Bavsound Review

[WestBankM4]

I've finally completed my black interior swap and just waiting on my Sporster CS's to arrive. Thought I'd chime in since I've completed the following,

- Dynavin 9
- BavSound Stage-1 speakers
- Rockford Fosgate 6x9's in the OEM HK box
- Choice location of sound deadening in the doors and rear deck, 3"x3" squares w/ 1" gaps along with Melamime foam sitting on top of them.

My initial impression coming from a stock HK/Nav car is that I'm fairly impressed, actually quite blown away. I think the car feels a lot more modern with the very quick Dynavin (sans the "in your face" logo) head and the output is much better than the OEM Nav could ever be, even with my upgraded BM53 from Baris. The BavSound speakers sound great all around, mids will do, the highs are great and the lows/bass is there now with a nice punch. I didn't go super high on the volume but it seems they can take quite a bit of juice, they're sturdy and good build quality. The RF 6x9's contrary to some of the reports I've read on here are amazing. Nice bass from them, definitely rattling the OEM plastic box and adding the much needed lows.

I'll probably do what MAW suggests in terms of amps, I went ahead and pre-ran all the RCA cables to the rear so in the future if I decide to go aftermarket amp it's ready. So far though, I'm impressed. Will probably give it a go and play around with the equalizer in the mean time. I cannot comment on a factory OEM unit with the RF 6x9's, but with the Dynavin they sound much better than the factory HK subs, if you can even call them subs.

Hope this helped.

[E11even]

CDT HD slim 6x9 or CL slim 6x9.

I got the 2 ohm version.

Which model of CDT Audio 6x9's did you go with? And did you choose the 4 Ohm or the 2 Ohm version?

Thanks!
Kaz

[Kazmoto]

Just installed CDT audio 6x9 subs into the rear basket. They are an easy direct fitment into the basket. Definitely sounds better and more bass than HK.

But now I’m thinking I need an amp upgrade. Are any of the aftermarket amps plug in play? I’m an audio simpleton.

Which model of CDT Audio 6x9's did you go with? And did you choose the 4 Ohm or the 2 Ohm version?

Thanks!
Kaz

[Shonky]

My experience as well, 100% noticeable difference and well worth the upgrade. My BM53 wasn't failing I upgraded it because the BAVSOUND speakers weren't living up to my expectations. I emailed Baris beforehand and he recommended the Stage 2 and said it would improve the sound quality of the BAV speakers. He was 100% correct!

Do you have Harman Kardon?

[Shonky]

https://youtu.be/rDibax5px9o?si=S0RO091MVDbqVGzP

Folks should play this on their systems as part of an A/B test... listen, then run the Cardas sweep, then listen again... this, FOR FREE, will impart a greater than 20% improvement on ANY system, in my estimation. Thank me later.

TLDR, there's electrostatic "gunk" on any 20+ year old system that this clears out. It's like "clearing the voice" of your system. Run it everywhere.

Other than a free hookup for you guys because I appreciate this community, the point is I'm only interested in stereo improvements that are GREATLY in excess of this that I have for free and use all the time. For this discussion, that means BavSound speakers, a new head unit and amp, at a MINIMUM.

Listen for yourselves. Corded or BT, doesn't matter... it cleans up whatever signal path you use, so I use it on both although as a practical matter I never use BT unless a corded connection isn't available.

maw

Are you seriously suggesting that playing a crackly frequency sweep improves the sound?

How does it clean a signal path? What is being cleaned? "Electrostatic gunk"? This is proper audiophile nonsense.

[maw1124]

https://youtu.be/rDibax5px9o?si=S0RO091MVDbqVGzP

Folks should play this on their systems as part of an A/B test... listen, then run the Cardas sweep, then listen again... this, FOR FREE, will impart a greater than 20% improvement on ANY system, in my estimation. Thank me later.

TLDR, there's electrostatic "gunk" on any 20+ year old system that this clears out. It's like "clearing the voice" of your system. Run it everywhere.

Other than a free hookup for you guys because I appreciate this community, the point is I'm only interested in stereo improvements that are GREATLY in excess of this that I have for free and use all the time. For this discussion, that means BavSound speakers, a new head unit and amp, at a MINIMUM.

Listen for yourselves. Corded or BT, doesn't matter... it cleans up whatever signal path you use, so I use it on both although as a practical matter I never use BT unless a corded connection isn't available.

maw

[stephen]

I have a Carphonics upgraded CD54 and can verify it makes a noticeable difference coming from a CD53 but it’s not earth shattering.

[maw1124]

WestBankM4 I sent you some amp suggestions to go with your Dynavin, both with or without a subwoofer. For a coupe, I'm not sure a subwoofer is necessary. I'd use the 6x9 in the rear deck as "subwoofers". Just get some beefy enough to reproduce the Bass you want to hear, and get a 4 channel amp large enough to power it. Should sound great, TBH. This is a very small cabin for the amplifier wattages I'm suggesting (80WpC to 100WpC). The BavSound can handle those loads.

maw

EDIT... I see no benefit to either (a) staying with 20 year old amps and speakers and trying to make them sound better; or (b) upgrading the head unit and not upgrading the amp and speakers too. But I'm sure the carphonics work is an actual upgrade (just not enough of an upgrade given the relatively straightforward exercise of replacing head unit, amp and speakers, for me). I mean, Dynavin and BavSound have figured it all out for you, all you need to do is pick an amplifier and pay for it.

[WOLFN8TR]

I ended up sending it to Baris and went straight for the Stage-2, from OEM to his upgrade it's 100% noticeable, at least for me. Made the 21 year old speakers actually sound semi decent.

My experience as well, 100% noticeable difference and well worth the upgrade. My BM53 wasn't failing I upgraded it because the BAVSOUND speakers weren't living up to my expectations. I emailed Baris beforehand and he recommended the Stage 2 and said it would improve the sound quality of the BAV speakers. He was 100% correct!

[Shonky]

Not sure why I get the feeling you're trying to discredit the work done when you in fact stated you're doing the same thing.

The symptoms you're experiencing with your car, sound on one side going out doesn't' really cloud your memory does it? If memory serves me, there's still the other side playing sound.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

Not trying to discredit, but trying to understand where this apparent improvement in sound quality comes from and then some kind extra improvement for paying for "Stage 2" which is essentially the same thing as a "Stage 1" really. Audio is very subjective and as such people often report improvements that aren't really there.

Yes I am fixing my unit because it's absolutely broken. That doesn't necessarily make it sound better than it did before it failed. What I was going to do will actually allow an A-B (your memory is excellent) and I'll be sure to report here any difference in sound. I'm not expecting anything signficant apart from the right side working again.

[WestBankM4]

This is said TechnicPnP harness I purchased in 2020. It's a replacement for the HK amp in the trunk. No cutting or splicing, it allows you to run an aftermarket amp.

The maker of said harness can be found here posting about what it's capabilities are.

https://www.bimmerfest.com/threads/t...arness.486152/

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[WestBankM4]

If you went from a faulty unit to a working one, of course it's going to sound better - your memory will always be clouded by the most recent experience.

BTW: HK is completely separate from BM53

Not sure why I get the feeling you're trying to discredit the work done when you in fact stated you're doing the same thing.

The symptoms you're experiencing with your car, sound on one side going out doesn't' really cloud your memory does it? If memory serves me, there's still the other side playing sound.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[Shonky]

If you went from a faulty unit to a working one, of course it's going to sound better - your memory will always be clouded by the most recent experience.

BTW: HK is completely separate from BM53

[WestBankM4]

I went from an OEM HK unit which had started getting the symptoms of a bad BM53. Screeching/squealing from all speakers, bumps in the road would cut out one full side of sound, the other side worked perfect. Eventually it would just screech when turned on.

I ended up sending it to Baris and went straight for the Stage-2, from OEM to his upgrade it's 100% noticeable, at least for me. Made the 21 year old speakers actually sound semi decent.

Sent from my Pixel 7 Pro using Tapatalk

[Shonky]

You could tell from the non modified to "Stage 2" or the "Stage 1" to "Stage 2"?

Can you see the part number on the amplifier IC at all?

The wiring is fairly simple to hook up I have that worked out. Basically: ground, power, mute, 4 input signals and 8 speaker outputs (4 x +/-).

Kinda light duty speaker wiring for 50W RMS if you ask me.