checked), but I realise Ford profits margins are bigger therefore larger discounts are available making them cheaper in practise. Nevertheless, in the old days that you allude to, the 3 series was much more expensive than the competition. Presumably BMW do this now so people who don't really like music that much don't have to pay for a fancy stereo, much like people who aren't into handling in a big way don't have to pay for higher quality suspension (SE vs MSport). You can pay for the options or select from the aftermarket. I've done this for the suspension on mine and it's now fantastic - I now want to do it for the stereo, but am unsure what to buy...

[fathomfive]

shrektus said:

Paracetamol said:

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I had use of a Lexus LS460 in the USA this summer. OMG the Mark Levinson system sounded stunning.

Even when these cars are too old/uneconomic to drive I can see me having one as a sound chamber. Super comfy seats too

I have a 2007 and the main problem is the head unit is too old and doesn't support USB, SD cards, or hard drive audio. I think the refresh models are likely better.

On my 2002 IS200 I used one of these. Simple to install if you can get the head unit out. Worked a treat.

http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.php?productid=13...

[Gad-Westy]

I don't have much experience with more modern BMW's but the E46 and E39's I've had have been baffling. All of the cars had optional upgrades to various levels which added extra speakers and in the case of the E39's remote amps in the boots and one had some sort of sound processor thing. The space to the side of the boot where it all mounted was an impressive sight, all shiny boxes of electronics and big colourful wiring harnesses joining it all together. Never has so much hardware been combined to produce such an underwhelming noise. It was pathetic.

2003 Volvo S60 we had was fantastic by contrast. It needed to be though as you weren't going to get much entertainment from driving it.

[SteBrown91]

A lot of people say that amplified with an aftermarket amp the standard bmw speakers actually are ok, it’s the amplification from the headunit which lets them down.

Many audio companies off speaker and amp upgrades but leave the subs (just amp them) and supposedly produces a decent result

[ian in lancs]

Yes the standard system in the F25/F30 is abysmal!

I have fitted BMW SYSTEM 3 “PLUS” in my X3 by these guys - awesome! http://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/audio-upgrades/bm...

[steve-5snwi]

Never liked the Bose or b&o systems in Audis, so fake and Woolley bass.

[Silverbullet767]

My E92 had the standard system.

Bought the Alpine amp and front speaker + tweeters upgrade from BMW and fitted them myself. Massive upgrade.

The old front door speakers were paper, and actually had NOKIA written on them!

[Gad-Westy]

Silverbullet767 said:

My E92 had the standard system.

Bought the Alpine amp and front speaker + tweeters upgrade from BMW and fitted them myself. Massive upgrade.

The old front door speakers were paper, and actually had NOKIA written on them!

Think my E39 had Nokia speakers too. Rings a bell now. Amps were a mixture of Alpine, Philips and maybe Blaupunkt. Didn't make much difference, they all seemed to be built to same spec.

[CraigyMc]

Gad-Westy said:

Silverbullet767 said:

My E92 had the standard system.

Bought the Alpine amp and front speaker + tweeters upgrade from BMW and fitted them myself. Massive upgrade.

The old front door speakers were paper, and actually had NOKIA written on them!

Think my E39 had Nokia speakers too. Rings a bell now. Amps were a mixture of Alpine, Philips and maybe Blaupunkt. Didn't make much difference, they all seemed to be built to same spec.

This is what sits in the boot, under the floor in an E90 with the Harman Kardon option.

[ian in lancs]

this is my X3



I have fitted BMW SYSTEM 3 “PLUS” by these guys - awesome! http://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/audio-upgrades/bm...

Edited by ian in lancs on Thursday 19th October 18:16

[DanoS4]

Porsche 996 - pre-MOST/non-Bose.

Dreadful sound. Ripped the whole thing out, including the PCM headunit.

Pioneer F900bt, Alpine (SPG10C2) speakers..... also chucked in a JBL 2ch amp and a box with 2 x 8" JBL subs.

Still not the best, but a considerable improvement imho.