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      08-28-2019, 01:43 PM   #45
Cranswick852
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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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cranswick852 View Post
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
Hey I also have the HK system, the instructions where in Chinese and from a 5 series.

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.
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      08-28-2019, 03:44 PM   #48
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Unfortunately it comes in backwards! So bottom of the page and scroll up! Lol. Sorry.

And they posted from my phone so sorry for the blurry conversions.

They give you the instructions when you buy the system.
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      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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cranswick852 View Post
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.
Correct, that would be bad and counter productive, The speaker construction looks to have also copied B&O as well.

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, 07:01 AM   #51
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I assume you still have old speaker grill, could you snap a picture of it next to the new one? Not sure I dig the resulting 3 shades of grey.
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      08-30-2019, 09:45 AM   #52
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I assume you still have old speaker grill, could you snap a picture of it next to the new one? Not sure I dig the resulting 3 shades of grey.
Sure will.

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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Originally Posted by smyles View Post
I assume you still have old speaker grill, could you snap a picture of it next to the new one? Not sure I dig the resulting 3 shades of grey.
Here ya go.

I think HK and stock grills are the same!
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      08-30-2019, 07:34 PM   #54
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Thanks. Since you have HUD, does it trim march the 'B&O' one?
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      08-31-2019, 09:07 PM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smyles View Post
Thanks. Since you have HUD, does it trim march the 'B&O' one?
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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cranswick852 View Post
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
Make sure to tell them to review the parts before the part is shipped to you so their isn't any defects.

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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cranswick852 View Post
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
Was your grille black or silver? I got the silver grilles for the doors but this came as black. Wished it was all the time color 😩
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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, 06:17 PM   #61
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Im in for one. Lets see if smith has changed in 2021 lol
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      02-28-2021, 08:38 PM   #62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Florida-X5 View Post
B&O has always been about over the top modern styling. They spend more on designers than engineers. From an audio quality perspective, I would take B&W over B&O any day, I'm fine with the HK .... it's a vehicle, hardly audiophile listening conditions.
I have a lot of B&O gear at home! I agree, they make good sounding speakers that look great. Their higher end gear is at par with B&W. I actually prefer the B&O sound signature a bit more. Having said that, the automotive speakers for B&W or B&O are a whole different animal.

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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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaffrey View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Florida-X5 View Post
B&O has always been about over the top modern styling. They spend more on designers than engineers. From an audio quality perspective, I would take B&W over B&O any day, I'm fine with the HK .... it's a vehicle, hardly audiophile listening conditions.
I have a lot of B&O gear at home! I agree, they make good sounding speakers that look great. Their higher end gear is at par with B&W. I actually prefer the B&O sound signature a bit more. Having said that, the automotive speakers for B&W or B&O are a whole different animal.

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…
That's great! Can you share your equalizer and overall speaker settings ?

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, 02:06 AM   #64
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That's great!
how is the speaker btw? Looks like 2 years already since it has been installed..
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      03-01-2021, 12:10 PM   #65
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Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
That's great!
how is the speaker btw? Looks like 2 years already since it has been installed..
Two years down the line and no problems at all with this 'B&O' retro-fit: operation is as smooth and quiet as ever, sound quality hasn't deteriorated. Overall, I remain very pleased with this purchase.

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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      03-01-2021, 01:30 PM   #66
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Is aliexpress the only place that sells it?
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