Anyone else underwhelmed by the B&O system?

[bfevo]

Hi all

I've got the B&O upgrade in my S3 and I'm really hard pushed to tell the difference from my old A4 which had the standard sound setup.

I also feel the balance is very front heavy even if you fade to the rear

Anyone else share my thoughts.

 

[Chris4410]

I haven’t heard the B&O in the new S3, but it was a fantastic system in the previous generation. In fact it was easily the best system you could get from a manufacturer in my opinion.

Based on the other cost cutting in the current S3, I wouldn’t be surprised if the B&O system is suffering from this as well.

It’s probably the Standard system with some B&O stickers attached.

 

[DreamInCode]

IME B&O sound system in my A3 is too sensitive to the input quality. Turning off equaliser in the streaming app and fiddling with the settings in MMI somehow produces a better quality sound. The volume needs to be cranked higher up and then it starts to sound better. However I don't really like playing music too loudly while driving.

 

[Jon Roach]

Picked up our new S3 last week and initially yeah agree was underwhelmed with B&O system, especially after having it in 8V.

a bit of a play with settings though and I would say it’s near on the same for me and seems to improve a little after use too.

Would definitely say it’s mega and not disappointed. Out of interest, what source are you using, car play/radio/dabs ? As if that’s poor quality then output will be the same.

 

[bfevo]

Been using DAB and Spotify, streaming settings are on very high within Spotify. Granted I'm not playing some lossless mega files and its over Bluetooth, maybe I was just expecting to much from it.

 

[Chris4410]

What are you comparing it to? Did you have an 8V S3 with B&O?

Did you hear the B&O setup before adding it as an option?

 

[auzzam_crd]

On the 8y I found the difference between B&O and non B&O night and day.

However, on my brother in law's 2009 A4, the speakers do feel more 'full'.

I also had to adjust the settings around before I was happy, even then I only really get good quality through a Bluetooth connection. The moment I use android auto, it overwrites the EQ settings.

 

[KXL]

Eh, B&O system and playing via Bluetooth . From my non Audi car, playing music via Bluetooth or DAB was noticeably worse (felt some frequencies were missing) than playing via a USB with MP3 / Lossless or from a CD (which the 8Y doesn't have). Speakers like high quality headphones do take a bit longer to 'bed in' and sound their best. Give it perhaps 50 hours of play time?

 

[KXL]

Also anyone knows the size of the door speakers? 6.5s or 8?

 

[itf]

I've just gone from an A4 with B&O to the new A3 Saloon without and the A3 definitely sounds worse!

 

[JohnM100]

Firstly, I don’t have an 8Y, but observations from having car B&O:

* Bluetooth audio is too compressed and loses depth. iPhones don’t have good Bluetooth audio codecs. Needs to be USB AAC or lossless/FLAC.
* B&O out of the box is underwhelming for the hype. Any system whether B&O or not needs to be tuned (treble, bass, subwoofer, focus, surround) to your preference and preferred volume. Once set, there is a sweet spot volume zone - in my case too quiet and it sounds flat, too loud and bass overwhelms. Tuning takes time to get it how you want it but once you do it’s superb and a world apart from default.
* Radio and USB audio need different settings at preferred volume to work well.

 

[Moots]

I was a bit underwhelmed with it at first, but as others have said with a bit of tweaking it’s so much better than audio on any of the other cars I’ve had.

 

[Harny86]

I was a bit underwhelmed with it at first, but as others have said with a bit of tweaking it’s so much better than audio on any of the other cars I’ve had.

U able to send me your settings please soni can try it
Thank you

 

[Madmo]

My settings are:

Treble +4
Bass +2
Subwoofer +2
Focus = All
Surround level Max
3D Sound High
Speed dependant VC Max

i think it sounds fantastic listening to DAB and my iphone connected via USB

 

[DangerMouseUK]

Hi all

I've got the B&O upgrade in my S3 and I'm really hard pushed to tell the difference from my old A4 which had the standard sound setup.

I also feel the balance is very front heavy even if you fade to the rear

Anyone else share my thoughts.

As per my other post I can't even figure out where the middle of the fader is and there's no reset to centre option anywhere like on every other car I've ever owned!

Doesn't sound that bad tbh, definitely gets better the louder it gets, whats strange is it seems to separate the channels better when Surround is set to High as opposed to off.

 

[bfevo]

As per my other post I can't even figure out where the middle of the fader is and there's no reset to centre option anywhere like on every other car I've ever owned!

Doesn't sound that bad tbh, definitely gets better the louder it gets, whats strange is it seems to separate the channels better when Surround is set to High as opposed to off.

So you don't have this under sound settings?

 

[DangerMouseUK]

Hey mate,

Yeah I've got that screen I just can't figure out where dead centre for the sound is - is it where you've got the dot there in that photo or is that one back from dead centre?

 

[bfevo]

Yup thats the default position. Just behind centre arm rest.

 

[DangerMouseUK]

Cool never had a car that didn't have a reset to default in the sound settings or balance/fader but guessing was just a small omission.

Its going back to Audi tomorrrow as the eSIM/LTE Modem keeps dissappearing from the system and the screen randomly blacks out with the unit sometimes resetting + the microphone randomly stops working, hopefully they'll flash some new firmware to fix it all!

 

[driver_tim]

I’m still on an 8V (at least for now), but sound systems like this generally need “running in.” If the car is brand new you will probably find it improves with time.

 

[DreamInCode]

Only just found out that when my phone is hooked up with cable and playing through Android Auto, it sounds much better. The difference between playing over bluetooth and wire is very much noticeable.

 

[Sparks43]

Only just found out that when my phone is hooked up with cable and playing through Android Auto, it sounds much better. The difference between playing over bluetooth and wire is very much noticeable.

It was on the 8V as well

 

[Chris4410]

Shocking......music quality is better when using a physical connection vs wireless or Bluetooth.

 

[DreamInCode]

It's a shame that A3's bluetooth doesn't support AAC codec.

 

[Q5 TRS]

It's a shame that A3's bluetooth doesn't support AAC codec.

Is anyone using any lossless files off an SD card if there is one in the glovebox for example ?


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[KXL]

Is anyone using any lossless files off an SD card if there is one in the glovebox for example ?


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Although I haven't got my A3 yet, I believe there is no SD card slot (had 2 VAG cars that did and found it useful), but you can plug in a USB stick into one of the two USB ports. Most believe the earliest A3s had 1 usb-A and 1 usb-C, but more recent ones only have 2 x USB-Cs.

 

[Q5 TRS]

Although I haven't got my A3 yet, I believe there is no SD card slot (had 2 VAG cars that did and found it useful), but you can plug in a USB stick into one of the two USB ports. Most believe the earliest A3s had 1 usb-A and 1 usb-C, but more recent ones only have 2 x USB-Cs.

I think that’s correct about one of each a usb-A port and one usb-C port. All the videos I’ve seen have that.

So the only way to play an “external” library is to use the dash usb?
Can anyone else who has their 8Y confirm this?


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[Sparks43]

I think that’s correct about one of each a usb-A port and one usb-C port. All the videos I’ve seen have that.

So the only way to play an “external” library is to use the dash usb?
Can anyone else who has their 8Y confirm this?


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I have 2 USB-C ports and use a Anker Adapter that converts USB-C to USB-A and can then play a USB flash drive - Also handy for charging your phone if you still have the USB-A connection - My iphone came with a usb -c to lightning cable plus I have the wireless charging pad so not important on that part

No SD card in the glovebox anymore either

 

[KXL]

I did notice in the newer 40 TFSIe A3s, they are all 2xUSB-Cs. Guess the first gens were predominately the 35 badged engines, with 1 USB each. And the 30TFSI engines were rolled out later, and some might have 1 USB each, or 2 USB-Cs. I will know for sure, once I get mine, but I'm expecting 2 x USB-Cs.

 

[DreamInCode]

I did notice in the newer 40 TFSIe A3s, they are all 2xUSB-Cs. Guess the first gens were predominately the 35 badged engines, with 1 USB each. And the 30TFSI engines were rolled out later, and some might have 1 USB each, or 2 USB-Cs. I will know for sure, once I get mine, but I'm expecting 2 x USB-Cs.

Mine is 35TFSI S Line which I think was an Oct 20 build but delivered to me in Jan 21. It has one regular USB and one USB C.

I've been playing some Amazon Music Ultra HD musics through Android Auto and I must say it sounded really good. I don't have another car/sound system at the moment to compare it to. But once I had a Bose sound system with CD player, and the B&O sounds better than that.

Disclaimer: I'm NOT an audiophile.

 

[AdamInKent]

It’s official, Audi have the best high quality sound system ;-)

 

[KXL]

A random one, but you know on the front doors, on the B&O soundsystem. I know that at the bottom front of the door, there is a speaker under the B&O aluminium branding, however in reviews, there seems to be something that looks like a speaker grill around the handle (to close the door) middle area of door. Is there a speaker there as well? Eg...there are 2 speakers in each front door?

 

[Sparks43]

A random one, but you know on the front doors, on the B&O soundsystem. I know that at the bottom front of the door, there is a speaker under the B&O aluminium branding, however in reviews, there seems to be something that looks like a speaker grill around the handle (to close the door) middle area of door. Is there a speaker there as well? Eg...there are 2 speakers in each front door?

Yes there is a speaker in there and that's where the other screw is to take the door panel off.

 

[KXL]

Yes there is a speaker in there and that's where the other screw is to take the door panel off.

So there are 17 speakers on the B&O? Eg...dash board 4 speakers, A pillar 2, front doors 4 in total, rear doors 4 in total, C pillar 2 speakers and boot 1 sub?

 

[Sparks43]

So there are 17 speakers on the B&O? Eg...dash board 4 speakers, A pillar 2, front doors 4 in total, rear doors 4 in total, C pillar 2 speakers and boot 1 sub?

This the spec I found - Surround sound playback via 15 high‐performance speakers including subwoofer; 16‐channel amplifier with a total output of 680 watts - so maybe there aren't speakers behind there but I thought there were

 

[KXL]

Yea I was confused, it really looks like a speaker grill, thought Audi would just make it fabric or whatever material the rest of the inner door is if it wasn't, and even one youtube reviewer said there's a speaker there, but the car he reviewed didn't have B&O

 

[Moots]

I had saved a load of favourite stations, for some reason they’ve all vanished today when i got in the S3, So many bugs or minor issues with the MMI, keeps attempting to move the icons as well when I first login like the MMI unit thinks I’m holding down to move the icons but I’m not, seems like it takes a while to start up properly when first turned on.

Quite annoying.

 

[KXL]

This reviewer doesn't seem too keen on the stock;
https://totallyev.net/audi-a3-audio-review/
Can't wait for mine with the B&O, surely it must be at a much higher level than stock 6 speakers. I think on Autogefuel and in Europe there is also the 'Audi Sound System' with 10 speakers inc sub and amp, and Thomas there said if I recall correctly, that one is probably the better cost-performance ratio, but it's not available in UK.

 

[Q5 TRS]

This reviewer doesn't seem too keen on the stock;
https://totallyev.net/audi-a3-audio-review/
Can't wait for mine with the B&O, surely it must be at a much higher level than stock 6 speakers. I think on Autogefuel and in Europe there is also the 'Audi Sound System' with 10 speakers inc sub and amp, and Thomas there said if I recall correctly, that one is probably the better cost-performance ratio, but it's not available in UK.

Had Audi sound system upgrade in my 8V and was good.
B&O in my dads A8 is good, recently went in and there were 3 MMI updates amongst others and some issues that needed fixing. He hasn’t driven much though due to Covid, he just filled up the tank yesterday for the third time since March 2020. It’s only got around 3000 miles on it.


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[db23]

I’ve honestly no idea how folk are complaining about the B&O system. It’s outstanding and I’ve came from the Harman Kardon in my Mercedes which I thought was very good but it’s nowhere near as good as this.


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