2025 Acura MDX - Bang & Olufsen Studio Preview (No Listening, Unfortunately)
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- Опубліковано 4 вер 2024
- Acura and ELS audio have been synonymous for decades...until now. Acura decided that partnering with Bang & Olufsen for the 2025 MDX was a better fit for the brand and their customer base. We haven't heard the system yet, but we're certainly anxious.
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#caraudio #mdx #acura
Jon Rivers (Acura's product planner) said himself that Acura gave B&O free reign with the MDX and said their system "blew the ELS out of the water." He also stated Acura wouldn't have made the change unless the B&O was better in every metric to ELS.
… and Acura certainly wouldn’t tell us if they thought the B&O system was worse… 🙄
You gotta be kidding. That ELS system was no pushover! His B&O may be good or slightly better, but surely nothing to “blow it out of the water”. Have listened to these in the Audis and it just sounds so so. The best one I had is the B&W in my XC90.
@dgdave2673 yeah I think "blow out the water" may have been a bit of exaggeration lol but we'll see
@dgdave2673 yeah I haven't heard to many B&O systems but the ones I've heard didn't do anything for me. Let's just hope Acura wasn't lying about the new system being better. Surprisingly, a lot of Acura owners don't care for ELS. Many love it, but many don't
ELS has been EXCLUSIVE to Acura like Mark levinson to Lexus.
This might be against popular belief, but i think that they should've kept the touch pad in addition to the new touch screen. Second the little hand rest was a very comfortable touch and will sorely be missed 😢
Agreed
Agreed. It was fun to pan by journalists but actually just worked for owners living with it. I hate pecking at screens and staring at fingerprints.
You are 100% correct!
The touchpad should have been kept to work as an alternative to the touch screen for people that are not fans of fingerprint smudges on their screens. The biggest critics of the touchscreen were the critics that review every car and if it takes them more than 10 seconds to learn something different than what they are used to it immediately gets a fail. They can also shut up about the gloss black trim. That also doesn’t get fingerprints if they keep their grubby hands off it.
The hand rest was also great. And why no EQ???
This all being said, I’m still looking forward to the system review once an operational demo is available.
Keep up the great work!
Yea not for me a lot of my peers and people in for a new car have steer clear for Acura because of the pad,they find it so fidgety and distracting now things are much easier they will sell a lot more this year
That ELS system was no pushover! His B&O may be good or slightly better, but surely nothing to “blow it out of the water”. Have listened to these in the Audis and it just sounds so so. The best one I had is the B&W in my XC90. Will hold my verdict until I experience it first hand!
Really unsure about this, the ELS in the Type S was phenomenal, probably only second to the Bowers in the XC90 in this segment (and I guess in the iX if you count that). I also don't like the loss of the little hand rest above the phone charger -- it makes less sense with the touchpad gone, but it was in a really comfortable position (for my arm, at least.) Touchscreen makes sense for the market and carplay/android auto, so that's the right call at least. But I'd probably still give that up for the ELS unless this b&o system is really something.
ELS was tinny/too bright sounding to me w no bass
Acura gave B&O an MDX and essentially told them to make a better system than the ELS, so let’s wait to listen the actual product.
@christopherrmcg Yeah, Acura systems are a little thin to me. I prefer sound that has actual weight, and Acura systems don't really deliver in that regard
ELS is terrible I've had a few tl,tlx,and rdx
@@dylanthomas6215 yeah no bass at allll and symbally
they should focus on giving the type s more power
This has a lot of Q&L features that are great. I'm not convinced by the change in ELS what so ever. Sure 31 speakers sounds insanely impressive, but it doesn't even have proper tune and and adjustment like you mentioned? Hopefully just a prototype thing...
Anxiously awaiting your review!
The previous ELS system didn't blow Charlie's socks off - maybe this one will? I'm hoping for lots of shakeage!!! :)
Dude im excited for the full touch screen! That was the the reason I got the 24 Pilot over the MDX
Me too.
So glad they finally installed a touchscreen - the trackpad was extremely difficult to use while driving!
Can’t wait to get your review on the zdx b&o. My dad loves his Lyriq but the akg system is pretty mediocre at best.
I've heard the opposite about the AKG.
According to almost everyone the akg system in the Escalade is the best sound system in any car
Top end. Bang&Olufsen makes the best sound system in a car
I came here to request this review!
Well B&O have had lots of opportunity, with Audi, to make a better system than ELS in Acura and B&W in Volvo and haven’t been able to. So what makes people think that suddenly they will in an Acura? Besides, all these systems are way way beyond the average listener who bluetooths their favorite Apple Music song.
I have no issues with ELS audio, no problem with touch pad and like more than touch screen...too bad Honda isn't giving me the choice.
Will the RDX get B&O system?
Could it be that this will be cheaper for Acura since B&O do this for many brands, while I have only seen ELS in Acura?
Its B&O, probably the most expensive audio Brand, so unfortunately not
you dont know how many times i come here to check if you grabbed the new gx to test their ML system. allocations are starting to deliver and cars are coming to showrooms, we need that review ASAP
It's on Lexus for giving us review vehicles that are prototypes without final sound tuning. When they have production models I will request
i was going to buy a new mdx but im going for one with the els until you guys test the b&o
Testing on Friday, video on July 9th or 10th
I thought the 7 in my Passport were a lot. 19 and 31?! Jeez! I thought the 10 in the Elite Honda trims levels I work on were overkill. I can't wait till a customer brings one of these to our dealership. I'll definitely be messing with the audio and some flac files I have on my phone.
wait I really liked the ambient light inside the speakers. I’m disappointed that they discontinued it
It probably wasn't ready in time which is unfortunate because i would've like to see a touchscreen in the tlx
The Pilot Elite Bose system will have more power than the B&O system. ELS are great systems if you go with top of the line up.
do the front door speakers have the ambient lights like the ELS had. I haven’t seen them in any of the videos
Is there a USB flash drive auxiliary input to allow playing of high resolution FLAC files?
Hey brother can you do a review of the Burmester sound system for the Panamera and Cayenne please?
It would be nice to see you review the highest tier revel systems in Lincoln!
As for this, the older BMWs had really good B&O systems. Much better than the years that followed for B&W on bmw. Excluding the most recent B&W bmw systems which have finally gotten good.
So B&O is capable of doing it, my wives 2013 M3 with B&O rivals my Volvos B&W. It actually has a little more detail, but less bass.
Trying to get some Lincolns, but Ford PR is difficult to work with.
@@DailyMotorSound if you are in the Philadelphia region, I might be able to help you.
Does the speakers still light up like the ELS did?
Is it known if the new sound system is capable (or will be capable after tuning) of playing 5.1 surround sound FLAC files?
I would be very surprised if it weren't, but I cannot confirm right now
Well that’s a surprise! Hopefully the penny pinchers at Harman don’t penny pinch too hard with this system…
A lot of times, it's actually the auto manufacturer themselves that hold the audio companies back with what they can do with their system. When auto manufacturers give audio free reign, we get great systems
@@kyron2092 that is definitely true as well. However, I believe in Bang and Olufsen’s case, Harman has definitely been cost cutting. None of their systems have gotten into S tier, even with the upgraded Bang and Olufsen VAG group products, despite Bang and Olufsen being more than capable of making a phenomenal system outside the automotive sector. Although, VAG definitely did cut costs along side Harman I’d say, as a lot of the B&O high end in VAG products were being designed around the Diesalgate era. I’d say in this specific case, Harman is holding B&O back as the VAG cost cutting theory doesn’t extend to Genesis products for example.
@Howard24 Good point. However, i do wanna point out that Charlie has given an S tier rating to Harman systems. ( BMW I4 Harman kardon). However, he hasn't done so for an Acura. He rates all of them at an A. The system in the tlx was his favorite. He's been dishing out A tier ratings to the newest BMW Harman setups and Volvo H/K setups. I'm pretty sure the only reason some of those weren't rated at S is because those manufacturers offer Bowers and Wilkins setups and make it a point to neuter the H/K systems in order to charge more for an additional upgraded system. I feel that Audi hypes up their systems way too much and overcharge for them; they've been doing so for a while. An old friend of mine had an A4 with the Bang and Olufsen, and that system was inferior to my Harman Kardon system in my Optima. Don't forget Burmester is owned by Harman, and they've gotten S tier ratings; Volvo's Bowers and Wilkins setups are tuned with Quantum Logic Surround which is Harman software. While I'm not denying the cost cutting ( companies do that all the time lol) I'm pretty it's more Audi than Harman's doing in why B&O automotive systems aren't as good as they should be.
There's a guy in the old optima forums that was an avid audiophile. He once attended a CES event where Audi was showing off their new B&O system in the Audi A8. When the audiophile guy heard the system, he heavily criticized it for having too much bass and staging at the knees. The Harman reps were embarrassed and admitted they did exactly what Audi wanted and that they hated the system as well.
I've heard aftermarket equipment from some of these audio companies, and it's a night and day difference between their stock "premium" offerings and even their lesser expensive aftermarket offerings. There's tons of factors that contribute to poor audio in stock vehicles, and it's mostly the car manufacturers fault.
@@kyron2092 that is true. Harman doesn't own Burmester though, but they do own Mark Levinson and AKG which both score very highly. It wouldn't surprise me if VAG were cost cutting when it comes to car audio. It could also be cost cutting in materials and design, as in both the SQ7 and Bentayga systems showed distortion. However, from my experience, Bang and Olufsen outside the automotive sector is phenomenal, which is why I get the sense they're getting held back. Which is why I was alluding to the Harman group cutting costs, as even in Bang and Olufsen systems in Genesis products have not received a S tier rating, even on the G90.
But I agree, with VAG there is definitely cost cutting on VAGs part for sure. I have an A4 with the Bang and Olufsen 3D and it sounds OK but not great... (they also just made a video on it and it got a B, so makes sense..). Which is super disappointing as even the Bose in a Mazda 3 sounds just as good if not better. The only thing the Bang and Olufsen does better is the power I'd say, but the highs are too sharp and the mids feel weak. However, a family friend of mine has a BMW M6 with the upgraded Bang and Olufsen set up, and it is night and day. I really think that Bang and Olufsen has the potential, but they're being held back by penny pinchers.
B&O and ELS are both great, not sure if this will be considered an "upgrade" or "downgrade" - curious to hear it. Is this change just for the MDX or does Acura plan to do this with all of their upcoming vehicles over the next few years?
They gave B&O an MDX and told them to make a better system than the ELS, so this should be quite good.
I believe they are moving away from ELS, the rest of the lineup will follow suit over time.
@@drivescene6747 makes sense. I agree, it's hard to go wrong with either option. Should be great.
If I’m not mistaken ELS was a Panasonic property, like Fender.
B&O is an HK property and all the car manufacturers seem to be going to HK, probably for cost reasons since HK has so much scale, a result of them basically buying the market over the last few years (it appears to me).
@@Bmanhp yeah, can’t wait to see if they delivered
@@upshifter5316 you are 100% spot on
I'm curious why the TLX Type S didn't get B&O
The money makers will always get the new technology before the lower volume sellers
I was wondering do you think you'll be testing the new infiniti qx80 sound system it has 24 speakers by a company called klipsch so yeah they ditched bose i guess which was a s-tier in the last qx80 you tested, im curious how the new system holds up.
Absolutely! Not sure when, but I will
@DailyMotorSound im excited for that one apparently that company have been making home sound theaters for 75 years so it should be good
Wanna request the new refreshed Tesla Model X sound system review, and maybe the new Tesla Model 3 (Highland) sound system too…
Reached out to Tesla, they said they weren't interested.
@@DailyMotorSoundwow 😭,
The Bang & Olufsen in my 2013 Mercedes SL550 was not good. This is probably why MB phased out their use of this System from all their veichles. Paid a $6,000 upgrade and it sounded horrible with convertible hard top up or down. Compared to the Mark Levinson as part of the entertainment package that was less than $2000 in my Lexus ES; which was fabulous. Hopefully it is a better iteration in this vehicle.
Who the heck is the Acura buyer profile that has such audiophile grade requirements, but who also doesn’t need or know how to use a multi band equalizer??!!
There are exactly 0 people in that Venn diagram
Really asking why they changed? COST SAVINGS ONLY!!
duh, you are a genius
MDX yes,,,,,,,,,, ZDX NO........a big mistake IMO
Well yeah, no brainer. Although the look on that zdx is sweet