If its that bad, I would take it to the dealer. Its possible that the standard volume level for your sub was placed lower in comparison with the other speakers. I hope that they should be able to change speaker levels with their computer system that connects to the ODBII port.
B&O without MMI - anyone unhappy?
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Also, to add insult to injury, the standard audio system without nav gets an SD card slot for MP3s, and the high end sound with nav loses that feature, which sucks, although I will be using my iPod anyways.
Jimmyz:
I guess the main point is illustrated well in Withnails posting:
Since the subwoofer by default in B&O setups seems set quite low, with the front door speakers doing most of the bass, a dedicated subwoofer setting would be useful for those who might want to try and beef up the rear bass without overloading the fronts.
I guess so... I must admit, that for most cars I have driven, changing the bass was suffucuent enout to get the sub going strong, but I guess this is not true for the B&O, my bad. I guess the B&O was designed to play high fidelity music, like classical or soft classics, and I am sure it sounds great with those on. I guess they didn't realize youngins like me will be blasting TI and Yung Jeezy, lol.
Such a phone call to B&O is news to me. If the information they gave on the phone is correct, it is a good question why things happened like they did.
The missing setting (in cars without MMI), as far as I know, is the one which allows the user to select front/rear/driver bias for the surround setup. In cars with MMI, the audio is transferred from the radio/CD/AMI modules to the B&O amplifier via the MOST fiber-optic cabling digitally. In cars without MMI, it goes as line-out analogue audio from the radio to the B&O amplifier (four lines I think?). Apparently there are two versions of the B&O amp, one for cars with MMI and one for without.
I always assumed the reason was that processing the analogue signals from the radio would have required additional components or higher-end logic or some such in the non-MMI B&O amp, so the surround bias option isn't available for that reason, but that the amp with the digital MOST transport had the necessary logic on board. Of course it is possible that it is just product differentiation by Audi.
In any case, the confirmed analog vs. digital audio transport certainly can account to some difference in how they sound.
It should be easy enough to confirm. Just transfer all audio balance to the rear (thus effectively shutting down the front speakers) and see what you think of the bass - you should then just have the rears and the sub running.
The argument that B&O was designed to be a well-rounded package with overall good quality in mind instead of disproportionate bass is of course a good one, and one that has been tossed around quite a bit. It is probably very true.
But I guess the general concensus seems to gravitate towards the opinion that, yes it is a well rounded high quality package, but if it lacks one thing it could deliver more bass - and dedicated settings might help.
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I think they are missing the surround option where there is a dial to select the amount of surround sound processing that takes place. The front/all/driver is a different option (although I dont know if that is present or missing on non MMI).
Yeah, I know they are different options, but I am under the impression that it is the front/all/driver that is missing from non-MMI cars.
Who can clarify?
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328 Posts
Ok, I've read all the posts but I'm still very confused 
I've ordered an S5 with B&O but without MMI, does this mean I won't be able to control bass, treble, balance, etc?
If so, then it sucks... on my old A4 -06 with the biggest speaker-package I always had the bass at +4 and the treble at +2.
I really have no need for the MMI nav, but now I'm considering to order it just so that I can use me B&O
I've ordered an S5 with B&O but without MMI, does this mean I won't be able to control bass, treble, balance, etc?
If so, then it sucks... on my old A4 -06 with the biggest speaker-package I always had the bass at +4 and the treble at +2.
I really have no need for the MMI nav, but now I'm considering to order it just so that I can use me B&O
Here is what the SOUND menu will look like in an A5/S5 without MMI but with B&O:Ok, I've read all the posts but I'm still very confused
I've ordered an S5 with B&O but without MMI, does this mean I won't be able to control bass, treble, balance, etc?
If so, then it sucks... on my old A4 -06 with the biggest speaker-package I always had the bass at +4 and the treble at +2.
I really have no need for the MMI nav, but now I'm considering to order it just so that I can use me B&O
http://www.a5oc.com/forums/showthread.php/mmi-and-ais-2717/index.html?t=2717
So yes, you will get BASS and TREBLE dials. What you will NOT get are surround adjustments (just surround on or off, apparently - in MMI cars you get a dial where you can adjust how much surround processing you want) and you will not be able to adjust surround bias (front, all, driver), which is only available with MMI.
Neither with MMI or non-MMI will B&O get separate subwoofer control, which some people feel is missing, since the lesser Audi Sound System does get a separate subwoofer control dial.
BTW: That TuffLittleUnit's fine posting which I quoted and linked above finally put to rest what the B&O settings differences are in cars with MMI or without:
- Cars without MMI get only surround on/off, with MMI you get a dial to adjust how much surround processing
- Cars with MMI GALA is just on/off, but without MMI there is a list?
- Cars without MMI don't get the option to set surround bias (front, all, driver), MMI cars do
Otherwise looks pretty identical from what I recall. Do MMI cars have MID setting or just BASS and TREBLE?
With Audi sound system you apparently get additionally:
- Subwoofer - with dial
- GALA - with dial (although this is traditional speed-based GALA, not with microphone)
- Cars without MMI get only surround on/off, with MMI you get a dial to adjust how much surround processing
- Cars with MMI GALA is just on/off, but without MMI there is a list?
- Cars without MMI don't get the option to set surround bias (front, all, driver), MMI cars do
Otherwise looks pretty identical from what I recall. Do MMI cars have MID setting or just BASS and TREBLE?
With Audi sound system you apparently get additionally:
- Subwoofer - with dial
- GALA - with dial (although this is traditional speed-based GALA, not with microphone)
Good to hear. In you case, if you are going for the B&O no matter what, choosing navi or not choosing navi will not affect available bass adjustments.
Some theoretically audible difference in sound on B&O with and without navi has been reported (well, at least surround sound should have a difference since without navi some processing possibilities are missing), so if you are picky about your sound maybe try to get a chance to hear both and see if you want to add navi.
Otherwise, unless you care deeply about B&O surround sound settings that come with the MMI/navi, probably no need to get the navi in your case.
(Once again this tired old link for anyone not yet read upon this, technical reasons for the difference explained:
Difference between standard radio Concert/Symphony and the optional DVD navigation's MMI controls in B8 platform Audi A4 and A5
http://www.geocities.com/a6retrofit/articles/a4a5realmmi.html)
Some theoretically audible difference in sound on B&O with and without navi has been reported (well, at least surround sound should have a difference since without navi some processing possibilities are missing), so if you are picky about your sound maybe try to get a chance to hear both and see if you want to add navi.
Otherwise, unless you care deeply about B&O surround sound settings that come with the MMI/navi, probably no need to get the navi in your case.
(Once again this tired old link for anyone not yet read upon this, technical reasons for the difference explained:
Difference between standard radio Concert/Symphony and the optional DVD navigation's MMI controls in B8 platform Audi A4 and A5
http://www.geocities.com/a6retrofit/articles/a4a5realmmi.html)
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328 Posts
I read this on the site you posted:
"Some users have also reported inferior sound quality on cars without MMI/navigation, which might be explained by the analogue line-out audio transport instead of going all digital over MOST. "
Could this be true? Does anybody agree?
"Some users have also reported inferior sound quality on cars without MMI/navigation, which might be explained by the analogue line-out audio transport instead of going all digital over MOST. "
Could this be true? Does anybody agree?
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I also tried out the B&O system today, and my first conclusion is, that it is way off (down!) from the quality level of the Bose system in my previous S4!
The sound is not balanced, there are almost no lows (the sub is apparantly not used optimally) and the rear speaker(s) is/are virbrating (on medium volume already!). After 10 minutes, I even stopped playing CDs because it was too annoying.
A bit later a friend of mine got into the S5 and (without telling him anything) I put on one of his CDs. His reaction was: huh? is all ok with your audio? (he drives a 2007 TT with Bose system as his reference).
Can you imagine how to explain customers to buy this expensive option?
Ok, one question: is it possible to put off the whole B&O DSP stuff (it is possible to put-off Bose in the S4/TT via VAG-COM)?
The sound is not balanced, there are almost no lows (the sub is apparantly not used optimally) and the rear speaker(s) is/are virbrating (on medium volume already!). After 10 minutes, I even stopped playing CDs because it was too annoying.
A bit later a friend of mine got into the S5 and (without telling him anything) I put on one of his CDs. His reaction was: huh? is all ok with your audio?
(he drives a 2007 TT with Bose system as his reference). Can you imagine how to explain customers to buy this expensive option?
Ok, one question: is it possible to put off the whole B&O DSP stuff (it is possible to put-off Bose in the S4/TT via VAG-COM)?
Is the car in some other SOUND FOCUS mode other than ALL? If in DRIVER or FRONT mode (see the B&O DSP settings), it might explain your experience. Some like the DSP processing a lot (and feel using DRIVER or FRONT is the only way to really experience this system), some don't (like the purity of the sound more). Also try playing with the SURROUND dial to see if less or more helps.I also tried out the B&O system today, and my first conclusion is, that it is way off (down!) from the quality level of the Bose system in my previous S4!
Also, GALA ON/OFF turns on/off the microphone-based equalizing so you may want to play with that as well.
Some more ideas to consider anyways:
How do you measure quality level? Some seem to feel the B&O lacks bass, apparently Bose is not very balanced but does do plenty of bass, maybe you miss the extensive bass? The A5 B&O is reported, when working, to be quite balanced which some attribute to lack of quality (since the bass isn't thumping over), others as a sign of quality.
Having said that, I still agree that B&O is probably, taking in all the commentary, all in all weakest in the subwoofer (and related settings), but people having broken amps (tinting can break them due to water spillage) or subs not working from factory, or bad DSP settings etc. are giving the system more bad reputation than it probably really deserves.
Also, the sound source must be considered. Radio never sounds very good. MP3s can be muddied by nature of low bitrates. But you said you used CDs so I doubt this was a problem for you, though.
My B&O with MMI is working just fine. Sounds good except for the sub not producing tight bass. Alot more rattle from the rear deck with volume turned up. Yes the biggest weakness of the system is the sub and rear bass. I will be replacing the sub this week with a JL audio and dynamat to see if this solves the problem.
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Withnail, I am seeing the same behaviour as you, subwoofer can barely be heard even when in the boot. (I have B&O without Navi). The front speakers are doing all the work and to compensate I normally fade it 2 or 3 clicks to the rear. Overall the sound is OK, but not nearly as good as I was expecting.
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