BSW Backordered (now with review)

mthaynes · 04-16-2014, 06:41 PM

Not trying to slam them, not yet at least, but my Stage 1 upgrade for my F30 HiFi system has yet to arrive after placing the order 6 weeks ago. I ordered it 2 days after buying the car, when I couldn't find one I wanted with the HK system. When I placed the order it did say it was backordered. I contacted BSW and they said that they do not have a shipping date as of yet, and cannot provide an estimate. I have grown quite fond of the standard HiFi system since then, but am still looking forward to the upgrade, whenever it gets here. So just a word of warning for anyone thinking of taking the $700+ plunge into BSW, when they say backordered, they mean it. I just hope it is worth the wait.

TBLM235X · 04-16-2014, 08:43 PM

Thanks for the heads-up. I've been looking at this upgrade too but haven't made a decision yet. Please keep us posted on when you finally receive your order. Also, would love to hear your thoughts once installed as well to compare to the other reviews already posted.

mthaynes · 04-25-2014, 09:24 PM

I have received email confirmation of order shipment with FEDEX tracking, indicating delivery tomorrow! The 7 week wait is almost over. To Bavsound's credit, this is within the delivery window indicated when I placed the order, way back on March 9th. I am looking forward to installing the speakers tomorrow night and will report back with my listening review, after I get a feel for the new sound.

ft1330 · 04-29-2014, 05:14 PM

Jeez looks like a $1,100 upgrade over the HK. Is it that much better? Were you planning to sell your old speakers? Just wondering how much these could fetch? That's 14 speakers not including the subwoofers...

mthaynes · 04-29-2014, 08:11 PM

OK, so I got the Stage One kit for my 2013 328i M-sport with HiFi, not HK system on Saturday, and installed them that night. My wife was out of town, so I had to wait until the boys were in bed, so I got a late start at about 9pm. I had already watched the install video online, twice, so it went pretty smoothly. The door panels came off easily, and I had already had some experience with removing the handle trim, when I installed the MPerformace CF trim, so nothing new there. I opted to buy the 90 degree screwdriver from Harbor Freight, and 4sqft of Dynamat Extreme from eBay. I had a torx bit screwdriver kit already in my tool chest. I removed the factory drivers and covered the all surrounding metal with Dynamat. I had 2 additional sqft from a previous install and in total used 5sqft, but had I been better about how I cut it out I probably could have done it with 4, using bits and pieces instead of throwing it away, but whatever it was late. All drivers popped right in. The cardboard seal ring that goes behind the speaker is kind of a PITA to get just right, but after the 4th speaker, I had the hang of it. All the connections just snap off and back together with the BSW speakers. I did encounter an issue with the tweeter crossover, in that one of the wires got pulled off the circuit board. It was the driver's door, the last one I worked on, and wasn't noticed until I had the door back together and the tweeter didn't work. So, the door panel had to come back off, and then I figured out what had happened. By this time it was around midnight, but I wasn't gonna let this stop me. It is a pretty simple high pass crossover with two capacitors, and the broken wire was the negative going to the speaker. After a simple glance at the circuit, I could see that the incoming wire was simply forwarded to the output section, so out came the soldering iron, and I just soldered the incoming and outgoing wires together, ta-da. This fix was verified with BSW yesterday. So all speakers installed and running, after a wiring repair by 12:30. 3.5hrs, not to bad for an old guy. Disclaimer, I have installed car stereo since the early 90's in all my cars and have competed in IASCA events with my systems, so this was kittens play. With the factory speakers out, you can see how lightweight they are. Paper cones (cheap), butyl surrounds(good), small spiders(bad), ABS frames(cheap), and tiny magnets (could be neodymium though, so not necessarily a bad thing), but the BSW are woven fiberglass(good), butyl surrounds(good), more robust frames, much larger spiders, and large ferrite magnets with rubber covers(industry standard, but neodymium would be nice). The aluminum tweeters are works of art. I think that all 5 factory mids weigh about as much as 2 BSW mids, not that it means anything, just an observation.
Next disclaimer, I paid full price, less 10% discount since I used the code that can be found on message boards all over, and am not receiving anything in return from BSW for this review. I'm just a regular BMW owner and F30POST member.
So, how does it sound? Pretty good. The tweeters are less harsh, and more efficient. I had to turn the highs down 4 clicks. The previous reviews stating that the factory underseat woofers sound louder after the install are correct, and I had to turn the bass down 3 clicks as well. I am +2 on both now, and 2 clicks to the right on the balance and even F to R. The tweeters blend nicely with the mids and no longer sound like they are emitted from two distinct locations. The factory mids always sounded like they were at the end of long tubes to me. They had a muddy distant kind of sound. Not so with the BSW drivers. The sound field is now very smooth across the dash and not as distant sounding. It also sounds as if the mids play a little lower, this is pulling some of the bass up, which is a good thing. When a bass note hits it sounds as if it is coming from door height, not your feet or butt. The sound is more detailed now, and sounds more real. Overall the setup is not as loud as the factory speakers, but still loud enough for most I'd imagine. A decent amp would really wake up this system, but that would add significantly to this setup's price, and install complexity. BSW once had a drop in amp listed as being in the works for some vehicles, but I don't think it ever came to fruition. Maybe a Technic adapter, a JL amp, and a 10" sub…but thats something for another day.
So, in the end, for $700+, I think it is worth the price. For that you get, 5 quality mids, and two soft dome tweets, all designed to drop in place, and blend seamlessly with the remaining factory components. You could buy aftermarket speakers and just replace the front drivers, but good luck finding something to replace the center speaker, it is very shallow. And then you'd have to use an adapter to get the mids to fit the mounting holes. The only thing I would have like to have seen in this kit is a tweeter for the center channel. The BSW center mid comes with the wires to forward the signal to the tweeter, and the car has the mounting location for the tweeter, and BSW has a tweeter for that spot, in the HK kit. So unless the signal sent to the center mid in the HiFi system is already band-passed to keep the highs out, which is unlikely, it should at least be offered as an add-on to the Stage One kit. Other than that, I am happy with my purchase and would recommend it to someone looking to take the factory system to the next level, while keeping the install simple and total stock appearance.

Mr. Big · 04-29-2014, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the review mthaynes. I'm considering the Stage 1 upgrade myself and it looks like it's a snap to install. I understand Dinan will have the speakers installed in one of their cars at the Bimmerfest next month in Pasadena so I'll be able to listen to them before I buy.

Damn Dirty Ape · 04-29-2014, 10:27 PM

I placed my order on the 23rd of April and they are being delivered tomorrow via Fedex Ground. Can't beat 7 days wait.

bri1042 · 05-01-2014, 08:48 AM

I've been running the HiFi kit for about six months now. I remain pleased with them.

Squddie · 05-01-2014, 10:07 AM

Excuse my ignorance, but does this replace the HK system or the base audio?

MDIVISION · 05-01-2014, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squddie

Excuse my ignorance, but does this replace the HK system or the base audio?

There is a kit for either system. If you have the base stereo, they will send you a kit for that and for HK folks, there is another kit as well.

MDIVISION · 05-01-2014, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mthaynes

Not trying to slam them, not yet at least, but my Stage 1 upgrade for my F30 HiFi system has yet to arrive after placing the order 6 weeks ago. I ordered it 2 days after buying the car, when I couldn't find one I wanted with the HK system. When I placed the order it did say it was backordered. I contacted BSW and they said that they do not have a shipping date as of yet, and cannot provide an estimate. I have grown quite fond of the standard HiFi system since then, but am still looking forward to the upgrade, whenever it gets here. So just a word of warning for anyone thinking of taking the $700+ plunge into BSW, when they say backordered, they mean it. I just hope it is worth the wait.

They are popular and hence the back order. It's worth the wait.
Just don't turn to one of those "I would give 0 stars if I could"
Co@#Suc#%ers you see on Yelp

PabloK · 05-05-2014, 12:23 PM

I ordered the H/K stage 1 upgrade on Dinan.com for $1,000.

Then I sold my stock H/K speakers for $600.

Best $400 I have ever spent - the system sounds amazing.

smallie · 05-06-2014, 09:37 AM

I want to upgrade my F30 base system with 6 speakers. What do I need to do if I use the top hi-fi system of BAVSound?

mitsuba · 05-06-2014, 03:03 PM

Even though they don't put crossovers in their packages, if you decide to add another AMP you will need them.

I had my BSW for 4 weeks and was happy with it. Had to wait to receive it. A lot. But their support is great.

But I replaced it for a more powerful setup (with Amp, SubW, Audison Bitone etc..).

In fact, I will sell my BSW for Hifi Audio.

As a general recommendation, if you wanna add an amp, you can go with Hertz, Morel, Focal or other speakers with higher RMS.

04-16-2014, 06:41 PM	#1
mthaynes New Member 3 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2012 135i M Sport Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Summerville, SC iTrader: (0)	BSW Backordered (now with review) Not trying to slam them, not yet at least, but my Stage 1 upgrade for my F30 HiFi system has yet to arrive after placing the order 6 weeks ago. I ordered it 2 days after buying the car, when I couldn't find one I wanted with the HK system. When I placed the order it did say it was backordered. I contacted BSW and they said that they do not have a shipping date as of yet, and cannot provide an estimate. I have grown quite fond of the standard HiFi system since then, but am still looking forward to the upgrade, whenever it gets here. So just a word of warning for anyone thinking of taking the $700+ plunge into BSW, when they say backordered, they mean it. I just hope it is worth the wait. Last edited by mthaynes; 04-29-2014 at 08:12 PM..
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04-16-2014, 08:43 PM	#2
TBLM235X Private First Class 12 Rep 169 Posts Drives: 17 440i Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: PA iTrader: (3)	Thanks for the heads-up. I've been looking at this upgrade too but haven't made a decision yet. Please keep us posted on when you finally receive your order. Also, would love to hear your thoughts once installed as well to compare to the other reviews already posted.
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04-25-2014, 09:24 PM	#3
mthaynes New Member 3 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2012 135i M Sport Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Summerville, SC iTrader: (0)	I have received email confirmation of order shipment with FEDEX tracking, indicating delivery tomorrow! The 7 week wait is almost over. To Bavsound's credit, this is within the delivery window indicated when I placed the order, way back on March 9th. I am looking forward to installing the speakers tomorrow night and will report back with my listening review, after I get a feel for the new sound.
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04-29-2014, 05:14 PM	#4
ft1330 Major 231 Rep 1,267 Posts Drives: 2014 335i Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: SE PA iTrader: (0)	Jeez looks like a $1,100 upgrade over the HK. Is it that much better? Were you planning to sell your old speakers? Just wondering how much these could fetch? That's 14 speakers not including the subwoofers...
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04-29-2014, 08:11 PM	#5
mthaynes New Member 3 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 2012 135i M Sport Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Summerville, SC iTrader: (0)	The verdict OK, so I got the Stage One kit for my 2013 328i M-sport with HiFi, not HK system on Saturday, and installed them that night. My wife was out of town, so I had to wait until the boys were in bed, so I got a late start at about 9pm. I had already watched the install video online, twice, so it went pretty smoothly. The door panels came off easily, and I had already had some experience with removing the handle trim, when I installed the MPerformace CF trim, so nothing new there. I opted to buy the 90 degree screwdriver from Harbor Freight, and 4sqft of Dynamat Extreme from eBay. I had a torx bit screwdriver kit already in my tool chest. I removed the factory drivers and covered the all surrounding metal with Dynamat. I had 2 additional sqft from a previous install and in total used 5sqft, but had I been better about how I cut it out I probably could have done it with 4, using bits and pieces instead of throwing it away, but whatever it was late. All drivers popped right in. The cardboard seal ring that goes behind the speaker is kind of a PITA to get just right, but after the 4th speaker, I had the hang of it. All the connections just snap off and back together with the BSW speakers. I did encounter an issue with the tweeter crossover, in that one of the wires got pulled off the circuit board. It was the driver's door, the last one I worked on, and wasn't noticed until I had the door back together and the tweeter didn't work. So, the door panel had to come back off, and then I figured out what had happened. By this time it was around midnight, but I wasn't gonna let this stop me. It is a pretty simple high pass crossover with two capacitors, and the broken wire was the negative going to the speaker. After a simple glance at the circuit, I could see that the incoming wire was simply forwarded to the output section, so out came the soldering iron, and I just soldered the incoming and outgoing wires together, ta-da. This fix was verified with BSW yesterday. So all speakers installed and running, after a wiring repair by 12:30. 3.5hrs, not to bad for an old guy. Disclaimer, I have installed car stereo since the early 90's in all my cars and have competed in IASCA events with my systems, so this was kittens play. With the factory speakers out, you can see how lightweight they are. Paper cones (cheap), butyl surrounds(good), small spiders(bad), ABS frames(cheap), and tiny magnets (could be neodymium though, so not necessarily a bad thing), but the BSW are woven fiberglass(good), butyl surrounds(good), more robust frames, much larger spiders, and large ferrite magnets with rubber covers(industry standard, but neodymium would be nice). The aluminum tweeters are works of art. I think that all 5 factory mids weigh about as much as 2 BSW mids, not that it means anything, just an observation. Next disclaimer, I paid full price, less 10% discount since I used the code that can be found on message boards all over, and am not receiving anything in return from BSW for this review. I'm just a regular BMW owner and F30POST member. So, how does it sound? Pretty good. The tweeters are less harsh, and more efficient. I had to turn the highs down 4 clicks. The previous reviews stating that the factory underseat woofers sound louder after the install are correct, and I had to turn the bass down 3 clicks as well. I am +2 on both now, and 2 clicks to the right on the balance and even F to R. The tweeters blend nicely with the mids and no longer sound like they are emitted from two distinct locations. The factory mids always sounded like they were at the end of long tubes to me. They had a muddy distant kind of sound. Not so with the BSW drivers. The sound field is now very smooth across the dash and not as distant sounding. It also sounds as if the mids play a little lower, this is pulling some of the bass up, which is a good thing. When a bass note hits it sounds as if it is coming from door height, not your feet or butt. The sound is more detailed now, and sounds more real. Overall the setup is not as loud as the factory speakers, but still loud enough for most I'd imagine. A decent amp would really wake up this system, but that would add significantly to this setup's price, and install complexity. BSW once had a drop in amp listed as being in the works for some vehicles, but I don't think it ever came to fruition. Maybe a Technic adapter, a JL amp, and a 10" sub…but thats something for another day. So, in the end, for $700+, I think it is worth the price. For that you get, 5 quality mids, and two soft dome tweets, all designed to drop in place, and blend seamlessly with the remaining factory components. You could buy aftermarket speakers and just replace the front drivers, but good luck finding something to replace the center speaker, it is very shallow. And then you'd have to use an adapter to get the mids to fit the mounting holes. The only thing I would have like to have seen in this kit is a tweeter for the center channel. The BSW center mid comes with the wires to forward the signal to the tweeter, and the car has the mounting location for the tweeter, and BSW has a tweeter for that spot, in the HK kit. So unless the signal sent to the center mid in the HiFi system is already band-passed to keep the highs out, which is unlikely, it should at least be offered as an add-on to the Stage One kit. Other than that, I am happy with my purchase and would recommend it to someone looking to take the factory system to the next level, while keeping the install simple and total stock appearance.
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04-29-2014, 09:23 PM	#6
Mr. Big Private First Class 61 Rep 190 Posts Drives: '15 M4, '17 Porsche 911 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Parts Unknown iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the review mthaynes. I'm considering the Stage 1 upgrade myself and it looks like it's a snap to install. I understand Dinan will have the speakers installed in one of their cars at the Bimmerfest next month in Pasadena so I'll be able to listen to them before I buy. __________________
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04-29-2014, 10:27 PM	#7
Damn Dirty Ape First Lieutenant 32 Rep 326 Posts Drives: 2015 Infiniti Q50S Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern 1/3 of Illinois iTrader: (5)	I placed my order on the 23rd of April and they are being delivered tomorrow via Fedex Ground. Can't beat 7 days wait.
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05-01-2014, 08:48 AM	#8
bri1042 Brigadier General 5894 Rep 3,283 Posts Drives: 2021 IOMG M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Portland, OR iTrader: (0)	I've been running the HiFi kit for about six months now. I remain pleased with them.
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05-01-2014, 10:07 AM	#9
Squddie Second Lieutenant 39 Rep 290 Posts Drives: E89 Z4 Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Bahston iTrader: (0)	Excuse my ignorance, but does this replace the HK system or the base audio? Last edited by Squddie; 05-01-2014 at 11:50 AM..
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05-05-2014, 12:23 PM	#12
PabloK Lieutenant Colonel 597 Rep 1,805 Posts Drives: F30 Join Date: May 2013 Location: Orono iTrader: (1)	I ordered the H/K stage 1 upgrade on Dinan.com for $1,000. Then I sold my stock H/K speakers for $600. Best $400 I have ever spent - the system sounds amazing. __________________ 2014 F30 335i / 2014 F31 328d / 2014 F22 m235i 2019 G05 5.0 / 2012 E70 X5 50i / 2007 X5 3.0is 2011 e93 M3 / 2009 E60 M5 / 2004 E46 M3 2017 Alpina B6 22 Ram Trx / 22 M5 CS
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05-06-2014, 09:37 AM	#13
smallie Registered 0 Rep 1 Posts Drives: BMW F30 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Vietnam iTrader: (0)	I want to upgrade my F30 base system with 6 speakers. What do I need to do if I use the top hi-fi system of BAVSound?
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05-06-2014, 03:03 PM	#14
mitsuba New Member 8 Rep 18 Posts Drives: 328i Sport 2014 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Brazil iTrader: (0)	Don't forget to request Crossovers too.. Even though they don't put crossovers in their packages, if you decide to add another AMP you will need them. I had my BSW for 4 weeks and was happy with it. Had to wait to receive it. A lot. But their support is great. But I replaced it for a more powerful setup (with Amp, SubW, Audison Bitone etc..). In fact, I will sell my BSW for Hifi Audio. As a general recommendation, if you wanna add an amp, you can go with Hertz, Morel, Focal or other speakers with higher RMS.
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