[scooterD]

I've read contradictory info on this site regarding the HK audio on the 2 series. What's the real story?

I have a 2017 model year 230i and have heard on this site the HK audio system is no good, much improved in 2017, the center dash speaker just blends L and R channels and is not true 5.1. There are no EQ controls, but does our system have AuraVox (HKs software-based EQ)? I know someone has the info I'm wondering about.

In my opinion, I can't imagine pre-2017 being much worse than what I'm hearing out of this system. The aluminum tweeters are literally hurting my eardrums, I don't hear much mids, the base seems ok, but there is a muddy-ness to it. My 2012 335i with HK sounds better, but not great.

I did install the JL audio 4in coax in the rear deck and that was definitely an improvement, although they are not as loud as stock speakers and I need to adjust the fade to the rear, which in turn lessens the bass at the same settings. I think the JL speakers are less harsh and add some missing mids, less muddy, too.

I disconnected the center speaker and the bass increased a lot and the sound stage widened out. I did reconnect the center however because I paid for a center speaker and darnit I'm going to use it!

If someone can confirm the system is not 5.1 stereo, then maybe I will disconnect it again. What is AuraVox? I can't really tell.

I had a 1988 BMW 325is and I swear my Steely Dan cassette sounded much better than the same in CD format in the 2 series. Analog is better. Speaking of analog, is FM radio also analog? What is HD radio?

I have an old Sony Walkman cassette player, is it true that the Aux in is analog? Has anyone tried playing a cassette through the Aux? In reality I will never do this, but it sounds like an interesting experiment!

I can't search all the posts so excuse me if some of this has been discussed, but I need answers. Thanks!

[Maynard]

I know it takes forever, but if you look waaaaaay down the page, there is a subforum all about electronics. This thread probably covers most of your Q's: https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1236238

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by scooterD

I've read contradictory info on this site regarding the HK audio on the 2 series. What's the real story?

I have a 2017 model year 230i and have heard on this site the HK audio system is no good, much improved in 2017, the center dash speaker just blends L and R channels and is not true 5.1. There are no EQ controls, but does our system have AuraVox (HKs software-based EQ)? I know someone has the info I'm wondering about.

In my opinion, I can't imagine pre-2017 being much worse than what I'm hearing out of this system. The aluminum tweeters are literally hurting my eardrums, I don't hear much mids, the base seems ok, but there is a muddy-ness to it. My 2012 335i with HK sounds better, but not great.

I did install the JL audio 4in coax in the rear deck and that was definitely an improvement, although they are not as loud as stock speakers and I need to adjust the fade to the rear, which in turn lessens the bass at the same settings. I think the JL speakers are less harsh and add some missing mids, less muddy, too.

I disconnected the center speaker and the bass increased a lot and the sound stage widened out. I did reconnect the center however because I paid for a center speaker and darnit I'm going to use it!

If someone can confirm the system is not 5.1 stereo, then maybe I will disconnect it again. What is AuraVox? I can't really tell.

I had a 1988 BMW 325is and I swear my Steely Dan cassette sounded much better than the same in CD format in the 2 series. Analog is better. Speaking of analog, is FM radio also analog? What is HD radio?

I have an old Sony Walkman cassette player, is it true that the Aux in is analog? Has anyone tried playing a cassette through the Aux? In reality I will never do this, but it sounds like an interesting experiment!

I can't search all the posts so excuse me if some of this has been discussed, but I need answers. Thanks!

I agree, titanium dome tweeters can get aggressive high end, and hearing fatigue sets in much quicker. My preference is silk dome tweeters.
HK acquired JBL a long while ago, and they use JBL's titanium dome tweeters in some of their systems, such as in BMW vehicles.
They are capable of producing very high frequencies efficiently, however, the quality of those frequencies suffers IMO.

Regarding "surround sound", if you are using actual 5.1 produced audio sources, then "surround" will reproduce the audio as intended. If you are using stereo audio sources, then playing standard stereo sources without the surround is the best way to go.

Standard FM is analog. HD Radio is a digital signal. When an HD Radio receiver gets the digitize signal it will then decode it. That is why a tuner has to be HD Radio capable, as it is a different signal that requires processing after the signal is received.

HD Radio sounds better than standard AM and FM, and with some HD-FM stations that audio quality is MUCH better. The difference comes because HD Radio has a bandwidth that can be divided, multiplexed, so that a radio station can provide multiple HD Radio signals. That allows stations to provide different music formats. However, if a station does that, then there is less bandwidth by which to transmit the highest quality single. Stations that divide their HD Radio bandwidth have lower quality audio compared to stations that fully utilize their allotted HD Radio bandwidth.

HD Radio can also contain album artwork and descriptions if a station wants to provide that information.

The problem I've had is that HD Radio in my last two 3-series BMWs with HK, is that the HK HD Radio tuner couldn't hold an HD Radio signal very well, and it would jump back and forth between analog and digital FM. I now have a 2018 Audi S4 now with a B&O audio system and it holds HD Radio-FM better, but it still occasionally jumps back and forth, too much IMO.

An "Aux" in should be a standard analog source input. If your Walkman has a standard stereo audio out, then you should be able to use it as a source to the Aux-in. If you do this, start with the source signal at a very low level and then increase the volume/signal output to get to the clearest/cleanest signal without overloading the Aux input. Too much signal in and you'll start hearing a distorted audio.

I would suggest that you digitize your favored cassettes. The main reason is because every time you play a cassette it's quality lessens over time, just like analog vinyl does. A cassette's tape is a medium that is affected by temperature. The tape can shrink in cold temp and expand in warm temps. Overtime the original signal quality is lessened. Converting your cassettest o digital, using the best quality and higher bit-rate will allow you to use one digital audio device for all of you music. And, that allows your to store your original analog audio cassettes without further degradation.

My S4 has a CD player in the glove box. I have a Steely Dan disc in it right now.

[Maynard]

First off, thanks for name checking the cassette Walkman - I feel a little less old right now.

There has been some suspicion on other threads that the head unit downsamples CDs at a horrid rate, and that aux input avoids that and sends the signal direct to the amp (so better sound that way). For me the speakers are such crap that I don't think I could tell the diff until I replace them, and I don't have any aux audio to test it out.

[Oldbay]

I might be in the minority, but the HK system in my 2020 sounds fine! It is a big improvement over the base system. I did try both out on two M240s side by side.

[Winemaker2]

I have to agree with Oldbay. Once I removed ASD, the system sounds as good as in any other BMW with upgraded sound systems that I have owned...however, not quite as good as the B&O in our Audi Q5.