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      10-29-2010, 07:52 AM   #1
rogerdiaz
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Anyone with 2011 stock sound system?

So I am trying to assess how bad the the stock sound system is on a 2011 335 e90.

All the poor comments are from 2011 HK Owners, so how would they know what a 2011 stock sound system sounds like.


Anyone with 2011 e90 stock sound system with honest assessment of quality?

All i find is that it "sucks" and "low volume". is it really that bad? is it like a 1980 honda civic stock radio system?
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      10-29-2010, 08:44 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerdiaz View Post
So I am trying to assess how bad the the stock sound system is on a 2011 335 e90.

All the poor comments are from 2011 HK Owners, so how would they know what a 2011 stock sound system sounds like.


Anyone with 2011 e90 stock sound system with honest assessment of quality?

All i find is that it "sucks" and "low volume". is it really that bad? is it like a 1980 honda civic stock radio system?
Yes, it is quite mediocre. As in "suck monkey balls" mediocre.
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      10-29-2010, 08:56 AM   #3
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I will be picking up my new 335i (base audio) in Munich on Tuesday. I am going to be driving it back to Italy with a friend of mine. (lots of music)

I currently drive a sports car with:
- 1400 WRMS 5-channel amp
- 6.5" component set
- 8" midbasses in each door
- 5 - 8" subwoofers (930 WRMS)
- Alpine USB head unit

That is a good system, quite detailed with the ability to get quite loud. I will post back in this thread about my opinion of the sound quality of the stock system. I've owned the previous car for 8 years, and quite used to after market audio. (used to install it professionally) I already am planning on a speaker / JBL MS-8 / 5-chan amp / sub upgrade for the 335, however it will take some time. ($$)
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      10-29-2010, 08:56 AM   #4
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Civic's have better systems from factory. Unacceptable in a 40k+ vehicle.
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      10-29-2010, 09:49 AM   #5
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I'm no audiophile, but I can tell you anecdotally that it isn't very good. The Logic7 on my 330 was FAR better than the stock 2011 system.

I hate to say it, but I even think that the stereo in my grandmother's 2001 Ford Escape sounds better.
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      10-29-2010, 11:27 AM   #6
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well this is a closed thread. the VIN has been assigned. no changes can be made. purchased through BMW military sales program.

I will let you know how much monkey balls the stock sound system sucks.

aw bmw 335d with ZSP . No other options.
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      10-29-2010, 12:23 PM   #7
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Wow... you seem kind of angry. Congrats on the new car, it's a really nice car.

I have a 2007 that came with HiFi, and I've lately had a 2011 service loaner with base Stereo a couple of times (I had a weird broken motor mount and then I had the door lock fuse issue).

So my experience is with that car, and I know how much it sucks - don't need you to tell me. That car has no tweeters, no subwoofers, and no amplifier - deck power only. 4 4" speakers without tweeters, and 2 6" speakers, on deck power. It's about the same level of sound as an 1984 E30 with base Stereo (no amp, no tweeters).

The rest of the car is quite nice, though.
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      10-29-2010, 04:18 PM   #8
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hahaha i was just quoting technic about the monkey balls, I dont even have an ipod or mp3 player. Come to think of it, i don't even like music. jk, i'll look through the threads about upgrade options after i make my assessment.

Technic / VP: Any idea if this "Alpine HiFi Upgrade" will work with a 2011 BMW 335d U.S. vehicle.

My budget is $700 dollars.

Last edited by rogerdiaz; 10-29-2010 at 04:48 PM.. Reason: alpine hifi?
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      10-29-2010, 06:41 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerdiaz View Post
Technic / VP: Any idea if this "Alpine HiFi Upgrade" will work with a 2011 BMW 335d U.S. vehicle.

My budget is $700 dollars.
It should work without issue on your US-spec 2011 335d. There are two revisions of the upgrade kit floating around, to my knowledge. The first revision of the kit requires you to cut into the branch audio connector under the seats and splice in the amp harness using butt connectors. The later revision of the kit includes a PnP harness that interfaces at the under-seat subwoofer connectors.

I can't be certain the differences end there, nor do I know what the Alpine HiFi upgrade amp does with the base (stereo) EQ curve. It's a pretty simple install, but you may find it still lacks in certain areas.
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      10-29-2010, 06:48 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerdiaz View Post
hahaha i was just quoting technic about the monkey balls, I dont even have an ipod or mp3 player. Come to think of it, i don't even like music. jk, i'll look through the threads about upgrade options after i make my assessment.

Technic / VP: Any idea if this "Alpine HiFi Upgrade" will work with a 2011 BMW 335d U.S. vehicle.

My budget is $700 dollars.
The Alpine upgrade seems to be your best bet for that amount of money - it is less than $500 shipped: http://www.schmiedmann.com/3_series/...age1.htm#19444

It looks like the few forum members that have installed it are happy with it... I would replace the OEM woofers with SSMB8 as well, and your budget can handle it. The OEM connector for the woofers are housing - 6113690173, housing pins - 61138364835, so it will be kept OEM all the way.

Just make sure that this is the latest Alpine Kit -PnP.
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      10-30-2010, 07:11 AM   #11
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Technic: found this on another thread that you wrote

"For ~$750 I would do:

- SSMB8 woofers ($170)
- HiFi tweeters ($80)
- OEM tweeter pods ($60)
- Cleansweep ($210)
- Pioneer GM-6400F 4-channel amplifier ($140)
- Stereo harness ($65)"

plus installation.

How would this setup compare to the OEM Harmon Kardon sound system option? thnx
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      10-30-2010, 08:44 AM   #12
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roger

I'm you...two months ago. Picked up my 335d after I got back from the desert and I have the stock 2011.0 system

VP-E and I are working on a solution to this problem. I am probably going to spend more money than you've budgeted but I'll let you know what we fit to the car and how it sounds.
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      10-30-2010, 09:05 AM   #13
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your forum name is an anagram for TALIBAN!!!

so the stock sound system sucks monkey balls indeed huh?

i'm cheap as hell. I'm gonna do the alpine hifi upgrade and thats bout it. but let me know your total costs.
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      10-30-2010, 09:31 AM   #14
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Clever. It was actually me misspelling it one time playing Xbox and it stuck. No one get pissed...its a joke. I like my country very much thank you.

Critique is not as bad as some might have you think. Its very clear that the stock HU juices the EQ quite a bit. Certainly this is not clear HD sounding audio that makes you go Ahhhhhh! when you listen to it...but that is what I want.

I already knew I was going to refit the audio when I ordered the car which is why I just let them install the base system. I figured for 875 I could do better than the HK system, which underwhelmed me when I listened to it. It got louder sure but was not that audio experience for which I was hoping.

Listen to Technic...do whatever he says. If you want to spend more money...Listen to VP Electricity. (<---edit...didnt mean that like it sounded...I only mean if you can dig up a few more dollars talk to him about adding some more oomph).
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      10-30-2010, 09:32 AM   #15
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I had it in my MY2010. As has been said, it's abysmal.
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      10-30-2010, 04:19 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joelc73 View Post
I had it in my MY2010. As has been said, it's abysmal.
+1
i am not an audiophile...
in my 2011 i can best describe the audio as 'muddy' and flat. it has no 'pop' or clarity to it. Its very mid range 'thick'. sort of like the sound that comes out of two book shelf speakers.

If i could go back and do it all over again, I would have added the upgraded stereo to my 'must have list' i gave to my dealer. i did not listen to the radio when i test drove the car. shame on me. had i spent an extra 800 back in aug, i wouldnt be spending almost two grand to fix it now
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      10-30-2010, 05:59 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerdiaz View Post
Technic: found this on another thread that you wrote

"For ~$750 I would do:

- SSMB8 woofers ($170)
- HiFi tweeters ($80)
- OEM tweeter pods ($60)
- Cleansweep ($210)
- Pioneer GM-6400F 4-channel amplifier ($140)
- Stereo harness ($65)"

plus installation.

How would this setup compare to the OEM Harmon Kardon sound system option? thnx
The OEM HK has a 9-channel amp with Logic7 processing and 13 speakers (including a center channel), custom tuned for the interior of the car so there is no comparison with this budget setup. To exceed the OEM HK system you will need at least a JBL MS-8, a much better front component set, a coaxial center channel, the SSMB8 and at least 7 channels of amplification. A trunk sub would be icing.
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      10-30-2010, 09:58 PM   #18
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Our Zapco DSP-amp-based systems also surpass the hk in terms of impact, clarity, and tonality.
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      11-01-2010, 05:55 PM   #19
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So OEM Alpine Hifi Upgrade vs "subtle upgrade by technic"

"This is subtle to me:

- MS-8 processor (available next week): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WJSG663Y
- Logic7 tweeters and OEM door pods
- harness: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=387685
- unplug the OEM woofers and run new wires to it from the MS-8

Total price: less than $1000 in equipment if you shop around. Free labor if you do a DIY..."

Which one would give me better sound? I like house music, but not into the thumping/window tremors.
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      11-01-2010, 06:02 PM   #20
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Uh, run those underseat woofers off the MS-8 amp and "subtle" will be one of the adjectives you will use...

I will reply to your PM later, RD, running errands ATM...
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      11-01-2010, 06:14 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rogerdiaz View Post
So OEM Alpine Hifi Upgrade vs "subtle upgrade by technic"

"This is subtle to me:

- MS-8 processor (available next week): http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WJSG663Y
- Logic7 tweeters and OEM door pods
- harness: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=387685
- unplug the OEM woofers and run new wires to it from the MS-8

Total price: less than $1000 in equipment if you shop around. Free labor if you do a DIY..."

Which one would give me better sound? I like house music, but not into the thumping/window tremors.
Remember, all those examples are based on threads asking for budget systems; there are compromises. And by the way, the MS-8 "street" price is more like $600 so that $1000 total is around $200 lower now.

In your case, you will need a minimum of $1500 in equipment to upgrade your base audio for the music characteristics that you seem to want.

- MS-8 ($600)
- 2-channel amp (for woofers $200)
- Front component set ($200)
- Center channel ($120)
- SSMB8 ($180)
- OEM pods, center grill, speaker and woofer connectors ($130)
- Stereo harness ($65)

You can replace the MS-8 with a Cleansweep and save right away ~$500 (no center channel required, but will need a 4-channel amp).

This is a system that will keep all the OEM wires unmodified and give you a much more dynamic and clear sound.
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      11-02-2010, 05:04 PM   #22
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I can't believe how bad I'm hearing about the stock speakers are. I will be getting my 2011 328i soon.
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