I just go my new 2018 and I paid for the HK system. Compared to my 2010 HK this one is amazing and compared to the 2015 base stereo its out of the world. I get there are systems out there that are better but as a $750 option I don't really see how you can beat that myself. I don't get all the hate.

 

When the amps goes bad, and they do, it is very expensive to replace. The amp just went out on my R58 its around $1000 to replace. You can only replace it with a HK amp.

 

Depends on what you listen to and the volume you listen at. The HK IMO can't handle high volume and falls apart if you want any real bass response. For me it is a poor listening experience. Maybe the 2018 is better than the 2011, 2014, 2016 that I have experienced.

Adding some more power to the amp is step one to fixing it for me. Then some better speakers. My setup got so much better that I no longer felt the need to add a real sub woofer. YMMV, which obviously it does.

btw - MCS02, you can change out the amp very easily. See technic pnp website for appropriate wiring harness.

 

Then I must be tone deaf. I think the HK system in my 06/R53 sounds incredible and the fact that it's 11 years old lends some validity to a lasting quality of the system. I know there are amps that burn out, mine hasn't and I can only go by my experience. As far as sound reproduction, this system sounds great. I know a lil bit about audio. My dedicated home system comprises Magnepan 3.6 Speakers, Classe CAM350 Monoblocks, Jolida DAC Transport and a Bottlehead Foreplay Preamp that I built myself.

With that being said people sometimes judge their systems by how the radio sounds. There's a saying, Garbage in, Garbage out. I use a DAP with lossless digital music connected to my AUX input and it sounds phenomenal. just my 2cents.....

 

Mine sounded a little bland when I got it. I too was wondering what the deal was, but after several months of break-in the sound improved and by adjusting tone and SCV in the menu it improved even more. I get good base response. Not as pronounced as the 250W powered sub and the 1KW 4 channel amp in my Suburban's system, but plenty in the small space in the Mini. I listen to mostly Classic Rock with some Bella Fleck thrown in and it all sounds great to me. The source plays a big part. I mostly use my 7+ w/256g as an iPod and that seems to work great for me. My 10 year old Grandson's favorite song is AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" and you can definitely feel the base from the under-seat woofers.

 

My HK Sound System has definitely gotten better with time, but I still miss having a CD Player as I believe the sound quality is better with a CD!

 

If you guys got your cars new, it takes about 200 hours for speakers to break-in.. I'm a CD person as well, but in the absence of a CD player, I would get a good Digital Audio Player with a good DAC's Check to see what type of DAC you have in your phones, if it's good one, connect it to your AUX. The new LG V30 has a great DAC, but if you must use Bluetooth, get a system that supports aptX. Enjoy the Music....

 

Thinks Minnie.the.Moocher but they only show F shares Minis on their web sight. The HK amp is digital I can’t find anyone with a replacement amp other than the OEM one.

Hay vetsvette we like classic rock because we are classics!

 

 

What is the HK code on your build ? Probably going to match up with a Bmw model. Probably 674, which will work with a harness and a quality amp like a Jl XD600/6 or something less expensive. Doesn't need to be an F car. The guy that owns that company knows BMW and he is less knowledgeable about MINI, but they are the same in many cases.

 

its a 9272637 AI:01 To make matters harder the coupe has the amp under the seat. I can find lots of HK amps form totaled minis but they do not have the same mounting points and I can not be sure they use the same harness. But I have talked to several Car audio shops and it comes down to no one sales a digital amp to replace it. I will shoot PNP an email and see what they say maybe I will get lucky.

 

As an experiment I compared mp3 with lossless and an iPod Nano DAC with a Pure i-20 DAC. Out of ten I would score mp3 with the iPod DAC 3, lossless with iPod Dac 9 and lossless with the Pure i-20 10. If you use bluetooth in the chain then take 3 away from those scores.
I didn't think Mini's bluetooth supported aptX or can you add an aftermarket bluetooth aptX to the USB? I have never heard aptX versus normal bluetooth so don't have an opinion on it yet. It has to be better though.

 

You can install an aftermarket amp and speakers and improve on the HK for not much more as long as you do the install yourself. People forget if you get aftermarket installed by professionals it will cost a lot more. For the price then for most people the HK is good value especially as it includes a useful centre channel. I say this despite loving designing/buying/installing/tuning my own systems.

 

Thats a fallacy!!

 

Adding more thoughts to this. My wife just got her 2017 Countryman All4 S less than a week ago, and pointed out on day 2 of ownership that a particular song, which her previous 2012 Countryman with HK system could follow as recorded, was not being played anywhere near the same on the 2017's HK system.
The song in its starting chords moves abruptly from side to side/ speaker to speaker left/ right switching by the band as they produced it, and her new car doesn't really ever switch the Left and Right guitar chord sounds at all. Not sure why it doesn't, but she was right, she had a different HK experience in the old car.
Band is Louis XIV, song I believe is God Killed the Queen. I'll have to try it out on my 2017 Clubman, which also has HK system to compare it to.
As for a comparison between my old and current Clubman, both which had HK, I feel the new system is a bit too forward biased on speakers in the front, with way too little 'Fill' from the rear speakers.
If you move your Fader controls to a Rear Bias, it doesn't help matters at all. I LIKE my car, but am admittedly underwhelmed by the HK system a bit.
It IS better than the stock sound system, [we tried out numerous Base Cars in both models F54 and F60],but seems to have some 'holes' in it....

 

Its actually 2 guitars, one is panned right, the other is panned left.
Yes, it sounds like guitar switching.
Im listening to it in my studio.

How is she playing it back? smartphone with 1/8" plug? Bluetooth?

 

In both vehicles she has always Bluetoothed , never used the Y cable like I had to with my 2012 Clubman since her 2012 had Mini Connect.
I thought about trying the Y cable on my new Clubman to see if that changes those guitars as you posted about.

 

The system is ok, certainly better than the base system, which was pretty horrible.

I find it isn't very loud. I have a few poorly recorded podcasts that are hard to listen to.

It's not hi-fidelity in any way. Using a high quality source doesn't improve things, you just lose the information. It's muffled and round.

My speakers are starting to buzz.

 

All NEW Speakers, headphone, home audio or any other type of speaker requires a breakin period...........NO FALLACY!!!!

https://thestateofsound.net/2014/02/...-new-speakers/

 

FWIW, I've owned a number of high line vehicles over the years. I've enjoyed Meridian, and waaay back when, Pioneer, Audiovox, Rockford... all the way back to Craig Powerplay.

My ears are old. So is my music library. I'd say the HK system in my MINI Clubman is better than average by a long shot. If one likes to play it LOUD, that's not going to be an OEM solution. But for clarity, HK ain't bad, and while the bass will never thump, the sound is full and the low end is there, gently.

The thing I can't get my head around is the complexity involved in saving a station to a push button and I still find it a pain to channel surf.

But then, I'd rather listen to the car than the stereo these days. And the car sounds great!! pop, pop, burble. Just like my old vinyl LPs

 

If its on the internet, it must be correct?

NO, Ive been working with speakers for over 40 years.

 

I bet after 40 years your speakers must be broken in?

I've never really been able to tell the difference, but always give people the benefit of the doubt on the mechanical aspects of a speaker. But 200 hours seems a bit extreme. I've read of speaker designers who talk about 10-40 hours or so, but who knows?

 

200 hours may be a bit excessive for car audio speakers, I run Magnaplanar speakers for my home audio, and 200 hour break-in for them is normal.

 

I can say several things about your 40 yrs, but I've decided to be good. I've been purchasing and listening to speakers before there was an internet and the experts who design and manufacturer speakers all state diaphragms need to be broken in to get optimal sound.... I'll leave you to your 40 yrs...

 

You've already belittled yourself with that statement.

Im still, to this day, mixing A-List material.