BMW 4 (G22) - Morel Reference sound system (Harman Kardon replacement)

Top-tier audio for the BMW 440i (G22), in which we replaced the optional Harman Kardon audio system. This beauty arrived to us practically straight from the BMW showroom, where it was recently handed over to its happy owner. He already knew in advance that the factory sound system would not bring him as much joy as the car itself, and he had been booked with us for some time. The requirement was to achieve top-tier sound with the option to play high-resolution tracks, all within an unobtrusive installation without altering the original wiring. Because the car had the factory Harman Kardon sound system, the installation is more demanding than with lower variants and it is essential to follow several rules not only for the installation itself but for the correct choice of components and especially for subsequent tuning and sound setup. In this installation we demonstrate everything that can be done with sound (not only) in BMWs, including tuning several sound profiles, which of course extends the installation by several hours. For the new audio system we chose OEM speakers from the Israeli high-end manufacturer Morel, which delivers uncompromising sound to BMW's most demanding owners, and of course in the required plug & play installation. All speakers therefore have the same shape, mounts and connectors as factory BMW speakers, and installation proceeds without any intervention in the factory wiring. The main difference compared to competing solutions, however, is the inimitable sound that has made the brand famous not only in car audio but also in home audio. Morel divides its BMW speakers into two lines - Reference and Performance. For this installation we chose a combination of both, with the dominant front speakers represented by the higher Reference series, which simply represents the best that can be installed in BMWs today. These speakers are based on the now almost legendary Hybrid model line, which is an ideal gateway into the world of Morel's audiophile sound. You can enjoy silky tweeters with the typical Morel "sweet & warm" sound, details in your favorite tracks you've never heard before, and high power without any distortion. Contributing to this are the specific under-seat subwoofers with excellent sonic performance. All 12 Morel speakers were connected to a twelve-channel amplifier from the German manufacturer Helix, which offers not only optimal power but also great sound and an integrated DSP processor. For perfect dynamics of the new audio system we also added a compact and—most importantly—great-sounding JL Audio subwoofer in the trunk and a matching amplifier from this American manufacturer. At the end of the installation comes the most important part: measurement of the sound with the professional JL Audio Max measuring system with 5 microphones, which allows you to literally squeeze the maximum out of the vehicle's audio system. And that at a level that cannot be achieved by any other method, even for the most trained human ear. The measured results are then applied in the DSP processor software, the sound is finely tuned according to our preferences and finally we perform the last adjustments together with our client. The result of a successful setup is high-quality, faithful sound adapted to the driver and this specific vehicle. In total we tuned 3 sound presets - one for the factory Logic7 surround sound, a second for the head unit focused on the driver’s location, and a third with the same sound direction but for the Hi-Res Bluetooth module and mobile phone. The last option provides truly lossless high-resolution sound with the purest reference signal without any sonic limitation of the factory unit and amplifier. It is therefore up to the vehicle owner which sound profile they choose to listen to their favorite music.