Lets discuss audio shall we?
How much better is the HK system than the stock system?
Is the stock system crap or can it bump?
Is the HK system worth every penny?
If so what makes it so good?
Please tell

 

Whats up? try going to the web site motoringfile.com and search for the HK write up,it gets to pros and cons of the system.very good analysis, breaks
down what the system will do and what it won't; good luck.

 

the stock system bump? no way, but of course ive been in a car with an eclipse head unit, alpine components and a jl audio stealthbox, that thing bumped. We recently switched everything back to stock and man the quality went down, but in my personal opinion everything could be fixed with a good set of component speakers
hope this helps a little
Ben

 

The HK system can "bump" somewhat, though its not the kind of "bump" that will be heard by sleeping neighbors four blocks over, if you know what I mean. I've gotten lots of compliments on my HK, but not the "wow man, this system bumps" kind of compliment, more like "wow man, this system is so clear" kind of compliment. That said, the bass output from the HK is still enough to make your rearview mirror go fuzzy when playing something bass intensive. There's no sub, just the rear speakers acting as a sub, so you're not going to get huge bass output. But I love the HK, I think it was well worth the money, especially now that it'll play MP3 cds too.

 

I love my HK as well...I do think it "bumps"...18 year old kid with his Cavalier missing DynaMat causing the car to shake and rattle bump? No. A crisp, clean sound with ample bass, couldn't ask for anything more.

 

Just to clarify - the '05 standard head unit will also play MP3 discs.

 

I love the HK-- drowns out all the little buzzes rattles and squeaks very nicely.

 

I would like it if my HK were a wee bit louder. As is, it is a nice upgrade from the stock system but you could probably get better (and more expensive) systems after market. Of course, you would have to abandon the stock look.

 

The HK primarily offers clarity rather than volume. It is louder than stock, but it is not as loud as some people want - it won't make the car vibrate, it won't hurt your ears or stomach.
It will sound very clean and allow you to hear parts of music you have never heard before - in a car at least!

My discussions and links to other places here

 

The difference between the two is night and day. I used to have 3 amps and 2 12inch subs in my old car so knew alot about car audio. When I heard the stock system on the test drive I was very impressed with the clarity, but ordered the HK without even hearing it. I couldn't believe the sound when I heard it! It was the best car stock car stereo I had ever heard. It would take me at lest 2 grand to build an equivalent on. The bass coming out of it rivals the 12s that I used to have running 980 watts. The amplification of the HK gives very clean and crisp sounds. Best 500 dollars I spent on the car.

 

This topic has been discussed before. Look at the sticky in audio and check out the past threads for some info then search.

You are the "best judge" of HK vs stock audio. Everyone has their own opinion of how good or bad any system is. It varies with experience and what you want to listen to. Get some music CDs that you know well and go to a dealership, test drive a MINI with stock audio and one with HK and on the road with all the noise test listen to those CDs you brought under real road conditions. Only then can you tell if the level of audio will suit your needs.

I started with a stock audio system, I have listened to HK alot when I had a loaner MINI, and I currently have a custom audio upgrade. The stock audio is good enough for most people but doesn't have the crispness or clarity nor the power of a really good system. It may sound mushy compared to a high end system. Compared to stock systems in other cars, it's pretty good.

H/K adds DSP, an amp and upgraded speakers. It's much much better than stock but isn't perfect for audiophiles, it lacks bone shattering power but functionally it performs well- esp if you know how to fine tune the settings- see the review or experiment on your own.
(Before you test drive the HK you need to read the review thread/link and write down the settings to test)

Does it bump? Stock audio- No, HK- a little.

Is HK worth the upgrade? Yes for the average person that listens to music and likes it with more bass and loud. No, if you like public radio and don't own music CDs.

Why is HK good? For the price you can add quite a bit of audio compared to a custom upgrade that might run anywhere from $1000 to $3000 more. Mine was about $2500 and others in my area have spent $6000 (audio/video). Is my system that much better than HK? A little better, but I probably could have lived with HK had it been available at the time I got my MINI. You can opt for HK and have it covered under a four year warranty for your car and it can be part of the car loan so you don't need to pay for it as an upgrade in total.

Overall I'd say HK is worth a look. The stock audio isn't bad but it is only OK for those that are used to custom audio. Don't be in a hurry to upgrade only the speakers and expect miracles. I did that and one thing led to another and pretty soon I was tearing out everything because I was not getting much improvement. Stock speakers are very efficient, to do better requires high quality efficient speakers that fit which don't come cheap. Cheaper speakers are not as efficient and need more power to sound good, now you add an amp or you push them too hard and they can't handle the bass, now you want to add a sub to handle the low end, now you need another amp to power the sub cleanly. Now you can hear the limitations of the stock head unit, now it's time to upgrading that. Oops, you just spent $2000+.

If you have MINIs in your area with custom audio you can ask to listen to them and decide for yourself. I do find that what music you listen to does make a difference. Each music CD has a certain level of sound quality and some really sound well on a high end system while others don't, in fact poor recordings sound awful on a high end system. I like testing with Hybrid CDs.
(check out acousticsounds.com)

 

I resemble that remark....

 

I do agree it is the best sounding "Stock Upgrade" system(other than the bose in the Nissan Altima which is part of a $2500 package)that I have heard in a while. Allthough I did have a $2500+ system in my previous car with 3 400 watt amps and 1 12 momo comp sub. The mini has about half the bass and about 1/4 the volume output though. It does however sound clearer. I had a total of 9 speakers in my other car which included an infinity componet set, 2 pyramid 4 way 6x9's and 2 more infinity tweeters in my headrest along with 1 jenson 400/w amp, 1 soundstorm 400/w 4way amp, and 1 400 power akustic fire and ice going to my sub. I had a loner mini that had the regular system in it and it sounded like someone put a battery operated radio in the doors. LOL Ok it wasn't that bad but pretty bad. I would order the h/k in my next mini hands down. Hopfully if mini revises the h/k system they will put 2 tweets and 2 midbass speakers in the doors and 2 6x9 full ranges in the rear and 2 8 sub/s in the rear hatch. Before I ordered my car that's how I always thought it was. But it's not. O well. Maby next time. :smile: