[Ghostrider641]

So let’s try and focus please on aftermarket solutions for the M8 and not get into the weeds of home studios.

My questions are, who has actually replaced or modified their HK, and what the outcomes were. Also if you could provide links to these parts that would be helpful. Looking for solutions isn’t always easy, especially given that I and many others have never modified a cars sound system.

There are a lot of us stuck in the no BW lane, and I think we’d all appreciate info directly from those that have modified their HK.

I’m not entirely convinced I will modify my, but I’d enjoy hearing from those that have.

[hinckley]

I'm very interested in this as well. And yes, let's stay focused. Lol.

B&W wasn't available when I ordered my car. I'm not an audiophile and wasn't all that upset. If it was available, I'd probably have ordered it just to check the box, but I'm not altogether certain of that.

But . . . for those of you who wanted B&W and couldn't order it, I'm veeery sorry to say that after less than two days of ownership - as a non-audiophile, as someone who may not have ordered the B&W if it had been available -- f**k, f**k, f**k, would I have been wrong.

I have the HK in my X4. I have no problems with it in my X4. It's OK. It's also OK in my M8. But having a "just OK" audio system is my M8 is not OK. This is waaay too much of a high-end car to not have a high-end audio system. An M8 absolutely needs something better.

[Ghostrider641]

I wonder if just adding the Bavsound under seat woofers wouldn’t be enough?

https://www.bavsound.com/pages/build...?preselect=BMW

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Ghostrider641

I wonder if just adding the Bavsound under seat woofers wouldn’t be enough?

https://www.bavsound.com/pages/build-your-kit-onepage?preselect=BMW

The Bavsound speakers should be a plus over stock as they are built to be more efficient, i.e., more volume per watt than the HK. They claim to use overall better driver materials as well for the cones which equals more air movement which translates into more more bass for the subs.

I've heard a full Bavsound upgrade in my buddies 650i and it is great. Just one caveat is with iD6 he was also able to upgrade to the Bavsound amp as well so didn't get to just hear the speakers.

[bloozemanAZ]

Check out this thread as Audiotec Fischer in Germany similar to Bavsound does speakers and an amp replacement for HK with iD7.

https://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...php?p=28886035

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Ghostrider641

So let’s try and focus please on aftermarket solutions for the M8 and not get into the weeds of home studios.

In regards to my home studio... just kidding. 🤣

Hope everyone is having a great 4th of July weekend even for our brethren scattered across the globe.

[snareman]

I'm in the same spot. I haven't really seen many people try stuff past Bavsound which is what I assume I'll end up going with

[yugrac]

2022 M850 here. Couldn't get the B&W when I ordered last year. I had this equipment installed with a DSP tune using stock HK speakers (w/new subs). Installed cost is about the same as the B&W would have been and sounds FANTASTIC!

https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/match/amplifiers/up-10dsp

https://www.audiotec-fischer.de/en/match/speakers/mw-8bmw-d

[claykin]

Originally Posted by hinckley

I'm very interested in this as well. And yes, let's stay focused. Lol.

B&W wasn't available when I ordered my car. I'm not an audiophile and wasn't all that upset. If it was available, I'd probably have ordered it just to check the box, but I'm not altogether certain of that.

But . . . for those of you who wanted B&W and couldn't order it, I'm veeery sorry to say that after less than two days of ownership - as a non-audiophile, as someone who may not have ordered the B&W if it had been available -- f**k, f**k, f**k, would I have been wrong.

I have the HK in my X4. I have no problems with it in my X4. It's OK. It's also OK in my M8. But having a "just OK" audio system is my M8 is not OK. This is waaay too much of a high-end car to not have a high-end audio system. An M8 absolutely needs something better.

Honestly, B&W is just a bit better than OK too. It's somewhat better than HK at low volume, but overall unimpressive as compared to a custom install solution. IMO, It's not worth $3400 (unless the LED illumination is your thing). Most will disagree. Why, because this is the BMW high end and they don't want custom installers tearing their car apart for a better solution....

Have you tried enabling the B&W custom settings through Bimmercode or another coding tool? This makes HK sound quite a bit better.

BTW, B&W was an impressive name in audio. Unfortunately starting in the mid 2010s that all changed. And now B&W is owned by Sound United who is mostly a marketing company looking to acquire brands and retail presence. Watch B&W slowly lose their prestige....

[r33_RGSport]

Had finished upgrading local M8C GC from HK to MATCH Speakers and Amp.
Customer couldn't ordered the car with B&W. So, this is the alternative route.
How much better, tough to say since I am not a fan on how crispy the B&W sound. Too sharp for my ear.

[elitex]

Call these guys. They did a crazy build on an M8 recently so they are intimately familiar with it.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CbLEuBq...d=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[ikonn]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

Had finished upgrading local M8C GC from HK to MATCH Speakers and Amp.

Tell me that those pictures are rotated please. And that the speakers and amp were not installed upside down. 🙏

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by ikonn

Tell me that those pictures are rotated please. And that the speakers and amp were not installed upside down. 🙏

Nope. That's how it was mounted.

The speakers are plug n play. If you try to mount it with the logo upside up, it will not screw on to the original mounting hole.

While the tweeter filter, if I mount it upside up, the wires won't reach to the speaker.

Unless you want to roll without the interior door panel, it doesn't matter whether the logo is upside up or upside down. The sound coming out from it won't be reversed.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

Had finished upgrading local M8C GC from HK to MATCH Speakers and Amp.
Customer couldn't ordered the car with B&W. So, this is the alternative route.
How much better, tough to say since I am not a fan on how crispy the B&W sound. Too sharp for my ear.

What kind of price did all that run?

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by snareman

What kind of price did all that run?

I don't remember exact number, I think somewhere around $4-5k before labor.

[snareman]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

I don't remember exact number, I think somewhere around $4-5k before labor.

And I assume labor was another 1-2k..

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by snareman

And I assume labor was another 1-2k..

Depends on the shop rate.
I charged 5-6 hours.

[yugrac]

If I might make a recommendation, consider doing what I did 1st and see how satisfied you are. The shop that did my install of the Match Up 10 and 2 Match under seat subs charged me $3300 total including the DSP tune. The plan was to see if I would be satisfied changing the amp and subs only and if not go ahead and do the rest of the speaker locations. The shop owner made a gentlemans bet I would be more than satisfied and was right. He knew that the HK door and dash speakers are not the paper junk found in may stock systems. FWIW, I consider myself an audiofile and as a point of reference, in my lifetime I have installed or had installed over 20 auto audio systems and dozens of home stereo and home theater systems. It's a hobby. Regardless, the 2 stage approach makes alot of sense.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by claykin

Honestly, B&W is just a bit better than OK too. It's somewhat better than HK at low volume, but overall unimpressive as compared to a custom install solution. IMO, It's not worth $3400 (unless the LED illumination is your thing). Most will disagree. Why, because this is the BMW high end and they don't want custom installers tearing their car apart for a better solution....

Have you tried enabling the B&W custom settings through Bimmercode or another coding tool? This makes HK sound quite a bit better.

Thanks for your perspective. It's appreciated. I made the change on my X4 for the B&W settings and it did make a noticeable and nice difference. I'll make the change on my M8 over the next few days.

[claykin]

Originally Posted by hinckley

Thanks for your perspective. It's appreciated. I made the change on my X4 for the B&W settings and it did make a noticeable and nice difference. I'll make the change on my M8 over the next few days.

Happy to hear the B&W settings helped your HK stereo sound even better.

I want to be clear, before someone bites my head off about my comment that B&W isn't a huge step up.....Here's my rationale.

B&W strength is in providing an improved soundstage and accuracy through use of better drivers, more individual amplification channels, a better crossover network, and possibly a more powerful DSP for 3D imaging (though I do not know if a different DSP is used). That's most of the difference sonically. In order to truly appreciate the improvements over HK (with B&W settings enabled and HK EQ properly tuned) is to be listening while sitting still, listen to lossless music, and to have an ear for details. If this is your thing, then B&W is definitely worth the extra $, and you get the arguably cool looking LED illuminated drivers included.

However, most people listen to their music while driving, with all sorts of road noise, they listen to lossy music (or satellite music which is even worse) and some may or may not have an ear for detail. This is why I mention the cool LED illumination as one of the most noticeable differences for many owners.

Obviously, everyone is free to decide for themselves. And some may wildly disagree with me. That's OK. I suppose if I was building a top end BMW I'd probably tick the box just to say I got a loaded car. But I try to be a bit sensible when building my cars and choose options wisely. Options is where BMW really cashes in. The true "value" is in buying a car with zero options, which is tough to do if you're an enthusiast and on this forum. lol

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by claykin

Happy to hear the B&W settings helped your HK stereo sound even better.

They can but minus the crossover differential, amp/DSP (aka "booster") plus the difference in speakers it's likely an improvement but no where near a true B&W experience.

Originally Posted by claykin

I want to be clear, before someone bites my head off about my comment that B&W isn't a huge step up.....Here's my rationale.

Well at the beginning of the thread we all agreed to not comparing a potential upgrade vs B&W but since you broke that I'll say you are wrong on not being a huge step up. I have empirical data on that vs hyperbole.

Originally Posted by claykin

B&W strength is in providing an improved soundstage and accuracy through use of better drivers, more individual amplification channels, a better crossover network, and possibly a more powerful DSP for 3D imaging (though I do not know if a different DSP is used). That's most of the difference sonically. In order to truly appreciate the improvements over HK (with B&W settings enabled and HK EQ properly tuned) is to be listening while sitting still, listen to lossless music, and to have an ear for details. If this is your thing, then B&W is definitely worth the extra $, and you get the arguably cool looking LED illuminated drivers included.

Agreed including even if not an audiophile the lighting is worth it especially in a lease as pennies on the dollar for that alone. My only bitch with the B&W is the inability to defeat it's DSP. I have 5.1 high rez FLAC sources on my 2TB SSD that get butchered by the DSP. Granted as shared before the "concert" sound profile is the best but still butchered.

Originally Posted by claykin

However, most people listen to their music while driving, with all sorts of road noise, they listen to lossy music (or satellite music which is even worse) and some may or may not have an ear for detail. This is why I mention the cool LED illumination as one of the most noticeable differences for many owners.

Here is where I beg to differ. My emperical data was based on an audio "test drive" between H&K vs B&W using hirez FLAC audio on a thumb drive (same material used when auditioning potential new home audio equipment). Night and day obviously so hence my choice for the B&W. However, even with satellite music the actual source/mix makes a difference. For example some sounds "thin" but others continue to amaze me (reference point being Ozzy's Boneyard).

Originally Posted by claykin

Obviously, everyone is free to decide for themselves. And some may wildly disagree with me. That's OK. I suppose if I was building a top end BMW I'd probably tick the box just to say I got a loaded car. But I try to be a bit sensible when building my cars and choose options wisely. Options is where BMW really cashes in. The true "value" is in buying a car with zero options, which is tough to do if you're an [...]

Nearly impossible with a BMW. I say that as to my surprise when buying my wife's 2017 X5 (first BMW in the household) I had to pay for options that were standard in my prior Lexus world. For example lane departure, BSM, etc. is standard on many manufacturers regardless of the "series". BMW? Nope have to pay for the option. 😜

[claykin]

Originally Posted by bloozemanAZ

They can but minus the crossover differential, amp/DSP (aka "booster") plus the difference in speakers it's likely an improvement but no where near a true B&W experience.



Well at the beginning of the thread we all agreed to not comparing a potential upgrade vs B&W but since you broke that I'll say you are wrong on not being a huge step up. I have empirical data on that vs hyperbole.



Agreed including even if not an audiophile the lighting is worth it especially in a lease as pennies on the dollar for that alone. My only bitch with the B&W is the inability to defeat it's DSP. I have 5.1 high rez FLAC sources on my 2TB SSD that get butchered by the DSP. Granted as shared before the "concert" sound profile is the best but still butchered.



Here is where I beg to differ. My emperical data was based on an audio "test drive" between H&K vs B&W using hirez FLAC audio on a thumb drive (same material used when auditioning potential new home audio equipment). Night and day obviously so hence my choice for the B&W. However, even with satellite music the actual source/mix makes a difference. For example some sounds "thin" but others continue to amaze me (reference point being Ozzy's Boneyard).



Nearly impossible with a BMW. I say that as to my surprise when buying my wife's 2017 X5 (first BMW in the household) I had to pay for options that were standard in my prior Lexus world. For example lane departure, BSM, etc. is standard on many manufacturers regardless of the "series". BMW? Nope have to pay for the option. 😜

I totally appreciate your reply. Sorry, I didn't read the intro where a line was drawn in the sand on comparisons. My apologies.

By empirical, I assume you mean "your empirical" data?

By listening to FLAC files, you're the benchmark in which B&W was set when they set out to provide a higher end option. I venture a guess that most, if not nearly all owners of B&W, listen (mostly) to lossy (HD radio, Spotify, Apple music, Youtube music, etc..), Satellite, etc.. And Satellite is atrocious sounding. I have a friend who works for Sirius/XM in their Deerfield Beach, FL office where they do all the audio compression programming. Trust me, it's a sound quality sh*t show. When listening to lossy music, the benefits of B&W are watered down. And when listening while driving with road noise injected into the experience, it's even further watered down. Nevertheless, B&W sounds a bit better. It should for $3K+!!

As far as BMW and options, I agree with you 100%. BMW does an amazing job of upsell. One of the best in the business. I struggle every time I order a new car.