# Is BAVSOUND Upgrade Worth It?



## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

So two weeks ago we purchased our first to BMW. It's a 2014 320 8I X Dr. certified preowned with 28,000 miles on it it does not have the upgraded audio system. However for just being a stock sister it's pretty damn good and I'm wondering how I can find out what name it is. Open reading about upgrades for the sound system and of course this company has come up numerous times. I saw the starter package which is about $500 bucks after a $50 discount does not come with the bottom seat subwoofers but comes with all the other speakers.

I read where people were happy with the upgrade nd I'm wondering what your experience is changing out your stock system for this one. And if it's worth the $500. I like to think I'm an audiofile,have Energy speakers made in Canada in our TV room. A Sonos system in our home otherwise, so I like to hear the music that I listen to on a quality platform so any help you can give it to your experience with BAVSOUND would be appreciated. Thank you in advance and have a great day!

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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Anyone?

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## allikanbe (May 23, 2010)

sent you a pm


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## [email protected] (Aug 12, 2016)

You definitely won't be disappointed for the investment. Please feel free to ask me any specific questions you may have...

I spent 20 years of my career before Bavsound building competition-level car audio systems, so have some good info to share if it would help.


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

[email protected] said:


> You definitely won't be disappointed for the investment. Please feel free to ask me any specific questions you may have...
> 
> I spent 20 years of my career before Bavsound building competition-level car audio systems, so have some good info to share if it would help.


Thanks Matt! It's the do it yourself that has me a bit apprehensive

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## [email protected] (Aug 12, 2016)

Krattz said:


> Thanks Matt! It's the do it yourself that has me a bit apprehensive
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Bimmerfest mobile app


I completely get the hesitation, but it's really not bad at all. We provide great instructions and tools if you like. Something you can totally get done in a day. It's helpful to remember that these cars are built specifically to come apart...


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

True, I'm sure it's just daunting prior to getting started. Once I get rolling I'm sure it will be worth it.

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## allikanbe (May 23, 2010)

Krattz said:


> True, I'm sure it's just daunting prior to getting started. Once I get rolling I'm sure it will be worth it.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Bimmerfest mobile app


It's really no big deal. Very easy to install the new speakers.


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## Larry Chijner (Mar 19, 2012)

They are very nice quality drivers for the money. Definitely worth the money for a simple plug and play upgrade. The biggest difference you could make us to add a dedicated amp and add a sub in the rear. It would be like night and day and along with the other mids your system would sound wayyyy better than factory..


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## [email protected]_Audio (Oct 1, 2012)

@Krattz, I see you're in NYC. We still have an F30 demo vehicle in our Brooklyn R&D space, swing by and take a listen. If you've already installed the BavSound drive on over and you can compare. If you consider yourself an audiophile you owe it to yourself to take a listen to our Soundstage™.


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Integral Audio said:


> @Krattz, I see you're in NYC. We still have an F30 demo vehicle in our Brooklyn R&D space, swing by and take a listen. If you've already installed the BavSound drive on over and you can compare. If you consider yourself an audiophile you owe it to yourself to take a listen to our Soundstage™.


Soundstage is a different product?

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## [email protected]_Audio (Oct 1, 2012)

Krattz said:


> Soundstage is a different product?


Yes, completely. Different company, different product, different approach. Read here: https://integralaudio.com/what-we-do and F3x product pages here: https://integralaudio.com/products/bmw/bmw-3-series-f30.html.

You're in NYC, PM me to schedule a time to swing by our R&D lab in Brooklyn and take a listen. Take the Integral Audio Challenge: listen to ours. If you decide afterwards to buy a comparable competitors product we'll give you $250.


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Thanks, I will do my DAD on your product. I see a price that's triple but yours includes sub. Where are speakers manufactured? Do you have a package for the 320i xDrive that doesn't include a sub?

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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Just purchased the BAVSOUND Stage One system for my B, Looking forward to enjoying...after installing. What's a fair price for an audio store to complete install?


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## [email protected]_Audio (Oct 1, 2012)

*Definitely STOP BY once you get the install done so you can compare*. There is no substitute for an actual A/B comparison. What drove your decision?



Krattz said:


> I see a price that's triple but yours includes sub.


You're looking at apples and oranges. The bavsound stage1 ($499) is only midranges and tweeters - you are plugging speakers into the existing factory amp. There is no frequency division, no amplification.

We _only_ sell two things: our Soundstage™, and our Phantom™ subwoofer.

The Soundstage™ is front tweeters, midranges, _and_ the underseat woofers, plus crossovers (the frequency division) with vehicle-specific acoustic tuning _and_ amplification _plus_ plug-n-play wiring harnesses and every single thing you need for the installation, down to the last screw and ziptie. The price is $1,699. The comparable bavsound would be stage1 ($499) plus underseat woofers ($497) plus amp ($999), or $2,043.

The Phantom™ subwoofer is a trunk mounted true subwoofer, also with vehicle-specific acoustics (you can read an overview of our subwoofer design process here). There is no comparable alternative from the other companies. This is the Phantom™ subwoofer:



http://imgur.com/jaY9BoZ


We don't have a $500 option, so if budget is a limiting factor that will make the decision easy. We don't offer our Soundstage™ piece-meal because to get the results we achieve each individual part needs to be designed specifically to work with the vehicle and with the rest of the components. Another question we get all the time is "why don't you replace the rear speakers?". Because we believe that money is better spent elsewhere. Read our white paper for a little more detail:





> Where are speakers manufactured?


We have a very diverse supply chain, with components in this particular system being made in the US, Taiwan, China, and Canada. I can tell you that we have by far the most US-based production of any of the companies mentioned above. 100% of our design is US-based, most of our sheet metal and machining is US-based, along with several speaker lines, all of our crossover PCB manufacturing and assembly, subwoofer enclosures, and wiring harnesses.



> Do you have a package for the 320i xDrive that doesn't include a sub?


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Mostly at this point price. I purchased the stage one. (7 speakers). If funds were unlimited I'm sure I would have at least listened to your product but they have many great reviews and I received a nice discount from them. Even if I get a 20 or 30% improvement, I'm happy. Mostly due to the quality of the stock system that's in there already I have never heard such a good stock system as I have heard in this BMW and I've owned Audi, Infinity, etc. If money were not an object I'm sure I would have at least listen to yours but triple the
cost, and I'm not a big bass guy, just after buying the BMW putting the Dinan powertune in, and a few months ago a Rolex GMT. I'm cut off for now by the wife..
Lol. I was in sales for years, I know how frustrating it is when you think or know you have a superior product but you can't get past the name recognition or the word of mouth marketing etc to be able to get your product introduced and installed for playing catch up.

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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

And also let your product speak for itself, I've been in sales, #1 nationally two years in a row and putting down a competitor is not an endearing quality for a salesman.

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## [email protected]_Audio (Oct 1, 2012)

Krattz said:


> And also let your product speak for itself, I've been in sales, #1 nationally two years in a row and putting down a competitor is not an endearing quality for a salesman.


Have to admit I was taken aback by that statement. No one is putting down a competitor, and my apologies if anything I wrote gave you that impression.

We ALWAYS let our product speak for itself, and welcome the opportunity to do so. I made you exactly that offer. You asked about our product and did not understand the differences in offering and price, and I attempted to illustrate them for you.

Being happy with $500 for 20-30% improvement is a completely valid, reasonable choice. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, and it works for many people. Others not so much. The key is determining which of those people you are. To do that you (preferably) need to listen and compare, or at the very least need information on design choices/etc that will inform as to the differences between the options available to you.

Aftermarket automotive audio is a crowded market place, with a long history of snake-oil, questionable products, and even more questionable marketing. I'm proud of what we've accomplished, and I'm going to advocate for our products when asked. The shortest way to summarize my posts from above is this: if you are looking to spend $500 or $1000, the other options are going to be your best bet. But if you are willing/able to increase that to $1700 (or $2600 with the subwoofer), then I assure you our Soundstage™ is head and shoulders above any other option out there. The only way to know for sure is to listen.


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Integral Audio said:


> Have to admit I was taken aback by that statement. No one is putting down a competitor, and my apologies if anything I wrote gave you that impression.
> 
> We ALWAYS let our product speak for itself, and welcome the opportunity to do so. I made you exactly that offer. You asked about our product and did not understand the differences in offering and price, and I attempted to illustrate them for you.
> 
> ...


I totally agree. However, since since I'm satisfied with the current subs I decided to update the 7 speakers for less than $50. Maybe our next BMW we will listen to your product

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## [email protected] (Aug 12, 2016)

Krattz said:


> Just purchased the BAVSOUND Stage One system for my B, Looking forward to enjoying...after installing. What's a fair price for an audio store to complete install?


I'd be looking for a shop that will quote you somewhere between $150 and $200 if you're going to have it installed for you. The job is so straightforward that it would be unfair for it to cost any more...

Have you considered doing it yourself? It's actually pretty fun for a weekend day project, but I may be a little biased as I like working on things.

I would avoid any large chain stores (like BB), and would go to a specialty audio shop to be sure everything is done just so if you decide to go that route.

Let us know how it's working out for you!


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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

There's a place in my area call Bob & Ron's World Wide Stereo they are stereo place but they have a car stereo installation department so I'll just stop by there and ask them what they would charge I'm not going to spend a hundred or two hundred when I can just do it on my own however arduous it might be. And I heard there's videos on YouTube that will kind of guide me through it so I'm sure it's not rocket signs period just looking forward to getting it installed as I put a lot of miles on my car every year and love

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## Krattz (Jan 21, 2017)

Today i put the first mid and tweeter the driver side front door. I am a novice so when I tell you it took me at least 3 hours to do one door I'm not lying. In fact if you are a novice I would suggest that you purchase this great package, but take it to a audio shop that does installations because it will save you a lot of aggravation. They make it look so easy in the video because they've probably done it 100 times. I did notice on the drive home today the passenger side window button for the right side passenger is sticking and going up and down intermittently I mean have to take the window panel off again to make sure the adaptor in fully pushed in. Now of course rear doors won't be as difficult because there's only one speaker. The driver side front will be easier now replace the Tweeter and the Mid because I did it today so just like with anything else it's practice, but there was at one point I was ready to take the whole thing and just throw it in the trash... that's the kind of guy I am I get a little frustrated. Thank God I didn't do that because they do sound awesome so if you're a first-timer like me I would just say don't expect the installation time to be 3 hours. As you do one, you'll get better at the second and then the third and so on and so forth. So far I am impressed with the quality of the sound, just not impressed with the amount of labor involved

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## [email protected] (Aug 12, 2016)

Glad to hear you went for it and made some progress! Like you said - it gets easier with each door or panel as you get used to how BMWs come apart, where to press to release the wiring connectors, how hard to pull on something for fear of breaking it, etc.

We definitely have tried to make the installation process as painless as possible through the design of the product as well as the supporting documentation, but it still does take a little time, knowledge and effort to get it done. If our customers have any hesitation at all, we suggest a professional installation, but 9 times out of 10, it's just not necessary.

It's really akin to DIY anything. Almost anybody can install a new lightbulb, assemble an IKEA bookshelf, wire up a simple home TV or put a new lock on their front door, but not everybody wants to. Some people enjoy it and some don't. There's definitely something to be said for time being money.

Please do let us know how the rest of the speakers went in for you, and if you have any comments or questions at all. We're stoked that you chose to give us a try!


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## howardversion1 (Jun 1, 2021)

[email protected] said:


> You definitely won't be disappointed for the investment. Please feel free to ask me any specific questions you may have...
> 
> I spent 20 years of my career before Bavsound building competition-level car audio systems, so have some good info to share if it would help.


Matt can you message me I have 2 fosgate 10s on a fosgate amp in the trunk, but wanted to hear the highs and miss to cover the rattle that I cannot control


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