[orangebang]

Just a bit of background. I spent the majority of my college life in a garage at home, and at work. I built a lot of hi fidelity car audio sound systems, incorporating and converting pro audio equipment into a 12 volt environment due to lack of worthy 12 Volt products, and even had a competition level sound system show car in the mid 90's. Pretty much every dollar I made, and all my spare time, went into that car. For me, there was no better place to enjoy my love of music than in an isolated/insulated sound pod on wheels.

Fast forward.

I have the standard Hi-Fi system in my 328i GT. Mids and tweets, center channel, rears, subs. FYI, I didn't get the HK system because it didn't impress me at the dealer lot, so i got mine without it.

I've had my car now for around a month, so I've had the opportunity to do extensive listening in the last 1800 miles (I get a lot of windshield time). I have an ipod with my favorite music, I have my favorite CD's, and I get HD radio. About halfway through those miles, I already knew I needed to do something about my limp dick sound system. There were a few things I knew I wouldn't do. I wouldn't sacrifice trunk space for an amplifier and sub, and I'm also totally over cutting up any parts of the car to jam in ill fitting speakers.

So enter Bavsound. (you can google it yourself, or search our forums here). The website is classy, the product looks credible, and the many videos available on youtube for self installation look well produced and professional. It was exactly what i was looking for (just like when I found out BMW made a 3 series GT).

After my inquiry emails and ordering questions through Bavsound's website (there isn't an option for a 3 series GT...just sedan and wagon) I find out that:

1. GT owners should buy the same speakers for the F30 sedan
2. I live locally to one of the owners of Bavsound, Jason, and was able to arrange an install of my speakers with him.

Like everyone else, I bought the speakers on the website, (just the front mids and tweets, and center speaker, as you have the choice to either buy the entire system, or buy a la carte) and had them shipped to Jason.

fyi, the main reason I only purchased the front speakers is that if a system is tuned right, directionally, those are the only ones I need to hear. There are plenty of resources available to support this, so i won't get into it here.

Now for my first impressions. The difference is like night and day. My goodness, it was like someone gutted the entire system and threw in a bigger amp and more speakers.

The biggest thing I have to credit Bavsound for is that their mids really tie the system together. The missing mid bass gap is now filled, and that punchy, hard-hitting "thump" that everyone likes to hear and feel (much like a kick drum) is now ever present. The speakers no longer sound boomy or hollow, and the tweeters hit the highs without sounding too bright, with much less "noise" if you will. I can finally crank up the volume without feeling like I'm listening to a louder version of the speaker on my cellphone. Upon showing me the extracted stock speakers, paper and tiny magnets were in abundance.

FYI, Bavsound's mids have magnets nearly the same diameter as the speaker itself, and the tweeters are made of silk, which explain the punchy mid bass and smooth highs I was talking about.

I really feel like the stock amp and subs aren't that bad now that the main spectrum of sound is full and clear. Bavsound's system really works wonders in filling in all the holes and making the rest of stock system sound better than it deserves, that's for sure.

In terms of sheer decibels, It's definitely loud enough for me, and had me smiling from ear to ear the entire drive home.

My $500 purchase (just the front speakers) without a doubt sounds exponentially better than stock, and is also a significant upgrade even if you have the HK system.

[949]

that is good to hear that you have such a great experience them.

what brand of speakers are they actually using?

[Keyless]

Thanks for nice review!

Somebody know the spec for Standard HIFI system (US standard)?

[Aalders]

Thanks for the well written review. i have been thinking about doing the same soon. i played with the idea of putting 2 8in or 10in subs in the rear privacy deck but have put that off for a few years.

[mcli]

Originally Posted by 949

that is good to hear that you have such a great experience them.

what brand of speakers are they actually using?

I think it's rainbow

[Micah D. Cranman]

Originally Posted by mcli

I think it's rainbow

Nope.

We used Rainbow drivers a LONG time ago, but for the last 5 years we've been using our own brand of speakers, engineered and designed for each specific application and manufactured exclusively for us.

The speakers we use in every single application, in other words, are 100% BAVSOUND and aren't available anywhere else. We don't use anything off-the-shelf. It's why we can achieve the sonic results described by the OP.

Thanks for your review, orangebang!

[Micah D. Cranman]

Originally Posted by Keyless

Thanks for nice review!

Somebody know the spec for Standard HIFI system (US standard)?

What specs are you looking for?

[Keyless]

Originally Posted by Micah D. Cranman

What specs are you looking for?

Power for amp, loadspeakers. Sub are active or passiv?

[orangebang]

Originally Posted by Keyless

Power for amp, loadspeakers. Sub are active or passiv?

I think it was giving 18w to center, 40x2 to fronts, 50x2 to subs.

[ejholt]

How does it compare against the upgraded HK System in the F30?

[orangebang]

Originally Posted by ejholt

How does it compare against the upgraded HK System in the F30?

I had a chance to listen to a few F30's F34's with the HK system and didn't think it was worth the upgrade. I just wasn't impressed. I felt it was plenty loud, and there were more equalization controls, but it still left something to be desired. In this situation, just because it got louder didn't mean it sounded any better.

I did inspect the speakers that came out of an F30 HK system at Bavsound's studio, and the were equally as flimsy as the ones in my hi-fi system.

I've had my BavSound system in for a while now, and it's just as impressive today as it was the day I had it installed. I was at a club Saturday night, and felt like I had to keep the party going on the drive home. I was blasting some EDM off my Sirius/XM channel 52 and it still felt like I was in the club. LOL.

That said, I do listen to all different types of music, and the speakers handle things marvelously. Amazing highs from a silk dome tweeter. Reminds me of how a/d/s used to make their component systems for car audio.

Once again, the shining star in the system are the mids, and how they are able to cross over low enough to literally bring UP the sounds the subs were making into the cabin instead of down on the floor where they're positioned (underneath the seats). Common knowledge tells us that the frequency of bass is non directional, but when a system lacks the proper mid bass frequencies altogether, you lose any chance of hearing any dynamic qualities a soundtrack may have. The responsiveness in the midbass without muddying up the vocals or being boomy really makes the system.