The 50S retails for $359, and Cardo’s PackTalk Edge costs $389.95. Both models frequently go on sale by as much as 25 percent. If rider-to-rider communication isn't important, but you still want Only issue is the Harman Kardon 18 speaker stereo that comes with the Premium package (its 650 watts). It has a high amount of distortion in the mid-ranges at medium or high levels. Bass is excellent but a really annoying/unsatisfying mid-frequency distortion that puts the stereo way below my lesser Audi A5 and (Tesla and other BMW 7 series They sound great. Totally worth it. Decided to keep the stock amp. I can crank it up to 100% and speakers take it no problem at all, they want more. My wife's car is an X5 with Harman Kardon, and it sounds similar - maybe somewhat worse on the "thickness", but H/K amp is more powerful compared to base. I had a basic sound system in my M235i and it was awful. Really bad. The basic stereos in BMW have gotten worse over the years in my view. Having said that, it did give me an opportunity to upgrade to a full blown £2k worth of sound equipment which was amazing. I even bought HK corner boxes to have the tweeters put in. BMW Harman Kardon surround sound system (S688A) This abundant option, appearing in larger vehicles such as the X5, 3 or 5 Series, usually comes with 16 speakers – including 2 (8 Ohm) woofers, and 7 mid-ranges along with 7 tweeters placed all over the vehicle. Sadly the HK system is much more difficult to upgrade than the HIFI system. It uses different cabling from the head unit. To go to HK from HIFI, you would need the fiber cable from front to rear, you would need the correct AMP and you would also need to code your car. Basically, what Harman is proposing, is that car makers fit their cars with the Harman/Kardon high-end sound systems from the get go even though the price paid for the car’s speakers is the same Harman-Kardon is recognized for its high-end audio solutions and premium reputation. Bowers & Wilkins is a prestigious brand known for its audiophile-grade speakers and headphones. Sound Quality. Harman-Kardon delivers exceptional audio clarity and richness in its products. Bowers & Wilkins is renowned for its outstanding, high-fidelity sound The stock sound system is more than enough for us. If you're the type who prefers party on wheels, you might want to think about upgrading. Another thing, our salesman told us that BMW's stock sound system is actually made by Harmon Kardon and comes out of the same factory, but since it's made at lower standards for BMW, they don't put their BMW Harman Kardon speaker replacement That good news is that it’s always possible to step up the Harman Kardon system with the right BMW aftermarket speakers upgrade. Particularly when you remember the 10-channel HK amp and flexible DSP is a capable workhorse. Osyi3bs.