How good is the HK sound system

m20e3087 · 06-24-2018, 06:13 PM

How good is the HK sound system on M2? Is it same as M3 or 3 series?

F87_LCI · 06-24-2018, 09:38 PM

Same as was in my 2014 335i. It's ok. Depends what music you are playing and how "good" your ears are. I do find that I have to turn the volume up higher to get same level of sound int the M2 that I had in the F30 at a lower position on volume control...if that makes sense. Meaning if I turn the volume to half of the max volume bar in the M2 it is quieter than if the volume was at the same position in the F30. Maybe amp was better in the F30?

pz619 · 06-24-2018, 10:09 PM

It’s not the same as the 3er. Assuming nothing changes, it’ll be less power, less speakers, and no equalizer.

If it’s the same system as the 2er, I would say it’s alright. It won’t impress anyone but I’ve also heard worse.

Poochie · 06-24-2018, 10:16 PM

https://www.harmankardon.com/bmw-2-series-coupe.html

3tekcorps · 06-24-2018, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poochie

https://www.harmankardon.com/bmw-2-series-coupe.html

You'd think that would sound great.

wkkiminct · 06-24-2018, 11:29 PM

This thread is worthwhile to read.

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1300868

In a nutshell, the HK of M2 before MY 2017 was not impressive, but there was an amplifier upgrade from MY2017 which made sound a lot better.

chris719 · 06-25-2018, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3tekcorps

You'd think that would sound great.

It's built to a cost. Harman generally knows what they are doing (they make speakers and electronics for various brands from $10 to $10k+). No doubt it is well optimized within whatever budget BMW was willing to afford them.

ryem3 · 06-25-2018, 07:06 PM

It's crap. Check the 2er forum for living with the Harmon kardon system. I swapped all the drivers for Focal ordered directly from Germany. All plug and play, not available in the US. Highly recommended change. Compared to the high end system in the e92 m3, the m2 system is cheap.

M2COMP · 06-25-2018, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryem3

It's crap. Check the 2er forum for living with the Harmon kardon system. I swapped all the drivers for Focal ordered directly from Germany. All plug and play, not available in the US. Highly recommended change. Compared to the high end system in the e92 m3, the m2 system is cheap.

Can you share the website / store from where you ordered.

BAN_M2C · 06-25-2018, 08:03 PM

Harmon Kardon in the M2 is not the best. My HK in the 135i sounds much better.

Cavpilot2k · 06-25-2018, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BAN_M2

Harmon Kardon in the M2 is not the best. My HK in the 135i sounds much better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryem3

It's crap. Check the 2er forum for living with the Harmon kardon system. I swapped all the drivers for Focal ordered directly from Germany. All plug and play, not available in the US. Highly recommended change. Compared to the high end system in the e92 m3, the m2 system is cheap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by M2COMP

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryem3

It's crap. Check the 2er forum for living with the Harmon kardon system. I swapped all the drivers for Focal ordered directly from Germany. All plug and play, not available in the US. Highly recommended change. Compared to the high end system in the e92 m3, the m2 system is cheap.

Can you share the website / store from where you ordered.

This is disappointing, as I feel like my 135's HK is minimum acceptable audio performance.
I too would be interested in the German-only option, as i go to Germany almost every year to visit my SWMBO's family and can order to their house and pick up locally for home install when I get my ED M2C (assuming Trump doesn't bone us all with tariffs).

DanG · 06-25-2018, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cavpilot2k

This is disappointing, as I feel like my 135's HK is minimum acceptable audio performance.
I too would be interested in the German-only option, as i go to Germany almost every year to visit my SWMBO's family and can order to their house and pick up locally for home install when I get my ED M2C (assuming Trump doesn't bone us all with tariffs).

The answer really is we don’t know about the HK in the M2C. The 2018 M2 got a new amp and has vastly improved sound vs the 2016 and 2017 M2. What is in the M2C?

AndrewC1989 · 06-25-2018, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryem3

It's crap. Check the 2er forum for living with the Harmon kardon system. I swapped all the drivers for Focal ordered directly from Germany. All plug and play, not available in the US. Highly recommended change. Compared to the high end system in the e92 m3, the m2 system is cheap.

Got any links? The 2er forum is full of a million different threads on this and I don't feel like doing 3 years worth of reading. Just wanna know what you have and where you bought it and if it was plug and play etc.

zenmaster · 06-25-2018, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by m20e3087

How good is the HK sound system on M2? Is it same as M3 or 3 series?

The 3 series system is noticeably better all around. I'd say the 2-series 16' HK is perhaps 70-75% and '17 HK is 80% of the 3-series system (E90 or F30).

GaoKS · 06-26-2018, 03:30 AM

How is it compared to the M4?

kfscoll · 06-26-2018, 11:07 AM

I think the H-K system in my M2 sounds better than the H-K system I had in my '15 335i. Go figure.

DanG · 06-26-2018, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kfscoll

I think the H-K system in my M2 sounds better than the H-K system I had in my '15 335i. Go figure.

That is because they upgraded the HK system in the 2018 M2.

AndrewC1989 · 06-26-2018, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanG

That is because they upgraded the HK system in the 2018 M2.

They upgraded the amp in late 2016 actually. Any M2 with ID5 (late MY16 and all MY17) has the exact same sound system as the LCI ID6 cars. And while it is "upgraded" I still find it lack luster. My 2008 335i with the logic 7 speakers sounded way better than the HK's we have. It was one of the first things I noticed after I took delivery.

wkkiminct · 06-26-2018, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewc89

They upgraded the amp in late 2016 actually. Any M2 with ID5 (late MY16 and all MY17) has the exact same sound system as the LCI ID6 cars. And while it is "upgraded" I still find it lack luster. My 2008 335i with the logic 7 speakers sounded way better than the HK's we have. It was one of the first things I noticed after I took delivery.

Do you have any guess which one is bigger cause for the lackluster sound, speakers and/or amplifier?

dmk08 · 06-26-2018, 12:46 PM

If its like the M4 HK system it's not that great. The E92 premium sound is/was better.

MR. · 06-26-2018, 12:50 PM

It is decent not great... The fact that there is less sound deadening in the car doesn't help the quality of the system.

I had an upgraded system that helped improving it, but the M2 is not the car for quality audio.

There is too much noise from the outside world interfering with the internal audio.

MR

dmk08 · 06-26-2018, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR.

It is decent not great... The fact that there is less sound deadening in the car doesn't help the quality of the system.

I had an upgraded system that helped improving it, but the M2 is not the car for quality audio.

There is too much noise from the outside world interfering with the internal audio.

MR

Also I found in the M4 turning off Active Sound helped the audio system performance. Not sure if the M2 has that.

06-24-2018, 06:13 PM	#1
m20e3087 Major 1144 Rep 1,407 Posts Drives: G87 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW M2C [0.00]	How good is the HK sound system How good is the HK sound system on M2? Is it same as M3 or 3 series?
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06-24-2018, 09:38 PM	#2
F87_LCI Lieutenant Colonel 1787 Rep 1,718 Posts Drives: 2018 LBB F87 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: North iTrader: (1)	Same as was in my 2014 335i. It's ok. Depends what music you are playing and how "good" your ears are. I do find that I have to turn the volume up higher to get same level of sound int the M2 that I had in the F30 at a lower position on volume control...if that makes sense. Meaning if I turn the volume to half of the max volume bar in the M2 it is quieter than if the volume was at the same position in the F30. Maybe amp was better in the F30?
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06-24-2018, 10:09 PM	#3
pz619 Brigadier General 3277 Rep 3,255 Posts Drives: F87 M2C 6MT, Tesla 3 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: San Diego iTrader: (1)	It’s not the same as the 3er. Assuming nothing changes, it’ll be less power, less speakers, and no equalizer. If it’s the same system as the 2er, I would say it’s alright. It won’t impress anyone but I’ve also heard worse.
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06-24-2018, 10:16 PM	#4
Poochie Luxury at the redline :) 9103 Rep 7,563 Posts Drives: 2016 M2 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: NYC iTrader: (3)	https://www.harmankardon.com/bmw-2-series-coupe.html
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06-24-2018, 11:29 PM	#6
wkkiminct Private 76 Rep 54 Posts Drives: M2C Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	This thread is worthwhile to read. https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1300868 In a nutshell, the HK of M2 before MY 2017 was not impressive, but there was an amplifier upgrade from MY2017 which made sound a lot better.
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06-25-2018, 07:06 PM	#8
ryem3 Major 1042 Rep 1,345 Posts Drives: 2020 MB M2 CS Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Rye, NY iTrader: (0)	It's crap. Check the 2er forum for living with the Harmon kardon system. I swapped all the drivers for Focal ordered directly from Germany. All plug and play, not available in the US. Highly recommended change. Compared to the high end system in the e92 m3, the m2 system is cheap.
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06-25-2018, 08:03 PM	#10
BAN_M2C Brigadier General 4180 Rep 3,075 Posts Drives: 991.2 Porsche GT3, BMW E46 M3 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Sunshine State iTrader: (5) Garage List 1987 BMW 325is [10.00] 2004 BMW X3 [6.50] 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 [10.00] 1974 BMW 2002tii [10.00] 2004 BMW M3 [10.00]	Harmon Kardon in the M2 is not the best. My HK in the 135i sounds much better. __________________ Follow me on IG Garage: 2018 991.2 GT3\|2013 135i\|2004 M3\|2004 X3\|1987 325is\|1987 325i\|1974 2002tii
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06-26-2018, 03:30 AM	#15
GaoKS Lieutenant 508 Rep 454 Posts Drives: '23 Raptor Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Colorado iTrader: (0)	How is it compared to the M4? __________________ Current: '23 Ford Raptor Incoming: '24 G87 M2 - BG/6spd BMW Past Rides: 2023 G80 Comp, 2023 G80 xDrive, 2021 M3 Comp, 2020 M340i, 2019 540i, 2016 M4, 2016 535i, 2008 545i
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06-26-2018, 11:07 AM	#16
kfscoll Second Lieutenant 209 Rep 212 Posts Drives: ‘18 MG M2 6MT, ‘15 MW X3 35i Join Date: May 2017 Location: Cincinnati, OH iTrader: (0)	I think the H-K system in my M2 sounds better than the H-K system I had in my '15 335i. Go figure.
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06-26-2018, 12:46 PM	#20
dmk08 Gone Fishin’ 7316 Rep 12,125 Posts Drives: Walks Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (19)	If its like the M4 HK system it's not that great. The E92 premium sound is/was better.
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06-26-2018, 12:50 PM	#21
MR. Colonel 4398 Rep 2,856 Posts Drives: BMW M2 CSL Turbomeister Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Travelling / Managing / Writing iTrader: (0) Garage List 2020 MINI GP3 [0.00] 2013 MINI GP2.5 [8.50] 2018 BMW M2 Competi ... [10.00]	It is decent not great... The fact that there is less sound deadening in the car doesn't help the quality of the system. I had an upgraded system that helped improving it, but the M2 is not the car for quality audio. There is too much noise from the outside world interfering with the internal audio. MR
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