Harmon Kardon and speed sensitive volume

I've got Harmon Kardon/Boost/CD like yourself, and i have never found anything like speed sensitive volume. In fact, I didn't know it was supposed to have it.

Sorry I can't be any help. If you find something let me now!

Paul

Welcome to MINI2. Your dealer is a bit uninformed, its been discussed on here elsewhere, but I imagine it will be hard to find using the search feature.

Anyway, H/K has speed sensative volume, but unlike normal Boost head units it can't be adjusted. People who have replaced the head unit on H/K cars experienced the volume not changing, also if you listen closely you should (from what I know) be able to hear it getting louder as you speed up.

In any event, replacing the Head Unit won't fix anything, its 'supposed to be' that way, even though the manual doesn't say it right, I guess complaining to MINI might fix it, or perhaps new headunits that may come out could fix it, (but probably won't be compatible with your car)

The odd thing is the manual that comes with the 2004 MCS and the H/K stereo says there is an adjustment. It says you push and hold the tone button until 'TONE LIN' is displayed and the keep pushing until 'SPEED VOL' is displayed. When I tried this I got to TONE LIN fine but then it went to NAV MIN and then to RESET and next push gets me back to radio or CD. RESET, according to the manual is to reset the the tone adjustment.

Yeah, its rather odd. That's the way its supposed to work on normal (Boost) stereo's... I guess the engineers aren't communicating with the manual writers

If you read enough of the manual, there are other "errors" as well; I guess that is why they have the "subject to change" disclaimers all over the place!

I have never felt the need to turn vol. up on my HK at speed. Don't know if the vol. is going up or the car is so quite there is no need. [Driving with windows up and A/C on] Note: Just too damn much bass

Trust me, the car's not that quiet. Turn off the radio at highway speed and listen, its making a fair amount of noise, the radio's just happily compensating.

Amazing. I went through the exact same thing last night on my 2004 MCS with h/k. I was sitting in the garage for about 30 minutes trying to figure it out. My wife thought I was nuts. I kept looking at the manual at the "SPEED VOL" instructions but couldn't find the feature on the stereo. I'm glad I didn't even have to bother searching this forum for the answer, it was right at the top!

-GothamTaffer

Great example of how if you're having one problem, someone else is probably having it too

stryder said:

Trust me, the car's not that quiet. Turn off the radio at highway speed and listen, its making a fair amount of noise, the radio's just happily compensating.

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I do trust you, but my car is very quite at speed radio off or on. Maybe you'r tires make more road noise then mine. I have 15" Continentals. What you got? But I am not saying that the radio is not compensating. Just saying the car is quite thats all.

I had the 16" dunlops. I think its probably more of what you're used to. The MINI is very square, and the upright windshield just makes a fair amount of noise compared to a sleek car, like a true sports car, or a higher priced luxury car.

Anyway, I think the MINI's quiet, especilly given its price range, but it does get louder at higher speed. Nothing to really complain about.

If I remember correctly the reason the speed compensating volumn setting does not work from the headunit is because it is set at the H/K amp. It is changeable, from what i read, but needs to be done from the amp itself as the headunit is incapable of changing it.

so may we call it a "bug" or "ommission"

I had the dealer check my MCS because I was having the same problem. With the HK, the speed volume is automatically set to increase in small increments after 50 mph....sorry, no adjustments.

I personally can't seem to hear the difference, I just crank it up!

I did the 30 minutes spent scratching my head bit last night with the manual, but no menu option for changing the volume.

I was all set to phone my dealer this morning, to ask why the option is not there. Then I thought - "I'll just check on MINI2, to see what the folks there have to say about it".

Glad I did, as now I am educated and it's stopped me from looking a plonker when I call my dealer.

So many questions can be answered on here, and so much information is available.

Thanks everyone.

stryder said:

The MINI is very square, and the upright windshield just makes a fair amount of noise compared to a sleek car, like a true sports car, or a higher priced luxury car.

Anyway, I think the MINI's quiet, especilly given its price range, but it does get louder at higher speed. Nothing to really complain about.

Click to expand...

Most of the noise is wind generated.... from moving through the air.....not from frightened passengers I hasten to add!

The biggest culprits are the windscreen/shield and the mirrors.....

I can confirm that above 130mph the noise level does increase significantly, along with the whine from the supercharger!

Hahahahaha

As tested on the Nurburgring!

Robert

Took delivery of 2004 MCS with H/K, read the manual, went to the "LIN" input and no speed adjustment. The manual clearly indicates that the speed option is there, but it only shows the audio adjustment for the Navigation (which I don't have). I asked my dealer, and they said they'd heard that from others with H/K but didn't know whether it was user adjustable or not. Reading further thru the posts I see that it isn't adjustable by the driver. I just wish the manual stated it clearly. I wouldn't have been scratching my head. :apple:

BT1 said:

Got my MCS on 1 September and I'm working my way through the manuals. Found that there's no menu option to adjust speed sensitive volume on the radio/CD. Dealer has replaced the unit and still no joy, but then they tried out a few other cars in the workshop with Harman Kardon and found they also had no speed related volume setting. Has anyone else found this?

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Yep, had the same in my One; but the sound does get louder in small steps when you increase speed; too bad you cannot adjust. My partner has a COOPER without the Harman/Kardon and there the menu appears for setting the speed volume, so it has to do with the way the H/K is linked to the Boost head-unit. Did not bother to ask dealer as they most likely do not know how to fix.

MY MA actually mentioned to me when going over the delivery checklist items that the H/K speed volume was not user adjustable and that there was a mistake in the manual. Of course I had already found that out by reading here and at MCO but it was nice that he mentioned it.