HK Audio Coding Question

[PaulyMats]

I've searched through the forums and I haven't found quite what I'm looking for - but I apologize if this has already been discussed on another thread that I missed.

I've seen people discussing whether or not to get the Bavsound speaker/sub upgrades, and since they currently have their 15% off sale right now I may pull the trigger.

My car currently has the HK system, and I think it's good - but I'd like more presence and clean bass.

I was looking through Bimmercode and there are a few audio coding options in expert mode - do any of you have an idea if these options will improve HK sound and/or power delivery to the speakers?

FOUND IN HEADUNIT SECTION

3002 AUDIO_TUNER_TRAFFIC
AUDIO_SYSTEM_VAR
VARIANT_1
VARIANT_2
VARIANT_3
VARIANT_4
AUDIO_PROFILE
WERT_01
WERT_02
WERT_03
WERT_04
AUDIO_SYSTEM
STEREO
HIFI
TOPHIFI
INDIVIDUAL_SOUND
HK_SURROUNDSOUND
HIGHPREMIUM
HIFI_SYSTEM_HARMONKARDON
AMPLIFIER_VARIANT
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
MOST

[Cars are the new horse]

Some people have coded in the B&O 5series menu. My understanding is that it does change the sound. See, e.g., this thread:

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1322442

That said, my call would be to use the coding built in — it was written for the hardware that you have in your car. Given that the B&O DSP hardware is not in your car, I have a hard time believing that it’s going to do anything other than worsen the sound.

[PaulyMats]

Originally Posted by nirvanayoda

Some people have coded in the B&O 5series menu. My understanding is that it does change the sound. See, e.g., this thread:

https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1322442

That said, my call would be to use the coding built in — it was written for the hardware that you have in your car. Given that the B&O DSP hardware is not in your car, I have a hard time believing that it's going to do anything other than worsen the sound.

Thanks for sharing this.
I am just curious if the coding options would make any difference with my stock HK speakers. I would imagine there has to be some minor tweaks between the audio system options?
Maybe I'll just code a few and see if I can hear any differences.
I'm going to order the Bavsound Ghost Underseat Subs as well.

[Cars are the new horse]

Originally Posted by PaulyMats

Thanks for sharing this.
I am just curious if the coding options would make any difference with my stock HK speakers. I would imagine there has to be some minor tweaks between the audio system options?
Maybe I'll just code a few and see if I can hear any differences.
I'm going to order the Bavsound Ghost Underseat Subs as well.

I'm not sure. I don't doubt that changing the coding changes the sound processing, but I can't imagine it does anything but add unintended distortions to the sound without the proper hardware, even if it ultimately sounds better. Keep us updated.

[PaulyMats]

Originally Posted by nirvanayoda

I'm not sure. I don't doubt that changing the coding changes the sound processing, but I can't imagine it does anything but add unintended distortions to the sound without the proper hardware, even if it ultimately sounds better. Keep us updated.

I found a thread in the 3/4 series forum regarding some of this. A few folks have actually coded to the Bang & Olufsen system.
Figured I'd give it a try. You can find it in Bimmercode under the HEADUNIT, then in expert mode under 3000 HMI. About halfway down in that section you'll see HIGH_END_AUDIO_B_UND_W
You'll want to select the volle_insz option.
To me, it sounds like it opened up a deeper bass. It could be that I wanted to hear something better but I'm fairly certain the bass and treble levels are opened a bit more.

[Cars are the new horse]

Originally Posted by PaulyMats

I found a thread in the 3/4 series forum regarding some of this. A few folks have actually coded to the Bang & Olufsen system.
Figured I'd give it a try. You can find it in Bimmercode under the HEADUNIT, then in expert mode under 3000 HMI. About halfway down in that section you'll see HIGH_END_AUDIO_B_UND_W
You'll want to select the volle_insz option.
To me, it sounds like it opened up a deeper bass. It could be that I wanted to hear something better but I'm fairly certain the bass and treble levels are opened a bit more.

Thanks! I might give it a try. My plan at some point is to install the Bavsound S1 speakers / ghost subs first and see how that sounds. Then I may do a MoBridge + JL XD800 8 channel amp + Alpine PXA-H800 DSP (not the best DSP but it has PLII decoding, which would allow keeping the center channel).

The problem with an 8 channel amp is that I'm going to have to give up speakers. I'm thinking:

CH1 -- Front L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH2 -- Front R mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH3 -- Rear L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH4 -- Rear R mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH5 -- Front Center mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH6 -- Rear L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH7 -- L underseat sub @ 35W RMS
CH8 -- R underseat sub @ 35W RMS

That leaves out the Rear R mid/tweeter. Also, I'm not sure that ~35W RMS is enough for each underseat sub (remember that you have to divide by 2 from the 4 ohm rating because the sub impedance is 8 ohms). I suppose I could buy a 4 ohm ghost sub to fit the need instead, which would get the per channel up to 75W, but that would require committing to a new amp, etc., at the time of Bavsound purchase/install.

And the other obvious problem is that this is all very expensive. Most of my info was obtained from this thread: https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1209689

[PaulyMats]

Originally Posted by nirvanayoda

Thanks! I might give it a try. My plan at some point is to install the Bavsound S1 speakers / ghost subs first and see how that sounds. Then I may do a MoBridge + JL XD800 8 channel amp + Alpine PXA-H800 DSP (not the best DSP but it has PLII decoding, which would allow keeping the center channel).

The problem with an 8 channel amp is that I'm going to have to give up speakers. I'm thinking:

CH1 -- Front L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH2 -- Front R mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH3 -- Rear L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH4 -- Rear R mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH5 -- Front Center mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH6 -- Rear L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH7 -- L underseat sub @ 35W RMS
CH8 -- R underseat sub @ 35W RMS

That leaves out the Rear R mid/tweeter. Also, I'm not sure that ~35W RMS is enough for each underseat sub (remember that you have to divide by 2 from the 4 ohm rating because the sub impedance is 8 ohms). I suppose I could buy a 4 ohm ghost sub to fit the need instead, which would get the per channel up to 75W, but that would require committing to a new amp, etc., at the time of Bavsound purchase/install.

And the other obvious problem is that this is all very expensive. Most of my info was obtained from this thread: https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1209689

Yeah, since Bavsound is doing their 15% off sale currently I was thinking about upgrading all the speakers as well. I wish they had their amp available for the M4. I know people have swapped out the ghost subs without an amp upgrade but I've heard that it doesn't make much low-volume difference. I typically don't blast my speakers, but I'd love some more bass depth and cleaner tones. Appreciate your advice/opinion though!

[Cars are the new horse]

Originally Posted by PaulyMats

Yeah, since Bavsound is doing their 15% off sale currently I was thinking about upgrading all the speakers as well. I wish they had their amp available for the M4. I know people have swapped out the ghost subs without an amp upgrade but I've heard that it doesn't make much low-volume difference. I typically don't blast my speakers, but I'd love some more bass depth and cleaner tones. Appreciate your advice/opinion though!

Bavsound is rumored to be working on a replacement amp. I'm tempted to wait for that, but it might be a while.

An audio upgrade would be a lot easier to navigate if I was willing to give up the center and rear deck speakers. Then an 8 channel amp would be:

CH1 -- Front L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH2 -- Front R mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH3 -- Rear L mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH4 -- Rear R mid/tweeter @ 75W RMS
CH5-6 (Bridged) -- L underseat sub @ 100W RMS
CH7-8 (Bridged) -- R underseat sub @ 100W RMS

My guess is that would sound vastly superior to stock even without the center speaker. But I worry that it would be the wrong call because I like the uprising/center channel.