xxShadowxx

Does the B&O have an adjustable EQ like BMW's Logic7? My last car,'08 335i, had this built-in to the i-drive and it made a huge difference when properly tweaked.

2004turbo

No EQ in the sense that you can adjust different frequencies but you can adjust the treble, bass, type of sound, surround level, and balance and fade.

Brick Oven

Also to consider: does the stock system have the nice-looking shiny door-panel speaker surrounds like the B&O does? I'm under the impression it doesn't. Not a make or break thing for most people, I'm assuming, and of course not worth $850 or whatever alone, but for me it was part of the decision. If a small part =P

MattPec

The sound imaging on the B&O is also really good (though I can't compare to the standard system). It allows you to adjust the imaging to "All, Front, or Driver" settings. On the "Driver" setting its like having headphones on, boosting right side output to match the closer left side speakers. On the Front setting it still sounds great and allows both the driver and passenger to perceive more accurate imaging (though not as intense/precise as the Driver setting). Not sure if the standard system does this (someone else can confirm), but if it doesn't this is another major plus for the B&O.

zooomart

The additional cost is very little for the improvement in sound. I only listened to one disc to compare but distortion seemed lower in the mid-bass and smoother highs. You may not listen to a lot of piano but a good recording using a Grand is a great reference for tone and dynamics

GR8-LIFE

Definitely a must have, especially for the measley $800. But like anything, you would have had to listen to it to know.

I am huge audio nut. Undistorted Clear audi, where you hear all the instruments, is very important to me, especially when you turn it up a bit, I absolutely loathe distortion and yet at the same dime, demand some kind of efficiency at the lower levels. In the past I have always had to trash base audi systems in cars to get good quality audi. As an example, my Corvette I dumped the audio system and put in an alpine set up, 4 MB Quartz speakers an xtant amp for all the MB Quartz speakers and an older kenwood amp to power a subwoofer

Dumping base audio systems all changed for me in my 2004 Lexus, which had a very nice audi system. Then, my 2009 LS460 came with The Mark Levinson audi system, truly the best factory system in terms of manufacturer quality I have ever heard and that includes the bose systems in the MERC AMG models. The Mark Lev still isnt quite as clean (when turned up a bit) as my corvette alpine/multiple component system but That system cost a bit over $3K. IMO, the Lexus mark levinson is still like having a symphony in the car, mainly because its so clear. I think there are tweeters all throughout the car including 4 separate ones for the rear passengers (in the doors and behuind the head rests)


The AUDI BO system I had in my short-lived A4 and i loved it when i first heard it so it was a must for the S4. I also listened to one in an S4 and it actually seemed to have sounded a bit nicer than my A4 prestige, unless it was acoustics but they are the same cabin so i doubt it. IMO, The AUDI BO system is a very close 2cnd to the Mark Lev system in my lexus and trust me, thats saying quite a bit. The BO is also much nicer than the BMW Logic 7 system, much better! BMW brags about its logic 7. I am not sure why when you compare it to AUDi's BO. As for the The AUDI Base audio system, that sux big time. That's the only drawback ro AUDI loaners - they typically have the crappy base audio system

nfs1000f

Stock does not have shiny surrounds.