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      08-02-2011, 10:15 AM   #1
F82_SID
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Harman/Karden sound Vs. Enhanced Premium Sound

Hey guys I am hoping you can help me out with a question I have. What "brand" are the enhanced premium sound speakers/system? I ask this because the bass went out on my M3 so I have been rolling in a loaner while it is getting fixed. The loaner is an E93 MSport with the upgraded Harman Karden sound system and it sounds fantastic! It sounds WAY better then my M3's EPS. I dont know if it just sounds so great in comparison to my M3 with EPS because my bass has been out so I am not used to great sound anymore or if it really is that much better the EPS. What do you guys think?
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      08-02-2011, 10:45 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E92_SID View Post
Hey guys I am hoping you can help me out with a question I have. What "brand" are the enhanced premium sound speakers/system? I ask this because the bass went out on my M3 so I have been rolling in a loaner while it is getting fixed. The loaner is an E93 MSport with the upgraded Harman Karden sound system and it sounds fantastic! It sounds WAY better then my M3's EPS. I dont know if it just sounds so great in comparison to my M3 with EPS because my bass has been out so I am not used to great sound anymore or if it really is that much better the EPS. What do you guys think?
What you are hearing is not the difference in brand between the Individual Audio (EPS) and the Harman Kardon. It is the difference between processors, DIRAC vs. Logic7.

IMO, the DIRAC processor goes too much out of the way to make the sound lifelike. Which it will be great if I were in a live concert in a stadium, but I am not. I am in a car, enclosed in a cabin, surrounded by external noises and with speakers under my ass.

Logic7 simply takes that into account and forces the sound to adjust to the car. The result is basically what you are hearing, much better sound, balance, presence and impact in the car. That's the reason the JBL MS-8 (with Logic7) works so well in BMW, the reason that I replaced my old M3 EPS with a MS-8 and the reason that I am not getting the EPS in my new M3... I will be installing the same MS-8.

Perhaps that's the reason BMW dropped DIRAC and is doing B&O now.
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      08-02-2011, 11:34 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Technic View Post
What you are hearing is not the difference in brand between the Individual Audio (EPS) and the Harman Kardon. It is the difference between processors, DIRAC vs. Logic7.

IMO, the DIRAC processor goes too much out of the way to make the sound lifelike. Which it will be great if I were in a live concert in a stadium, but I am not. I am in a car, enclosed in a cabin, surrounded by external noises and with speakers under my ass.

Logic7 simply takes that into account and forces the sound to adjust to the car. The result is basically what you are hearing, much better sound, balance, presence and impact in the car. That's the reason the JBL MS-8 (with Logic7) works so well in BMW, the reason that I replaced my old M3 EPS with a MS-8 and the reason that I am not getting the EPS in my new M3... I will be installing the same MS-8.

Perhaps that's the reason BMW dropped DIRAC and is doing B&O now.
What is DIRAC? B&O? MS-8? I have a 2011.5 so what system comes with that EPS?
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      08-02-2011, 12:20 PM   #4
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The EPS is a better sounding system than the Logic7 or Harman/Kardon systems in every single way. Just my opinion.

I had 2 Logic7 equipped 335's, and I never stopped complaining on how muddy and sloppy the sound was.

Maybe it just comes down to personal preference.
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      08-02-2011, 12:44 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Malekreza11 View Post
The EPS is a better sounding system than the Logic7 or Harman/Kardon systems in every single way. Just my opinion.

I had 2 Logic7 equipped 335's, and I never stopped complaining on how muddy and sloppy the sound was.

Maybe it just comes down to personal preference.
Nice car choice Malejreza

I think I have just not heard my EPS at full capacity in over 2 months so that is why the HK sounded so good to me. Because everything else I have heard lately has been complete shit!
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      08-02-2011, 01:13 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E92_SID View Post
What is DIRAC? B&O? MS-8? I have a 2011.5 so what system comes with that EPS?
Google can help you...

DIRAC http://www.dirac.se/en/reference-pro...-products.aspx is the processing used in the EPS.

Logic7 http://www.lexicon.com/logic7/index.asp is the processing used in the Harman Kardon.

B&O http://www.bang-olufsen.com/car-audio is the processing used in the new 6 Series

MS-8 http://ms8.jbl.com/ is an aftermarket DSP processor with Logic7
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      08-02-2011, 01:43 PM   #7
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OP,

I am totally with you. I have owned, and currently own Harman Kardon BMW equiped systems (2009 335i e92, 2012 X1) and they sound way better than the EPS.

Technic is helping me and it seems that an amp with aftermarket subs should bring the bass/midbass to a level that will complement the original clarity of the EPS.

I will let you know how my setup sounds when I have it installed next Tuesday (if I get Technic's harness on time... fingers crossed).

I'm happy I'm not the only one that loves the HK Vs. EPS. I mainly listen to rock music.

Last edited by R0ut3r; 08-02-2011 at 07:39 PM..
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      08-03-2011, 10:40 PM   #8
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I have yet to hear a EPS system in full tilt....but I do surmise that it has the same adjustability as the Logic7 that I currently have in my 335i. I have tuned and adjusted it to where it sounds truly fantastic - with almost all types of music I started in this forum where there were two peeps going back and forth with an actual sound meter in their hands while in the car, compensating for changes in cabin size - coupe vs. sedan. Pretty cool stuff.....sorry but can't find the link to put here. In any case, over time your speakers soften after a certain break in period (yes, all those vibrations stretch the polypropylene strip surrounding the speaker cone). Thus, you will have to make minor adjustments depending on how often you turn the volume up and the type of music you listen to (some are easy on the speakers, like classical or Jazz - others harder, like R&B or Techno). These variants are of course very hard to measure, thus making it very hard to determine proper "wear" times. Just use your ear is my take on it If you "search" my name on this forum I think you will come up with a "my settings" thread that you can refer to for base settings to your equalizer, then go from there. Note that I have a Coupe, NOT a sedan.

Hope this helps
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