Quote:
Originally Posted by Freiheit
We bought an X2 M-Sport for a DD. Hunting for an X2 without a sunroof was a task but I found one. Its a very enjoyable ride to and from work, and it keeps me from putting miles on my M3. The only downer is the sound system is just the regular "Hifi". The curve has huge gaps in it. It needs subs, and its missing about half of the mid-bass band.
I know this question gets asked about every model in the BMW lineup, but I haven't seen it here yet: how difficult will it be to add the top of the line sound to this ride? Are the wires in place for the extra speakers and the upgraded amp? Will there be coding necessary? I'm betting there will be, since there's no EQ in the iDrive menu for the audio, just basic tone controls.
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If you have the BMW base audio system, you will have 4 door speakers (midrange) and two bass units under the front seats, all driven through the main HU. Imo the speakers are some of the worst quality found in a “premium” brand vehicle and I did a part upgrade using two HK tweeters and front door trims as well as replacing front door speakers with HK versions. This modest upgrade made a significant difference. The BMW oem “mid quality/enhanced” system has separate amp and additional speakers, most prominently one in the middle of the dash. The oem mid quality system does have slightly better quality speakers but still paper cone and flat. The HK system has separate amp in boot/trunk side panel , 4 tweeters etc full diagrams, spec etc have been posted in the X1 forum and I am cautious quoting exact numbers because this is a global forum and there may be variations between markets.
Fully retrofitting a HK system is possible and they come up regularly for sale. If you are lucky you will have already have the optical cable running from the HU to the rear of your car., it is easy to spot, the wires are green and twice as thick are copper versions. Most audio installers would have no problem retrofitting the HK system for you but it would be expensive, if only because you would need two new front door trims and two replacement rear door panels for the tweeters (although they could be placed next to mid-range but would be hidden and loose some dynamic effect). Whether you should do HK upgrade or go for after-market alternatives, will be a very personal choice, imo you should at very least take some music samples and listen to the systems in-situ. Some people like the stock HK (I do for example) but many audiophiles do not rate it and prefer alternatives. As I believe dianebrat and others have mentioned, the F48 HK system is dumbed down so you will not get graphic equaliser but it is night and day compared to base system.
For my own retrofit, I found that the HU itself provides respectable sound, you will not get higher volume of separate amp, just replacing speakers will provide a dramatic improvement (especially if you also add some tweeters). If I would recommend going and listening to this type of set-up (for example focal) before committing to a full-blown install. The HK front door trims are worth fitting just for the cosmetic improvement and these two tweeters alone dramatically improve range, this would be, IMO, the most effective way to get material improvement. Good luck, let us know what you choose.
