The Standard Stereo in a 2011 X5

I have had my 2011 X-5 35d for 6 weeks now and I find the stock sound system more than adequate. I think the HD stations sound the best, better than satellite in some cases depending on the station. The sound system is not going to blow you away but how much better sound are you really going to get for $1200?

Originally Posted by 03BMW330

+1, my dealer didn't have diesel for me to drive and all the cars in showroom were "Dead" battery not charged Thay had one demo unit but someone was drivin it ....

BMW lack of oversight is amazing (My local grocery store spend more time rearranging Frito Lay around the store than BMW selling 70K + cars)

I specifically ordered premium sound because everybody was saying how bad stock was ... oh well at least I didn't get running boards

But you bought it anyway. BMW...mission accomplished.

I like the stock stereo. Its just fine and I like running boards. To each their own.

Just sharing MY opinion.

As for being an audiophile... I do not have very expensive gear. I buy the best I can afford which is much more than most people would pay for speakers, amps, speaker wire, cables etc.

If I could afford it and if I had a place to put a stack of electronics, I would buy Marc Levinson, McIntosh, B&W other high end gear.

my kids voices is cover also everything always, so i am ok with the base stereo. as of the running board they love it! for me they look good on the X's. that's the reason i didn't get the M sport because of the kid.

Originally Posted by 03BMW330

I specifically ordered premium sound because everybody was saying how bad stock was ... oh well at least I didn't get running boards

You made the rational choice.

You can add the running boards later, when you realize your mistake, and for not much more money. Upgrading the sound system is a much bigger (and more expensive) project.

Originally Posted by quackbury

You made the rational choice.

You can add the running boards later, when you realize your mistake, and for not much more money. Upgrading the sound system is a much bigger (and more expensive) project.

While useless, IMO running boards complete the look

Originally Posted by ckm1515

...running boards complete the look

If it wasn't obvious, I was being flippant with my comment "PS: Running boards suck...".

Plenty of people here think X5 running boards work or look great, and plenty (including me) think they look terrible on the X5 and are functional disasters, and would gladly pay to have them removed if I someow ended up with them.

The point being it's no surprise when one owner thinks the stock/premium/supercustom stereo sucks, and another owner thinks its just fine.

PS: 3rd row seats suck...

Originally Posted by pfbz

If it wasn't obvious, I was being flippant with my comment "PS: Running boards suck...".

Plenty of people here think X5 running boards work or look great, and plenty (including me) think they look terrible on the X5 and are functional disasters, and would gladly pay to have them removed if I someow ended up with them.

The point being it's no surprise when one owner thinks the stock/premium/supercustom stereo sucks, and another owner thinks its just fine.

PS: 3rd row seats suck...

While I thought you PS comment was quite funny, which is why I was joking back with the oh you didn't, I must disagree the running boards are a preference the same as the stereo. They are more like perfering white or black. The stereo issue is more of if you can hear the difference or not. Everyone has different levels of sensitivity to various audio ranges and not everyone can hear all the ranges. Naturally as we age or exposed to damaging loud noises we lose some of that sensitivity over time, and others are born without it, just like some people have 20/20 and others cannot see an elephant right in front of them. So yes the base system may sound fine to some, but that's literally because they can't hear the difference or just don't care.

my previous X5 09 has standard sound and the sound is crap. go out in the car leave the stereo, shut the door and the sound is garbage. embarrassing! now do this on premium. the sound still solid.

Got X5 y'day, not impressed with base sound. Feels like Honda accord.

lack of insulation on the base sound...

Originally Posted by ckm1515

While useless, IMO running boards complete the look

I agree. The other "option" is not to get them, and still have to deal with rubbing your pant leg on the "protrusion".

Originally Posted by slapshot

I have had my 2011 X-5 35d for 6 weeks now and I find the stock sound system more than adequate. I think the HD stations sound the best, better than satellite in some cases depending on the station. The sound system is not going to blow you away but how much better sound are you really going to get for $1200?

Going from the "base" to the premium adds 10 speakers, 2 subs, and better amplification.. quite a difference just from 4 speakers, one in each door...

I still think the "premium" system leaves a bit to be desired.. but the base system brought me back to a 1986 Celebrity my grandparents owned..

I am somewhat of an audiophile and have owned a variety of high end gear including Mac, Pass, Usher, PS Audio, Manley, etc. Have experimented with nearly all technologies including tubes, hard-drive based systems, SACD, and so on. Have had vinyl for a good while but that's on hold now.

My current setup includes Meridian active speakers, which are good enough that they pulled me out of the constant upgrading game, for which I am thankful as it gets pretty crazy. I went through about $100k in electronics over 10 years. The Meridians cost as much as a new economy car, so they'd better be good.

To OP: in your iPod, do you use lossless audio?

In pretty much all cars I have heard (stationary!), the audio is actually BETTER than home stereos unless you're spending a lot of money at home, and Im not talking receivers. The enclosed environment, combination of hard and soft surfaces, MUCH smaller space (think headphones on the other end), contribute to a listening 'room' that is actually very sound friendly.

Unless...

You screw it up with a supremely mediocre system and then remove the tweeters! Yes folks, the audiofools at BMW decontented the standard stereo by (cough, hack) REMOVING the effing tweeters (what, $10 each?) entirely! So you have not-so-good midrange drivers trying to replicate the high frequencies (as well as doing their own job) and failing miserably.

I have the stock stereo in my X5. I am NOT an audiophile on the road, I am a driver. Much of the time I don't even have the system turned on as I like to listen to the engine, road sounds, etc. But when I do turn it on, such as on a long drive with cruise control on, this thing is pretty bad. And comparing to the base stereo of my ML320, that was a lot better even though nothing to write home about. But a moving car is NOT the place to evaluate a stereo anyway. Too much noise... proper listening to a stereo demands an otherwise tomb-quiet environment. However, the irony here is that the X5 is pretty damn quiet, which actually promotes attentive listening, and then they bugger it up, in the standard stereo at least...

I may be upgrading the X5's speakers in the summer. If it works out well, I will post a DIY. In the meantime, I run the treble all the way up and it helps a little.

Unfortunately for me the premium sound is a necessary upgrade to merely get to an acceptable level. There is nothing "premium" about the premium sound.
So while others might feel the base is adequate, I do not for the little time I do spend in the car, My one month old 2011 only has 300 miles on it

Afterall you can blow $1200 on a pair of speaker cables easily!

Originally Posted by kck7

I am somewhat of an audiophile and have owned a variety of high end gear including Mac, Pass, Usher, PS Audio, Manley, etc. Have experimented with nearly all technologies including tubes, hard-drive based systems, SACD, and so on. Have had vinyl for a good while but that's on hold now.

My current setup includes Meridian active speakers, which are good enough that they pulled me out of the constant upgrading game, for which I am thankful as it gets pretty crazy. I went through about $100k in electronics over 10 years. The Meridians cost as much as a new economy car, so they'd better be good.

To OP: in your iPod, do you use lossless audio?

In pretty much all cars I have heard (stationary!), the audio is actually BETTER than home stereos unless you're spending a lot of money at home, and Im not talking receivers. The enclosed environment, combination of hard and soft surfaces, MUCH smaller space (think headphones on the other end), contribute to a listening 'room' that is actually very sound friendly.

Unless...

You screw it up with a supremely mediocre system and then remove the tweeters! Yes folks, the audiofools at BMW decontented the standard stereo by (cough, hack) REMOVING the effing tweeters (what, $10 each?) entirely! So you have not-so-good midrange drivers trying to replicate the high frequencies (as well as doing their own job) and failing miserably.


I may be upgrading the X5's speakers in the summer. If it works out well, I will post a DIY. In the meantime, I run the treble all the way up and it helps a little.

I run Lossless Audio, but there still seems to be a hole in the mids - I keep tinkering, but I just can't seem to get rid of it - it's almost like the power just fades in the mids..

As for upgrading.. I don't believe there are any cables for the tweeters already run (previously posted) so you might have more of a project on your hands..

Originally Posted by 335i

As for upgrading.. I don't believe there are any cables for the tweeters already run (previously posted) so you might have more of a project on your hands..

Yup... so am not going to use the tweeter enclosures but use a speaker with midrange output that utilizes an integrated but separate tweeter (similar to whizzer cone). No extra wiring.

This is assuming I do it at all. I attempted to open one door panel a few weeks ago but it didn't go well as I did not have good instructions nor experience. Hoping to acquire some info which is why it's now tentatively scheduled for summer.

I neglected to mention in my above post that the base stereo sound has improved a little since day one, but this may be due to a relatively common phenomenon in the audiophile's world, break in. What is always the subject of lively debate is whether the break in is of the component or of the listener's ears. I have personally experienced break in (of a component) but more so with digital pieces (eg standalone cd player) and not so much with analog stuff, or at least not as definable and conclusive. Of course what we've got here in the X5 or any factory car stereo is an entire system comprised of both analog and digital, not easily separable in reality or even in theory.

What is quite clear is that BMW cheaped out the base stereo in order to sell more of the premium units. Not entirely a cool thing to do but not so surprising, given the competitiveness of the market and the only place left to really make money is in options any more. I mean, look at the nav... what, $2K? Does anyone doubt it costs more than $100 or so to install? Might even be less.

I feel that I (we've) been duped by BMW with regard to the absent tweeters.

Does anybody else feel that it's pretty deceptive to have visible tweeter enclosures (near the A pillars) and not have actual speakers inside the enclosures?

Originally Posted by Popdisplay

I feel that I (we've) been duped by BMW with regard to the absent tweeters.

Does anybody else feel that it's pretty deceptive to have visible tweeter enclosures (near the A pillars) and not have actual speakers inside the enclosures?

Of course it is. They are the automotive equivalent of padded bras!

Cripes, you guys have me regretting not ordering the upgraded sound. I listen to mostly sports talk and 1010WINS, so maybe I shouldn't be too concerned when this sled finally gets in my possession. If it's an issue, I will contact BMWUSA and blame the ones on this board that are satisfied with the regular sound.


Just joking, of course.

Originally Posted by 335i

I run Lossless Audio, but there still seems to be a hole in the mids - I keep tinkering, but I just can't seem to get rid of it - it's almost like the power just fades in the mids..

As for upgrading.. I don't believe there are any cables for the tweeters already run (previously posted) so you might have more of a project on your hands..

You can't really balance the sound by ear without the aid of other equipment.

Here's a fairly inexpensive way to do it. I assume you have at least premium sound with the eq.

Buy this cd: http://www.rivesaudio.com/software/softframes.html

Get yourself a radio shack analog spl meter noted in the instructions.

Follow their instructions.

Don't worry guys, this awesome speaker upgrade will be released December 31st, 2010:

http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/pr...grade--X5-E70/

Originally Posted by Aqua Bliss

Don't worry guys, this awesome speaker upgrade will be released December 31st, 2010:

http://www.bavariansoundwerks.com/pr...grade--X5-E70/

I'm sure Bavarian Soundwerks will finally have the upgrade available for sale when I'm trading in my X5 in 2015

Originally Posted by winterk

Oh now you had to bring running boards into it...now it's on! LOVE the running boards, they're hot stuff, plus they save your X5 from door dings from cars. They stick out just enough from the door trim so they hit the running boards first (no protection from trucks though). Glad we cleared that up.

it never occurred to me that the running boards protect again doors dings. I gotta test this out. Thanks for bringing this up. Learn something new on the forums all the time.

Originally Posted by Jim E.

You can't really balance the sound by ear without the aid of other equipment.

Here's a fairly inexpensive way to do it. I assume you have at least premium sound with the eq.

Buy this cd: http://www.rivesaudio.com/software/softframes.html

Get yourself a radio shack analog spl meter noted in the instructions.

Follow their instructions.

I'll give this a test - My home equipment was calibrated by the company I purchased it from as part of the purchase/delivery, so I don't own any of this (though I should). I do have the premium sound/eq.