3er's BAVSOUND Stage 1 Review

[MSportTune2]

Originally Posted by mbollman

I was finally able to get it seat properly by taking a dremmel to the bracket.

Also, as others have said the rear tweeters are a real pain to get in. I had to skip the bottom tab in the mounting cup to get mine in.

Everything is in now and the sound is way improved. Now I just need a set of underseat subs

Did you cut it off using the Dremel? Just curious how it was solve?

[mbollman]

I used a sanding disk to grind a flat spot into the bracket.

[e46tof80]

I had the same problem with the center channel in my 2016 M3. I took a dremel to the back of the speaker to make just enough room for the clip to slip by. I also had a problem with the front screw not having enough grab to hold in so I used the dremel to cut about 3 mm off the height of the front mount. (And yes I have removed the magnet rubber bumper - still didn't fit)

Incidentally, when I went to remove the speaker I couldn't get the BAVSOUND harness to disconnect from the factory harness and it broke coming out so I ended up soldering the BAV speaker to the factory wires - I was shocked to find out the BAVSOUND wires aren't copper, not even copper coated!

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by 3er

Thanks! When I had my HK setup, I used Lincoln30's settings, but boosted the bass a bit.

Treble: 0
Bass: +2

100Hz: +2
200Hz: -4
500Hz: -1
1kHz: +2
2kHz: -2
5kHz: 0
10kHz: -1

Source: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=77

I found this thread searching for "bavsound" but this link didn't work anymore because of the "..." in the link. Here's another link to the same post, split into two lines. Just copy the first line, click on the link, then paste the first line at the end of the URL for a valid link:

showpost.php?p=17565548&postcount=77

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/

[JButz6342]

I also found this thread searching for "bavsound". This excellent review was one of the things that convinced me to go with Bavsound. Tried just the mids/tweets/underseats at first. Then added the amp. I was extremely disappointed. Everyone is different so no disrespect, but I just didn't find it to be much of an improvement. Dunno, maybe my expectations were too high.
For anyone else reading this and considering doing this, this thread (https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1561742) says that the Euro Audio Design speakers are the same speakers as Bavsound, but they are cheaper. The folks on that thread also take a pretty dim view of the speakers:

Originally Posted by OcmRz3r

The Euro Audio Design speakers are absolutely the original Bavsound speakers, and EAD is a label of Alumapro. Alumapro did design and source the BavSound speakers (the midranges and tweeters). If you watch some of the Bavsound promo videos you'll see a Matthew with title of chief engineer, this is Matthew Honnert of Alumapro. But they are not now nor were they ever made in the US. Alumapro sourced them from a Chinese partner and still does. Also Bavsound did not file for bankruptcy, they simply decided to cut Alumapro out and source directly from China through a Taiwanese supplier. Bavsound was started by 3 high school kids with absolutely zero technical knowledge, and 2 of those (the Cranman brothers) are still running the company. Their business model evolved from attempting to build a good product to simply sourcing the cheapest thing they can that looks slick and market the crap out of it. 90% of people won't know the difference.

Regardless, the Euro Audio Design (and Bavsound) speakers are pretty well garbage. The idea was to gain a little extra sensitivity with a lower impedance voicecoil but they failed - from the measurements they are less sensitive AND have inferior other specs to the OEM drivers. Total manufacturing cost including packaging and ocean frieght on a pair of those midranges is under $30. Anyone with any real knowledge of transducer design would cringe looking at them. The basket design is a case study in how to do it wrong (lots of wide, flat areas that minimize open area/maximize reflections and are weak to boot). They lack the single biggest improvement you can make to a driver - no shorting cap or ring. The inverted surround is a known gimmick with generally nothing but downsides. The list goes on.

But hey, if you can get idiots to buy them and think they've got themselves something great, why not?

[theoluv]

Did the upgrade. BAV speakers and subs.. this is how the system should have been delivered from BMW. Much higher highs and you can feel the bass. You have to re adjust your eq settings for best sound.

It's not earth quaking like my 89 240 SX with 12 in bazooka but it's strong enough for a 50 year old guy who loves old school rap and appreciates Jazz and other live sources. I would encourage all those thinking about it, use the newer youtube vids ( i installed 1/15/2022..) Great hints (break off that middle left tab on the center channel grill) and detail enough instruction to get you through the install. I also didnt take the door panels completely off.

Took about 4.5 hours much of it was drinking beer taking breaks (for the ol back) and trying to go about prying the doors off without being afraid of breaking something but you have to just pry the panels off and get on with it. Reconstruction went fine.

Worth the money.. Not sure I would need to do the amp... but that has to be even more amazing..

Also, buy the $60 tool kit, you'll only use 3 or 4 pieces in the kit but the little ratchet with the spin top was a time saver..