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      09-06-2012, 08:55 AM   #1
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Cool HK Sound System: Suggestion for Improvement

Maybe I'm the only one that has noticed this, but wouldn't it be nice if the HK Sound System allowed for "easy switching" to preset sound profiles on the equalizer (like Jazz, Deep, Vocal, etc)? Some songs sound a lot better with different settings than others, and it's a pain in the a$$ to go into the equalizer and manually adjust each band for every song. Even the 2008 Chevy Cobalt had this feature...c'mon BMW!
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      09-06-2012, 09:05 AM   #2
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Yes, I would like something like that to. Now it feels like I have to adjust it for each song I listen to. Maybe this is because I just got the car, but if feels like I have to make small adjustments all the time.

Is there a thread where people list their equalizer settings somewhere around here?
I know that E90Post had this, and it was a big help when someone with the right equipent did a calibration. I know it's not one setting fits all, but it was a great starting point.
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      09-06-2012, 09:25 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossifumi View Post
Yes, I would like something like that to. Now it feels like I have to adjust it for each song I listen to. Maybe this is because I just got the car, but if feels like I have to make small adjustments all the time.

Is there a thread where people list their equalizer settings somewhere around here?
I know that E90Post had this, and it was a big help when someone with the right equipent did a calibration. I know it's not one setting fits all, but it was a great starting point.
I agree; I've looked for the same thing on F30Post, and come up with nothing. Anybody know?
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      09-06-2012, 09:38 AM   #4
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not possible, maybe you can use one of the presets, but i doubt it.

i always listen to edm so i never really thought of this, older bmw's had it
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      09-06-2012, 10:09 AM   #5
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I even UNclicked L7. Many songs sound better then.

The reception/sound of the radiostations is 9/10 times just poor for such an expensive system.

The songs on my iPhone via the HK system sound 100% better it seems(Thank God). Strange.



Cheers
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      09-06-2012, 10:14 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robin_NL View Post
The songs on my iPhone via the HK system sound 100% better it seems(Thank God). Strange.
Higher bitrate I guess. I don't own a single MP3 or song in iTunes. Every song I play is from Spotify. So it makes it not so ideal to use the media section in the F30. Everything is prepared to be used with iTunes or MP3 on the harddrive.

I can stream the audio with bluetooth, but that kills the battery in 2h. And if i plug it in with the USB-cable is have to kill bluetooth audio. The sound still plays fine, but the controls doesn't work (to change songs) and no info about artist, album, song title anymore.

I need a Spotify app!
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      09-06-2012, 10:15 AM   #7
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it's all about the source

^there is an iphone app for spotify
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      09-06-2012, 10:29 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justinnum1 View Post
it's all about the source

^there is an iphone app for spotify
I know, I use it all the time. It was the one I used in my post above. What I meant was an BMW App (made with the SDK), like Pandora. So that I can get full control with the iDrive instead of just BT-streaming.
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      09-06-2012, 10:36 AM   #9
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Maybe I need to mess with the EQ on the iPhone under the Music section of settings. However, I was always under the impression that you should leave this to 'Off' when playing music through the iDrive.
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      09-06-2012, 10:49 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossifumi View Post
I know, I use it all the time. It was the one I used in my post above. What I meant was an BMW App (made with the SDK), like Pandora. So that I can get full control with the iDrive instead of just BT-streaming.
ahhh, i see
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      09-06-2012, 10:52 AM   #11
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I always leave my EQs flat - I can't stand artificially increased EQ's. A good audio source always helps aswell - if you're using mp3 or m4a's, they are lossy and one of the first things they do is cut the very top and very bottom ends off the waveforms as most people can't hear the difference. That's why CD's or lossless always seems be to more "punchy".

Lossless for me all the way

Last edited by dave-the-rave; 09-07-2012 at 02:11 AM..
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      09-06-2012, 11:13 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-the-rave View Post
I always leave my EQs flat - I can't stand artificially increased EQ's. A good audio source always helps aswell - if you're using mp3 or m4a's, they are lossless and one of the first things they do is cut the very top and very bottom ends off the waveforms as most people can't hear the difference. That's why CD's or lossless always seems be to more "punchy".

Lossless for me all the way
That's good information. However, my main concern with this is that my sound was a lot better with my E92 HK than I've had so far in my F30 HK using the same iPhone (MP3/M4A). The bass is crazy overkill, while the middles are lacking a bit. Guess I need to play around with it more.
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      09-06-2012, 11:43 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shoptb View Post
That's good information. However, my main concern with this is that my sound was a lot better with my E92 HK than I've had so far in my F30 HK using the same iPhone (MP3/M4A). The bass is crazy overkill, while the middles are lacking a bit. Guess I need to play around with it more.
I've just got the alpine kit in my E90 at the mo - how much better is the F30 H/K from that ? Thinking of getting it when i order my f30 in a few months
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      09-06-2012, 12:49 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-the-rave View Post
I always leave my EQs flat...
The problem with the HK is that it must be lowered, not increased. One should use the EQ to lower the bass frequencies. There are threads about this for the E90 and it makes hell of a difference. Flat is useless in this car.

Here is one thread:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42672

Last edited by Micleg; 09-06-2012 at 12:55 PM..
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      09-06-2012, 02:22 PM   #15
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Let the speakers run in. It should sound a lot less harsh after around 100-200 hours of playback. The cones are still very stiff up until then so they need time to loosen up and improve the dynamics. Also, use CD or Apple Lossless on an iPhone/iPod.
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      09-06-2012, 06:27 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dave-the-rave View Post
I always leave my EQs flat - I can't stand artificially increased EQ's. A good audio source always helps aswell - if you're using mp3 or m4a's, they are lossless and one of the first things they do is cut the very top and very bottom ends off the waveforms as most people can't hear the difference. That's why CD's or lossless always seems be to more "punchy".

Lossless for me all the way
Fwiw, mp3, m4a/mp4 are lossy not lossless formats.

ALE, ALAC and for the real enthusiast FLAC are the "lossless'' formats, FLAC will eat storage space very quickly.
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      09-06-2012, 07:14 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cardnation View Post
Fwiw, mp3, m4a/mp4 are lossy not lossless formats.

ALE, ALAC and for the real enthusiast FLAC are the "lossless'' formats, FLAC will eat storage space very quickly.
ALAC is just as good as FLAC and it has better compression (still lossless though) so the file sizes are slightly smaller. Yes, the extra compression requires more power to decompress but there's nothing these days that can't handle it. Also, ALAC is supported on iPods/iPhones, it's much better for tags and album art, and finally it's now open source!
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      09-07-2012, 02:12 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cardnation View Post
Fwiw, mp3, m4a/mp4 are lossy not lossless formats.

ALE, ALAC and for the real enthusiast FLAC are the "lossless'' formats, FLAC will eat storage space very quickly.
Ooops, typo! i did mean lossy :P.
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      09-07-2012, 10:27 AM   #19
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I tried playing flac off of flash drive my m3 won't play;( so I have to burn on cd and transfer ? Is it possible to transfer to apple format in iTunes and play from flash drive or transfer from flash drive
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      09-07-2012, 11:50 PM   #20
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The HK is nice, it's a step above the stock system.
But for the price, it's not up to it's cost.

Satellite stations have poor sonic quality. It's nice that it's a "clean" signal, but it's quality is ultra compressed.

The problem I'm having with mine is FM reception. It's bad.
I can't believe I spent all the extra money and BMW and HK can't even make a good antenna. We have HD channels of FM stations, and if you can "catch" it it sounds better, good even. But, even with the strongest stations the FM receiver can catch and hold it. It cuts back to non HD. On some of those same strong FM stations I get hiss, quick signal loss and then back again. It's freaking annoying.
Cheapo FM radio's can get and hold these stations. My 135i's standard system always held these stations.

I'll put it in the list for the tech's to check out. I'm really hoping there is a loose antenna connection. If not, I want a new receiver, and if that means a new head unit, then so be it.

Anyone else have poor FM reception?
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