2025 BMW X3 - Harman Kardon 16-speaker Sound System Test

[@pierre_8243]

The issue with recent Harman Kardon sound systems is the absence of dedicated subwoofers. The underseat speakers are woofers rather than subwoofers, which contributes to the lack of deep bass and punch in the sound. Another factor is the materials used in the speakers, they use ferrite magnets, which are more affordable but generally less efficient and lower-performing compared to neodymium magnets (which are generally used in high-quality aftermarket speakers) This is the result of cost-cutting measures because I'm sure that Harman engineers are fully capable of giving us higher-quality systems with better components, they just seem constrained by BMW’s budget limitations, and unfortunately this also impacts us, the user While this system will still be an upgrade compared to the stock option, it just seems to be worse than Harman Kardon systems of the past years, and this video also proves my point

[@montaver2455]

Reflects how little effort they put into the entire car. It’s been cost cut so heavily there was no budget to make any improvements. Interesting to see how it compares to the B&O in the new Audis, the gap is probably huge.

[@Skeppyberry]

Gap has always been huge. Audis systems are almost always best in class. A6 unfortunately just falls a bit short to model S

[@nanospace2389]

in these videos the audis sound terrible, theyre better irl but not too much as you can hear the same flaws

[@Skeppyberry]

They don’t really. That’s why I said they get beaten out by things like Model S in the car class. And Q7 looses to model X. But the rest are still top of their class by far

[@C0okieman2009]

Biden vehicle

[@TheKeggle]

I also tested the new X3 and besides the plastic game-like cheap interior I was SHOCKED when I linked TIDAL to the sound system. It really sounded surprisingly BAD. I believe it is not a matter of missing subwoofer or 3D capability but more like using mediocre quality amplifier or speakers.

[@쉿아저씨]

Thank you for the test. I looked through all the X3 reviews, but there was no video that explained the audio

[@ultrahd3388]

Dang! C tier for an upgraded BMW sound system, it must be terrible.

[@lobsterglizzy1237]

Last gen x3 hk was not great either but this one is even worse

[@strategicbushcraft6391]

I test drove the X3 with the "upgraded"12 speaker HK and it was really bad for the price of the vehicle, I would say it was comparable to the Base 9 speaker Genisis GV70 system and the low end base had a lot of distortion also.

[@emeivi5564]

Thank you for these videos! I test drove an x3 and agree, sounded like the speakers were wired out of phase power wasted.

[@winner2750]

Thank you so much for your detailed and thorough review! Honestly, I feel quite disappointed now, as I’ve already ordered the car. I’ve spent the last two years with a sound system that wasn’t great, and I was really looking forward to the X3. Before that, I had an E-Class with a Burmester system, which was absolutely fantastic. Now, I’m a bit worried that I might face another underwhelming audio experience with the new system. Still, I truly appreciate the effort you put into testing all these cars in such detail. It’s incredibly helpful-thank you!

[@jordandixon125]

How much improved is it after adjusting the equalizer?

[@360milliondollars]

Interior look like they cut cost and went super cheap... LOL

[@v12-s65]

People should really boycott this crap until the automakers realize what the hell they are doing

[@itbeginx]

Personally own a X3, the sound system is the biggest flaw on this car. It makes any nissan and toyota car feels like another level. BMW also has the most uncomfortable seats.

[@Wasabi9111]

My husband had a 2014 3 series w the upgraded m sport seats and they were so uncomfortable.

[@DolomitAmChillen]

Love your videos! Could you get your Hands on a new Tesla Model X Premium Soundsystem? THat would be awsome!

[@jrocxzs]

I had the same issue in my G01 X3. The base HIFI speakers in the 5 series sounded better than the upgraded HK in the X3.

[@bck0001]

Yeah I’m actually happy with the base (aka HiFi) of my 2019 G01 X3. I realize it’s not the best I’ve ever heard but it sure beats the stock systems of the current MBs and particularly my 2014 ML350

[@jrocxzs]

@ I've had an Infiniti G37 with the upgraded Bose and Audi A4, S5 with upgraded B&O and all were significantly older vehicles yet the sound systems were way better. I coded in the bowers & wilkins settings and it got a little better.

[@bck0001]

@@jrocxzs no doubt, audio quality seems to be declining in my experience. Nothing has matched the 1996 Volvo 850 I had back in the day…rest of the car was a pile.

[@jrocxzs]

@ they still lead the pack with their bowers & Wilkins to this day in my opinion

[@bck0001]

@ for sure, much is the same for Volvo to me. I test drove an XC60 but ended up with an X3 M40i…the engine and handling make up for the average audio.

[@danielberning1240]

How you described the not so good sound on this system is exactly how I feel about many of the "upgraded" sound systems any more. As you know, I work at a dealership with Volvo and Mazda and I find all of them to be difficult to dial in the best sound. Personally I feel that the manufacturers have put too much garbage electronic tuning in them and I don't like it. About 3 years ago, the awsome Bowers and Wilkins in Volvo was so nice and then they changed things and the new ones are not worth anything close to $3,200!! Same goes for the Bose in the Mazda's where everything sounds like it's coming from the front even if you fade it almost fully to the rear. I'd take the Bose sound in a 2019 Mazda over any from 2024. I really feel they have all fallen victim to the tuning geeks. Just give me a simple, easy to use and understand great sounding system.

[@Howard24]

As others have chimed in, this shows the cost cutting BMW has been doing in their latest cars, which is unacceptable. The plasticy interior of the new X3 is laughable at this price point, especially because of how good the preview gen interiors were.

[@danielberning1240]

I've never really been a BMW guy, but I thought most of the interiors were quite nice. Now I see the newer ones as I"m driving and that awful screen that streches from the left door to about the middle of the dash just screams cheap. I laugh every time I see them and they have a terrible plastic bracket attached to the passenger side lower rear of the screen. To me it looks like they finished the car and found the screen was not secure, so they just made a cheap plastic bracket and attached to to hold the screen in place. My 2023 Chevy Bolt has a nicer dash and screen.

[@Howard24]

@@danielberning1240 For sure. The iDrive 8 screens are so poorly integrated into the previous generation cars, it's awful. However, that doesn't really bother me as much as the rest of the interiors were pretty much the same until the most recent 3/4 series LCIs... What made the G series BMWs stand out to me was the materials and interior fit and finish compared to the competition. Fit and finish I'm sure is still there, but material choices are now that of mainstream brands... maybe even worse. Plastic door pulls and window switches... really?

[@jcsdesign]

If many of you think the upgraded HK stereo is bad, imagine what the non upgraded HiFi sound system is like? I believe the HiFi is only 6 speakers.

[@jreal.89]

I would like to see you compare one of those plug-in play audio swap bmws like bimmertech or Audison

[@Logic227Productions]

Addison would be the better option.

[@nanospace2389]

ive been waiting for this test, when is it possible for you to test the volvo ex90s bowers and wilkins?

[@danielberning1240]

I'll be waiting on that too. I work at a Volvo store and we have 2 EX90's in stock for demo purposes. One has the new Bose and the other the B & W's. Of the two, I actually like the sound of the new Bose better.

[@nanospace2389]

@@danielberning1240 is the bose like the standard and bowers and wilkins is upgraded? or is the bose just an early thing before they switched to b&w i dont know anything

[@danielberning1240]

@@nanospace2389 Good question. From what we are seeing and learning thus far, the Bose is now the standard system on the EX90 with the B&W the "upgrade". In the past I've really liked the B&W, but they changed things a couple years ago and it's not as good IMO. However, I normally find Bose to be ok or good, but never great. To my ears, this new Bose in the EX90 is great and I'd prefer it over the B&W. But I will need more wheel time in them to say 100%.

[@nanospace2389]

@@danielberning1240 bose are good but not great as companies like gm and nissan pay so little for a system in their cars to be built it just ends up pretty bad for the brand name. Whereas volvo their standard sound is great so it puts them up high and id imagine the bose wouldnt fall short of this specially in this ex90. however i did look on volvo for the ex90 and the spec is only just the ultra model and nothing else which comes with the hopefully another s tier bowers and wilkins. sorry for the bad punctuation and such im typing on a keyboard on my computer so it doesnt really come into mind to use

[@performingspecs7841]

The Harmon Kardon sound system never sounded that good in the SUVs in my opinion. It sounds much better in the sedans. I think it is because the subwoofer or mid-bass is too far away from the midrange speakers and the bass doesn’t blend well. I upgraded the woofers in my last X5M and the bass and mids blended much better, making for a better experience. I think BMW needs to add bass drivers or better mid bass speakers in the doors and that would make the sound much better.

[@mrsittingmongoose]

There are a lot of examples of Harmon Kardon systems sounding good. Even bmw has a few. The e46 hk and the new i4 are great examples. Other brands have also had good ones. The name means absolutely nothing. For example there are phenomenal Bose car stereos and absolutely garbage ones. Same goes for b&w and b&o.

[@performingspecs7841]

@ yes I agree. Just to be clear, I liked the HK audio systems in the 5 series sedan but not so much in the SUVs . Nothing to do with the brand as a whole.

[@JDAD08]

nice

[@ceciland7773]

This hurts to hear. I’m considering getting a bmw in a year or so, but it looks like they’re cheaping out on the interior quality. The stereo systems seem to be hit or miss by being good one year, but not in another. So either I hope to find a used car with options I want or risk getting a version of the car with lower quality components. Not a happy choice. I might go for a Volvo even though I know the driving experience won’t be there same.

[@nanospace2389]

@@ceciland7773 the driving experience would be less fun feeling as it’s not a sport car but very comfortable. But Volvos sound systems are some of the best you can get even with their harman kardon unlike BMWs

[@bck0001]

@@nanospace2389but then you’re in a Volvo…..

[@bck0001]

It just depends on model, look at recent certified used…the old X3 is better in a lot of ways including audio.

[@nanospace2389]

@ and that means what exactly.

[@bck0001]

@@nanospace2389 even the supposedly sportier ones feel floppy, no nice engines anymore (drive a b58 engined bmw and then get in a Volvo and you’ll realize what you’re missing).

[@Logic227Productions]

Harman Kardon in the BMW’s starting in 2020 went downhill. They user weaker amps and cheaper speakers these days.

[@ethankim2142]

The latest gen X3 really looks cheap inside, I mean Hyundai cheap. I do understand that Hyundai/Kia pretty much straight up copied the infotainment setup on their cars, but wow, that dashboard just looks cheap. Not to mention the exterior design....

[@J-dog44]

I was blown away at how cheaply built the interior of the new X3 is. The cheap plastic door handles look as if they come from a 1992 Geo Metro. My 2016 Nissan Rogue was better than this POS in every way. I got me a Mercedes GLE 350 instead and couldn't be happier.

[@godwhomismike]

The Harman Kardon in my 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness is complete and utter shit.

[@avaz5490]

Harman Kardon products just sound wrong, almost always disappointing.

[@Johnny91832]

That's not on Harman Kardon, that's on the engineers who are tuning the system. Volvos H&K are awesome.

[@snakeeyes9246]

​@@Johnny91832even a handful of BMW Harman systems are very good, if not amazing (i4, X5, iX). Most of them are poor though.

[@snakeeyes9246]

​@@Johnny91832even a handful of BMW Harman systems are very good, if not amazing (i4, X5, iX). Most of them are poor though.