New Bavsound Ghost Sub-Woofer for EPS, Install and Review

[tbone28]

Originally Posted by Amirsm3

Ah gotcha. Yeah definitely plug the iPhone in and try it out. If you've bought any recent songs, I believe iTunes is now at a higher bitrate than a few years ago. Hell, I can tell a difference between my M3's EPS system and my dad's Burmester audio system in his panamera turbo.

Plugged in the phone (and I do buy from iTunes). The subs definitely shine with the right music source. Quite a dramatic difference from iTunes to ripped MP3 CD to radio

[malrash]

Originally Posted by dparm

My bad, I thought it was stickied.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=428114

As I read them, these settings are for Premium sound. Any such resource for those with HiFi sound, or those who upgrade to the BWS stage 1 + SW kit?

[Ingenio]

Yep... Used Malek's finalised EQ settings. So far it seems that the base does really exist until I hit a certain volume which is annoying. I hope the break in will help...

[dparm]

Originally Posted by Ingenio

Yep... Used Malek's finalised EQ settings. So far it seems that the base does really exist until I hit a certain volume which is annoying. I hope the break in will help...

Part of that is a byproduct of the stupid OEM processing that can't be fully defeated (hence the S-Volume to the lowest setting to minimize it).

[Ingenio]

Really? I had no idea... I'm sure the OEM subs werent this bad though... This break-in needs to be phenomenal or they'll be coming out again!

[Amirsm3]

Originally Posted by tbone28

Plugged in the phone (and I do buy from iTunes). The subs definitely shine with the right music source. Quite a dramatic difference from iTunes to ripped MP3 CD to radio

Sweet! I really should try a traditional CD and see if that would make a difference.

[Sunny D]

Originally Posted by Amirsm3

Sweet! I really should try a traditional CD and see if that would make a difference.

These things make a HUGE difference. To break the data-rate down -

XM - 64 to 96 kbps
Pandora - 128 kbps
iTunes (Store and default CD ripping format) - 256 kbps
Spotify Premium - 256 or 320 kbps
CD - 1411 kbps
CD Ripped Lossless and Tidal (no loss in sound quality) - 700 kbps (average, could be more or less depending on the musical material)

iTunes/Pandora/Spotify all sound horrible.

I use Tidal (which is lossless CD quality), and download tracks to my phone and plug in via USB. Sounds very good.

[malrash]

Originally Posted by Sunny D

These things make a HUGE difference. To break the data-rate down -

XM - 64 to 96 kbps
Pandora - 128 kbps
iTunes (Store and default CD ripping format) - 256 kbps
Spotify Premium - 256 or 320 kbps
CD - 1411 kbps
CD Ripped Lossless and Tidal (no loss in sound quality) - 700 kbps (average, could be more or less depending on the musical material)

iTunes/Pandora/Spotify all sound horrible.

I use Tidal (which is lossless CD quality), and download tracks to my phone and plug in via USB. Sounds very good.

I've been wanting to go Tidal as well, however they don't have half the songs I am interested in.

[tbone28]

Originally Posted by Sunny D

These things make a HUGE difference. To break the data-rate down -

XM - 64 to 96 kbps
Pandora - 128 kbps
iTunes (Store and default CD ripping format) - 256 kbps
Spotify Premium - 256 or 320 kbps
CD - 1411 kbps
CD Ripped Lossless and Tidal (no loss in sound quality) - 700 kbps (average, could be more or less depending on the musical material)

iTunes/Pandora/Spotify all sound horrible.

I use Tidal (which is lossless CD quality), and download tracks to my phone and plug in via USB. Sounds very good.

Good to know. I'm very happy with my iTunes, so I'd be interested in checking out the better options.

After listening to just iTunes the last 2 days, I do hear a definite increase in volume, as OP stated. The subs really shine with the right music source

[tadmcmichael]

Originally Posted by MilehighM3

It's been a while since I had them anyway, perhaps things have changed. Hopefully those that purchase the speakers don't experience what I did. Judging by some of the comments before me, I wouldn't be shocked to find out one of the speaker failed and that's why the audio doesn't sound proper in their cars.

I think you must have a different product. It couldn't have been "about a year" since these have only been available since December 2015.

I'm a little surprised some aren't seeing an improvement. I compared one Bavsound and one OEM and I could literally feel the difference with my hand. Here are my settings that I copied from one of the threads. Then I am plus 2 or 3 on the bass setting.

[kaigoss69]

Originally Posted by Sunny D

These things make a HUGE difference. To break the data-rate down -

XM - 64 to 96 kbps
Pandora - 128 kbps
iTunes (Store and default CD ripping format) - 256 kbps
Spotify Premium - 256 or 320 kbps
CD - 1411 kbps
CD Ripped Lossless and Tidal (no loss in sound quality) - 700 kbps (average, could be more or less depending on the musical material)

iTunes/Pandora/Spotify all sound horrible.

I use Tidal (which is lossless CD quality), and download tracks to my phone and plug in via USB. Sounds very good.

Spotify premium ($10 per month) is virtually impossible to distinguish from CD. I have compared Tidal and Spotify in an ABX test, and could not tell the difference.

[Amirsm3]

dang... dat CD bitrate, doe.

[Ingenio]

Ok... So... a few more hours I to the ghost sub break in and I'm still not getting the same low-end bass I used to get from the OEM subs :-( any thoughts on whether I should persist or just rip them out and send them back?

[tbone28]

I've listened to nothing but iTunes the past few days, and I am very impressed by the new subs. They really shine. Very tight and actually hit a lot harder than I expected. It's a great drop-in upgrade.

[Ingenio]

Really? Don't you notice a big gap when the volume is low? Also, the Bavsound sub doesn't seem to go as low as the OEM... Could this just be break-in?

[tbone28]

Originally Posted by Ingenio

Really? Don't you notice a big gap when the volume is low? Also, the Bavsound sub doesn't seem to go as low as the OEM... Could this just be break-in?

There is a big gap when volume is low. I noted this in one of my posts, but it shouldn't be a surprise as you'd need enough power to drive the woofers.

What I did realize is the source of my music made a big difference. I normally listen to the radio and the sound quality between OEM and bav was barely noticeable at my normal listening volume. At higher volumes, I could hear a difference for certain songs.

With iTunes however, the sound quality is significant across all songs. I still have to turn the volume up a bit, but not nearly as much as when the radio was the source to hear the quality difference.

In regards to how low the bav subs go, it's clear the bav are much deeper in sound quality. As another member posted, I can even feel my seat vibrating now.

I'm wondering if your pair is defective somehow

[Ingenio]

I'm beginning to think the same thing... I do get more vibration through the seat but is still doesn't sound as low... Hmm... I'm hoping the break in period will help in terms of more cone travel / air movement.

[dparm]

The poor output at low volumes is a byproduct of the shitty S-Vol stuff you can't disable.

Also, you can thank the "loudness war" for the terrible quality of modern music.

[ijnoj09]

In my opinion, I think the OEM woofers hit lower. But with the ghost subs, it improves a lot on clarity. The bass will hit more tighter and you can play it louder without it distorting the sound compared to the OEM. I also think, the EQ settings need to be set more convervatively. A lot of people like Maleks settings but I always felt they were set too high and overdriving the EPS speakers.

[tbone28]

Originally Posted by ijnoj09

In my opinion, I think the OEM woofers hit lower. But with the ghost subs, it improves a lot on clarity. The bass will hit more tighter and you can play it louder without it distorting the sound compared to the OEM. I also think, the EQ settings need to be set more convervatively. A lot of people like Maleks settings but I always felt they were set too high and overdriving the EPS speakers.

The clarity/tightness may be why I feel the bav is deeper (although subjectively, the bav sounds like it goes lower to me. Perhaps it's because it's not distorted as you describe. But I am by no means an audiophile).

Can you share what your EQ settings are? I've been using Malek's and open to trying other settings

[ijnoj09]

Originally Posted by tbone28

The clarity/tightness may be why I feel the bav is deeper (although subjectively, the bav sounds like it goes lower to me. Perhaps it's because it's not distorted as you describe. But I am by no means an audiophile).

Can you share what your EQ settings are? I've been using Malek's and open to trying other settings

Music settings are all subjective, everyone has different ears and how they like they're music to sound.

Here are my settings. I do run a 12" subwoofer in the trunk with a seperate bass control so I have the eq set to balance it out with the trunk sub.



The bass and treble you can set to your preferences, right now I have mine set at 0 treble and +2 on bass. My speakers have broken in a bit more and sounding even cleaner then when I first got them. Still happy with the ghost woofers.

[Ingenio]

I assume you have a diff amp to power the 12" sub? How does it integrate with the OEM set up?