Bang & Olufsen or Premium Hi Fi

Just a poll....I know the choice is subjective

I always go for the best audio. Stealths review of B&O also validated my position

B&O is probably the best stock system I've heard.

http://www.bang-olufsen.com/~/media/...5Seriespdf.pdf

I'm sure the premium sounds great, but the B&O system is just about the best sound I've ever heard in a car.

Premium Hi Fi is what these cars come with when the Premium Package option is checked, correct?

If so, I find it more than adequate, in fact I think it sounds great, but even being in a profession revolving around music, lots of it, and intensive clarity/volumes/systems, I'm not that picky of my cars systems. As long as it sounds good and has a crisp, dynamic range I'm good. I used to have a custom built 15" sub in my old Mustang (and 2 10's before that), etc., so those days are behind me.

The B&O I'm sure is stunning, and must be better than the Premium Hi Fi, but I think a better comparo would be taking into account its enormous cost premium.

My Premium Hi Fi seems to sound better/boomier than my previous W212 E-Classes systems, but one thing it doesn't have that those did is an option for "Surround Sound". Then again, the sound sounds perhaps more "surround" already on the F10, so maybe it's just engineered in without the option to uncheck/check.

Premium Hi-Fi is an add on for 2013, it doesn't come standard. It comes with 16 speakers, opposed to the standard 10. I made sure and checked that option..

Originally Posted by DJHomie

Premium Hi-Fi is an add on for 2013, it doesn't come standard. It comes with 16 speakers, opposed to the standard 10. I made sure and checked that option..

Ahh, ok so what do the rest of us have then? I'm guessing just the "Base" Stereo? Lol.

Harmon Kardon I assume? Whatever it is, it sounds comparable if not better than the HK system in my Benz.

Yeah, you guys have the standard stereo. If you think that sounds good, you gotta hear the premium system. Adds 6 more speakers and Subs under each of the front seats. Crazy..

The stereo system "packaging" must be different in the US than here, as I do have subs under front seats but there is no equalizer in the Sound screen of iDrive. And - being an audiophile - I'm disappointed with how it sounds; so if you are also into good music - pick B&O...

Originally Posted by K-A

Ahh, ok so what do the rest of us have then? I'm guessing just the "Base" Stereo? Lol.

Harmon Kardon I assume? Whatever it is, it sounds comparable if not better than the HK system in my Benz.

The base stereo is nothing to write home about.
I went from the premium sound in my e90 to the "base" system in my e60 and there was no comparison. After that I knew that the extra money for the upgraded sound is always justified.

Originally Posted by DJHomie

Premium Hi-Fi is an add on for 2013, it doesn't come standard. It comes with 16 speakers, opposed to the standard 10. I made sure and checked that option..

Premium hifi has always been an add-on since the inception of the f10, and I think even the e60. The B&O is an additional option in 2013.

If you mostly listen to MP3 tracks and/or satellite radio the sound system you get makes no difference - it's all bad

Originally Posted by 1HOT BMR

If you mostly listen to MP3 tracks and/or satellite radio the sound system you get makes no difference - it's all bad

No offense, but totally untrue - the subtleties of good recording (high bitrate, S/N, etc.) are all made equal by the car speed noise, anyway. The acoustics of the system in a specific car does make the whole difference!

Originally Posted by K-A

Premium Hi Fi is what these cars come with when the Premium Package option is checked, correct?

If so, I find it more than adequate, in fact I think it sounds great, but even being in a profession revolving around music, lots of it, and intensive clarity/volumes/systems, I'm not that picky of my cars systems. As long as it sounds good and has a crisp, dynamic range I'm good. I used to have a custom built 15" sub in my old Mustang (and 2 10's before that), etc., so those days are behind me.

The B&O I'm sure is stunning, and must be better than the Premium Hi Fi, but I think a better comparo would be taking into account its enormous cost premium.

My Premium Hi Fi seems to sound better/boomier than my previous W212 E-Classes systems, but one thing it doesn't have that those did is an option for "Surround Sound". Then again, the sound sounds perhaps more "surround" already on the F10, so maybe it's just engineered in without the option to uncheck/check.

Premium Hi-Fi (600 watt system) used to come with the Premium 2 package on the 2011 F10s. After that they released a Premium sound package (ZPS) which has Premium Hi-Fi or allows you to get B&O for a slight discount.

Premium

1. use the money saved for other goodies (e.g. exhaust...springs, etc)
2. if you are coming from anything else (like my 2002 E46 with BavAuto upgrades - the Premium will sound fukcing amazing) and is a great deal for $950

Can somebody with the B&O post some pics of it, showing it at night with the illumination?

I guess only the front center speaker is illuminated, right?

Amazingly, the "base" stereo in my car sounds much better than the Bose premium stereo in my Infiniti.

It is pretty good depending on what quality media you are using. I was hesitant and wanted to get at least the Premium or even B&O but then decided not to go for it. I am glad. And this words are coming from a person, who used to enter sound-offs and win competitions with his car stereo systems and who also found nothing good enough and always looked to have some more improvements. (I have spent a significant amount of time and money on car stereos and probably used all brands available in the market).

I am sure premium and B&O systems are also awesome. If money is no issue, then why not, but personally, I can't justify the big payment especially for B&O.

Congrats to all festers who have them in their cars and enjoy.

Originally Posted by hufington

nd money on car stereos and probably used all brands available in the market).

McIntosh?

I'am with you Huf. I'am a DJ so I know a thing or two about quality sound. But when I heard the deference between the base system and the premium one, there was no doubt that I was getting the premium. It only added $875 to the cost of the car. Did you listen to the premium system Huf?

Originally Posted by SuperTerp

McIntosh?

MB Quartz?

I had a friend in the car today and he was shocked when he felt how much bass the B&O subs have. He said he could feel his jeans vibrating against his legs and the mirrrors where vibrating lol. I hope the system doesnt knock a bunch of stuff loose

Originally Posted by ausdude

I had a friend in the car today and he was shocked when he felt how much bass the B&O subs have. He said he could feel his jeans vibrating against his legs and the mirrrors where vibrating lol. I hope the system doesnt knock a bunch of stuff loose

I sat in a 750 with B&O at the dealer. The bass penetrates your body in a non offensive way, it's unbelievable.

Originally Posted by DJHomie

I'am with you Huf. I'am a DJ so I know a thing or two about quality sound. But when I heard the deference between the base system and the premium one, there was no doubt that I was getting the premium. It only added $875 to the cost of the car. Did you listen to the premium system Huf?

Unfortunately I was only able to listen briefly to a premium system and since there was no USB or MP3 available at that time, I listened to regular radio. So it did not give me any reference but was equally bad as any system with regular radio. So I decided to go for the base system. I listened to the base system of BMW today comparing it back to back to my Merc and Infiniti (using the same MP3 song) and I was amazed that base BMW system was better than the premium Bose in the Infiniti.

The S550 has the Harman/Kardon Logic 7 premium digital sound system (I guess it is 600 watts or so with 15 speakers). It is hands down the best out of the 3 especially when driving because the digital dynamic volume control maintains the sound quality according to the driving conditions. But to be honest, the base system in my BMW is good enough for 90% of the music that I listen to.

Well at the end of the day, what really counts is how YOU like the system. Congrats again on your car. Just got the VIN # to my car today. The 800 # says that it should be finished by the 7th. Can't wait..

Originally Posted by DJHomie

Yeah, you guys have the standard stereo. If you think that sounds good, you gotta hear the premium system. Adds 6 more speakers and Subs under each of the front seats. Crazy..

Standard system DOES have subs under both front seats.