Standard audio system issue

Parrotguy · 01-08-2010, 01:58 AM

I'm starting a new thread on this issue because there haven't been any posts for awhile to the previous one on Dec 8.
I am replacing my '07 3.0i coming off lease and have been to the dealer a couple of times trying to figure out if I can afford a new one, hoping BMW would renew the cash allowance, which they didn't.
Now I'm reading about all the people furious about the base audio system which I guess everyone agrees sucks bigtime, and 2 grand for the premium sound pushes an already stiff price up even further.

The question is has anybody figured out how to solve this problem short of throwing another 2000 at the problem?

It sounds to me like its set up wrong, the small amp in the radio is driven so hard it distorts whereas the external amp should be handling the power requirement. I'm wondering if BMW will initiate a dealer fix, or maybe that's asking too much??

E89Tardis · 01-08-2010, 08:22 AM

I wish they would. I'd happily pay 2k to have the premium system in my car. I wish it were as simple as that. Personally, I want very much to stay completely stock.

zEdP · 01-08-2010, 09:42 AM

Here is what I have changed:

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewto...p?f=23&t=11335

EdP

KINetics · 01-08-2010, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zEdP

Here is what I have changed:

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewto...p?f=23&t=11335

EdP

Great writeup.

Parrotguy · 01-08-2010, 03:09 PM

Where is the external amp located?

zEdP · 01-09-2010, 04:42 AM

I'm not 100% sure because I received my car with the standard system. Only the HIFI and HIFI professional systems use an external D-Class amplifier mounted on the right rear wall of the truck.

Jeremyp made a picture of the location:

EdP

msimon18 · 01-09-2010, 11:34 AM

My Z4 has the standard radio and after several weeks I think it works just fine. When I want super terrific sound I use my system in the house. For the road it seems fine to me. I test drove both cars on I75 here in central Florida with the top up and down) and although the premium system was better I could not see it worth an extra $2K. At least not for me..

BarrowJon · 01-09-2010, 12:05 PM

Been with my Z4, standard sound system, for 2 months now and must say am quite happy with it. Not sure it makes much difference, but radio is HD, which I believe was a change for 2010 model.

rmorin49 · 01-09-2010, 12:06 PM

Just checked with my CA on my ED and I cannot add Premium Sound to my order so I will have to live with the std audio. Glad to hear the previous poster is happy with their std system.

narcolo · 01-12-2010, 03:20 AM

just beware!

I went from an E85 Z4 with the stock stereo; sounded great. No complaints.

I just picked up a 09 Z4 WITHOUT trying the stereo out when test driving. I was pissed and could not believe how HORRIBLE the stock stereo was in my new 09, I brought the car in, thinking that the stereo or speakers were broken!!!

Even though the new Z4 is dramatically improved in many ways, this CRAP stereo honestly IS BAD ENOUGH to kill the fun for me, especially knowing my old z4 that cost HALF the price had a much better stereo.

It is embarrassing and BMW should issue a recall...totally unacceptable

my Kia has a better radio AND usb interface...

TarqZ4 · 01-12-2010, 10:30 AM

In the test car I didn’t listen to the standard stereo. I was having too much fun!

But I must say I think the bad noise is something to do with the cars construction, run flat tyres and the metal lid, the acoustics are just different and you can hardly hear the stereo because of the high level of back ground noise.

When I listened to the stereo the other day with the engine off and the roof open in my garage it sounded great?

I have come to the conclusion that the sound is good enough, the real fine tune this car sings is that switching gears at full pelt with the roof down – bloody brilliant

zEdP · 01-12-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by narcolo

just beware!

I went from an E85 Z4 with the stock stereo; sounded great. No complaints.

I just picked up a 09 Z4 WITHOUT trying the stereo out when test driving.

Are you sure your E85 had the basic system?

In my opinion the stock E89 system sounds better than the E85, not much, but it does.

Now if I compare the stock audio systems of an E85 MY07 and E89 MY09 and look at the changes:

Radio/cd unit no major audio change (I'm not sure MP3 playback was introduced in '07)

Speakers, I guess they only replaced the door tweeters by 4" 'full' range door speakers. In my personal opinion, the E85 tweeter was bad and the E89 change improved the sound quality. Visually the 4" speaker (E89 door+rear speakers / E85 rear speakers) look the same in both models. I have no idea if this is also the case for the foot well speakers; did not replace these ones.

JohnT · 01-12-2010, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TarqZ4

In the test car I didn’t listen to the standard stereo. I was having too much fun!

But I must say I think the bad noise is something to do with the cars construction, run flat tyres and the metal lid, the acoustics are just different and you can hardly hear the stereo because of the high level of back ground noise.

When I listened to the stereo the other day with the engine off and the roof open in my garage it sounded great?

I have come to the conclusion that the sound is good enough, the real fine tune this car sings is that switching gears at full pelt with the roof down – bloody brilliant

What he said

Parrotguy · 01-12-2010, 06:49 PM

The new Z standard audio has 6 speakers, no external amp, no subwoofer. My '07 Z with standard audio has a 210 watt external amp, and 10 speakers, including 4 speakers behind the seats. it will blow you out of the car with no distortion. This is why so many buyers didn't believe they needed the over the top $2000 premium system in the new car, and are now very unhappy

cjb169 · 01-12-2010, 07:52 PM

I have the standard stereo as well, and it really is poor. Only 6 speakers?? What really gets me is that they didn't even place in tweeters - if you look under the mesh, it is empty... Just doesn't seem to fit with the price of the car. Everything else is spectacular. So, I just spend time listening to the engine...

HP10bII · 01-19-2010, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjb169

I have the standard stereo as well, and it really is poor. Only 6 speakers?? What really gets me is that they didn't even place in tweeters - if you look under the mesh, it is empty... Just doesn't seem to fit with the price of the car. Everything else is spectacular. So, I just spend time listening to the engine...

+1

Z4@Phuket · 01-19-2010, 02:39 AM

Luckily, in Thailand,

they fitted my Z4 with Hifi sound system and 12GB hard drive as standard.
Hifi system 11 speakers = Front Lt, Rt: Low, Mid, High speakers = 6
Front center 1, Rear Low & Mid = 4 , and 250 W amplifier
Good enough for this tiny cabin,

01-08-2010, 01:58 AM	#1
Parrotguy New Member 1 Rep 8 Posts Drives: '07 Z4 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Standard audio system issue I'm starting a new thread on this issue because there haven't been any posts for awhile to the previous one on Dec 8. I am replacing my '07 3.0i coming off lease and have been to the dealer a couple of times trying to figure out if I can afford a new one, hoping BMW would renew the cash allowance, which they didn't. Now I'm reading about all the people furious about the base audio system which I guess everyone agrees sucks bigtime, and 2 grand for the premium sound pushes an already stiff price up even further. The question is has anybody figured out how to solve this problem short of throwing another 2000 at the problem? It sounds to me like its set up wrong, the small amp in the radio is driven so hard it distorts whereas the external amp should be handling the power requirement. I'm wondering if BMW will initiate a dealer fix, or maybe that's asking too much??
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01-08-2010, 08:22 AM	#2
E89Tardis Private First Class 6 Rep 117 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 35i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New England iTrader: (0)	I wish they would. I'd happily pay 2k to have the premium system in my car. I wish it were as simple as that. Personally, I want very much to stay completely stock.
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01-08-2010, 09:42 AM	#3
zEdP Ed 18 Rep 298 Posts Drives: Z4 sDrive30i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Netherlands iTrader: (0)	Here is what I have changed: http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewto...p?f=23&t=11335 EdP
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01-08-2010, 03:09 PM	#5
Parrotguy New Member 1 Rep 8 Posts Drives: '07 Z4 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Where is the external amp located?
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01-09-2010, 04:42 AM	#6
zEdP Ed 18 Rep 298 Posts Drives: Z4 sDrive30i Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Netherlands iTrader: (0)	I'm not 100% sure because I received my car with the standard system. Only the HIFI and HIFI professional systems use an external D-Class amplifier mounted on the right rear wall of the truck. Jeremyp made a picture of the location: EdP
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01-09-2010, 11:34 AM	#7
msimon18 Retired 19 Rep 868 Posts Drives: Z4 s30i Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Villages, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 1965 Isetta 300 [0.00] 2004 1/5 Scale M3 GTR [10.00]	My Z4 has the standard radio and after several weeks I think it works just fine. When I want super terrific sound I use my system in the house. For the road it seems fine to me. I test drove both cars on I75 here in central Florida with the top up and down) and although the premium system was better I could not see it worth an extra $2K. At least not for me.. __________________ M3 GTR - 1/5 scale - 4.2 HP w/ Collari hydraulic brakes - would you believe ~80 MPH on straightaway !!
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01-09-2010, 12:05 PM	#8
BarrowJon Private First Class 69 Rep 157 Posts Drives: Z4 M40i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Seneca, SC iTrader: (0)	Been with my Z4, standard sound system, for 2 months now and must say am quite happy with it. Not sure it makes much difference, but radio is HD, which I believe was a change for 2010 model.
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01-09-2010, 12:06 PM	#9
rmorin49 Major 53 Rep 1,162 Posts Drives: 11 335d/10 Z4 s30i Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Hagerstown, MD iTrader: (1)	Just checked with my CA on my ED and I cannot add Premium Sound to my order so I will have to live with the std audio. Glad to hear the previous poster is happy with their std system. __________________ Colonel (Retired), US Army/Hagerstown, MD 2016 518ixdrive/MSport AW/Ivory White ED-01-10 2010 Z4s30i AW/Beige/Burl/ 6MT/SP/PP/CWP/NAV/ipod/USB/CA (retired) 2011 335d BS/Oyster/PP/CWP/NAV/ipod/USB(Daily Driver) 30+ mpg(retired)
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01-12-2010, 03:20 AM	#10
narcolo New Member 4 Rep 26 Posts Drives: E85 E89 Z4 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: OC iTrader: (0)	just beware! I went from an E85 Z4 with the stock stereo; sounded great. No complaints. I just picked up a 09 Z4 WITHOUT trying the stereo out when test driving. I was pissed and could not believe how HORRIBLE the stock stereo was in my new 09, I brought the car in, thinking that the stereo or speakers were broken!!! Even though the new Z4 is dramatically improved in many ways, this CRAP stereo honestly IS BAD ENOUGH to kill the fun for me, especially knowing my old z4 that cost HALF the price had a much better stereo. It is embarrassing and BMW should issue a recall...totally unacceptable my Kia has a better radio AND usb interface...
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01-12-2010, 10:30 AM	#11
TarqZ4 New Member 0 Rep 15 Posts Drives: BMW Z4 S Drive 35i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	In the test car I didn’t listen to the standard stereo. I was having too much fun! But I must say I think the bad noise is something to do with the cars construction, run flat tyres and the metal lid, the acoustics are just different and you can hardly hear the stereo because of the high level of back ground noise. When I listened to the stereo the other day with the engine off and the roof open in my garage it sounded great? I have come to the conclusion that the sound is good enough, the real fine tune this car sings is that switching gears at full pelt with the roof down – bloody brilliant
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01-12-2010, 06:49 PM	#14
Parrotguy New Member 1 Rep 8 Posts Drives: '07 Z4 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	The new Z standard audio has 6 speakers, no external amp, no subwoofer. My '07 Z with standard audio has a 210 watt external amp, and 10 speakers, including 4 speakers behind the seats. it will blow you out of the car with no distortion. This is why so many buyers didn't believe they needed the over the top $2000 premium system in the new car, and are now very unhappy
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-12-2010, 07:52 PM	#15
cjb169 New Member 0 Rep 9 Posts Drives: 2009 Z4 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: SOCAL iTrader: (0)	I have the standard stereo as well, and it really is poor. Only 6 speakers?? What really gets me is that they didn't even place in tweeters - if you look under the mesh, it is empty... Just doesn't seem to fit with the price of the car. Everything else is spectacular. So, I just spend time listening to the engine... __________________ 2009 Z4 2008 997 C2S 2004 E46 M3 (Sold) 2000 M Coupe (sold)
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01-19-2010, 02:39 AM	#17
Z4@Phuket Lieutenant 63 Rep 432 Posts Drives: Z4 E89 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangkok, Thailand iTrader: (0) Garage List 2009 BMW Z4 [8.00] 2004 BMW 525i [0.00]	Luckily, in Thailand, they fitted my Z4 with Hifi sound system and 12GB hard drive as standard. Hifi system 11 speakers = Front Lt, Rt: Low, Mid, High speakers = 6 Front center 1, Rear Low & Mid = 4 , and 250 W amplifier Good enough for this tiny cabin, __________________
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