Bavsound Review

[sda2]

Your could get yourself a BlueBus for bluetooth and maybe a CD Professional. As for the DSP, I think its possible to retrofit either the E39 or E85 DSP unit. Or go completely aftermarket, but then you miss out the DSP option in the radio menu

[L0okitzRaj]

I do not. Sadly, the industry is all into Nav units. Well IMO a phone is a better Nav device and I’m interested in making the car stereo JUST a stereo. What a concept. I think that would be easier and better.

BUT I think a business CD with a DSP Amp that lets you “separate” the sub channel might get you to the same place. My car had HK Nav so I never went down that route. So I’ve had 2 Dynavin units where I almost never use the Nav function🙄.

As I think of it, I might soon be in the market for a factory Business CD. I wonder if Becker NJ refurbs these and adds BT.

GL

maw

Look at the Continental VDO bluetooth radio.

It's probably the closest you'll get to stock looking without a ridiculous big navi style screen.

https://www.amazon.com/VDO-Continent...84366838&psc=1




I'm currently running stock navi headunit to audio control DSP, amped with bav sound speakers. I then added an HK sub (my car is not factory HK) and amped that. It sounds really decent, but definitely lacking in the low frqz.

I recently ordered the RF speakers spoken about earlier in this thread. I'm hoping this would complete the OE- look, but decent sound system i'm going for. I'll report back on how well the RF speakers sound on an amp and DSP.

[GreyM340i]

Please follow up and let us know what they said. I might be interested in something like that.

technicpnp.com said they no longer support the E46. Someone messaged me and said the E90/92 Hi-Fi 676 harness should work. I cant find the PM so not sure.

[Tbonem3]

Installed some Bavsound in a coupe recently. The plug and play aspect (minus the rear 2") is very nice, and I see the appeal, making it easier to swallow the price of the kit. The speakers themselves are like any decent speakers - speaker technology has not really changed a whole lot like other electrified tech (perhaps more in the fitment of them due to neodynium versus ferrous magnets).

I say that not to disparage the speakers, but to calm people's expectations - they are not magic. You need an amplifier.

That said, they're good, and you may have at least some factory speakers in poor condition like this fellow member did:





Cone material looks to be kevlar or some sort of non paper but also non metallic construction. I prefer stiffer like carbon treated paper, for a crisper response (high guitar, vocal, top range of the snap of the drums). These seems like they'll have a warmer response, which isn't the end of the world - better than the too cold of metal or muddled response of the cheap poly/synthetics imo. Again though, nothing will improve the sound like a proper amplifier, esp class A/B if you can/want to fit it. I'm not sure if the factory amp, even HK, can power them enough to truly judge the fidelity of these drivers.



Install into the door panels and rear couldn't be easier.

I will say it sounded better when I listened to an MP3 file (not known for bass response as the compression is mostly the low end data) after insall, though I also installed an Avin 4 unit at the same time, so not sure how much was the speakers or source, but I defintly noticed more response on the lower end from the front woofers. I can't say for certain if the factory HK speakers were functioning properly though, they looked fine so I would assume so.

Owner also wanted to do what Gary (wolfn8tor) did with the HK subs, putting in RFs. The units were pretty nice, I can see the appeal here as well, but these were really disapointing. Could barely hear them (could be a ohms issue), and they didn't move any air. Then I realized why - have you seen the HK subs' amplifier? It's the size of a candy bar lol! The audacity to call these "subs" lol. Do yourself a favor and power them properly, or remove them to save weight, because they're only pulling your sound image backwards, and certainly not playing any non directional freq (sub 80hz). Put in a round 8" or square 10" into the ski pass in infinite baffle, or a 10/12" in a sealed/ported box in the boot imo.

Install's not bad if you're okay trimming the RF's plastic surround.




You can see the RF's should be capable of some good midbass with like 50-100watts. Maybe the amp was expecting 2ohm? These are 4 ohm.



The avin unit, at least in its fit/finish, was impressive. Looks at home. Can bus didn't work (steering wheel controls). Also put in the dynavin console/ashtray replacement/usb.




Owner got all new goodies, euro tray/arm rest delete, trim, boots. Looks fantastic imo, if you want this type of double dinn solution.

[Tbonem3]

technicpnp.com said they no longer support the E46. Someone messaged me and said the E90/92 Hi-Fi 676 harness should work. I cant find the PM so not sure.

I can try to confirm this (maybe help me remember). I have the Technic harness (actually, an ebay copycat, but same thing really) in my E90, and I have a spare E46 harness. That would be fantastic as I don't know of any E46 harnesses anymore, certainly not with RCAs.

[maw1124]

The factory amp can power the BavSound speakers but you need to turn it up a bit, which starts to "color" the source sound. +1 that amps are better if not necessary.

The downside of amps is what your owner may run into, which is they unmask any deficiencies in the source sound quality (which is where the cheap "Chinesium" starts to sound like cheap Chinesium). This was the problem with my first Dynavin (D99). The amplified noise was intolerable and inexcusable. Installers just threw up their hands and said "you need better source sound." That hasn't been a problem with the N7 Pro, and Jeff Bechtel explained to me why.

TLDR version is he took a heavier role in the company on the design side and moved it away from a phone compatible device that plays music toward a car stereo (his background) that's compatible with phones. Think of it as horse v cart. Now the horse (stereo) is first, instead of the cart (phone). The result is better source quality sound, which when amplified doesn't sound like trash.

maw

EDIT... also, most of the improvement in car speakers these days is in materials sciences... not the design, but the materials. And that has evolved A TON, much like tire rubber and car waxes.

[Tbonem3]

No Burr-Brown 24-bit D/A converters in these units??

I doubt these bavsound speakers have much of that material improvement in them that you speak of. My point was to not expect bavsound to be something special or have revolutionary tech. They're middle of the road drivers, but that even middle of the road drivers can sound good with a musical aftermarket amp.

To be fair though, my experience with factory amp in E46 is non HK; perhaps HK is decent. I don't know the output voltage, only my E90's.

[maw1124]

LOL re Burr Brown... Agreed. I first used them in a HK system, which convinced me to get a head unit (Dynavin D99) and an amp (Hertz 4way) which convinced me I needed better source sound (D99 was the weak link).

As a package, the BavSound work, especially if you can get a deal on them, which I have both times (I bought a spare set, for just in case). You can probably piece together something better but your time will eat through that benefit. Although now with DSP amps you can cut out some of that time by spending a lot more money. TBH, the handle tweeter is the best part IMO, that and the old vert sub convinced me.



maw

[WestBankM4]

I found this interesting from Baris @ Carphonics, especially since I'm trying to retain the OEM Navigation unit. I'll probably end up going this route since the OEM unit can now support Android, touch screen, etc.

https://www.carphonics.co.uk/ibusappleplay.htm

I have a full black interior swap waiting to happen with BavSound speakers waiting in the wings. I too went with the RK 6x9's in the rear so lets see how that turns out. I've done the Carphonics BM54 upgrade already too so I'm hoping the BavSound speakers will sound better than an aging factory system.

[K-Dawg]

No Burr-Brown 24-bit D/A converters in these units??

Dynavin claimed the N6 through N7 Pro had Burr-Brown 24 bit DACs, for whatever that's worth.

[maw1124]

Dynavin claimed the N6 through N7 Pro had Burr-Brown 24 bit DACs, for whatever that's worth.

The difference is night and day, N7 Pro to D99.

WestBankM4 don’t sleep on the Dynamat doors and floors since the interior will be out anyway.

maw

[WestBankM4]

The difference is night and day, N7 Pro to D99.

WestBankM4 don’t sleep on the Dynamat doors and floors since the interior will be out anyway.

maw

What's funny is I read that thread you chimed in on and I have on order Melamine foam already, still researching on which type of mat though, there's so many. I want a "luxury" car since I'm using it as my daily right now. About to send out some parts to TexasZ3 soon for refinishing and when they return I'm doing the complete interior refresh to complete black. Recaro Sportsters vs. Nogaro's are the next up and then get the exterior parts painted and installed, install my brakes and find a nice set of BBS CH's. I'm on a tight timeline here man, summer is around the corner and I want to get this thing out in a respectable manner.

[maw1124]

No doubt. Seats are next up for me as some of the stitching is starting to pull apart. If my upholstery guy can't restitch it I may just go with a factory leather re-do. As for sound deadening, the thing I like about Dynamat is almost everyone has used it, are familiar with it and can get it. Takes some of the guess work out -- there's plenty of other things that need it on these cars -- like speakers and head units, amps and such.



maw

[WestBankM4]

May ask you for tips regarding the setup before I jump into the Carphonics setup, it's pricey at ~$850, but you do retain all OEM stuff. Only problem is, the bass is weak and the lynchpin is the headunit. So I've wrestled with the idea of going with Bremmen or Dynavin, just on the fence right now. I love my Bluetooth setup, but the muffled music is pretty bad.

[maw1124]

NW, hit me up.

maw