At the end of the day, no matter what people tell you, just try it by yourself, and decide. I have a really nice home system, but I couldn't justify spending over $3k in a car audio system. I am very happy with the standard system, but if I had more money, I would be driving a fully loaded T8 R-Design rather than a T6 Momentum+. At one point you have to draw the line and decide what is really important to you.

 

+1

 

Clearly it depends on ones personal preferences as so many here have said. I was in the music business for 20 years so I agree with those that say they think the B&W system is a great choice. The stock system was unacceptable to me, as was the upgraded system in the Audi, the Land Rover and the BMW, so I would have had to step up in any of the cars I was looking at. But that’s me, a personal preference.

I go on long drives and there is no other entertainment in the car but the music system; it’s where I get to listen to high quality music. While I have thoughtfully selected high quality equipment at home it’s rare that I will have the time to spend hours listening in an undisturbed way like I can in my car. So for me it is worth whatever it costs. And, while I can’t speak for the OP the standard system was, as I said, unacceptable but no worse than, and probably better than, the standard premium Audi or BMW systems. But as said above, you have to listen for yourself.


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In which format do you listen?

 

A bit of a conspiracy theory on my part but I believe the base / stock audio package is intentionally horrible with most of the marques just so you get the premium.
In addition to the noticeable difference in styling and design with the grills in an attempt to make the option more tangible. In the past audio upgrades were less common when they were behind the same grills or only gave a nod by changing a badge. Now an audio upgrade changes the look of the interior as well as enhances the listening experience.

 

I use the audio system for background music and things like navigation instructions and traffic messages/warnings.
Driving a car in present day traffic doesn't allow me to really listen to music without compromizing my attention
and concentration. For my use I don't find the standard audio system lacking in any way.
I listen to music in my home environment and I don't even enjoy surround. The only times I appreciate hearing music
instruments from behind me is when I play myself, but as a member of the audience I don't.

 

Let's be realistic about the stock system, this is a luxury vehicle and the sound system will far out perform non luxury vehicles anyday, in order to enhance that experience they offer an even more luxurious sound system because buyers love options and the B&W sounds amazing because they want to sell it to you for big bucks but the stock system is not lacking compared to other systems, it's all personal preference if you love music and only purchase luxury vehicles the stock system will be lacking and you are the Target market for the B&W

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I tested Spotify over Bluetooth (I know it's not the best way to test it but it was the best option I had with me at the time) at the dealership between a XC90 with the B&W and one without. I am not an audiophile but I do tend to spend more for better than average audio equipment because I do like to enjoy my music and try to get the best that fits within my budget.

I have to say that the base system is very good, I'd say surprisingly good compared to the B&W. Another way to put it - B&W was definitely a "wow" when I first heard it, and then if you go to the base system expecting a "meh", you will be surprised. With the right songs, it seems to do a great job and I would be very happy with it. The B&W system has better tweeters so it can hit better clarity at the highs and you have a lot more control on the type of sound stage depending on the type of song and mood. It's not clear I'd be changing the sound stage all the time though. I do find the sound to be more pleasant overall on the B&W.

I don't think it's quite worth $3200 in terms of audio quality (from the limited testing that I had). I also have some doubts about being able to enjoy it fully with some of the concerns on the forum about road/tire noise at highway speeds and I also will have kids with me on long road trips. Having said that I still do plan on going with the B&W for my MY18 order because I do spend much of my life in a car and the improved aesthetics are nice. Had I never heard the B&W in person, I'd probably wouldn't be getting it at so it's definitely a splurge in my mind.

 

Like any system, the output is only as good as the input…

I’ve invested heavily in high definition music (most in 96/192Khz,24bit FLAC format) from HD Tracks, ProStudioMasters and other HD music sources. Some favorite tracks include Rebecca Pidgeon’s “Spanish Harlem” Shelby Lynne’s rendition of “Just a Little Lovin” and even HD re-mastered editions of Cat Steven’s “Tea for the Tillerman” or the Eagle’s “Hotel California” ; it’s like a veil has been lifted from the music.

If you’ve invested in HD music library you own it to yourself to experience the B&W System.

If you’ve invested in the B&W system you owe it to yourself to feed it HD music.

Compressed files from Satellite and/or over Bluetooth will sound great, but not magical.

 

Some FM radio station broadcast in High Definition which works with the lower cost audio but not the Bowers & Wilkins.

 

The BW doesn't have an HD radio capabilities?

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Good point chillg8r regarding opinions. If you can afford an XC90, then the cost of the B&W sound system is in line with the car's value. I rarely use the radio and so for me the cost would not be worthwhile for me. My standard radio gives me all I need. Same thinking with the Inscription. I am quite satisfied with the level of refinement with the Momentum. I did go with the air suspension, use 91 octane gas and plan to install Polestar when the new version is available (dealer gave me 50% off). Others may forgo Polestar and premium gas.

 

only adding 14 HP and 30 lbs of torque, wait for something better to come along.

 

Either decision is justifiable, and posters here mostly try to validate their own decisions. Some get quite pompous about it. If you're really concerned, listen to both, go with what you prefer provided you think it worth the expense- to you, that is. Few things are more subjective than how something sounds. It is simply undeniable in higher-end cars that accessories depreciate much faster than the car itself, so how long you plan to keep it might factor in. I am not an audiophile, and to me the stock system sounds fine. The B+W system might very well sound better, but for me at least it's not worth the extra cost. But that's just me.

 

We had to draw the line somewhere, so B&W didn't make the list. I admit I don't love the standard system, but honestly I mainly listen to Sirius, podcasts, and NPR, so it's probably not a huge deal. But if you can afford it, definitely get it.

 

We had to draw the line somewhere, so B&W didn't make the list..honestly I mainly listen to Sirius, podcasts, and NPR...

Interesting how many folks here listen to NPR...me being one of them.

So...as a suggestion...let's NOT buy the B&W and instead donate $3200 to public radio!



OK, OK...now back to our regular programming.

 

I know B&W is great but I feel not like to order a fully loaded one. I just added advanced pkg (HUD and 360 degree view) to my XC60 order, but I still cannot persuade myself to get B&W. It is the last option on my list and I still don't feel like to stretch for it.

So it is really personal priority.

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I'm not an audio guy but I really like the speaker grill treatment. I listened to music via Bluetooth which wouldn't be great on the a high-end system anyway. And I would have preferred to spend 💰 on the Air suspension, if that was available for my budget. I did spend money on Polestar, and on OptiCoat. Maybe B&W isn't really worth the 3k extra.

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I listen to music via Bluetooth which wouldn't be great on the a high-end system anyway.

Bluetooth no longer suffers from compression issues with the latest specs - they're higher bandwidth than most sources.
The streaming services generally have fairly good encoding rates, so streamed music, streamed with bluetooth, the to B&W system is very good.

 

I have standard system with additional Sub. I don't know if it is available to get the sub in US but it is really worth it and costs around $500. I have conpared my system to B&W and the sound quality is exactly the same. Just with B&W you get sound virtualization which in my opinion just distorts the sound and makes it artificial. Of course without the sub there would be a difference.

 

It's a pity it's not available in the USA. I heard the standard system + subwoofer and it impressed me. I thought it was weird. I mean, it felt like it was fuller on the mid-range as well. But it's one more way out US XC90s are the poor cousins of the European cars. No laminated glass. No grill shutters. No gas heaters. No active lights...

 

I consider the "I have/don't have a nice home theater system so why would I spend money for one in my car? argument specious.

How much time do you spend commuting each day? Do you spend that much time actively listening to your home theater system? I bet you if you mathed it out you might find that you spend more hours per year listening to your car audio than you do your home audio, making the dollars-per-hour ratio pretty damn favorable.

 

I had exactly the same thoughts and arguments against buying the BW system: not really an audiophile, listen to Iphone and radio, too expensive etc.... until (4months later after receiving nonBW car) I sat in the new XC60, where the regular radio was on through the BW system.
I mean, you have to be completely deaf, if you dont hear the difference in the sound quality. And it was just the radio
The regular system is indeed not bad but since that day I am hoping that there will be a way of retrofitting the BW system in my car one day.
Sure, on short city trips, I don't need it but when I do long roadtrips, I always remember those minutes sitting in the BW car.
To illustrate my approach: I don't have air suspension and I drive my car on 19" wheels. I tried the same car with the air suspension recently and I have no regrets there as compared to the sound system.

 

I've listened to the 2018 Audi Q7 Bose system, the Mazda CX9 bose system, the XC90 regular system and the B&W system back to back. The B&W is by far the best sounding one regardless of playback quality or preference settings. You can immediately tell a huge difference. That's why we got it on our MY17.
On a side note...the regular XC90 system still sounded better then the other two but not by a lot.

 

B+W system for relatively cheap (wasn't it 2700 on the MY17s?) was one of the top reasons I went with an XC90.

 

$3,200

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For me, by far the worst offender as audio sources go is SiriusXM. It's compressed to all hell. Sounds ok on a bad stereo, but put it on an good stereo and it's painful.

FM HD radio is actually pretty good. Stellar in comparison to the more compressed Satellite stations.


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For me, by far the worst offender as audio sources go is SiriusXM. It's compressed to all hell. Sounds ok on a bad stereo, but put it on an good stereo and it's painful.

FM HD radio is actually pretty good. Stellar in comparison to the more compressed Satellite stations.

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I agree. Actually HD radio is pretty good and same goes for Pandora (again, provided that the unit is tuned properly).

 

I have been loaned a new T6 inscription while mine is being worked on.This has given me a chance to listen to the inscription stereo vs my B&W.
Quite simply there is no real comparison.while the standard inscription stereo is ok it is similar to those in most mid upper quality cars .Think ford or mazda.
The sound field is shallow and set up for radio imho.
For example we have a recent wrangler with the alpine stereo which knocks the socks off the volvo inscription standard.it is not as good as the meridian in the evoque I owned and reminded me most of system in a peugeot v6 I had years ago.
The B& W is a great system abnd better than the premium meridian in the jags.In fact the B&W is very like the premium system in the jags 5 years ago which was also a B&W.
To use a nautical phrase why spoil a ship for a hayputh of tar


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I have been loaned a new T6 inscription while mine is being worked on.This has given me a chance to listen to the inscription stereo vs my B&W.
Quite simply there is no real comparison.while the standard inscription stereo is ok it is similar to those in most mid upper quality cars .Think ford or mazda.
The sound field is shallow and set up for radio imho.
For example we have a recent wrangler with the alpine stereo which knocks the socks off the volvo inscription standard.it is not as good as the meridian in the evoque I owned and reminded me most of system in a peugeot v6 I had years ago.
The B& W is a great system abnd better than the premium meridian in the jags.In fact the B&W is very like the premium system in the jags 5 years ago which was also a B&W.
To use a nautical phrase why spoil a ship for a hayputh of tar

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AND it's been acoustically tuned for the interior of the Vo!

 

I will resist the desire to spend more money this time.

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Has anyone looked at upgrading their premium audio in the 2017/18 XC90? What have you done to improve the sound quality, speakers, amps, etc. Or is it even possible?

 

It will cost you more than what you'd have paid for B&W to properly upgrade the system in a way that will come close (but likely not surpass) the quality of B&W. That doesn't answer your question, but take it from someone who has played this game in my last two new vehicles in which I opted for the base audio system with the idea of upgrading myself - it's a black hole for your money and the results will almost certainly underwhelm you.

First, you're not going to be able to change the head unit itself, so you will need an amplifier that's easy to connect directly into the factory system. I recommend the Alpine KTP-445U for powering up to 4 speakers. You can power up the front speakers and leave the rears alone.

Next you will probably need to upgrade the speakers to a nice set of component speakers that work well with the Alpine amp (I used Infinity speakers and like them). Probably just the fronts need to be updated.

You'll need a subwoofer to capture the lower frequencies. This is where it gets expensive. Unless you want a big clunky subwoofer box taking up half the cargo area, you'll want to pay to have a custom fiberglass enclosure crafted and built into one of the rear fenders. Get a good subwoofer that works well in small enclosures; a 10 inch sub would be ideal.

Now you need an amplifier for the subwoofer, and it needs to be hidden back there as well, including all the wires that need to be routed up to the engine bay.

If you want quality sound, you'll have to pay and install a special interface between the factory amp and the amps you installed. Cleansweep is an example. Otherwise the sound quality will be lacking (loud, definitely, but balanced? Unlikely).

The cost is pretty high at this point... probably around what the B&W costs as an option. But wait... there's more!

Do all the components you bought and had installed work well together? Are there "gaps" in the sound (usually between 60 and 120 Hz)? Even with a sub/amp properly crossed will find the sound to not be smooth and even across the entire spectrum.

The B&W system is engineered to sound great in the XC90. Any system installed by you will not be tuned for that environment, unless you crank up your budget at a high end installer and let them cut and modify your cabin and tune it for you.

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Can I add that you are still left with a 11 speaker(assuming you add subwoofer) vs 19 without sound modelling.given the standard is 330 watts vs 1100 in the b&w I can't see how you could bridge the gap. It is easier to get another car with the b& w which is regarded as one of the best in car systems available.
After all why pay for this car over a Mazda but for the engine suspension and sound


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Can I add that you are still left with a 11 speaker(assuming you add subwoofer) vs 19 without sound modelling.given the standard is 330 watts vs 1100 in the b&w I can't see how you could bridge the gap. It is easier to get another car with the b& w which is regarded as one of the best in car systems available.
After all why pay for this car over a Mazda but for the engine suspension and sound

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Really shouldn't get caught up in the advertised watts... they usually use peak watts, not RMS, and that wattage is spread out over all the speakers in the system. What's important is RMS rating, frequency response, and having all the speakers properly positioned/tuned for the cabin and properly crossed over so each speaker is reproducing only the frequencies it's designed for.

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In My s3 I had a Bang and Olufsen. While it was nice, and sounded decent, i spend most of my time listening to SXM, so I did not feel I needed the B+W. On top of that, the majority of the music I listen to is actual NHL Network Radio, so I needed it even less, oh, and I am half deaf in one ear, so that didn't help either. I have a nice klipsch home theater for music anyways.

 

Depending on the channel, even lowly XM can sound really, really good on the B&W system. If you're listening to the 50's station, no, there's not going to be a difference. But Chill or BPM? Love the bass.

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