I once owned an Audi A5, 3.0 litre TDi Quattro Twin turbo. It was equipped with a factory fitted B&O premium system. When I first heard this system played in the showroom I couldn't stop laughing. Amazing sound. And after buying, the car, everyone who drove in the car noticed how clean, and clear the system sounded.
As an owner of myltiple great vehicles I have two BMWs with one of each system, The B&O is forsure the better to have the bass kicks so hard you feel it in your core, The drivers on the HK is lacking just a tiny but but a really close second place.
The B&O on my 2018 A4 was amazing. The B&O on my 2022 Q5 was pretty bad. The 6.5" sub was nothing compared to the 10" on the A4. I installed a 12" downfiring solo baric on my Q5 and tuned the bass to how my A4 was. Now it sounds a lot cleaner and where the Q5 should be. I even turn on the 3D to get all the speakers playing.
@@DanielGuzman83 I think allot of it also has to do with the shape of the vehicle, I have recently testdriven a 2021 X series with the B&O and it just sounds like my H&K I currently have in my 2021 3 series. In short, They perform better in more compact vehicles.
To me, HK produces very rich and deep sound while B&O sounds sharp, treble and real. Both is good for me in different ways. I would prefer daily use of HK because the rich sound making hearing more comfortable, and B&O is very impressive at first but overtime, i might reduce the volume due to the treble and sharp sound. Personally i would use b&o to play music like live, orchestra, instrument, etc. It will also be good for movies because of the realistic sound
There is a clear difference between the two systems. To my ears, neither is a bad system, but HK sounds less polished and has more brute force in the bass region.Treble is muffled and there is no upper air extension. B&O has extended treble and high mids are accentuated to make an ilusion of more articulation or making sounds too harsh. The air, or above 10kHz is where B&O shines, it makes vocals sound more expensive. Bass is lighter, but lacks that brute force HK has. HK is good for rap, and rnb. B&O is for jazz and classical. Rock and pop can be handled well by both systems.
B&O uses a closed cabinet as opposed to Harman Kardon's ventilated cabinet and even though B&O's ABL (Goolge B&O ABL, If you wan't to know what that is), can smooth out the lower frequencies when there is an extra capacity available in the driver and amplifier(ICEPower) to provide a deeper bass and increased volume, then the B&O system is still limited in terms of the cabinet's liter dimensions. However In return, this may give B&O the advantage of a more controlled bass.
Not bad Listening thru the b&o beoolay eq earbuds I think Ima go with more bass than clarity I’m a bass head but that clarity on b&o is stunning too makes it sound like if yoyr there with the singer
Ok this is why i Like B&O. The HK sounds bass heavy and not as crisp as the B&O. Perhaps due to better passive filtering on the B&O System. Happy that i Ordered B&O on my Etron Sportback 😁
my audi a8 2014 has b&o and i must say that when im listening to a song , after a few seconds i forget that im on the road driving , it's so smooth and clear it makes me think i have headphones on best speakers a car can have i paid extra 4000chf(4100usd) here in switzerland but it's totally worth it i have 20 years of warranty from b&o on those speakers
B&O sounds better for me, more clarity, more space. I have B&O on an audi A4 and its amazing. every user has his sound prefference. it is like food. there is no one size fits all. the best way to hear difference is to get in the car and listen :)
Excellent comparison, thank you. Found the HK have much deeper bass, lacks clarity in the highs. Whereas the B&O lacks low end, but compensates with much more clarity & clear highs. It’s a personal preference depending on which genre of music you listen to.
B&O has way more low end. It has subwoofer with lower fs, more xmax, bigger voice coil and more powerful magnet. B&O subwoofer peaks like 10hz lower around 30hz instead of 40-50hz on HK.
I have a DINDIN bluetooth speaker, I absolutely love the sound quality, the lighting, it works everywhere, it makes me happy every time I use it, I have been using it for a year, this product deserves more praise.
I am curious how that new McIntosh system sounds. I have a pair of the Focal component speakers in custom made cabinets. They sound good but expensive. $1200.00 a pair. Testing this audio difference on CZcams’s compression with CZcams’s MP 4 Audio Codec is a mute point even with headphones.
To me the differences can clearly be heard @ 4:33 and @ 5:47 - - plus @ 6:53 and @7:53 - - I've based my decision off of that~ B&O is clearer but is it so clearly worth it..lol
B and G sounds more deep in bass. A little bit more immersive than Harmon Kardon, but HK is still ok if you're just casually driving. But, if you're an enthusiast, Bang and Olufsen is where it's at!
B&O sounds a little crisper and better mids and highs, listening on AKG headphones. Is it more expensive? How does it works on F15 is it just the matter of option, or a part of some sound package? Thanks
i dont own any of this 2 superb brand...but from this clip, i prefer the vibrance of harman kardon, it gives space, surround like, againd that vibrance it is lacking BO. For me a novice in sound i prefer the wow effect of HK.
How much did it cost to swap to these Bang and Olufsen speakers? It sounds very very good! And did you add the headliner speakers or just every harman kardon speaker change?
Just sold my 2019 Audi S5 and it had the factory B&O, it sounded alright, nothing special in my opinion. My BMW M4 has the factory HK and I have no complaints. I actually prefer the HK because of the ability to fine tune the equalizer.
Hello, I've got a G30 from 2018-06 (last 7 code : WC19647) with the headunit SA609 (with wifi). How can I be certain that this headunit will accept HK retrofit ? Tks a lot !
B und O klingt wie eine krasse Opernhalle oder ein gehobenes klassisches Orchester. Harman ist eine geile Soundanlage wie bei einem "normalem" Konzert.
No one in the comments realize that Harman International owns B&O and H/K automotive as well as Bowers & Wilkins, Infinity, JBL and loads of other brands making car audio. They sound different yes - but the hardware for B&O is also very differrent and a lot more expensive so you would expect that. Same in the new 7 series - the B&W system also sounds way better than the H/K system (which BTW sounds a lot better than stock) so i guess they all have their place. Harman just covers all the bases at all price points with the different brands.
It was 8000 for the B&O it was not worth it.. specifically for the M5 M6 vehicles with carbon fiber roof.. since the weight reduction was neglected by the heavier B&O system.
Harmon owns the rights to B&O's automotive division as well as the B&O play products. They bought it like 10 years ago almost, and have been manufacturing and supplying everything for all the different automobile companies during that time. If you didn’t change the DSP or amps or anything except the speakers and stuff......... You basically didn’t do anything but replace one design for the same design with different cone colors/materials.
As a person who retrofitted in his E90 N54 Bang Olufsen 16 speakers + amp. vs my neighbors who have a GT F series which has factory option Harman Kardon the only difference is in the high tones and it's better quality than the Bang Olufsen because you are using a factory amp. factory harness and factory speakers you are using factory Bang Olufsen but without repining the amp and changing and coding it. To test speakers and how they are working you need to get a 12V battery and to put in exactly the same place and time and the song to be played at the same time. Even if you are having factory hi-fi and just changing the speakers, you can get different sound effects because of the CIC E90(f10,F30) signals depending on the model. The test for me is not accurate. It depends on the settings is it you are testing on the same option in your AMP settings. Are you using suggested settings for Bang Olufsen?People are so naive to trust someone who is not professional and to upload his own opinion on the internet.
I actually heard almost no difference between both systems except for the tweeters. But the air you hear from the high frequency’s is only dependent if your speakers are on axis and capable. If your Tweets are of axis or really off axis than good night. Speakers are 20% a good amp is only relevant if you have the skill to tune it and installation is 80%. Even low quality speakers outshine are expensive speaker system with shit installation. And btw the fact to promote the B&O because of clarity is dogshit if you compare it with a hk tweeter that measures like a 10 dollar Chinese Boulevard speaker.
Please remember, *Gary Summers who won the biggest car audio Sound Quality competition in the world* (Gary - sound engineer for - The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi, Avatar, LOTR, Terminator 2, Indiana Jones, Saving Private Ryan … and more) implied that these home brand, in-car audio systems, are only good for "Hype ... and brand recognition" Gary Summers on Better Car Audio - czcams.com/video/BGBy2aUtSug/video.html
Thankfully not a massive difference - I just upgraded my BM from BMW business to HK, that was a huge difference. Didn't even know there was a B&O option.
Ich finde Dass das harman kardon ein besseren klang erzeugt, also man hört den bass dort gut aber gleichzeitig den rest auch perfekt. Man spurt eif das die musik da ist . Bei dem Bang Olufden klingt es alles so künstlich und einfach so unecht
If you like heavy bass, B&O is not for you. I like B&O and have owned several products by them since 1997. B&O has a sound like you are at a live symphony performance.
All audio systems from manufacturers range from crap to complete crap. It is enough to look from what components it is assembled. And also, make sure that the audio preparation in the doors is completely absent. Good luck.
I once owned an Audi A5, 3.0 litre TDi Quattro Twin turbo. It was equipped with a factory fitted B&O premium system. When I first heard this system played in the showroom I couldn't stop laughing. Amazing sound. And after buying, the car, everyone who drove in the car noticed how clean, and clear the system sounded.
This is a real sound system!
czcams.com/video/rmRYTQAS7W4/video.html
Which one of them ?
As an owner of myltiple great vehicles I have two BMWs with one of each system, The B&O is forsure the better to have the bass kicks so hard you feel it in your core, The drivers on the HK is lacking just a tiny but but a really close second place.
The B&O on my 2018 A4 was amazing. The B&O on my 2022 Q5 was pretty bad. The 6.5" sub was nothing compared to the 10" on the A4. I installed a 12" downfiring solo baric on my Q5 and tuned the bass to how my A4 was. Now it sounds a lot cleaner and where the Q5 should be. I even turn on the 3D to get all the speakers playing.
@@DanielGuzman83 I think allot of it also has to do with the shape of the vehicle, I have recently testdriven a 2021 X series with the B&O and it just sounds like my H&K I currently have in my 2021 3 series.
In short, They perform better in more compact vehicles.
the B&O clarity is unreal good video!!!
B&O outshines the HK in all areas. Much cleaner with smooth transient response and Dynamics. Outstanding video 👍🏾💯
This the first proper sound testing video ive ever seen , with different songs ,great work🤞🤞
Thank you 😊
To me, HK produces very rich and deep sound while B&O sounds sharp, treble and real. Both is good for me in different ways. I would prefer daily use of HK because the rich sound making hearing more comfortable, and B&O is very impressive at first but overtime, i might reduce the volume due to the treble and sharp sound. Personally i would use b&o to play music like live, orchestra, instrument, etc. It will also be good for movies because of the realistic sound
There is a clear difference between the two systems. To my ears, neither is a bad system, but HK sounds less polished and has more brute force in the bass region.Treble is muffled and there is no upper air extension. B&O has extended treble and high mids are accentuated to make an ilusion of more articulation or making sounds too harsh. The air, or above 10kHz is where B&O shines, it makes vocals sound more expensive. Bass is lighter, but lacks that brute force HK has. HK is good for rap, and rnb. B&O is for jazz and classical. Rock and pop can be handled well by both systems.
which one is good to buy ?
@@SM-fx6zx Both are really good
hk is horrible for rap, it's good for electronic and edm (imo)
Bass is actually way better in the b&o, the underseatwoofers are getting 250W each instead of 150W so they can play deeper and lounder
B&O uses a closed cabinet as opposed to Harman Kardon's ventilated cabinet and even though B&O's ABL (Goolge B&O ABL, If you wan't to know what that is), can smooth out the lower frequencies when there is an extra capacity available in the driver and amplifier(ICEPower) to provide a deeper bass and increased volume, then the B&O system is still limited in terms of the cabinet's liter dimensions. However In return, this may give B&O the advantage of a more controlled bass.
Man, your vid is just great. Keep on!
It sounds even better on B&O H95 headphones lmao
This is exactly the video I needed, thank you !
B&O handles the highs better. I heard HK speakers with a slight distortion when the highs hit
Not bad Listening thru the b&o beoolay eq earbuds I think Ima go with more bass than clarity I’m a bass head but that clarity on b&o is stunning too makes it sound like if yoyr there with the singer
harman kardon has a good sound dimension i like it very much
From where can i buy B&O?
Ok this is why i Like B&O. The HK sounds bass heavy and not as crisp as the B&O. Perhaps due to better passive filtering on the B&O System. Happy that i Ordered B&O on my Etron Sportback 😁
i just ordered a beoplay a9 cant wait to get it im upgrading my HK onyx studio 4
On which site or where did you buy the complete harman kardon kit because I am looking for the complete kit for e92
I like the music, do you have a track list
my audi a8 2014 has b&o and i must say that when im listening to a song , after a few seconds i forget that im on the road driving , it's so smooth and clear it makes me think i have headphones on
best speakers a car can have
i paid extra 4000chf(4100usd) here in switzerland but it's totally worth it
i have 20 years of warranty from b&o on those speakers
B&F on an AUDI is pretty worthy deal! bro cheers!
B&O sounds better for me, more clarity, more space. I have B&O on an audi A4 and its amazing. every user has his sound prefference. it is like food. there is no one size fits all. the best way to hear difference is to get in the car and listen :)
Excellent comparison, thank you. Found the HK have much deeper bass, lacks clarity in the highs. Whereas the B&O lacks low end, but compensates with much more clarity & clear highs. It’s a personal preference depending on which genre of music you listen to.
B&O has way more low end. It has subwoofer with lower fs, more xmax, bigger voice coil and more powerful magnet. B&O subwoofer peaks like 10hz lower around 30hz instead of 40-50hz on HK.
Yeah b&o lacks in lows subwoofer has to be more powerful
B&O is clean sound
I have a DINDIN bluetooth speaker, I absolutely love the sound quality, the lighting, it works everywhere, it makes me happy every time I use it, I have been using it for a year, this product deserves more praise.
I use a Send Culture Bluetooth speaker. It’s the absolute best.
Which screen do you have?
I have a mini cooper with harman kardon the sound is amazing i wonder how the B&O sounds in real life 😲!!
Nice video!
For me the winner is B&O but for few points , both sounds very well ! Awesome for a car
I am curious how that new McIntosh system sounds. I have a pair of the Focal component speakers in custom made cabinets. They sound good but expensive.
$1200.00 a pair.
Testing this audio difference on CZcams’s compression with CZcams’s MP 4 Audio Codec is a mute point even with headphones.
To me the differences can clearly be heard @ 4:33 and @ 5:47 - - plus @ 6:53 and @7:53 - - I've based my decision off of that~ B&O is clearer but is it so clearly worth it..lol
Anyone tells me what is mixed song name at 4:00? tks
After getting most these tunes downloaded cheers 😁
B and G sounds more deep in bass. A little bit more immersive than Harmon Kardon, but HK is still ok if you're just casually driving. But, if you're an enthusiast, Bang and Olufsen is where it's at!
Where can buy this plz ?
They both sound great. I wouldn't have any complaints about either.
btw what is the frequency response of those systems?! specially the bass. how low does the subwoofer go 20, 30 hz ?
the subwoofer has remained from Harman Kardon because I personally like the bass better - it's my personal setup
AliExpress or original?
Got a link to where you bought the speakers?
www.leebmann24.de/bmw-ersatzteile/?gclid=CjwKCAiAgvKQBhBbEiwAaPQw3GMtiQY79qWDLwTkgqKAp5bGodC127MyvUw8wtQkL3wBgCNr5yKQExoCj20QAvD_BwE#tab-bmw-x3
B&O sounds a little crisper and better mids and highs, listening on AKG headphones. Is it more expensive? How does it works on F15 is it just the matter of option, or a part of some sound package? Thanks
And question, are there also some underseat lows/woofers? Thanks
Did you have to replace the AMP as well?
No , only the Speakers that you see
Leave the HK subs add the B&O Mids/highs and it would sound great.
i dont own any of this 2 superb brand...but from this clip, i prefer the vibrance of harman kardon, it gives space, surround like, againd that vibrance it is lacking BO. For me a novice in sound i prefer the wow effect of HK.
how much it cost ?
proper video!
How much did it cost to swap to these Bang and Olufsen speakers? It sounds very very good! And did you add the headliner speakers or just every harman kardon speaker change?
It cost about 1000€ , and self install ca. 2h only harman speaker change
@@emanuelV8 Thats pretty damn good deal!
@@emanuelV8 Bro where did you find them? I can’t find them anywhere.
Just sold my 2019 Audi S5 and it had the factory B&O, it sounded alright, nothing special in my opinion. My BMW M4 has the factory HK and I have no complaints. I actually prefer the HK because of the ability to fine tune the equalizer.
B&O sounds much cleaner
This is great! It's astoundingly obvious, which is better. Appreciate the video. BO for the win!
This music is which sound ? Can you tell me
You can Shazam it
bang n Olufsen has great clarity... day and night different
Hello, I've got a G30 from 2018-06 (last 7 code : WC19647) with the headunit SA609 (with wifi). How can I be certain that this headunit will accept HK retrofit ? Tks a lot !
It will be accepted, ist only the Speaker. Just make sure you have the right connector☺️
Hello emmanuel, are those speakers from aliexpress or amazon or something or are they really original oem?
www.leebmann24.de/bmw-ersatzteile/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwy4KqBhD0ARIsAEbCt6ilokwLiy_RVNPO_dSY5AmMeqGb67e30OfSC7YIa8WezggU4cOgkBQaArfhEALw_wcB#tab-mini
My ear prefer the HK but BO low is a bit better
B und O klingt wie eine krasse Opernhalle oder ein gehobenes klassisches Orchester. Harman ist eine geile Soundanlage wie bei einem "normalem" Konzert.
Hell ya🔥
Can u You Buy b&o in a stores or on line?
BMW Parts Stores- the best way
To me, B&O makes voices stand out more than Harmon Kardon however, the bass for Harmon Kardon is better.
No one in the comments realize that Harman International owns B&O and H/K automotive as well as Bowers & Wilkins, Infinity, JBL and loads of other brands making car audio. They sound different yes - but the hardware for B&O is also very differrent and a lot more expensive so you would expect that. Same in the new 7 series - the B&W system also sounds way better than the H/K system (which BTW sounds a lot better than stock) so i guess they all have their place. Harman just covers all the bases at all price points with the different brands.
So Harmon Kardon is the Coca-Cola that created there own Pepsi and other competitors~ (GENIUS)
@rich Davis exactly!!! 🤘🏻
Samsung owns Harman 😀😀
@@bmw867 That is correct but Samsung does not "Run" Harman, whereas Harman actually run all of the automotive brands described above.
@@mathiasandersen9328 I agree.. Price comparison should have also done in this video I think Harman is cheaper
Despite the B&O having sharper highs, I found HK more balanced.
they can be adjusted in ur idrive
B&O is known for having extended highs, it's different yet nice but i prefer balanced sounds most of the time.
Love the clearity of B&O but I prefer the overall sound of HK, It sounds more balanced
For classical and acoustic musics B&O is better
I don’t like how B&O handle those bass. But better mediums. Just giving what you want, but not how really is. IMHO
Guess that's what $800 sound system pack vs $4000 sound system sounds like
It was 8000 for the B&O it was not worth it.. specifically for the M5 M6 vehicles with carbon fiber roof.. since the weight reduction was neglected by the heavier B&O system.
HK more sensitive but make the ear get bleeding. And tired. B&Q more soft to ear but less sensitive than HK
Harmon owns the rights to B&O's automotive division as well as the B&O play products. They bought it like 10 years ago almost, and have been manufacturing and supplying everything for all the different automobile companies during that time. If you didn’t change the DSP or amps or anything except the speakers and stuff......... You basically didn’t do anything but replace one design for the same design with different cone colors/materials.
And Harman is a subsidiary of Samsung
Heard the BO system in an E class mercedes and i liked my hk system in my bmw much more. Bass was mot clean and sounds cheap on BO in e class
B&O Sounds like a Bose System with Custom EQ
I prefer the warmth and depth of the HK.
Hi Emanuel does the center speaker make a big difference?
Hey, it makes a Differenz 😉
Not so big
As a person who retrofitted in his E90 N54 Bang Olufsen 16 speakers + amp. vs my neighbors who have a GT F series which has factory option Harman Kardon the only difference is in the high tones and it's better quality than the Bang Olufsen because you are using a factory amp. factory harness and factory speakers you are using factory Bang Olufsen but without repining the amp and changing and coding it. To test speakers and how they are working you need to get a 12V battery and to put in exactly the same place and time and the song to be played at the same time. Even if you are having factory hi-fi and just changing the speakers, you can get different sound effects because of the CIC E90(f10,F30) signals depending on the model. The test for me is not accurate. It depends on the settings is it you are testing on the same option in your AMP settings. Are you using suggested settings for Bang Olufsen?People are so naive to trust someone who is not professional and to upload his own opinion on the internet.
I actually heard almost no difference between both systems except for the tweeters. But the air you hear from the high frequency’s is only dependent if your speakers are on axis and capable. If your Tweets are of axis or really off axis than good night. Speakers are 20% a good amp is only relevant if you have the skill to tune it and installation is 80%. Even low quality speakers outshine are expensive speaker system with shit installation. And btw the fact to promote the B&O because of clarity is dogshit if you compare it with a hk tweeter that measures like a 10 dollar Chinese Boulevard speaker.
Both systems in same car ?
Yes, same , listen to the end😊
according to me harmon cardon is most powerful bass container and bumping beats comparing B$O
Please remember, *Gary Summers who won the biggest car audio Sound Quality competition in the world* (Gary - sound engineer for - The Empire Strikes Back, Return Of The Jedi, Avatar, LOTR, Terminator 2, Indiana Jones, Saving Private Ryan … and more) implied that these home brand, in-car audio systems, are only good for "Hype ... and brand recognition"
Gary Summers on Better Car Audio - czcams.com/video/BGBy2aUtSug/video.html
both are good
Playlist?
Shazam it☺️
i think harmon kardon has more surround but bang and olusfun has better sound.
HK is more balanced, while the B&O has more highs
Any coding is it needed?
No - just plug in - done!
Bro good video. U can try code and u unlock the Bang & Olufsen profile even with ur existing harman amp. And try the difference. Could be better
B&O really does just sound better. Interesting...
Focal also is better than HK.
I ♥ Bang & Olufsen
BO with subwoofer 🔊🔥
Dhe Best Bang e olufsem
Thankfully not a massive difference - I just upgraded my BM from BMW business to HK, that was a huge difference. Didn't even know there was a B&O option.
the b&O option costs exactly $8000 aud. Availible only on 5,7,8 series and x5,6,7 the speakers also light up with the ambient lighting, 16 speakers
@@oscar7476too much if you already have HK, i think
Ich finde Dass das harman kardon ein besseren klang erzeugt, also man hört den bass dort gut aber gleichzeitig den rest auch perfekt. Man spurt eif das die musik da ist . Bei dem Bang Olufden klingt es alles so künstlich und einfach so unecht
B&O Es totalmente otra cosa
Se pueden conseguir esas bocinas para cualquier auto?
Wow Bang Olufsen 🤯
B&O destroyed the HK speakers in my BMW, not even remotely close
B&O Love 🔥❤️
its B&O from Ali or from BMW dealer ? Difference is BIG
Ali
@@emanuelV8 Ty for info. Then i will try it too :) or mayby B&W :P
@@emanuelV8 you dont change amp right ? Your Harman is 0688 on vin ?
@@allwheeljack Only Plug an Play, Amp is Harman Kardon Original. For the F Series is BW not architected but For G Series
@@emanuelV8 Ye i know its for G series, but ppl sometime use it.
Harman seems more fullness. B O is narrower clarity.
Harman!
B&O have superior clarity.
😍👍🏻
Bang & olufsen 💎💎💎💎
B&G🥇
If you like heavy bass, B&O is not for you. I like B&O and have owned several products by them since 1997. B&O has a sound like you are at a live symphony performance.
Really, i dont hear the difference.. May in the car yes.. but in headphones no.. both of system very clean..
All audio systems from manufacturers range from crap to complete crap. It is enough to look from what components it is assembled. And also, make sure that the audio preparation in the doors is completely absent.
Good luck.
Don't want to burst your bubble... but I believe B&O and HK car audio division all owned by the Samsung group 🤔. Just badges I'm afraid.
I’m a bass heavy guy so HK > B&O.
B&O its the best
bang & olufsen
B&O sounds louder and cleaner
Without doubt b&o