[jbailey895]

Quick Q: I'm ordering an ED 2011 E93, and didn't chose the HK upgrade. I had heard that the "stock" radio was "decent" (I know, a subjective analysis). I was planning on doing an amp/sub upgrade in the limited trunkspace, but should I just change my order to the HK upgrade? I keep trying to pinch pennies, originally went without Nav, without BT, without HK, but I've already slid into the nav, will probably spring for the BT, and now I'm waffling on the HK. Is the stock do-able? I'm not an audiophile, but I do enjoy music, and when topless, I'm sure I'd enjoy some headspace.
Searched the forums, read some threads indicating the E93 will be the only "base" radio that doesn't suck, but what is it? watts? speakers? subs?

Thanx,
Joel

[jopa489]

2007-2010 E93's had option code 676 standard and 677 optional. For 2011, the optional system has changed to option code 688. I'm not sure of the exact specs on the new 688 option, but perhaps your dealer can get these to you. It might be the same as 677 but with HK branding (677 was technically an HK system anyway, but was advertised as "Logic7" not HK).

The base radio in the E93 should still be 676 (HiFi Professional) which is 6 channels, 10 speakers (including 2x 8.5" subs) and 180W amp. This system does sound decent - highs are good, mids are great, bass is good.

The 677 system (Top-HiFi Logic7) is/was 9 channels, 13 speakers (including 2x 8.5" subs) but with 420W amp. The biggest difference between this and 676 is bass - this gets 70W per sub, 676 gets 40W per sub.

Sorry for being so speculative, but we don't have this level of detail quite yet for the MY2011 cars. Hope that gives you an idea though.

[jbailey895]

Very cool, thanx for the info. Weird, I posted a reply thanking you hours ago, guess I didn't hit send or something. any Idea if the amp is propriety in the 676? Sounds like a little extra wattage and maybe a bigger sub and I'm in business, all for less than the cost of the L7

[Bavaria330]

Do it you will regre it if you don't specially with top down.
Is you are just a little obsesive Then you end up terring up your car sending money to Cruchfield, and being frustraded because it will never sound or work the same. Trust me...

[Thunder Dump]

I've got an E93 with the 'base' 676 stereo ('09) and even at 75mph on the highway with the top down you can crank it for clean, loud sound. I have no desire at all to upgrade the system, and I'm a semi-professional musician so I'm pretty particular about my sound.

[claykin]

2010+ E9x has a different base Professional system. Separate amp has been deleted and power is built into the headunit. Also pillar tweeters have been deleted. Its pretty horrible for a modern car. Reminds me of the standard E36 stereo.

[jopa489]

Originally Posted by claykin

2010+ E9x has a different base Professional system. Separate amp has been deleted and power is built into the headunit. Also pillar tweeters have been deleted. Its pretty horrible for a modern car. Reminds me of the standard E36 stereo.

I believe this is only on the 1 Series? Thought they were still putting the 10 speaker unit in E9x's, but changed to the crappy 6 speaker setup for the 1er.

If it's a choice between the 6 speaker and L7/HK, get the upgrade. I've heard nothing but complaints about the 6 speaker setup from 1 Series drivers.

[jbailey895]

Spoke w/ my CA today, and he didn't have a straight answer, but thinks its the 10 spkr system, not the super-stripped base and not the HK (former L7). I'm rolling the dice I guess, but I had read somewhere that only the E93 would still be getting the "better" stock radio, and the E90/91/92's were downgraded considerably. i agree, if I gambled wrong, that $875 is going to seem like peanuts compared to what it will cost to get good sound with a crappy system, as I hear they are quite proprietary and difficult to upgrade.

[Bavaria330]

Originally Posted by jbailey895

Spoke w/ my CA today, and he didn't have a straight answer, but thinks its the 10 spkr system, not the super-stripped base and not the HK (former L7). I'm rolling the dice I guess, but I had read somewhere that only the E93 would still be getting the "better" stock radio, and the E90/91/92's were downgraded considerably. i agree, if I gambled wrong, that $875 is going to seem like peanuts compared to what it will cost to get good sound with a crappy system, as I hear they are quite proprietary and difficult to upgrade.

Extremely difficult to get it to work as intended with the I drive for that money, this is all the more critical in an open car, millions go in research to assure the sound is optimized, then you will have to tear a brand new car which sucks, like for example when removing door panels all sound insulation needs to be replace per factory recommendation. so I hope you are happy with it, and do not have an obsessive personality, if you do get ready to lose sleep, become a frequent visitor to sound forums, cruchdield, and end up spending big box, and regreting your skimping when you had spend all that money any way. sorry taking from experience.
have fun in Europe.

[ctuna]

The research goes into seeing how cheaply things can be made.
Or how much money can be extracted from your wallet.
If anybody at the car companys had an idea about what good stereo was he would be locked away in cage. This is why you don't get actual power output in RMS per channel at a decent distortion level.

[Nightfly]

Originally Posted by Thunder Dump

I've got an E93 with the 'base' 676 stereo ('09) and even at 75mph on the highway with the top down you can crank it for clean, loud sound. I have no desire at all to upgrade the system, and I'm a semi-professional musician so I'm pretty particular about my sound.

Agreed. I'd venture to say if you're listening to MP3's off the system hard drive, the encoding rate will effect the sound quality as much as anything.