B&W Diamond in i7 Distorted at High Volume

[Caroline_Justine]

I’ve got the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond system in my BMW i7, and to be honest, I’m pretty disappointed with the sound quality. When I turn up the volume, especially with bass-heavy tracks, the sound gets distorted. I’ve tried playing music through Bluetooth, CarPlay, USB, and even built-in Spotify, but the distortion persists.

For context, I previously had the Harman Kardon system in my last BMW, and it sounded noticeably better than this. I also listened to the B&W Diamond system in an XM model, and it was incredible, so I’m not sure what’s going on here. From what I understand, BMW switched from having two subwoofers under the front seats to a single subwoofer in the trunk for the i7 and some hybrid models. The bass feels off, and oddly, there’s a loud hum coming from the trunk area, which makes it sound like an old car from the outside.

Is anyone else underwhelmed by the B&W system in their i7, or do you think there’s something wrong with my setup?

 

[i7Driver2024]

I don't know! I don't have any sound problems. In fact, it sounds extraordinary. But note that I don't like driving with the music on the highest volume level. I like enjoying the conversations with the passengers if there are any.

 

[Captain Jack]

Your system may not be calibrated properly. I’d suggest reaching out to BMW for a full diagnostic, as this could be a setup issue.

 

[jerawrr]

I love the sound system in my i7. I rarely turn it up past 2/3 volume. It's plenty loud for me. I like to enjoy the music, not have it blast me.

 

[_dbo]

The sound system in my car is amazing. Everyone raves about it, and it's honestly the best I've ever heard. I've heard the ICE versions are even better, and the X7 has a killer sound system too.

It's the best I've ever had, but sometimes you can hear road noise and stuff coming in, and it kinda ruins the experience.

 

[RLN]

Not really an audio nerdy but damn the sound quality is super nice as compared to my previous Bimmers!