Bavsound offers a truly tailored plug-and-play audio upgrade solution for BMWs. They have been around for now for fifteen years and started offering solutions for audio upgrades since the E46 generation of cars. For those of you who have not heard about Bavsound before, you can check out an introduction to the brand on our blog here.
Being located in Southern California traffic is something we deal on a daily basis and listening to the radio or streaming music to me is crucial to help pass the time and make the drive all the more enjoyable. Let’s be honest, we spend more time inside our cars than we do outside looking at them!
Having personally owned three generations of BMWs myself (E46, E92, and F82). I can say that the audio systems equipped with these cars are definitely lacking. Even with audio upgrades from BMW such as Harman Kardon (HK), something’s missing.
The F82 M4 with HK also is even more sub-par in comparison to my E92 335i with HK. Sound quality is lacking and flat. You don’t hear much of the mids and a lot of tones are lost in distortion. The factory HK setup also tends to crackle/pop which is a fairly common thing that occurs if you crank the volume up slightly between the 40%-50% range. I decided to upgraded to the Bavsound Stage One speaker + Bavsound ghost underseat V2 subwoofers recently and it was one of the best decisions mod wise for the car to date!
Little did I know at the time, Bavsound was in the process of replacing and upgrading their Subwoofer inventory at the time of the install. I noticed this immediately once I unpacked the subs and saw the new high quality metal finish on the top. These are Bavsounds new V2 Ghost Subwoofers that offer 11% higher output then their previous ones, with an even better bass response with improved sound output especially at lower volumes. So whether your blasting beats down the road, or cruising on the highway with low volume, these new V2 Ghost Underseat Subwoofers are better now in every way.
Packaging:
I have to say that I was quite impressed with how everything arrived. They come beautifully packaged and the quality of materials is reminiscent of being very Apple-Esque. The Bavsound logo is beautifully printed on the cover. It fully reinforces the quality of their products and really made me feel like I was getting something exclusive. 
Every box includes a Bavsound sticker seal. That way you know you are getting an authentic brand new in box (BNIB) product. It’s a very minor detail that is often missed, but I definitely appreciated that!
Each box comes with a description of the product which makes it very easy to identify what they are and which OEM component is being replaced.
Pictures:
Bavsound Front/Rear Door 100mm 3-Leg Midrange (left) VS HK Midrange (right)
HK Midramge (left) VS Bavsound Front/Rear 100mm 3-Leg Midrange (right)
Bavsound Front/Rear Door 25mm Silk Tweeters (left) VS HK Tweeters (right)
Bavsound Center Channel 100mm Midranges
Bavsound Center Channel 25mm Silk dome Tweeter
Bavsound Ghost Underseat Subwoofer V2, 8ohm (Left) VS HK Underseat Subwoofer (right)
Additional parts not shown, but I’m sure you all get the point!
Install:
Installation is straight forward and everything is direct plug and play. You do not need to cut or modify any wires and it all integrates nicely as if it came that way from BMW. Install time will range depending on your technical skill level, but for most it should not take longer than 6 hours to complete.
I would highly recommend the Bavsound Stage 1 Tool kit & Underseat subwoofer tool kit for any of you looking to DIY this install. It includes everything you will need to complete this plug and play setup. It will make your lives easier and eliminate you having to drive back and forth to your local hardware store trying to find the right tools.
Bavsound has very through install videos on their Youtube channel. I would highly recommend watching these videos at least once or twice to familiarize yourself with the steps prior to moving forward with the install.
Front door panels removed; ready to install Bavsound Midranges
The optional sound deadening pack is highly recommended. It includes 3 sq. ft of Bavsound engineered, rubberized, adhesive-backed lining which is designed to reduce vibration and road noise in your vehicle. It is a great add on to any Stage One speaker upgrade to maximize it’s performance.
Bavsound Front 100mm 3-Leg Midrange and sound deadening installed (foam gaskets not shown).
Center channel cover coming off with plastic pry tool 
HK Center Channel Midrange and Tweeter exposed
Bavsound 100mm Midrange and 25mm Silk tweeter with oval mount installed
Dave & Juan getting ready to access the OEM HK Underseat subwoofers
HK Underseat subwoofers coming out! Don’t forget that squash air freshener #essentials
Bavsound Ghost underseat subwoofer 8ohm for HK going in!
Rear Door panels exposed with Bavsound midrange installed
It was much harder to take pictures of the remainder of the install due to limited space in the rear seats and darker tint on the rear windshield. We simply removed and replaced all of the HK factory components with the new Bavsound upgrades! Remaining components not shown include:
- Bavsound Rear Door 100mm Midranges
- Bavsound Rear Panel Door 25mm Silk Tweeters
- Bavsound Rear Deck 100mm Midranges
- Bavsound Rear Deck 25mm Silk Tweeters
- All of which look like the front door counterparts
Initial Impression:
I would compare the OEM HK VS Bavsound upgrade experience to a 1080P to 4K television quality; it’s that good! I would tell a dramatic difference and improvement in clarity of the system. This is most noticeable at about 40% and higher volumes where I typically listen to my music. The bass is sharp and powerful enough for you to feel in your seat. Distortion is virtually gone even if you crank up the volume. I am able to fully adjust the equalizer without ever having to worry about the speakers not being able to handle increased default loads.
I am glad I found the Bavsound and am excited about their innovation. Some key benefits to me are the fact that the kits are plug and play, made of exceptional quality, and are offered a very reasonable price point. It is a very enjoyable mod for any BMW/Mini owner looking to maximize the performance of their audio system. I am looking forward to listening to more soundtracks and jamming with it for many miles to come!
Some words from the team:
“I had my initial doubts about the impact the Bavsound system would have on the F-chassis speakers, as my Harman Kardon speakers from BMW were already pretty good. After Alan had his installed and I sat in his car, it was a night and day difference. It’s hard to describe a difference in sound, but it was more whole and complete. The mid and low end sounds were much more apparent where the stock was lacking. The upgraded underseat subwoofers actually could be felt through in your legs, much like in a movie theater. Overall very impressed and I will be definitely looking at this for my next mod on my F30 335i.”
– Kevin McDonnel – Modification Expert
“Wow, Alan I am impressed I can actually hear a difference. Didn’t honestly expect it, but the highs are actually really clear and really high. I think it’s first time I’ve ever heard any BMW that clear, even with their upgraded Harman Kardon system. This is what those sound upgrade premiums these manufacturers should be doing when they say upgraded sound. The Mid’s are good, but not as noticeable to me as the highs, it’s like their is clarity now rather then being underwater. The sub is obvious like having a sub with any car so that’s a nice plus, good product, you surprised me, not sure how you are going to communicate this to others.”
Conclusion:
I’ve had the Bavsound Stage one speaker upgrade & Bavsound Underseat Ghost subwoofers installed now past the initial break in period of 10-12 hours of listening time. I can say without a doubt that the improvements can be heard right off the bat and just gets better as the system fully breaks in.
One major benefit to me is the fact that the cracking, popping, and distortion from the HK system was been remedied. You can say “Bye Felecia” to all those annoyances!
Sound is more crisp and quality is improved. I was pleasantly surprised to hear new instrumentals for the first time in certain tracks that I’ve actually never heard before with the factory HK system. The bass is not like having some 10” or 12” subwoofers in the trunk kind of feeling. That’s not what the ghost underseat subwoofers are intended to do. However, the bass is improved and you can feel it in your seat. It definitely packs a nice punch and gives it a bit more umph that was missing with the HK system! Huge shout out to the Bavsound team for their innovation and providing a real solid solution to a problem! @AW.M4 approved & out!
– Alan Wei – General Manager
If you have any questions about Bavsound’s products and what’s available for your BMW our Mod Experts are always ready to help. Give us a call at (714)-582-3330 or contact us by email at Sales@ModBargains.com.