12-21-2022, 01:29 PM | #23 |
Captain
148
Rep 880
Posts |
Right, it's a controversial thing for sure. It's mainly cosmetic just for the cool lighting effects. My thinking was if I add the B&W grills and upgrade the system so it sounds way better than the OEM B&W then I can be okay with it, but I couldn't be ok with just slapping the B&W grills on a stock HK system.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 01:40 PM | #24 | |
Captain
148
Rep 880
Posts |
Quote:
Last edited by SpiralOut; 12-21-2022 at 01:46 PM.. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 01:54 PM | #26 |
Captain
148
Rep 880
Posts |
Haven't actually mounted it yet. I did not remove the HK Amp or the brackets, those will stay where they are. Right now it's sitting down in that little area behind the cover and doesn't really move around very much. When everything is set the way I want, I'll probably just zip tie it in there so it's more secure.
|
Appreciate
1
bevinr0.00 |
12-21-2022, 02:27 PM | #29 |
Captain
506
Rep 624
Posts |
I made a more detailed writeup on installing the B&W speaker grilles in the X7 forum (it's the exact same as the X5):
https://g07.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1955756 The H/K grilles are black which can look pretty bad depending on what leather & trim you have. Additionally the B&W grilles are illuminated, they look great at night. But there are apparently some really smart people on this forum; congrats to adc and Blue Angel for figuring out the truth: I'm a poor person who couldn't afford the B&W system, yet I still want to show off and look cool. That's the only reason I did this mod on the interior of my car. Imagine having H/K branded speakers in your car... Oh, the horror! Now that I have the Bowers & Wilkins text on the grilles, my manhood has been restored and I no longer have to feel insecure about my vehicle. I transport lots of strangers in my X7 and I always make sure to point out the B&W logo to them as soon as they get in the car. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I also take my underwear and socks to a tailor to get them rebadged from Hanes to Banana Republic. Gotta have the best brands, right? |
Appreciate
7
|
12-21-2022, 02:37 PM | #30 | |
Major General
10161
Rep 8,626
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
2 x N54 -> 1 x N55 -> 1 x S55-> 1 x B58
|
|
Appreciate
1
Rodriguezw9288.00 |
12-21-2022, 02:42 PM | #31 | |
ghey
483
Rep 2,041
Posts |
Quote:
I am personally happy with the HK system, but potentially because I've never had B&O/W. I've done base BMW stereos twice and it's effing horrid after having the upgraded HK product. What downgrade are you referring to by the way? Was the F15 HK system higher powered? Anywho, tl;dr, when an Audi guy says his B&O is better than your BMW B&W just remind him it's all made in the same shop
__________________
21 G05 > 20 G05 > 17 G30 > 14 F30 > 08 E90
|
|
Appreciate
1
Kstoff125237.00 |
12-21-2022, 02:49 PM | #32 | |
Major General
10161
Rep 8,626
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
2 x N54 -> 1 x N55 -> 1 x S55-> 1 x B58
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 02:53 PM | #33 | |
ghey
483
Rep 2,041
Posts |
Quote:
My argument isn’t that HK is the same as B&O, ie your X3 X5M reference.
__________________
21 G05 > 20 G05 > 17 G30 > 14 F30 > 08 E90
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 03:02 PM | #34 |
Major General
10161
Rep 8,626
Posts |
I personally think there is just based on experience... again, it may just be the vehicle manufacturer speccing a better system from the audio company and it's hard to say B&Ois better than HK blatantly but from every system I've heard it had been the case. I'll say the older L7 HK system was far more comparable so perhaps bmw just said we need a cheaper system and they just slapped the hk name on it... that type of stuff affects brand image.
__________________
2 x N54 -> 1 x N55 -> 1 x S55-> 1 x B58
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 03:15 PM | #35 | |
Captain
506
Rep 624
Posts |
Quote:
The engineering for each car is different, and the components can be of varying quality. I'm not sure whether an Audi B&O speaker is the same quality as a Volvo B&O speaker, but those B&O speakers are definitely different from B&W speakers and H/K speakers, even though they're all designed by Harman. The car manufacturer decides how much $$$ they want to allocate to audio, Harman works with them to design a system at that price point. Which is why Audi B&O and Volvo B&O and BMW B&W and Genesis Lexicon can have vastly different sound quality, even though they're all from the top Harman brands and cost roughly the same amount of money to add as an option. And the engineering behind this can be very complex, things like the exact positioning of the speakers are critical. Ideally the car manufacturer plans for this in the very initial stages of development and is able to design the door panels to accommodate the speakers in the best way. Things like the materials used on the inside of the car can also have an impact. So even if all B&O car speakers are identical, there can still be a big difference between for example and Audi 16-speaker B&O system and a Volvo 16-speaker B&O system. Because Volvo might budget more money for their sound system - both the actual parts (speakers, amp) and may spend more engineering time/$ on designing the entire rest of the car to get the best sound quality. For what it's worth, reviews of the iX and new 7er/i7 generally praise their B&W systems (not the same as the X5/X7 B&W systems) as the best car sound systems on the market. A level above all the B&O, Lexicon, Levinson systems out there (and the previous BMW B&W system on our X5s and X7s). |
|
12-21-2022, 04:35 PM | #37 | |
Major
998
Rep 1,038
Posts |
Quote:
You sir may not have a Bowers and Wilkins stereo in your X7, but at least you have a sense of humor. Now if you’ll excuse me… I have to go debadge my car. 😁 |
|
Appreciate
4
|
12-21-2022, 04:57 PM | #39 | |
Captain
1198
Rep 636
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 07:24 PM | #40 | |
Second Lieutenant
181
Rep 219
Posts |
[QUOTE=Quadruple VANOS;29661386]
Quote:
B&O are great. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 07:25 PM | #41 |
Colonel
3396
Rep 2,629
Posts |
|
Appreciate
1
curtdragon473.00 |
12-21-2022, 09:29 PM | #42 |
Private First Class
237
Rep 191
Posts |
I’ve got the HK system in my M4 and M5cs, plus both my AMGs and it gets the job done. Definitely not as good as the B&W but still a solid system.
If you want to hear crap, check out any pre-2015 Ferrari. The systems they put in those cars is so bad your first thought is it has to be broken. While I’m an audiophile, in the car the engine is the best audio system 😎. I will say B&W would be a midrange brand when it comes to true audiophile equipment…still great stuff but I’m not sure they would be considered in that upper atmosphere of speakers. Great write up…a great example of what makes this forum and the community so awesome. Thank you for that. 👌 |
Appreciate
0
|
12-21-2022, 09:57 PM | #43 |
Major
998
Rep 1,038
Posts |
B&W and B&O are both fairly prestigious brands who make home audio speakers that I’m sure would be embarrassed to admit relation to anything installed in most cars. The cabinet engineering in even their most basic home offerings is leaps and bounds more advanced than ANY car door or rear parcel shelf.
I’m honestly amazed that either company allows itself to have their name on such stuff. There must be copious licensing dollars to make it worthwhile, along with a serious assumption that most people have no idea what constitutes good sound. A fairly basic home setup from either company in anything resembling a decent listening environment would put these car systems to absolute shame in most objective and subjective categories. |
Appreciate
4
|
12-22-2022, 04:43 AM | #44 | |
Colonel
2709
Rep 2,350
Posts |
Quote:
1.Yeah B&W make SOME great speakers. That’s it! The research for analyzing sound, positions, materiales, reverberations and so on belongs strictly to Harman Kardon. B&W practically enjoy those guys work by installing their better speakers. 2. Harman Kardon sounds amazing if you wait and give them the over 200 hours break-in period. 3. My 2012 E84 with Harman Kardon was overly developed in terms of research as it was the bread and butter 3 Series. That car sound with surround sound, THX, two subs and Logic 7 (they made a few and I own one) blows out of the water some other BMW systems with B&W. It is all about engineering that was put in it and the calculations and measurements made based on the cabin dimensions, sound pattern and materials and how they absorb or contribute to the sound. 4. B&W are not top of the line in terms of floor standing speakers either. Lots of brands for less blows the crap out of them. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|