New MINI JCW - no HK audio...?

New MINI JCW - no HK audio...?

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Zetec-S

Original Poster:

5,832 posts

92 months

Wednesday 9th June 2021
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Hi all, just after a few thoughts please. We placed an order last month for a new JCW hatch, specifically with the HK audio as we have that in our current
2019 Clubman and it's far superior to the basic system we had in our previous (2017) hatch.

However, the much publicised chip shortage means we've just been told by the dealer that it won't come with the HK system. Has the basic system improved since 2017? Is there much difference with the head unit/interface or is it mainly the speakers which are different?

My wife is a little pissed, partly because the dealer didn't actually tell us until she phoned and asked, but also she is partially deaf so likes the clarity from the HK system so doesn't want to go back to something similar to the 2017 system.

Are their any straight swap after market systems we could fit?

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Wednesday 9th June 2021
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I'm in the same boat, ordered it 3 weeks ago and got notified last week that it won't be fitted. Initially, I was annoyed about it but having done a fair bit of research I'm going to install an audison amp and speakers. Lohen sell (and will also install) them and I've listened to their demo car and it sounded good, The equalizer would need a tweak to suit my tastes but that's simple to do.

My plan is to source the kit myself, already found a second-hand amp and coax speakers and I'm going to meet a guy on Saturday to see what he's done to his car.

VIsually there should be no difference within the car, everything is run from the standard head unit, standard speaker grills, amp fits under the passenger seat, no splicing of cables however the sound should be considerably better. With all the trim out I'll take the opportunity to add some sound deadening too. The only downside is the price really but I'm looking to get that down by buying 2nd hand where I can.

Simo_UK

101 posts

102 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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Wow. That’s not good news. Sorry to hear this guys.

For me that would be a deal breaker. The HK is a great sound system, had it in every mini to date, and you deserve it in a car of that spec.

As importantly, this could affect your resale value too. The chip shortage will be temporary so there will likely only be a few in this situation. Potentially a disadvantage in the used market later.

Unless they are knocking off an amount you’re happy with, personally, I’d cancel and buy a nearly new used with the full spec.

Hope you get it solved soon

Alex Z

1,083 posts

75 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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I wouldn’t buy one without the HK, and you won’t get a better aftermarket upgrade fitted for the same money.

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
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According to mini HK is not available and there is no date know at which point it will be made available, this is the same across the whole of bmw as far as I’m aware.

For me I was given the option of cancelling the order or proceeding without HK. There is no offer of further discount on the car or any other way of making a mense only that they won’t charge me for the HK.

I’ve ordered a pretty unique spec being enigmatic black, jcw in manual with heated steering wheel etc so these aren’t available on the 2nd hand market yet. Also the deal I’ve got is very very good so I’m carrying on.

As it happens the A pillars that include the tweeters arrived today so my road to sorting the base stereo out is already underway.

It’s really frustrating that this has happened and there may be some harm done to the value down the line as it’s not going to have hk but I’ll worry about that at the time. For now I’m looking forward to the car arriving and me having some tinkering to do on it.

Zetec-S

Original Poster:

5,832 posts

92 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
Yes, we have a similar situation where we're quite happy with the rest of the spec and it's a pretty good deal. We've obviously got the £600 reduction and are going to pop down to the dealers tomorrow to have a quick reminder of what the basic system sounds like. TBH I'm not as bothered, but it's my wife's car and she's more concerned (for the reasons I put in my initial post), I'm hoping she'll find it "acceptable", at least for the short term (#1stworldproblems, I know wink)

That audison system looks great, although I'm not sure we'd be prepared to stretch to the full system. Do you reckon the door speakers on their own would make much difference? The amp is probably a bit more than I'd be prepared to spend, and although I'd stretch to the subwoofers, without the amp I don't really think it would be worth it.


Edited by Zetec-S on Thursday 10th June 12:33

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Thursday 10th June 2021
quotequote all
I’vebeen researching quite a bit into the audison and the coax speakers will fit in the doors as well as the rear. https://www.carelectronicsnottingham.co.uk/audison...

If you want to add tweeters to the front then you either need to mount them on your existing door or a pillars alternatively you can get new a pillars with the grills for the hk tweeters. You can run these directly from the head unit and it will be an improvement but the amp is required to get the best out of it. These are the ones the ones I’ll be running https://www.carelectronicsnottingham.co.uk/audison...

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Sunday 13th June 2021
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I've sat in 2 cars with the audison kit now. The lohen one and someone who has installed it themselves.

The lohen one is good but wasn't tuned quite how I'd like to listen, the tweeters were doing a bit too much for me but its all adjustable in the software.

The other car was setup much more to how I would like and sounded incredible. It did have the forza amp which is slightly better spec and the 10 inch sub but even with that switched off it sounded very good. The owner had also installed a fair bit of sound deadening which had improved things.

Initially I was disappointed about missing out on hk but now I'm thrilled at the opportunity to get something that's way way better. Admitidly at triple the cost but there will be a fair bit of value 2nd hand when I come to sell in the future.

stevemcs

8,593 posts

92 months

Sunday 13th June 2021
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I don't rate the HK system, aftermarket is the way to go.

Zetec-S

Original Poster:

5,832 posts

92 months

Monday 14th June 2021
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Just as a follow up we popped down to the dealers at the weekend and sat in one of their cars without HK for a test, and to be fair there's not as big a difference as I thought. I think the standard system has improved a little over the last few years compared the the one we had in our 2017 hatch. Having the apple carplay also seems to makes a difference compared to the basic bluetooth connection.

We'll see how things go, maybe further down the line we'll look at aftermarket options if we feel we want to spend the extra money. Car is scheduled to go into production today so fingers crossed we might see it in a couple of weeks smile

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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From what I can determine from speaking to various places the base audio has increased in quality but the Harmon kardon has been reduced in quality over recent years.

I’ve had a bit of a delivery so I’m pretty much good to go for upgrading when the car arrives.


stevemcs

8,593 posts

92 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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Good choice

Am43

276 posts

82 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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The mrs had a JCW on order due first week august, this would have been her third mini now, so knew exactly what spec she wanted.
Received the call last week about HK and has decided to cancel the order
We were really looking forward too it as well !

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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Why cancel though, there are plenty of aftermarket options to hk. If it was something that can’t be easily retrofitted then I can understand it it seems a shame to cancel a car that you’re looking forward too.

Olivera

7,068 posts

238 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
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Slight thread hijack - what's the best upgrade options for an F56 with standard audio? I know Lohen sell an upgrade kit for just the side speakers?

stevemcs

8,593 posts

92 months

Thursday 17th June 2021
quotequote all
HK really wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me

Zetec-S

Original Poster:

5,832 posts

92 months

Friday 18th June 2021
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stevemcs said:
HK really wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me
Bungleaio said:
From what I can determine from speaking to various places the base audio has increased in quality but the Harmon kardon has been reduced in quality over recent years.
yes

As per my post a couple of days ago, we sat in a new Mini hatch without HK and there wasn't a massive difference between that and the HK system we have in our current Clubman. Fears were allayed and we're going ahead with the order, depending on how we feel we might go aftermarket in the future but it's not something we'll rush into doing.

Pretty impressed with the turnaround - we placed the order on 22nd May and apparently it's just come off the production line, hopefully ready to pick up by next weekend smile

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Friday 18th June 2021
quotequote all
Olivera said:
Slight thread hijack - what's the best upgrade options for an F56 with standard audio? I know Lohen sell an upgrade kit for just the side speakers?
The best that I've found (and I'm putting my money where my mouth is) is the Audison kit. It sounds fantastic when set up properly. You don't have to go full bore with it though you can just upgrade the existing speakers.

In a F56 with base audio there are speakers in the doors, under the seats and in the rear 3/4. If you're not amping then upgrading to an amp then the easiest thing to do is add these to the front or both front and rear https://www.carelectronicsnottingham.co.uk/audison... I'm putting a set of these in the rear of my car.

You can buy the HK a pillar trims and and install a set of these https://www.carelectronicsnottingham.co.uk/audison...

Depending on how far you want to go then you can add an amp, underseat woofers or a sub woofer in the boot.

There's various different options shown on the audison website https://www.audison.eu/spc-source/?y=7&model=1...

There is also bav sound who do oem integration kits, I know less about this as it's not the route I've gone down but there's more info here https://www.bavsound.com/pages/build-your-kit?step...

After that there are various more well known brands but they are more one size fits all and will need more work to integrate. I've gone down the Audison route as it's really good quality, I've been able to listen to a couple of setups and it just fits straight in.

There's a lot of knowledge in the F56 owners UK page on facebook too.

Bungleaio

6,324 posts

201 months

Friday 18th June 2021
quotequote all
Zetec-S said:
yes

As per my post a couple of days ago, we sat in a new Mini hatch without HK and there wasn't a massive difference between that and the HK system we have in our current Clubman. Fears were allayed and we're going ahead with the order, depending on how we feel we might go aftermarket in the future but it's not something we'll rush into doing.

Pretty impressed with the turnaround - we placed the order on 22nd May and apparently it's just come off the production line, hopefully, ready to pick up by next weekend smile
Yuo must have timed it right with an amendable order with your dealer as that super quick! I ordered on the 18th of May and my car is scheduled for build in the last week of August. I was told it would be delivered around October when I ordered though.

JimReap3r

1 posts

33 months

Thursday 24th June 2021
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Zetec-S said:
yes

As per my post a couple of days ago, we sat in a new Mini hatch without HK and there wasn't a massive difference between that and the HK system we have in our current Clubman. Fears were allayed and we're going ahead with the order, depending on how we feel we might go aftermarket in the future but it's not something we'll rush into doing.

Pretty impressed with the turnaround - we placed the order on 22nd May and apparently it's just come off the production line, hopefully ready to pick up by next weekend smile
Hey all. Brand new to the forum as I was looking about news as I too had been told no HK on my new JCW that I ordered. I did the same as you and asked to try out the non HK sound in a demo car. Seemed decent as the BMW I have now has HK in it.

I was just wondering as I placed my order on the 14th May and mine's not scheduled for a build until the 30th August.....so...very....confused. Hopefully mine is brought forward. Did you know the build date before or did you get a notification of the build plan?

Anyways, hope you enjoy it!!!