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Author Topic: Harman Kardon comparison  (Read 2139 times)

carrera

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Harman Kardon comparison
« on: 03 July 2022, 09:22:04 AM »
Ok, so there's a post over on UKS with an almost complete HK system for sale. I was interested so started looking at the differences between the Premium and Prestige audio systems. In the saloon, the key difference seems to be that the Prestige / HK has rear parcel shelf speakers

I was wondering if the wiring loom would be there so started investigations for the black DE, which has the satnav head unit. Somewhat surprised to see some speakers there, and they are HK

This is puzzling, as the sound quality seems so much better in the green estate with the HK system, no parcel shelf speakers obviously, but the subwoofer in the boot

Is the Kenwood head unit so much better than the Denso, or is it the subwoofer

Any thoughts or experience here?
« Last Edit: 03 July 2022, 09:58:07 AM by carrera »
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sgould

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #1 on: 03 July 2022, 01:21:51 PM »
The HK system uses the same head unit as the Pioneer or Denso.  It's completely different from there on. Amp and all the speakers. The HK speakers are surprisingly small in size.   I have top end hearing loss, but when I changed the Denso for the Kenwood headunit the sound quality was better to my ears and SWMBO also commented on it.  It's not the same Kenwood as the 2004 car, but I understand that the Kenwood bits in the boot can be updated considerably

I changed the Kenwood for a Pioneer because the Kenwood satnav was dreadful, and no one has suggested that the sound quality is worse than the Kenwood.  The Pioneer with bass boost does work the subwoofer in the boot :)
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sgould

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #2 on: 03 July 2022, 01:26:35 PM »
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carrera

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #3 on: 03 July 2022, 01:50:09 PM »
Thanks

So, if I understand correctly you swapped an OE Denso head unit in your DE estate for an aftermarket Kenwood you noticed an improvement in audio quality

Then you fitted a Pioneer & the audio was little different, but you seem to need/prefer to use the bass boost

So from that the audio quality from the Kenwood in the 2003 car is probably the best of the lot, though the satnav is basic and the maps are nearly 20 years out of date

Using the Denso unit is interesting at times as I drive along non existent roads, like the newly constructed A14 towards Cambridge  :)

Do you happen to know if the Denso unit has an "aux in" connection in the rear. I have an aftermarket DAB unit which I am using for DAB/phone via FM transmitter mode. IIRC the standard head units had a fascia aux in, but the Denso doesn't
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sgould

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #4 on: 03 July 2022, 03:32:37 PM »
All that I can offer is the label on the back of the Denso head unit.  Once it's removed, the Saab CD changer won't be any use.  I can't see an AUX in, but it may be possible to use one of the inputs. CD?

There is an add-on that was available from https://saabaux.com  And possibly from Dension.

The sound quality of the Kenwood was definitely better than the Denso.  The comment about the bass, is that the Pioneer has more adjustment with the graphic equaliser and the pre-defined sound stages. The Kenwood bass didn't boost as much as the Pioneer.  The Pioneer doesn't need it, I was just playing with the options and found I could get more "boom" if I wanted to compete with the "chavs"... :)
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carrera

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #5 on: 03 July 2022, 06:26:32 PM »
Thanks again

That was the conclusion I had come to from looking elsewhere, but still sort of hoping that I had missed something

If I used the "CD in", then I would lose the CD changer, unfortunate...

Guess I'll have to live with the current arrangement, I'm not an early adopter, only 15 years late to the party
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phoenix

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #6 on: 04 July 2022, 07:58:30 AM »
I'd say the main difference has to be down to the amp & speakers- all of which are different. The use of a subwoofer takes away the lower frequencies from the door speakers, allowing them to perform better in the crucial mid range.
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carrera

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #7 on: 05 July 2022, 11:00:58 PM »
You make a good point there

The HK amplifiers are different between the saloon & estate models, I just checked on EPC. Who would have thought, not me anyway
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sgould

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #8 on: 06 July 2022, 10:03:48 AM »
I need to look at that again. I thought that the connectors were the same but wired differently to accommodate the different woofer arrangement.  It’s been a while since I investigated though.
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phoenix

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Re: Harman Kardon comparison
« Reply #9 on: 07 July 2022, 08:41:16 AM »
The connector shells are the same but for models with a sub, they add an extra coupe for pins for that. They're not fitted to lower spec models making an upgrade rather less than straightforward
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