Hello all!

I recently (finally) completed the installation of the full Integral Audio Soundstage System with the Phantom Subwoofer in my R55 Clubman. https://integralaudio.com/soundstage...ubman-r55.html

For full disclosure, Kevin gave me a pretty good deal on the total cost in exchange for my honest opinion and review of the system which I am providing here. These are my true opinions and thoughts on this system.

I will break this review out by each aspect to review.

Purchase Process and Support: 5 stars
This is one aspect where Integral Audio and Kevin stand way out from everyone else. From my first contact with him Kevin was always extremely responsive to my questions. He clearly knows his products very well and has put a lot of research and work into how best to integrate his sound system into the Mini. Once we agreed on the price he kept in contact through the order process and provided updates on shipment and tracking. The sub box had to ship from a different location than the rest of the system so it came separate. Kevin even performed some of the prep work on the box himself prior to shipping it out (normally this is done during installation). Everything arrived well packed, labeled, and detailed.

Completeness of Kit and Details: 4.5 stars
I had to knock a half star off of this aspect due to some small SNAFU's with the kit. There were some very minor items that ended up being omitted from the shipment that I noted while inventorying everything (a couple twict-lock splices and a floor panel cover). Bear in mind, the total quantity of items supplied was likely well over 100 individual pieces so I cannot assign too much blame for missing two items. I contacted Kevin when I noted these omissions. He was very apologetic and processed shipment of the items immediately. Given that the kit is basically customized for each car it is going into I am amazed it arrives as complete as it does to be honest. He includes everything needed for the install, right down to every.last.screw. In addition, the installation instructions are incredibly detailed. There wasn't a single thing that was ambiguous or glossed over in them.

Installation Process: 5 stars +
This is another aspect where this kit stands out. The detailed installation instructions provided by IA are some of the most well written I have ever seen. I was pretty nervous about the level of disassembly needed in order to complete the installation and even thought about taking it to a local shop to do. However, once I got over myself and just started at step 1, it really wasn't difficult. The instructions even go down to illustrating where the spring clips for each panel are located to help you know how to remove them. Working through each step you realize how much time went in to their development. At one point I had a good portion of the interior torn out but I didn't feel nervous as I had detailed information on how to restore it!

Then there is the integration of this system. Kevin obviously put a lot of effort in to minimizing any cut wiring in the car and making this 100% reversible and it shows. The adapter plug that intercepts the audio signals for the amp is basically OEM and plugs right in. The wire harnesses where fully dressed and bundled and just the right length meaning you don't have to coil and stow excess. That makes for a very clean installation. Since I have the Harmon Kardon system in my Mini I did have to splice in at the amp but even that was super simple as the instructions included precise details of which wires to cut and splice. The Phantom Subwoofer is also an excellent design and fit. It takes up nearly zero trunk space and with the full flat floor in my Clubman, it is 100% invisible! I even got to retain my spare tire and tool kit in the well.

Overall, given the depth of the integration of this system, the installation was very straightforward.

Audio Quality: 5 Stars ++
Given the cost of this system I had high expectations in this arena. I was not disappointed. The quality of components used in this kit combined with the custom designed and built crossovers makes for an extremely high end audio system. I would liken this to going to a high end audio shop and getting the top tier components installed but even going a step further. With the custom tuned crossovers for the three-way components you end up with a truly tuned and custom audio system designed for your specific car!

As I mentioned, my R55 came with the H/K audio system. That system was absolutely no slouch and really played well for what it was; an OEM system. It did have a lot of the boomy bass you come to expect from an OEM system trying to compensate for the lack of a proper low end driver though. Asking those door speakers to try and push below 100hz just didn't work very well and resulted in muddy mid-range audio. With the IA Soundstage that is no longer an issue! The front components can now push what they are best at, clear and precise mid-range audio. The Phantom sub in the rear has plenty of power to rattle your fillings if you like but that really isn't what this system is about. It is meant to provide a faithful reproduction of the audio as best as a mobile system can; and that is exactly what it does. The biggest problem with this system is that you now need to find the quality audio sources for your music! Sirus starts to show its weakness in compression with this system.

One of my biggest tests of a sound system is queuing up Evanescence's "My Immortal" (from the Fallen album, not their redo with the full band). At about 3 minutes into the song during a reprise Amy Lee pushes her voice into the stratosphere while the piano in the background continues to play. I have been able to get some of the best sound systems to break out during this as they try to handle her incredibly powerful vocals with the low resonance of the piano. Not so with this system. You can push it until your ears bleed and the tone holds. Very impressive.

The bottom line with this system is this: If you are looking for the absolute best, pinnacle sound system for your Mini; this is it. It comes with a fairly steep price tag but I defy you to put together a comparable system with the custom tuning and care that have been put into this for less.

 

Yep, my MINI rocks with this system. I can second everything you said above however, no missing pieces. Kevin even worked with me when the sub arrived looking like someone drop-kicked it. Probably dropped during transit and even with all of the substantial packing, the corner of the sub enclosure was broken/cracked, resulting in one of the feet being off-kilter. Like I said, Kevin had this resolved super fast. The system is simply amazing and is a true joy when I just want to get lost in the music rather than listen to the engine and exhaust, always a hard decision but at least an option now. The OEM system is just such crap. I've been in MINIs where the speakers were swapped out or amp added and quite frankly, once you sit in a MINI with IA system that has been set up properly, there is no comparison. There is some set-up involved but like you said, the install instructions walk you through the process to such a degree that even someone like me who has never done this before, can come out the other side with a system that is as good or better than any custom shop in town can can do. I had my MINI at a car show and everyone would ask me who installed the system? When I tell them it was a DIY project of a packaged system installed with my brother, they just can't believe it, it sounds that good.

 

Good to know! It is one of the only options out there for the R56 I can find