BMW Factory Audio Explained

BMW factory audio systems explained
It’s critical to know which BMW audio system you’re starting with! BMW has three different levels of original-equipment sound system:

Base Stereo
The six-speaker Stereo system has no tweeters and no amp. The speakers are powered by the head unit. The mesh tweeter grilles inboard of the side mirrors are missing.

The signal from the head unit is heavily equalized, and the rear signal is high-pass filtered. Here is the front signal:

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HiFi
The HiFi system has front tweeters and an amp. (While 2006-2009 had ten speakers, many 2010-2011 had 8 speakers – the rear tweeters were deleted.) There is no graphic equalizer setting in the head unit’s menu – just bass and treble – and no “Surround On-Off” setting. There is no center-channel dash speaker.

Premium Sound
Premium Sound (also knownto BMW internally as “Top HiFi”) is branded as:
— Logic 7
— harman/kardon
— Individual Audio
— Enhanced Premium

All these systems share a similar architecture – speaker size, count, location, and amplifier channel complement are all identical.

Premium Sound systems will always have graphic equalizer settings in the head unit’s menu, as well as a “Logic 7 On/Off” or “Surround On/Off” option.

The E9x 3-series will also a have center-channel dash speakers and two sets of rear speakers (side and rear deck).

The E82/7 1-series will not have center speaker or the second set of rear speakers (so check the head unit menu for the equalizer).

Note: For more information on US availability by model year, click here.

Now, you’re ready to read about the systems we offer for your vehicle – click here!