Disappointed in the HK sound system. I think it should be louder. Sure it gets pretty loud if I turn it up to 90%, but I think it should be that at 50%. My previous car was a Kia soul. Now, I LOVE my Mini, and my kia was never more to me than just transportation, but the stereo in the Kia was louder, had more bass and just sounded better. For the cost of the HK system, I just expected more.

 

I think the HK system is great, but I came from a 2018 TRD Tacoma with the base audio system. The audio system in that Tacoma was something that sounded like it came out of a 90's Kia. The rear speakers bias is non-existent in simple terms the rear speaker barely have any output and Toyota claims it's normal

 

Interesting that you're not a fan of the HK system. My wife's Subaru Outback has a factory HK system and I'm not a fan of it, either. In fact, I think the Bose system in my 2019 Chevy Colorado sounds better and I'm not really a Bose fan. In my Colorado, the Bose had a $500 MSRP option price.

I would typically want an upgraded sound system in my car or truck but the HK is not available in the MINI Oxford edition that is on its way to me. I've felt that is a shortcoming of the Oxford edition but after your review I'm not so sure now.

Update Nov 1, 2021: The base MINI audio system in my Oxford actually sounds pretty good with decent low-end. I asked my MA if it had subs under the seats and he said no, but the sound quality actually surprised me coming out of those relatively tiny speaker grills.

 

I think the sound is fine out of the HK system, but I do agree that it doesn't feel loud enough. I find that I'm often greater than 75% and that's not even when I'm on a highway with the windows down and the sunroof open.
My previous car had a Bose system and I don't think I ever went over 50% (except in highway blah, blah, blah).

 

I test drove 2 different Minis about 7 weeks ago. One had the H/K system, the other one didn’t. There was a distinct difference in bass and clarity. I personally wouldn’t buy a Mini without one. To each his own I suppose.

 

In terms of sound quality I would take HK over Bose. But as with the OP, the volume of the HK could be better. At low volume it sounds poor really and only is noteworthy when the volume is a fair bit higher which is not good enough imo for the money we spend for the upgrade.
this is why I am either getting Audison speakers or Bavsound to replace the HK speakers soon. The question is whether to get the amp at the same time as it will make this most out such an investment. New speakers need more power and a better DAC than what the headunit can provide.

 

I mix TV and music for a living.
My HK is more than loud enough. Bass is acceptable for having shallow woofers under the seat, remember they are not SUB-woofers.
Seriously, and Im not about to start a flame war.
If you don't think its loud enough, you are either losing your hearing, or will soon enough!!

 

Its Toyota's way of saying you don't listen to a concert with the stage behind you.
Many car manufacturers now only use rear speakers as fill. Similar to a Surround system.

 

It could get as loud I wanted it. The trouble was, the volume seemed to be at 80-90%. That made me wonder if I was approaching the limit the speakers could handle and I didn't want to blow them. I thought it should reach that volume at 50%. Also no matter what volume, it just did not sound good to me. l have been a musician most of my life, and I understand at least a little bit about EQ. I know that by boosting certain lower mid range frequencies it makes the music sound/feel louder to the ear/brain. I ended up using BimmerCode to change the amplifier setting to F45. That made a huge difference. Now it sounds MUCH better at all volumes, and at 50% it is as loud as I want it.

As far as my hearing, There is no need to worry. I have worked in steel mills for most of my career, where OSHA requires yearly auditory testing, so I have definitive proof my hearing is fine (or at least as good as any other 50 year old man).

...Also, I hope you're not the guy that mixes the commercials so much louder that the rest of the TV shows, because that is a whole different conversation we need to have. LOL

 

I have a Mini S and BMW 240i, both with HK systems. I think they sound good to my ear. My C7 had the base Bose system and I thought it sounded a bit better than the HK for the bass and highs Of course, we are not talking an audiophile type environment in any vehicle. Neither of my current cars has a moon roof (opted out in both cases when I ordered). I run with windows up and AC on (SW Florida), so volume is more than adequate. I suppose if you run with windows down moon rood open and highway speeds, volume may be less than what you'd expect. Aside from the hot and humid weather we have, with so much noise pollution out there (dump trucks, loud exhausts, boombox cars, diesel spewing pickups, etc), I have never driven either car with the windows down.

 

F54 settings? That makes sense as the F54 has more interior volume!!
I never saw that in Bimmercode.

No I mix TV shows, where we have a strict level to adhere. Where all shows done by anyone must match, and they check!!

 

F45 as in BMW 2 series? Or F54 as in MINI Clubman?

Was it in the expert setting for equalizer?

 

[QUOTE=dannieh42;4603875I ended up using BimmerCode to change the amplifier setting to F45. That made a huge difference. Now it sounds MUCH better at all volumes, and at 50% it is as loud as I want it.

As far as my hearing, There is no need to worry. I have worked in steel mills for most of my career, where OSHA requires yearly auditory testing, so I have definitive proof my hearing is fine (or at least as good as any other 50 year old man).

...Also, I hope you're not the guy that mixes the commercials so much louder that the rest of the TV shows, because that is a whole different conversation we need to have. LOL[/QUOTE]


I tried the F45 setting, yeah it made it louder, BUT the bass is just too muddy. highs distort.
I used some heavy metal I mixed in the 80s (Platinum certified!!) and cant listen to it with the F54 settings.
Back to the F56 settings with me.

I read on the BMW forums regarding that setting, stating, "Thats how the music was meant to sound like"
How do they know?? Only the person that mixed it does!!!

 

IMO most people are not active listeners anyway, music is just noise in the background hence the invention of ear buds. I'm guessing that's how Toyota can get away with installing a bad audio system in their vehicles these days. The typical owner just wants to listen to Bruno Mars and Bieber at a 1/4 volume

A vehicle will never provide an immersive experience like a proper home Hi-Fi system.

 

Back in the 1970's I worked for Craig Corporation. They came out with "Powerplay" which was built around an additional external amplifier and higher capacity speakers, all of which was pretty high end stuff for that era. Up until then, the best one could do was a four track tape player from Muntz!! (Look it up).

I remember the first time I fired up one of the early Powerplay systems I installed in my 1971Toyota Corolla wagon. That was the first time I had ever "felt" the sound system in a vehicle. It was an amazing experience, compared to the Blaupunkt AM/FM with a front and rear single speaker in my mother's BMW 2800 or the single speaker Blaupunkt in my father's 912. Definitely an improvement over the AM factory radio in my 1967 Camaro!

Over the decades factory sound systems have vastly improved. Some of the systems in Jags I've had over the years, while not screaming loud, were amazingly refined and the surround sound dynamics over the past couple of decades are mind bending, when compared to what we had in the day.

I thing the HK system in my Clubman is refined, not a thumping window rattler, but good clarity, excellent balance, and very good FM reception. Still trying to figure our where to insert my CD's, let alone my cassettes.

Sad reality is most of the time I use my car sound system to listen to NPR, where sound quality doesn't much matter. My big issue is the younger commentators who speak so quickly and do not articulate well, saying "picksure" instead of picture, and starting every response with, "so..."

My ears are not good, so mostly I listen to the sound of the engine in my MINI. You youngsters need to feel the bass. I can barely feels my toes, let alone bend down and touch them. Cycle of life baby. Especially for those of us who remember listening to the radio before there was such a thing as The Rolling Stones.

 

Why the hell do you need it so loud? It doesn't make the song any better.

 

8 Track, with a Pioneer Super Tuner
Both under dash mount!!!
8 Inch speakers in the rear package tray that was plywood reinforced!!!

 

Yeah Baby, those were the days.............The 8 track tapes sliding around the car during each turn. Back then, we were "Livin large" w/ a tape deck and rear mounted speakers. My, how times have changed. Now I have 10K songs on a thumb drive small enough to swallow. LOL

 

Didn't know it was possible to increase the volume using Bimmercode. I ended up swapping out the HK speakers/subs/amp with Bavsound speakers/subs and a Match amp. Louder and better sound. Selling this upgrade as I traded in my car.

 

It increases the low end and high end EQ, thus volume is raised at this frequencies.
You know the "smile" parametric EQ curve.

 

For those who aren't satisfied with the quality of their HK systems, now we're rockin'!

 

it only played 45s not LPs

 

Yup. And we had to walk to school, uphill, in the snow, with cigar boxes for shoes. ... The young people today just don't understand what it was like to live in a monophonic universe.

 

Os this your eBay auction?
“Mint ,Was installed but was removed for a Super Tuner Cassette Player when I returned from Germany , Boxed and in dry clean storage . Tested and still has plastic film on the door. Box, manual, paper work.”

https://www.ebay.com/itm/12500277335...D_BwE#viTabs_0

 

I used to have a Craig Powerplay solid brass belt buckle, given to me by Robert Craig himself. Wonder what that would fetch on EBay?