Bavsound Review

[Rekpoint]

Hey guys, I am currently stuck with my Bavsound speaker install. Never thought I'd say that as my E36 was 100% drop in and go. But I can't find any info on this.
I have a 2005 HK m3, The housing on my rear tweeters are different than everyone on YouTube who has installed them.
I can't figure out how to separate the tweeter from the plastic screw thing that screws into the speaker grill. Without ruining one of the two.

First pic is my tweeter, and 2nd is the tweeter that everyone else has.

Anyone run into the same issue?

[maw1124]

Yeah, the people like yourself who have moved on were definitely pioneers, ICE in our cars is not for the faint hearted.

You had to remind me of that, huh... #facepalm But, as you know, it comes out SO much better. The speakers are in the almost ideal positions for this little cabin. It does't take much to make it punch, but you do have to think your way through it.

maw

[oceansize]

Because some of us have already moved past the factory audio bits. But agreed, for everyone who has not, that looks like the easiest thing to do. Maybe not best but certainly easiest.

maw

Yeah, the people like yourself who have moved on were definitely pioneers, ICE in our cars is not for the faint hearted.

[maw1124]

No, send amp to Barris at carphonics and he can upgrade it. This is the answer and I don't know why everyone doesn't do it.

Because some of us have already moved past the factory audio bits. But agreed, for everyone who has not, that looks like the easiest thing to do. Maybe not best but certainly easiest.

maw

[oceansize]

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.

No, send to Barris at carphonics and he can upgrade it. This is the answer and I don't know why everyone doesn't do it (although this may not apply to those with HK, I can't remember).

Baris - Carphonics

Baris, your amp upgrade service apply to HKs?

[E11even]

Yeah, the factory amp cannot adequately drive real speakers. They can drive the paper cone stuff that came in the car. The good news is power gets cheaper and easier to add as the days pass. You can get small footprint amps these days that fit anywhere.

maw

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.

[maw1124]

The RF 6x9's sound really good in my M3, a noticeable improvement over the stock HK's. I do have the Carphonic's BM54 Amp upgrade maybe that's the difference. After installing them I had to address several rattles from the added bass.

Yeah, the factory amp cannot adequately drive real speakers. They can drive the paper cone stuff that came in the car. The good news is power gets cheaper and easier to add as the days pass. You can get small footprint amps these days that fit anywhere.

maw

[Rekpoint]

If there was an easy way to wire in an amplifier for my speakers without messing with my harness I am all ears though, I want to retain my factory Mk4 nav unit.

Found this while snooping tonight. https://carphonics.co.uk/shop/parts-...fier-installs/

[WOLFN8TR]

I tried the Rockford Fosgate 6x9s, but did not have good results. It sounded like bass output dropped and disappeared. I dropped the basket with everything connected to check function and the cones were moving but cone excursion looked noticeably less than with the stock HK 6x9s, which I re-installed. Bass is back to stock levels. Maybe I had a bad set of RFs, I'm not sure. I was pretty excited to try it but then disappointed by the lack of bass.

This was tried on my 330 zhp, but the sound systems are the same / close enough. Maybe I'll try the Rockford Fosgate 6x9s again in my m3.
I know some have upgraded their head unit amps via Carphonic's, and others have simply changed head units all together, but I think for my needs this is sufficient for now.

The RF 6x9's sound really good in my M3, a noticeable improvement over the stock HK's. I do have the Carphonic's BM54 Amp upgrade maybe that's the difference. After installing them I had to address several rattles from the added bass.

[maw1124]

No separate subwoofer channels to my knowledge. (I am not too familiar with the audio game, trying to get into it though) The BSW sub has a built-in amplifier that will be powering the sub. If there was an easy way to wire in an amplifier for my speakers without messing with my harness I am all ears though, I want to retain my factory Mk4 nav unit.

No, you'll be stuck where I was stuck, with the BSW sub. It'll sound great, but equalizing the bass between the cabin speakers and the subwoofer (using an ever changing combination of more:less Bass and the F:R fader) will be difficult (and frustrating) without the separate subwoofer channel. But it'll be fine.

Back when I did mine in 2012, the BSW sub came with what I'm pretty sure was a white label Rockford mono amp. I'm still using it today and it's been fine. I just needed more control over the crossover to the subwoofer so I upgraded my head unit to give me that.

maw

EDIT... for acoustic music, guitars, etc., it will sound fantastic... but as soon as you move to something with a bottom end, like reggae, jazz, hip hop, that's when you'll need more control over that subwoofer, if your experience is anything like mine.

[Rekpoint]

Does the Siemens CID have separate subwoofer channels, and are you using aftermarket amplification?

maw

No separate subwoofer channels to my knowledge. (I am not too familiar with the audio game, trying to get into it though) The BSW sub has a built-in amplifier that will be powering the sub. If there was an easy way to wire in an amplifier for my speakers without messing with my harness I am all ears though, I want to retain my factory Mk4 nav unit.

[maw1124]

Bit the bullet over the holidays here and used their 20% off coupon to order speakers for the M3.
I will pair them with a new Siemens CID radio to replace my BM53 and I will be also installing a BSW D110 sub-enclosure at the same time.
Now the wait until late March begins when I pull the car out of storage and install everything.

Does the Siemens CID have separate subwoofer channels, and are you using aftermarket amplification?

maw

[Rekpoint]

Bit the bullet over the holidays here and used their 20% off coupon to order speakers for the M3.
I will pair them with a new Siemens CID radio to replace my BM53 and I will be also installing a BSW D110 sub-enclosure at the same time.
Now the wait until late March begins when I pull the car out of storage and install everything.

[maw1124]

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.

I think this nails it. The BSW speakers are good, not great. On a factory amp, the difference is noticeable but you have to really get into the volume knob to tell. Amplified, the whole game changes. It's just up to you how much you want to do. I posted a good YouTube install that brings this forward. Here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh-PR9M4gxk&t=144s

Now there are better door and rear cabin speakers available, slim mount from Focal, so you have choices besides BSW. Back when I did mine these options did not exist. On balance I'd probably still just use the BSW and be done with it, keep it plug and play, for the handle mid-tweets). With the right source and amp, that's going to be fine/great for 95% of the listening public.

BSW = Bavarian Sound Werks = BavSound... company has had the usual startup company turmoil over the years.

maw

[Will]

I finally installed the Bavsound speakers for HK coupe and wanted to add my experience with them.

Overall I'm pleased with this plug and play option paired with the stock HK 6x9 subs in rear deck. Increasing the Bass +2 made it sound a bit better, and alleviated some of the "missing punch and mid-bass."

HK: sounded warmer, punchier, but also muddier.
BS: brighter sound. clarity is improved, voices and instruments seem more delineated. But mid bass is less, sounded like it had less punch and sounded less full.

Sorry, I'm not an audiophile that's an expert on all the terms like timbre etc.

I tried the Rockford Fosgate 6x9s, but did not have good results. It sounded like bass output dropped and disappeared. I dropped the basket with everything connected to check function and the cones were moving but cone excursion looked noticeably less than with the stock HK 6x9s, which I re-installed. Bass is back to stock levels. Maybe I had a bad set of RFs, I'm not sure. I was pretty excited to try it but then disappointed by the lack of bass.

This was tried on my 330 zhp, but the sound systems are the same / close enough. Maybe I'll try the Rockford Fosgate 6x9s again in my m3.

I know some have upgraded their headunit amps via Carphonics, and others have simply changed head units all together, but I think for my needs this is sufficient for now.


Edit to add when doing A/B testing between the stock HK system (in m3) and the BS and stock HK sub (in ZHP), I used an app to set the volume so they'd be close to the same decibel reading. I remember that a louder sounding system will have people thinking it's a better sounding system. Not perfect, but better than nothing (I hope).