Is it common for BMWs to blow speakers?

[och]

I am posting this in two different sections of the forum because I have the same exact issue with two cars.

Back in January I replaced speakers in my 2012 X5 with Bavsound. Less than a month later I started hearing distortions and I located them to be coming from the rear passenger side door speaker. I contacted Bavsound and they sent me a new speaker, but I haven't got around to replacing it yet since I am not really using the car with the quarantine.

The distortions are not always noticeable, as that speaker gets drowned out by the other 6 speakers, and are only obvious in some songs, and even then I first thought it was due to vibrations from the door panel or maybe the song itself being badly encoded. Thus I am not sure if the original factory speaker also had these distortions, but I know for sure that right after I replaced them there were no distortions coming from any new speakers because I individually listened to them all up close. The original system was Logic7 / Professional DSP - S677A.

I also have a 2017 X6M with Bowers & Wilkins system, and about a year ago I started noticing distortions from the sound system. I didn't bother locating which speaker was causing it, I simply brought it to the dealer and they confirmed that there was a damaged speaker and replaced it. I do not have the original paper work, so I don't know which one they have replaced.

Fast forward to now, and I started hearing the same exact distortions as in my X5, and this time I located it to the rear passenger side door. They are absolutely identical to the X5 and are only obvious on some songs during certain pitches, and other times the speaker gets drowned out by the rest of the speakers and its hard to even notice the distortions.

Just wondering if anyone else had a similar issue. Could it be something with the amp causing speakers to fail?

[GeorgeR]

Originally Posted by och

I also have a 2017 X6M with Bowers & Wilkins system,

I didn't know the X6M had a B&W option, thought the high end option was B&O?

I had HK systems in 2 of my BMW's for years and never had a problem. I have since ungraded the sound systems in both but all the speakers were still in perfect shape, I just wanted better sound. I am not overly impressed with Bavsound speakers although the DSP is nice.

[och]

Originally Posted by GeorgeR

I didn't know the X6M had a B&W option, thought the high end option was B&O?

I had HK systems in 2 of my BMW's for years and never had a problem. I have since ungraded the sound systems in both but all the speakers were still in perfect shape, I just wanted better sound. I am not overly impressed with Bavsound speakers although the DSP is nice.

You know, you might be right, it might be B&O, lol.

In the X5 the Logic 7 system is made by H&K to the best of my knowledge.

[CatalinP]

So you don't know the system you have, you don't know which speaker is blown, you don't actually know that it is blown... What exactly do you know?

[och]

Originally Posted by CatalinP

So you don't know the system you have, you don't know which speaker is blown, you don't actually know that it is blown... What exactly do you know?

I got confused with the system because I have a new X6M on order which actually has Bowers & Wilkins. I checked and my current X6M indeed has Bang and Olufsen. I also heard that BMW uses Alpine audio systems, and just buys licenses from big names such as HK, B&W, B&O to label their systems.

I know that my rear passenger side door speaker is making distortions, so I assume it is blown. I do not know what is causing it to blow, given that this is the second time this has happened, possible on the same speaker. And my X5 has the same issue with the same speaker. I never blast music very loud, so I wonder if they just have terrible amps that cause speakers to blow?

[och]

Been googling B&O blown speakers, and there are tons of thread, apparently its a crap system that's not even made by B&O.

[Chicane_S54]

Originally Posted by och

I am posting this in two different sections of the forum because I have the same exact issue with two cars.

Back in January I replaced speakers in my 2012 X5 with Bavsound. Less than a month later I started hearing distortions and I located them to be coming from the rear passenger side door speaker. I contacted Bavsound and they sent me a new speaker, but I haven't got around to replacing it yet since I am not really using the car with the quarantine.

The distortions are not always noticeable, as that speaker gets drowned out by the other 6 speakers, and are only obvious in some songs, and even then I first thought it was due to vibrations from the door panel or maybe the song itself being badly encoded. Thus I am not sure if the original factory speaker also had these distortions, but I know for sure that right after I replaced them there were no distortions coming from any new speakers because I individually listened to them all up close. The original system was Logic7 / Professional DSP - S677A.

I also have a 2017 X6M with Bowers & Wilkins system, and about a year ago I started noticing distortions from the sound system. I didn't bother locating which speaker was causing it, I simply brought it to the dealer and they confirmed that there was a damaged speaker and replaced it. I do not have the original paper work, so I don't know which one they have replaced.

Fast forward to now, and I started hearing the same exact distortions as in my X5, and this time I located it to the rear passenger side door. They are absolutely identical to the X5 and are only obvious on some songs during certain pitches, and other times the speaker gets drowned out by the rest of the speakers and its hard to even notice the distortions.

Just wondering if anyone else had a similar issue. Could it be something with the amp causing speakers to fail?

Go easy on the Hip Hop and you won't have any issues.

[och]

Originally Posted by Chicane_S54

Go easy on the Hip Hop and you won't have any issues.

I do not, not at all, I never blast any music loud.

[Chicane_S54]

Originally Posted by och

I do not, not at all, I never blast any music loud.

One of the Harman Kardon tweeters in my M3 went out prematurely. For all of the marketing hype, I just don't think BMW uses high quality speakers. Better to go with solid aftermarkets.

[och]

Originally Posted by Chicane_S54

One of the Harman Kardon tweeters in my M3 went out prematurely. For all of the marketing hype, I just don't think BMW uses high quality speakers. Better to go with solid aftermarkets.

Oh the speakers are total crap, if you google they are cheap unlabeled paper cone speakers, but I wonder if its the amp/hu causes them to blow.

[Chicane_S54]

Yeah, I don't doubt that, that's why I say just replace them with solid aftermarket speakers in pairs as you have issues with them. I would never replace with oem. I think the "BIG NAME" audio stuff is just market BS.

[och]

Originally Posted by Chicane_S54

Yeah, I don't doubt that, that's why I say just replace them with solid aftermarket speakers in pairs as you have issues with them. I would never replace with oem. I think the "BIG NAME" audio stuff is just market BS.

Well, I did replace the blown Bavsound speaker in the X5 a couple of days ago, but X6M was due for lease end return back in march, so I'm just going to let it be.