[andrew.webber]

Hi There - just getting used to my new F30 and one thing that is bugging me is the poor sound quality and I am not even an audiophile!!

If I have my facts correct, the U.K. based cars, as standard, get just 6 speakers, 2 in each of the front and rear doors and a couple of subs under the seats.

From reading the web, it seems that, as standard the U.S. based cars get the Hi-Fi system, which has an additional speaker at the front centre and also a couple of tweeters in the front doors and an upgraded amplifier.

Can anyone verify that this is correct - it seems funny that the U.S. cars get a better spec audio system - but I guess we get different options here?

Does anyone have a speaker in the front centre dash as a standard system - I have professional nav and I can not see a grill or anything but it would seem that the U.S. cars have tis as standard.

Does anyone have an suggestions for how to improve the quality for about£600 - as the Alpine audio upgrade does not seem to have materialised?

Thanks

[Zero71]

The US cars get Business Audio. They're dealers deemed the base system to be too shit for consumption. It's not just additional speakers, it's different speakers. I actually went as far as cancelling my order so I could pay the extra £400-600 to get the HK system, which I love. I think the trouble with the base system is a combination of a poor amp and poor speakers.

[NISFAN]

Zerolight is correct, not just more speakers, the business system is quite different.

And Pro Nav doesn't upgrade sound, at least speaker wise. No centre dash speaker on standard sound system.

IMO, none of the 3 series systems are Audiophile quality. The 6 series professional system (standard) blows away the 3 series HK, and then they have the B&O upgrade which is very impressive, but at £3,3k should be.

My take on the 3 series systems....

Standard = Good for volume levels of 1-3
Business = Not sure never experienced it
HK = Good for volume levels of 3-6
Aftermarket = Good to 10 dependant on budget

[clinton.white]

I agree with you - the standard system is not very good and I am tone deaf!!

I just have 6 speakers in my 2012 328i - no centre speaker up front.

I wish I had the H.K. system but brought my car as an AUC so could not spec it.

Lets just hope that the Alpine retrofit upgrade becomes available soon - I bet that will be around the price that you mention.

I would have thought that there are a few F30,31's etc. getting around the U.K. now, so some indy ICE dealers may have a deter idea as to how to improve the audio?

HTH.

[andrew.webber]

Thanks for the replies guys - I see that bavsound.com do an upgrade for the system in a U.S. based car but it costs $700 and would have more speakers than I have holes for LOL.

I might go to my local ICE place and see what they say, with regards to an upgrade, if the Alpine retrofit is nor available in the next couple of months or so.

Thanks again guys.

Andrew

[mactrack]

One of the reasons why I changed from my F10 520d to a F30 330d was also to get a better in car audio system as the F10's standard system is probably just as bad! As I tend to change cars relatively often I don't believe in spending money on them other than running costs but I was sorely tempted to do something about the F10 and found this place;

http://www.audiofile-incar.co.uk/ind...=63&Itemid=101

No doubt they could assist, at a cost, with the F30.

Fortunately amongst the many options ticked on the ex-demo car I recently purchased was the HK system which whilst a lot better than the standard is by no means "wow" good.

[F30AM]

@mactrack: You are a Londoner. If you want better sound than the HK go to Auto Audio in Park Royal They are the best of the best. They do everything to customise a car. I've never seen so many Lambos, Ferraris, Rolls, Maccas and Vyrons under one roof. I had my leather seats de-bagged by them.

[mactrack]

Originally Posted by F30AM

@mactrack: You are a Londoner. If you want better sound than the HK go to Auto Audio in Park Royal They are the best of the best. They do everything to customise a car. I've never seen so many Lambos, Ferraris, Rolls, Maccas and Vyrons under one roof. I had my leather seats de-bagged by them.

Indeed I am, and thanks for the info which others might also be interested in, however as I posted earlier I prefer not to spend money on aftermarket upgrades as I just tend to save it up to pay for the next car!