08-28-2019, 01:43 PM | #45 |
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OP, any chance you can upload, or PM me, the installation instructions, particularly the wiring options. I'm very keen on this especially if I can get it raising & lowering as I turn the radio on/off. Don't know if it makes any difference but I have the HK system fitted
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08-28-2019, 03:07 PM | #46 | |
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The instructions also showed wiring to the quad lock connector from behind the stereo. So you would need to disassemble the truck and pull your system out. I just removed the top speakers cut the hole and fished the wires down to the fuse box and wired up the ground, power and ACC, no disassembly needed. they told me that you can get it to go up and down with the stereo but need an additional relay, not sure if they sell it but that comes with other instructions I wasn't given. Best to ask them. I'll take some screen shots and post what I have but to understand the broken English is another task. Also I was reading what this unit does from the B&O website about the center speaker and this is what they say. So I imagine this is an upgrade to the HK system regardless just because of the design vs stock. "Bang & Olufsen's Acoustic Lens Technology distributes sound horizontally with 180˚ of dispersion left to right." So far i ended up buying all the B&O speaker covers and illuminated tweeter cover and will install them here soon, figured it add a little nice detail for my otherwise all black interior. I'm going to be replacing all my speakers with drop in FOCAL speakers and drop in SUBwoofers here after that. Then get a custom sub enclosure made in the left side access panel of the x5 for some further lows, since mines a 40e I have no room under the rear access panel as it's where all the batteries are. From reviews on the HK vs the B&O systems it seems the HK fall flat on the deeper base levels than the B&O has and after subs are installed the B&O systems vs HK system becomes null. But again just what I heard so instead of terrine everything apart to install a B&O system for minimal gains, I'll just do as many recommended and that's install better speakers and a sub and be better than all the OEM systems, but still have a cool look of the B&O. |
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08-28-2019, 03:36 PM | #47 |
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Here is the instructions, theirs 33 pages so it will take a bit. It's of a 5 series.
Again mine required no taking apart of the truck. And took 2 hrs to install. I think it's a newer setup and required no work to hook up to the quad lock just used the OEM speaker pins. |
08-28-2019, 04:12 PM | #49 |
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Thanks very much for the upload. I'll have a read through and decide. Pleased to hear that you also have HK and didn't notice any degradation in sound - wouldn't want to undertake a mod for aesthetic reasons only to degrade the audio experience.
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08-28-2019, 04:26 PM | #50 | |
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They have truly copied every detail. I was kind of surprised. It's not a cheap ripoff. Is it as good as a B&O speaker?, can't say and can't bring myself to believe it could be, since everything is made in China nowadays it's easier for these companies to literally copy all this stuff down to the finest detail. But from what I can tell in the beginning was the voice was clearer than before, but again I turn up the volume and no distortion so I can confirm it's not worse and system still sounds great! Now the cool thing you can do is if you want to keep the HK branding just buy the center speaker without the B&O logo and it will just look like if the HK system came that way. |
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08-30-2019, 09:45 AM | #52 | |
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Also I've seen others for sale where they changed it and it's all black and does not have the B&O logo. The one I have is a direct copy of the B&O speaker. So the colors are copied over. |
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08-30-2019, 06:40 PM | #53 | |
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I think HK and stock grills are the same! |
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08-31-2019, 09:07 PM | #55 |
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Hey! The HUD frame is ultra flat almost rough to the touch so it does not reflect light and become a glair or reflective issue in the windshield.
The speaker insert is the same as the OE B&O speaker and has a matte finish. Either way it's all a very factory look. |
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09-07-2019, 08:48 AM | #56 |
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Intrigue won out and I ordered one of these this morning off the OP's original link. I'm keen to try and connect it so that the speaker rises and falls as the radio is powered on and off. Delivery will take a while but I'll let you know how that goes
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09-07-2019, 10:05 AM | #57 | |
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Since these aren't OEM you don't know what their quality control is like. I asked them and they agreed to and got a flawless sample. It's worth it just to ask. |
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10-13-2019, 04:11 PM | #58 |
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So, ordered from the OP's link and finally installed this afternoon. Operation is very smooth and noise free as it rises and falls. I had the H&K system and this version sounds at least as good as that. Good quality construction, not your cheap paper speaker cones. Finished look is very "factory". Overall, very happy
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10-13-2019, 04:15 PM | #59 | |
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10-14-2019, 07:05 AM | #60 |
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Colour is a dark grey surround, same as the hud surround. The top panel is a dark grey, almost with a hint of blue in it. From photos I've seen of the B&O original, this looks an identical match
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02-28-2021, 08:38 PM | #62 | |
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1. The automotive group of B&O and B&W are owned by HK. They use similar parts in the auto business - so switching from B&O to B&W is not really switching at all for BMW. 2. The main difference between the B&W, HK and B&O speakers in the X5 is DSP and power. You can get all three to sound close to one another if you tweak the equalizer settings. But the higher power of the B&O and B&W system over the HK will make it sound more effortless. From my listening the overall range of all BMW X5 speakers other than the basic ones are in the same range. The HK are tuned terribly out of the box and sound muddy. But you can fix it in iDrive settings - to an extent. I got a friends HK to sound close to the B&O on mine. 3. The Acoustic lens (that you retrofitted here) is the only real secret sauce of B&O. It makes the sound a bit more punchy and creates a bigger sound stage. All my B&O speakers at home also have this technology. So what you got for cheap is real B&O. If you equalize it, you won't miss much from the $3900 B&O speaker. Also, if the B&W speakers were so great, they would not need to add lights to make the $3,500 or so they charge for it worth it. My 2 cents worth… |
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02-28-2021, 11:03 PM | #63 | ||
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I also saw you can code B&O surround vs having the standard HK surround option. Even without having the B&O system or amp. |
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03-01-2021, 12:10 PM | #65 | |
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Never got round to installing the relay to enable rising and falling with the radio on/off - it rises and falls with the cars power status. I'd still consider fitting a relay if someone had the details, but it would be more about satisfying my curiosity than addressing something that bugs me |
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