[knockout]

So on my free time I like to go to the BMW dealer when it's closed and sit in the cars...lol. I still have a few more months before I can order my F30. Yesterday I went there and there were many cars unlocked. I got in a X3, which had the HK system. I turned on the radio and it occurred to me...let me play my high quality MP3s from my phone to see how it sounds. So I went back to my car and got my USB cable. Plugged it in and played some songs. I thought it sounded nice. The bass/treble settings were set to the default.

I then found an unlocked F30 with the HiFi system. I played the same songs and that also sounded pretty good, except the HK had some umph when it came to the bass. I didn't notice a night and day difference between the two as I had hoped. Am I missing something? I know people here have been saying the base HiFi system sucks, but I wasn't disappointed with it.

[joewalton]

Originally Posted by knockout

So on my free time I like to go to the BMW dealer when it's closed and sit in the cars...lol. I still have a few more months before I can order my F30. Yesterday I went there and there were many cars unlocked. I got in a X3, which had the HK system. I turned on the radio and it occurred to me...let me play my high quality MP3s from my phone to see how it sounds. So I went back to my car and got my USB cable. Plugged it in and played some songs. I thought it sounded nice. The bass/treble settings were set to the default.

I then found an unlocked F30 with the HiFi system. I played the same songs and that also sounded pretty good, except the HK had some umph when it came to the bass. I didn't notice a night and day difference between the two as I had hoped. Am I missing something? I know people here have been saying the base HiFi system sucks, but I wasn't disappointed with it.

There are three levels of audio systems. The "base" system in the US (Hi Fi) is actually a step above the "base" audio system for Europe. HK is a level atop that.

So those outside of the US might be posting that the audio system isn't good but we in the US have an advantage, makes the HK leap a bit incremental and less necessary.

[Kre62]

HK isn't worth it. Save your money and stick with HiFi.

[ipilcher]

As I understand it, the hi-fi system uses a traditional analog connection between the head unit and the amplifier, while the HK system uses a proprietary digital connection. Thus you can't easily upgrade the amplifier in the HK system.

Hi-fi FTW.

(And BTW, doesn't your local BMW dealer have security?)

[Fronzdan]

You run into the hifi shortcomings when you drive, and need to increase the volume to overcome the road noise, various rattles and squeaks and that wind noise by the side mirrors. 😉

But use the stock hifi for a while and push it a bit and you'll hear what people complain about. Of the two, hifi is the one to get if you're going to do any upgrading.

[klokan]

I see lot of people complaining on H/K while testing it in brand new cars.

H/K sounds really bad when new. I have F30 for 2.5 months end 4.5k km, when it was new it was so distorted, just out of tune, couldn't get it right.

H/K needs breaking in, too. And it takes a lot of time and it's not fair to judge it when car is new.

After 4k km (and i don't know many hours of playing music) my H/K settled in and it gives me plenty of joy. Things you need to do are:
- let it break in properly
- tune it on your EQ, give bass a boost, tune down 200 Hz frequencies
- turn surround on

... and then just enjoy it. It's not high fidelity, car audio simply cannot be high fidelity. But it's loud, distortion free, powerful, nice sounding, nice surrounding. When I play Martin Garrix - Animals just above half volume level (Deezer HQ, BT audio streaming), i cannot stand any more loudness, but there is no distortion, it's nothing wrong with the sound, it's loud, clear, powerful.

At home I have Denon amplifier, JMLab Chorus speakers, Marantz CD player, Sennheiser headphones (HD600) on their dedicated MF X-Can tube amp, I've listened to many hifi setups. H/K in F30 is not hifi. Sure, there are better systems. But to say it's not worth it, that's really not true, and don't judge it on brand new cars.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by knockout

...with the HiFi system. I played the same songs and that also sounded pretty good, except the HK had some umph when it came to the bass. I didn't notice a night and day difference between the two as I had hoped. Am I missing something?

Yes! Your listening session was missing wind, tire, drivetrain, etc. noise. The cabin's elevated noise floor at speed will make the difference more apparent.

[MickAv8r]

The difference is night and day to me. recently had a loaner with the basic audio. it was painful to listen too.