B&O speakers

[bimmerhead12]

For those of you who have the B&O audio system.. is it really that good? Is it possible to order/purchase the speakers/amp through the Audi parts dept and swap out the stock audio system? let me know your thoughts!

[xtrema]

For those of you who have the B&O audio system.. is it really that good? Is it possible to order/purchase the speakers/amp through the Audi parts dept and swap out the stock audio system? let me know your thoughts!

I tried it in the demo car and it does sounds good. But I'm not audiophile and my listening habit is 50/50 on talk/music. So I didn't buy it.

In comparison, it's only slightly better than my 8 speaker Bose system in my 03 Nissan.

[Okan509]

Go aftermarket It will be less money and better sound quality I'm sure

[Phantom S5]

I have it in my S4, and constantly listen to music, so I love it. It's way better than the Bose system that was in my A4. The sound is amazing. I'm not sure why you would go aftermarket speakers on a brand new S4, but that's up to you. I would think that would be a waste considering B&O is amazing and your getting 14-speakers for $800. I guarantee for you to get anything even close to how many speakers this has you'll be way above the price. I used to buy aftermarket stereo stuff for my A4 and I know that the quality items do not come cheap.

[Okan509]

He wants to retrofit it though... if you read the post. If you want more stereo system aftermarket is the way to go

[drvolkl]

The B&O sounds really good... does it thump? Fairly well, but nothing like having a few subs in the trunk. I'm well beyond that now, so the system is perfect... as most high end systems these days since they're designed for the car.

Now that being said, if your car didn't come with the system, I can not see it be worth while trying to upgrade to it... it would probably cost way too much for what you get and you would do much better going aftermarket.

[trigoe]

Go aftermarket It will be less money and better sound quality I'm sure

That is incredibly bad advice in this case.

This system is absolutely amazing if audio QUALITY if what you are after. It's clear and loud when you want it to be.

But, more importantly for the adults amongst us, it's crystal clear when it's NOT loud. Which is much more challenging for a system to achieve.

No aftermarket system currently available is going to sound BETTER than a BandO. There's a reason it's expensive. Because it's truly designed to work in an S4 and the quality is untouchable.

Now, if you just want LOUD thumping ghetto muzak. Then, go aftermarket... there are plenty louder systems that this elegant B and O.

For those of us who want quality, please, don't hesitate to get this, you won't be sorry.


FYI: I'm a full time music professional who is very very critical on sound systems.

[zillmc]

In comparison, it's only slightly better than my 8 speaker Bose system in my 03 Nissan.

That's laughable at best. The sound quality is amazing in the B&O.

[CAA]

That's laughable at best. The sound quality is amazing in the B&O.

Agree 100%. For an $800 option I think it's well worth the money. If I'm in the car, the music is on (Ipod, Sirius) so for me it's definitely nice to have.

[zillmc]

Agree 100%. For an $800 option I think it's well worth the money. If I'm in the car, the music is on (Ipod, Sirius) so for me it's definitely nice to have.

If you have a keen ear for quality sound and want to get the most out of your B&O, definitely nix the Ipod and go for x2 SDHC cards as you get high definition audio whereas the Ipod unfortunately does not get HD audio [down].

I only have a 16gb Ipod Nano so I just went out and bought x2 32GB SDHC cards (probably better to have purchased 16GB ones since I'll never use all that space). Two 32GB SDHCs will cost you close to $200, but two 16GB will cost you less than $100 so I'd go the 16GB x2 route.

[CAA]

Zill - I thought the max the system could handle was a
4 GB card?

[zillmc]

Zill - I thought the max the system could handle was a
4 GB card?

Nope, the system can definitely handle up to 32GB SDHC cards. I can confirm that both 16GB and 32GB SDHC cards work, specifically, SanDisk, A-DATA, and Patriot brand SD cards.

I thought I read something somewhere on the forums that VERY early builds didn't have the ability to support SDHC, but I'm not sure if that was ever confirmed. Nonetheless, no harm in picking up one 16GB SDHC to test it on yours.

FYI mine is October 2009 build.

[scottyuk]

If you have a keen ear for quality sound and want to get the most out of your B&O, definitely nix the Ipod and go for x2 SDHC cards as you get high definition audio whereas the Ipod unfortunately does not get HD audio [down].


Can you explain this? I don't understand the reference to HD audio? I don't believe the SD can play FLAC so what is HD? iPod plays my 320kbps mp3s. To be honest in the car that's probably sufficient.

AMI and 160Gb iPod suits me [:D]

[CAA]

Nope, the system can definitely handle up to 32GB SDHC cards. I can confirm that both 16GB and 32GB SDHC cards work, specifically, SanDisk, A-DATA, and Patriot brand SD cards.

I thought I read something somewhere on the forums that VERY early builds didn't have the ability to support SDHC, but I'm not sure if that was ever confirmed. Nonetheless, no harm in picking up one 16GB SDHC to test it on yours.

FYI mine is October 2009 build.

Thanks - that's good info to have. My sales guy said they could only handle 4. My car must have literally just come off the boat, my build date is 12/09.

[NWS4Guy]

Thanks - that's good info to have. My sales guy said they could only handle 4. My car must have literally just come off the boat, my build date is 12/09.

Yep he is correct, 32 is the max, even stated in the owners manual.

[trigoe]

Can you explain this? I don't understand the reference to HD audio? I don't believe the SD can play FLAC so what is HD? iPod plays my 320kbps mp3s. To be honest in the car that's probably sufficient.

AMI and 160Gb iPod suits me [:D]


Sigh...[headbang]

There is nothing to explain here. Because this is all fiction.

The term "HD Audio" might as well be called "White Elephant". Don't get sucked into this faux "audiophile" argument.

Now, I'm going to explain this from the point of an audio professional, not an enthusiast. I KNOW what I'm talking about because I do this every single day and I don't want to see people wasting time and money on these lies from an industry trying to confuse you. If you think the Blu-ray DVD fiasco is a mess, the HD audio fiction is 100 times worse. Here we go...


99.9 percent of everyone reading this has their music stored as mp3 or AAC (mp4); there are a couple of other formats trying desperately to move the public to what they are calling HD Audio, but trust me, it isn't working and it's more marketing to get you (yet again) to buy the same music you already own in another "better" format. It's all bullshit. Moving on...

All of us, bought and ripped music from CD's or purchased on iTunes (or some other flavor of online store). This music was recorded and mastered to 44.1/16bit audio. MP3 and AAC use "lossy" encoding which selectively removes high frequency digital information without, in theory, losing quality (you'd have to save to WAV or AIFF at full rez to get the full CD quality to your iPod or SDand even THEN it isn't HD). You can pick a sampling rate anywhere from 96-320 (the higher the better) but even at full 320K it isn't HD BECAUSE THE SOURCE ISN'T HD! If the source isn't HD, you can't make it HD. YOU CAN'T IMPROVE AUDIO THAT ISN'T THERE.

For music to stay HD, it has to be specially mastered and saved to esoteric professional file formats (which could one day include AAC because of it's built in upward expansion possibilities), which would be up to 32 bit. (By the way, these are standards that were standardized by Intel of all people, back in 2004 for what is considered HD audio). Now, there are true HD discs being sold, but they are rare, specialized, and nobody is buying them... I know the manufacturers, trust me, this push to HD isn't working. People, by and large, are completely content with the quality of their libraries.

Summary: You'll get full sound quality no matter from iPod or SD cards. These 'things' are simply reading formats. If you play a 320 bit MP3 from an iPod or an SD card, it does NOT matter. It will sound the same. The only difference is the connection (hence, one may be louder than another but that has nothing to do with quality). There is no magic fairy dust in the SD cards. Even if the iPod were adding a D/A stage to the signal chain, this, in a car of all places!, will not matter. Is anyone going to go out and sit in their car with the engine off and listen to an hours worth of music? If so, you've got bigger problems than HD audio, me thinks! [rolleyes]

A final note: don't let "audiophiles" shame you into believing you're not getting the most out of your system. These are people who will spend 10000 bucks on a mono block amp to play Cd's mastered in 1986 (when CD's really, really sucked). At the end of the day, do you think it sounds great? If yes, then you're done. Enjoy and don't worry.

[bimmerhead12]

So if I wanted to upgrade my stock speakers/amp and purchase the B&O speakers/amp through Audi parts.. is it a simple swap out? Or do I need to configure something in the MMI via VAG COM?

[zillmc]

So if I wanted to upgrade my stock speakers/amp and purchase the B&O speakers/amp through Audi parts.. is it a simple swap out? Or do I need to configure something in the MMI via VAG COM?

I don't think it will be a simple swap out because there are B&O specific settings within the MMI. I'd imagine that those would need to be unlocked in some way via the VAG-COM.

[zillmc]

Rather than saying HD Audio maybe I should have said overall sound quality or something.

While I agree with almost everything you said regarding HD audio, and while I agree the difference in sound may be negligible, the louder you listen to your music the more distortion and noise you are going to hear on 16bit 44.1khz audio (the max the Ipod can support). So yes it's not truly HD audio, but No, it won't sound the same if you are blasting it on the Ipod vs the SD card. Go try it out for yourself.

I'm no music professional, so if I get my technical terms/facts a bit off don't hold it against me =). But I do know a decent amount about sound recording and playback and mp3 decoding and encoding.



All of us, bought and ripped music from CD's or purchased on iTunes (or some other flavor of online store). This music was recorded and mastered to 44.1/16bit audio.


If you've spent any time in a recording studio where the music that most of the musicians we are listening to is recorded, they are definitely not using multi-track 16/44.1 recorders and are very likely using 24/96 recorders unless they have some really old gear. For the sake of pressing it to CD its downsampled to be 16/44.1 which is the CDDA standard.




You can pick a sampling rate anywhere from 96-320 (the higher the better) but even at full 320K it isn't HD BECAUSE THE SOURCE ISN'T HD! If the source isn't HD, you can't make it HD. YOU CAN'T IMPROVE AUDIO THAT ISN'T THERE.



While you 100% correct regarding the HD audio in that the source has to be HD like an original high quality sound file in WAV or AIFF format, you can 100% SURELY improve the sound quality (though not truly HD) by ripping that 16bit 44.1 CD using a 24-bit decoder, and then re-encoding the mp3 at 96kHZ at 24bit resolution.

As you may know since you you are an audio guy, when you encode a CD to mp3 format, you aren't getting the EXACT copy of the original signal on the CD. When a cd/mp3 is decoded, you don't get those original 16 bits back, but an approximation that should sound similar to the CD which is what the lossy encoding/decoding is trying to do. When the CD is decoded, the numerical/binary result is very accurate in numerical terms, even if it's not exactly what was on the original CD. So when it's decoded/encoded at 16 bits, you are essentially adding a small amount extra distortion to this reconstructed signal that is your new mp3, getting even further away from what was on the original CD. If it's decoded/encoded at 24 bits, you're still adding distortion, but it's 256 times quieter than what it is at 16bit. Since no .wav converted to mp3 is reconstructed perfectly, this is the reason why all 16 bit decoders score 16+1 and why I see the benefit of using 24bit mp3 decoding/encoding since with 16 bit audio, the sample rate is 44.1kHZ and there are ~65,000 possible levels but with 24 bit, the sample rate is 96kHz and there are about 17 million levels. And while our ears definitely can't tell much, if any, difference between 44.1kHz and 96kHz at normal volumes, the more you crank it the more you hear the distortion; and I tend to crank the shit out of my B&O [:D]. And when I played the same mp3 on both the Ipod and SD, i was able to hear the difference at the near max/maximum tolerable listening volume.

This is why the louder the sound gets the more distortion/noise you will hear. So if you are blasting the same mp3 that is done via 24bit vs. 16bit, it won't be uncommon at all to notice the difference between the SD which is playing it back at 24bit 96kHz whereas the Ipod is only doing 16bit 44.1kHz. But it's definitely not going to sound twice as good that's for damn sure, but it may sound a bit more clear and crisp at high volumes.

I'm with you on the whole HD Audio thing, it's frustrating! Should have just explained the above in more detail re: the actually playback capabilities of the Ipod vs. SD cards in terms of sample rates and bit depths.

[scottyuk]

Sigh...[headbang]

There is nothing to explain here. Because this is all fiction.

I'm glad you did explain it. Cheers. [up]

[xtrema]

That's laughable at best. The sound quality is amazing in the B&O.


Again I'm no audiophile and I'm only comparing FM radio to FM radio (no demo disc in demo car). All I can say is that B&O sounds better on the upper range frequency while my old Bose got better thumps. I can probably play with the setting a bit to make it better for my ears but I didn't really bother because I was really focusing on how the car drives than how the stereo sounds.

But I agree that if you're into audio, get the B&O and skip the aftermarket. $800 ($1000 in Canada) is a bargain for the quality u get.

[riegeraudi]

That is incredibly bad advice in this case.

This system is absolutely amazing if audio QUALITY if what you are after. It's clear and loud when you want it to be.

But, more importantly for the adults amongst us, it's crystal clear when it's NOT loud. Which is much more challenging for a system to achieve.

No aftermarket system currently available is going to sound BETTER than a BandO. There's a reason it's expensive. Because it's truly designed to work in an S4 and the quality is untouchable.

Now, if you just want LOUD thumping ghetto muzak. Then, go aftermarket... there are plenty louder systems that this elegant B and O.

For those of us who want quality, please, don't hesitate to get this, you won't be sorry.


FYI: I'm a full time music professional who is very very critical on sound systems.

Sorry but I think saying no aftermarket system is going to be better than B&O is totally false. If that is what you think than obviously you haven't heard any good aftermarket systems. The B&O is a great system for only $1100cdn but if you are willing to spend some money on an aftermarket system, not only will sound better but it will blow it away in sound quality at all sound levels.
How do I know well I have the B&O and I also have a JL audio system in my A4 and it is no competition. B&O only measures the seat set to a certain distance for time delay set at the factory while my aftermarket one can be set to any distance using a mic. The JL audio speakers are superior in all aspects from the highs to lows and the sub is much more punchy and accurate while the B&O is only accurate to a certain degree than it just sounds wallowy. The mids on the B&O is severly lacking when compared to a high end aftermarket system.

[zillmc]

Again I'm no audiophile and I'm only comparing FM radio to FM radio (no demo disc in demo car). All I can say is that B&O sounds better on the upper range frequency while my old Bose got better thumps. I can probably play with the setting a bit to make it better for my ears but I didn't really bother because I was really focusing on how the car drives than how the stereo sounds.

But I agree that if you're into audio, get the B&O and skip the aftermarket. $800 ($1000 in Canada) is a bargain for the quality u get.

Yeah comparing systems via FM radio won't do either of them any justice. And if you mostly listen to the radio anyways, that's a good place to save some money opting out of the B&O.

Music is a huge part of my life and has been for a long time, so I'm totally biased. I'm one of those audio nerds who will argue about vinyls being better than CDs ('cause they are! [:D] even though they are totally not practical anymore). I also spent a lot of my youth making and listening to music in early sequencing software called trackers like Fasttracker/screamtracker/modplug/impulse when the first industry changing sound cards appeared for the PC and Amigas such as the Sound Blaster and Gravis Ultrasound 20+ years ago.

That being said, the B&O is amazing for what it is, but if you are unhappy potentially like the owner not having the B&O, depending on how much money you want to spend, an aftermarket system can blow the B&O away. I would suggest doing that if you want an awesome sound system. If your goal is to have your car have the B&O with the MMI controls, etc, then go that route even though with similar money or less, you can do an aftermarket system that is far superior.

[drvolkl]

I think the point is this: He doesn't have the B&O... the car is here.

Can you now have the dealer upgrade to it, or is it better to go aftermarket.

I can't imagine the cost of trying to have dealership upgrade a car to B&O that wasn't built with it would be worth it.

I could be wrong.....

[Okan509]

I think the point is this: He doesn't have the B&O... the car is here.

Can you now have the dealer upgrade to it, or is it better to go aftermarket.

I can't imagine the cost of trying to have dealership upgrade a car to B&O that wasn't built with it would be worth it.

I could be wrong.....

My point exactly

[trigoe]

I think the point is this: He doesn't have the B&O... the car is here.

Can you now have the dealer upgrade to it, or is it better to go aftermarket.

I can't imagine the cost of trying to have dealership upgrade a car to B&O that wasn't built with it would be worth it.

I could be wrong.....


agreed. You might as well just go with the best system you can at that point. the only thing about installs is that it's very invasive to the car, and some of these crappy audio places could screw up your car.

I love my S4 so much that I'd be hesitant to have anyone ripping it up without some serious recommendations

I'm going to the dealer for my radar install because i want someone who has been inside audi's hundreds of times to put it in.

[trigoe]

Sorry but I think saying no aftermarket system is going to be better than B&O is totally false. If that is what you think than obviously you haven't heard any good aftermarket systems. The B&O is a great system for only $1100cdn but if you are willing to spend some money on an aftermarket system, not only will sound better but it will blow it away in sound quality at all sound levels.
How do I know well I have the B&O and I also have a JL audio system in my A4 and it is no competition. B&O only measures the seat set to a certain distance for time delay set at the factory while my aftermarket one can be set to any distance using a mic. The JL audio speakers are superior in all aspects from the highs to lows and the sub is much more punchy and accurate while the B&O is only accurate to a certain degree than it just sounds wallowy. The mids on the B&O is severly lacking when compared to a high end aftermarket system.


In your opinion, that's what you are hearing. You're entitled to your opinion: audio is subjective. I won't argue you on what you perceive to be better or worse.

BuT, I'm sorry, the technology mumbo jumbo (the whole mic spatial dimension/time delay syncro crap, which by the way, was designed for car people to spend ungodly sums of money on audio technology that was designed for 7.1 film audio ) doesn't fool me. I, know from the inside of the industry what is real and what is marketed bullshit designed to get people to spend money. No disrespect to you, I know your system is amazing, but I want to help others from overspending on unnecessary gear.

I've always thought it was laughable when anyone spends over 2K for a sound system for a car. For 2K, you can get a fine system that thumps if you want and is clear when soft with full range to over 20Khz. It's a friggin' car; a sonically atrocious space for music. Most of us simply want a system that will be clear and balanced when pushed above the noise floor of the car. At the end of the day, that's what a well designed system for the actual cabin space does. That's it. all the other bells and whistles are like buying underbody rust protection...


Reality: You can spend up to 20K on a pimped out sound system and the only things that will really improve your audio above the B&O are power, power and power. You'll get a million watts of power which will definitely improve your S/N ratio and make your sub heard from NYC to cleveland. You can also get esoteric speakers but for those of us who do this for a living, we know, that in a car— and we are talking about a car, right?—a high quality speaker is a high quality speaker. It's a car! EVen in the quietest of cars, it's noisy and has a constant 250-800hz drone. It can't be helped until we're all on silent electric cars with silicone tires. It's important to keep perspective, is what I'm recommending.

I'm glad you like your system! I'm sure it does sound incredible. Really, I"m sure it does. The components you mentioned are all top shelf. But, I'd like to assure any shoppers that you do not have to go crazy or drink the high end Kool-aid to get a great sonic experience in your car.

Sorry for the long post. But I do love Audio...


Of course, everything i said goes out the window if you want to ghetto blast your car out. But I'm sure most owners of S4's are beyond that sophomoric silliness.

[vjma]

I am no expert but I do have good ears, and I can tell that the difference between the B&O in the B8 and the BOSE in the B7 is like AM & FM radio. Again I do not thump my stereo and my taste of music tends to be on the softer side but I cannot imagine anyone saying the BOSE is a better system than the B&O.

I am saying that it is the best. If money is no problem then one can get whatever he likes in the car and it will be fantastic. However I will get the factory system because it is designed and integrated into the car. I just cannot stand the creaks once the panels are removed and reinstalled by an aftermarket installer.

[NoTec]

agreed. You might as well just go with the best system you can at that point. the only thing about installs is that it's very invasive to the car, and some of these crappy audio places could screw up your car.

I love my S4 so much that I'd be hesitant to have anyone ripping it up without some serious recommendations

I'm going to the dealer for my radar install because i want someone who has been inside audi's hundreds of times to put it in.

Just because your dealer has been in an Audi hundreds or thousands of times does not mean they won't botch the install of an aftermarket electronic item. The install facility I am affiliated with here in CT performs the majority of the electronic upgrades (Beltronics, Passport/Escort, Valentine1), radar detecting and laser blocking systems, for the local Audi, Lexus, Porsche dealerships. Without a doubt the best install facility for anyone living in New England.
Another option for those local to NYC/LI, who really care about their cars and adding aftermarket accessories to them, should look no further than AI Designs located on LI. They are the premier install facility on the East Coast. Should be an hours drive for you Trigoe. I guarantee they have worked on a greater assortment of exotics than your dealer.

I, as many others in thread have done, speak from experience on this topic. Dealers botch aftermarket installs all the time. Doesn't matter if it's and A4 or a R8. tifwiw and good luck.

[NoTec]

In your opinion, that's what you are hearing. You're entitled to your opinion: audio is subjective. I won't argue you on what you perceive to be better or worse.

BuT, I'm sorry, the technology mumbo jumbo (the whole mic spatial dimension/time delay syncro crap, which by the way, was designed for car people to spend ungodly sums of money on audio technology that was designed for 7.1 film audio ) doesn't fool me. I, know from the inside of the industry what is real and what is marketed bullshit designed to get people to spend money. No disrespect to you, I know your system is amazing, but I want to help others from overspending on unnecessary gear.

I've always thought it was laughable when anyone spends over 2K for a sound system for a car. For 2K, you can get a fine system that thumps if you want and is clear when soft with full range to over 20Khz. It's a friggin' car; a sonically atrocious space for music. Most of us simply want a system that will be clear and balanced when pushed above the noise floor of the car. At the end of the day, that's what a well designed system for the actual cabin space does. That's it. all the other bells and whistles are like buying underbody rust protection...


Reality: You can spend up to 20K on a pimped out sound system and the only things that will really improve your audio above the B&O are power, power and power. You'll get a million watts of power which will definitely improve your S/N ratio and make your sub heard from NYC to cleveland. You can also get esoteric speakers but for those of us who do this for a living, we know, that in a car— and we are talking about a car, right?—a high quality speaker is a high quality speaker. It's a car! EVen in the quietest of cars, it's noisy and has a constant 250-800hz drone. It can't be helped until we're all on silent electric cars with silicone tires. It's important to keep perspective, is what I'm recommending.

I'm glad you like your system! I'm sure it does sound incredible. Really, I"m sure it does. The components you mentioned are all top shelf. But, I'd like to assure any shoppers that you do not have to go crazy or drink the high end Kool-aid to get a great sonic experience in your car.

Sorry for the long post. But I do love Audio...


Of course, everything i said goes out the window if you want to ghetto blast your car out. But I'm sure most owners of S4's are beyond that sophomoric silliness.

Very well put.[up]

[NoTec]

I am no expert but I do have good ears, and I can tell that the difference between the B&O in the B8 and the BOSE in the B7 is like AM & FM radio. Again I do not thump my stereo and my taste of music tends to be on the softer side but I cannot imagine anyone saying the BOSE is a better system than the B&O.

I am saying that it is the best. If money is no problem then one can get whatever he likes in the car and it will be fantastic. However I will get the factory system because it is designed and integrated into the car. I just cannot stand the creaks once the panels are removed and reinstalled by an aftermarket installer.

Very valid points and concerns. But I must ask, have you been allowed to oversee the removal of interior or exterior panels of a vehicle at a dealership?
I have! And I can assure you that when a tech is paid by the hours listed in the book, he will do his very best to get the job done as quickly as possible. Being delicate with interior or exterior panels is of no concern to him. If he can finish B&O stereo install in your vehicle in 1 hour and it is listed as a 4 hour job, you better believe he will finish it in 1 hour so that he may fit 7 of those in his schedule. That's 28 hours of pay for 7 hours of labor.

Panels fitting poorly or squeaking once removed and reinstalled depends more on the person's work ethics and style than it does where he works.

[SebringSilver]

Hang on, is the B&O sound system installed at the dealership and not at the factory? I didn't realize you can get the B&O system retrofitted on a car that didn't come with it. [confused]

[NoTec]

Hang on, is the B&O sound system installed at the dealership and not at the factory? I didn't realize you can get the B&O system retrofitted on a car that didn't come with it. [confused]

Pretty sure they are all installed at the factory. But if the audi wiring harnesses aren't totally different, I can't imagine why the dealer could not perform this install. I can also imagine the charge for such an upgrade being well north of $2K usd.

[SebringSilver]

Pretty sure they are all installed at the factory. But if the audi wiring harnesses aren't totally different, I can't imagine why the dealer could not perform this install. I can also imagine the charge for such an upgrade being well north of $2K usd.

Hmm...interesting.

[CaymanS4]

For a $1000, the factory installed B&O is worth it. Crystal clear mids / highs, but could use a bit more base response below 100Hz. If you go aftermarket, I'm sure you can spend more and get a better system if you're into that.

I used to have aftermarket systems in my cars, but not into that anymore. No need to have my mirrors and hair vibrating.

[sworksone]

I had the Bose system in my B6, and the standard system in my B7 which by most accounts (including mine) was better than the B6 Bose. The B&O system in the B8 is heads and tails above both of them. It's crazy to argue about who has the best exterior or interior color, or which rims are nicer, as these no matter how far from the norm are matters of personal opinion and taste, but the B&O being better than the B6/B7 Bose is simply a matter of fact. Sorry but I just can't see it any other way.

[Nvius]

Coming from a B5 with Bose, I originally thought the B&O was only OK as set from the factory. But then I turned up the surround volume, adjusted the treble/bass, and played around with the focus's. It blows Bose out of the water.

[trigoe]

Coming from a B5 with Bose, I originally thought the B&O was only OK as set from the factory. But then I turned up the surround volume, adjusted the treble/bass, and played around with the focus's. It blows Bose out of the water.


just an FYI to agree with you...

Amongst audio professionals, Bose is considered to be McDonalds while B&O is fine dining.

I don't really agree that Bose is as bad as elitists think (my acura has the 11 speaker Bose in it and it sounds very good, though artificially hyped), but the B&O, once set for your particular music and tastes, is going to be a top shelf experience. It's clearly a step above in quality of sound.

[Nvius]

Yea.

With Bose, it's more about branding and marketing as opposed to audio quality and performance. It's still good and better than standard, but you can have better quality for the same amount of cash from another, lesser known brand.

(I'm talking mostly about Bose home theaters systems)

[vjma]

I think the major differences between the BOSE and the B&O is that when you listen to the BOSE it sounds like there is a bit of cotton in your ears (or a small ear muff). The B&O sounds like the cotton and all the ear wax was removed and is crystal clear. Slightly exaggerated but I think this is the best description I can think of.

[hyho]

The B&O and the bose is like....comparing the S4 with the A4. Best Comparison in my opinion.

By the way vjma, I think I saw your S4 in Tai Po a few weeks ago. You were going quite fast if I remember

[zillmc]

No highs, no lows, it must be Bose?

[vjma]

The B&O and the bose is like....comparing the S4 with the A4. Best Comparison in my opinion.

By the way vjma, I think I saw your S4 in Tai Po a few weeks ago. You were going quite fast if I remember

oh really? I drive slow most of the time so it can't be me......[:D]

Were you in your S4 too? We have to meet up sometime...

[hyho]

I was driving from Hong Lok Yuen when I saw (maybe you) driving down Taipo Highway. I was in my father's Rangie, so I couldn't catch up to you ....I only live in Hong Kong for 3 months when I am on leave for my job. I spend the rest of my time in Canada. My S4 is not avaliable until April =(

[DucatiSim]

First post here, have S4 on order, build date March!

As an amateur audiophile, a couple quick points:

1. B&O is kinda like the Euro version of Bose, although more refined. They products are about design, and they are good at marketing this. No self respecting audio guy really listens to B&O or Bose equipment.

2. I did spec mine with B&O, because I don't intend on upgrading, and $850 seems like quite a deal. B&O makes ridiculously expensive overrated sound systems - you pay for the design.

3. The SD card slots are better than I-Pod because you're bypassing the pre-amplifier section of an I-Pod, which equals cleaner sound. Cleaner signal path.

4. Out of respect to the guy who started this thread - I would see if here's a way you can have an aftermarket shop upgrade your system with an aftermarket multi-channel amp. You would be AMAZED by what a little muscle does to your current system. It's like a supercharger for your engine and will make your stock speakers sound better tha you think. If you don't like it, replace yours speakers. Add Sub. Add new source unit. This disease spreads quick though, beware...

[kyee]

This is exactly what I'm doing. I have the B&O option, and it is just barely acceptable sound. In the next month or 2, I'll be having a custom sub enclosure fabricated and installed in the back left corner where Sat receiver/other electronics stack are. It'll be a stealthy/clean install, you wouldn't even know a sub was there. I won't be losing hardly any trunk space.

Not planning on doing the multi-channel/speaker upgrade......YET. who knows what insanity might come over me later in the year though. You are correct, it's a damn slippery slope!

[DucatiSim]

Would love to see the pics and get your impressions after completed.

Anyone know the amplification set-up for the B&O system? I'm curious about actual rated (rms) wattage. The advertised wattage is 505 (?), but that could mean anything.

I really like the idea of adding a multi-channel amp that can drive all the speakers as well as a stealth sub in the back. For say a $1000 investment, I bet it would make a night and day difference in sound.

[johnnythepie]

Guys, its all down to your ears.What sounds great to you sounds crap to me.It also depends if you are going to set a standard is the quality of the source, even down to the mastering in the studio.I can have two factory pressed cds in my car, one will be clear and quiet, the other will be bassless muffly and loud.So there are too many variables to consider.Ive been down the audiophile road..pre cd i had a nakamichi td1200 tape deck that had an azimuth control to compensate for whatever the tape was recorded on.the tapes i used were tdk mar which were the bollocks at the time, recorded by a naka dragon via a linn sondeck table and vinyl(and yes vinyl is better than cd!!).It came to a point where a)the hi fi cost more than my car, and b)i was picking fault with the mastering!.I hated anything put out by polydor!!Meanwhile pushing 400 watts clean through my jbl's made me treble deaf, which resulted in me getting rid of my home gear which consisted of my precious krell and sondeck gear.I now have an 'average home hi fi, and b+o in the car.Its pleasant and fully integrated.For me.OK, it aint that loud, and the bass has no punch but i like it .So if you like it, buy it.If you dont, then dont.Audio equipment is like an artist.Dont tell me its crap cos you dont like it!!

[kyee]

Would love to see the pics and get your impressions after completed.

I really like the idea of adding a multi-channel amp that can drive all the speakers as well as a stealth sub in the back. For say a $1000 investment, I bet it would make a night and day difference in sound.

For sure, I'll be posting some pics once I get the sub installed.

It's going to cost more than 1k though. 1k might just cover the hardware costs only.

[perdido34]

Amongst audio professionals, Bose is considered to be McDonalds while B&O is fine dining. I don't really agree that Bose is as bad as elitists think (my acura has the 11 speaker Bose in it and it sounds very good, though artificially hyped), but the B&O, once set for your particular music and tastes, is going to be a top shelf experience. It's clearly a step above in quality of sound.

Bose car audio is somewhat different in each model--you can't really generalize from how Bose sounds in one model to how it sounds in another. I had a Maxima with Bose audio, and it wasn't worth the money--no highs, boomy bass; I've heard better Bose installations in other cars.

Concerning what audio professionals think of B&O, I suspect most think that its styling is its most noteworthy trait in its home systems. You can get better sound for less money. But I'm very happy with the B&O system in my B8 A4, and I think it was worth the money compared to the standard Audi system. It isn't perfect, but it is musical.

Most audiophiles and audio pros will scoff at Bose, although somehow Bose managed to persuade a lot of people that you can get topnotch home theater sound from 3"-cube satellites, which is not true. Before that, they persuaded a lot of people that their 901 speakers gave a realistic soundstage, when all they did was play a lot of out of phase signal and reflect some of it off of the back wall. Not realistic or accurate reproduction, but B-I-G in sound. I hear their noise-cancelling headphones are pretty decent.

[toaster]

just an FYI to agree with you...

Amongst audio professionals, Bose is considered to be McDonalds while B&O is fine dining.

I consider myself an audiophile and have been a member of headfi for many years...

you're right about bose...but believe it or not, b&o is actually also considered to be pretty low on the list of accurate and high-end audio equipment manufacturers. most of b&o stuff is all flash and significantly underwhelming in the sound department.

i have personally heard the b&o system in the s8, (i have not heard the "lesser" b&o systems in the smaller cabins of the a4/s4,) and i will say i think b&o and audi did a great job with these particular systems.

[perdido34]

I'm on headfi, too (in addition to AVS and other forums). I don't think B&O home equipment is actually of poor quality, just that it's very overpriced for the sound quality it produces. So I'd disagree that it's "all flash." It's mostly flash. :)

[DucatiSim]

A bummer that car manufacturers don't put in more powerful sub/amplification packages. I would gladly pay an additional $500-1000 for a more powerful amp and integrated sub. I think that would make a huge difference. But I think also that there may be some legal liability in putting a system with such high SPL potential in a a factory install?

My opinion, most of these systems are "poser" systems that are collaborations between Audio companies and auto manufacturers - the audio guys get good marketing, and the car companies get cheaper sound systems - win-win. Regardless, I did get the B&O, figured it was worth the $850 over stock. We'll see.

I would, however, like to hear the Mark Levinson systems in certain Lexus models, Linn in Aston Martin (?), and Dynaudio in VW. Now these are serious audiophile brands, especially ML and LINN. Their home systems can exceed six figures (without speakers and cables!).

[NWS4Guy]

A bummer that car manufacturers don't put in more powerful sub/amplification packages. I would gladly pay an additional $500-1000 for a more powerful amp and integrated sub. I think that would make a huge difference. But I think also that there may be some legal liability in putting a system with such high SPL potential in a a factory install?



In my past and (sometimes) misguided youth, I have had everything from circa 1990 dual 15's running off a PPI amp in my 1968 Mustang's trunk, all the way to circa 2004 an Alpine R-type 12" running off an MTX monobock sub amp in my Lexus IS300. I am far past adding stereo stuff to my cars, but I will say that when you go into the B&O and configure it how you like to hear the sound, if you turn it up, you WILL harm your ears and CAN have permanent damage. It's very crisp, clear and loud. There is a ton of highs, strong mids, and good bass for anyone willing to adjust:

DSP focus to driver (or at least front)
Bass
Treble
Surround

[riegeraudi]

The bass is loud enough but it doesn't have the same cripsness that is apparent in the mids and highs. It is relatively mushy compared to aftermarket systems. I am not talking about the thumping type either, I am talking about the punchy bass just doesn't seem like it has enough power to give the sub the solid bass.

[Nutdotnet]

The bass is loud enough but it doesn't have the same cripsness that is apparent in the mids and highs. It is relatively mushy compared to aftermarket systems. I am not talking about the thumping type either, I am talking about the punchy bass just doesn't seem like it has enough power to give the sub the solid bass.

I agree - someone needs to come up with a simple, effective & integrated sub solution...I'd like just a little more crispness and "punch" to the bass, other than that I think the B&O is a very good system.

[DucatiSim]

Someone on another site was trying to come up with a solution using a small driver (8 in) with a separate amp, all housed inside one of the trunk compartments.

I think this would be perfect.

FYI, I'm 40 years old and my days of big bass systems are long gone. But I like the idea of having more powerful bass extension for when I want to occasionally let her rip (just like having a 333 hp engine that you're not necessarily thrashing 100% of the time?).

Even the most delicate high-end home audi systems are driven by huge amounts of power. Ampification/muscle is very key in a sound system. I'm willing to bet
that if you spent $500 on a nice multi-channel amp that replaced whatever B&O has in it, it would probably blow you away. Just my opinion!!!

[DucatiSim]

Someone on another site was trying to come up with a solution using a small driver (8 in) with a separate amp, all housed inside one of the trunk compartments.

I think this would be perfect.

FYI, I'm 40 years old (wow, that really sucks to say (my b-day was last month)) and my days of big bass systems are long gone. But I like the idea of having more powerful bass extension for when I want to occasionally let her rip (just like having a 333 hp engine that you're not necessarily thrashing 100% of the time?).

Even the most delicate high-end home audi systems are driven by huge amounts of power. Ampification/muscle is very key in a sound system. I'm willing to bet
that if you spent $500 on a nice multi-channel amp that replaced whatever B&O has in it, it would probably blow you away. Just my opinion!!!

[riegeraudi]

Someone on another site was trying to come up with a solution using a small driver (8 in) with a separate amp, all housed inside one of the trunk compartments.

I think this would be perfect.

FYI, I'm 40 years old and my days of big bass systems are long gone. But I like the idea of having more powerful bass extension for when I want to occasionally let her rip (just like having a 333 hp engine that you're not necessarily thrashing 100% of the time?).

Even the most delicate high-end home audi systems are driven by huge amounts of power. Ampification/muscle is very key in a sound system. I'm willing to bet
that if you spent $500 on a nice multi-channel amp that replaced whatever B&O has in it, it would probably blow you away. Just my opinion!!!

It's actually not that complicated but it will cost about $1k. You will need the JL audio oem cleen sweep device, a summing device for the sub and another amp to drive the new sub. So basically you will have the B&O speakers still providing the music and the B&O amp still would provide power and digital processing for the music and the NAV voice system while the new equipment mentioned will only provide deep bass to the new sub.

[aRa_a4]

This thread has been very illustrative. Now I’m very glad that I ordered my soon to be here car with B&O