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I'm surprised nobody has tested that yet since the ZDX is in stock at dealers.
Charlie at Daily Motors / DM Sound on YT tested the B&O in recent Audis. They passed the 5.0 test but failed the 5.1 since the LFE subwoofer channel was also sending sound to the center channel speaker, which would not happen in a true 5.1 system like the ELS. I imagine the Acura B&O will be similar to that.
I might just go tomorrow and test one myself, that's going to determine if I buy a slightly used MDX or splurge for a new one. I assume the B&O in the ZDX will be comparable to the upcoming MDX as far as features. If I do, I'll post the results here.
Well, I tested the B&O in a ZDX today. It sounds really good, on par with the ELS. However, I could not get it to play discrete 5.1, no matter how I changed the settings. The rear channels would keep playing through the back and front speakers. An MDX with the ELS played it perfectly btw. Unless I was doing something wrong, it looks like we're losing that feature. I also didn't like the touchscreen, too much reaching and distraction to take your eyes off the road. Looks like I'll be getting a 22-24 MDX.
Is there a proper review of the new sound system? I heard it's good but I haven't tested it myself neither heard from a reliable source like Savagegeese
What's a review by someone else going to tell you? The only review that means anything to me is what my ears tell me when I listen to a system. I'll either like it or I won't. I'm not going to be listening with someone else's ears, only my own. Reviews by other's are interesting, but I don't pay much attention to them.
I know every single owner and journalist praised the MDX' audio (in general the ELS system for the entire Acura lineup) and had nothing but great things to say. SG always says Acura got one of the best audio systems (a source that I trust a lot). Today, when I read the news about "Acura and Bang & Olufsen™ Launch New Premium Audio Collaboration for All Future Acura Models", I will be honest, I felt sad! Since 2004, Acura vehicles are having one of the best sound systems in their respective segments. It's always a pleasure to listen to the music in my TL and MDX. I am not too sure about B&O as this is going to be more mainstream, whereas the ELS was dedicated to Acura and Elliot used to put a lot of effort to make it better and better. I asked Jon River and he is positive that it will be better....
I hear you, and I share the same sentiment... however, a lot of companies always look for savings opportunities and in this case, I think it is the same reasoning: it is much easier to simply collaborate with another manufacturer who specializes in this space, and simply define what your expectations are to support the product they launch, build into cars, etc. instead of having internal ELS sound system and trying to stay ahead of the market overall ...
What's a review by someone else going to tell you? The only review that means anything to me is what my ears tell me when I listen to a system. I'll either like it or I won't. I'm not going to be listening with someone else's ears, only my own. Reviews by other's are interesting, but I don't pay much attention to them.
Agreed! Everyone's ears are different. Savage Geese is very informative with their audio reviews - but individual ears are the best judge. I listened to the JBL in the new Toyota Crown and to my own ears it sounded lifeless and dull. Yet many car reviewers say the JBL in Toyotas is acceptable to very good. Not to me! The best thing I can say about Toyota JBL is that it improves on the standard sound system, but that's not saying much.
Agreed! Everyone's ears are different. Savage Geese is very informative with their audio reviews - but individual ears are the best judge. I listened to the JBL in the new Toyota Crown and to my own ears it sounded lifeless and dull. Yet many car reviewers say the JBL in Toyotas is acceptable to very good. Not to me! The best thing I can say about Toyota JBL is that it improves on the standard sound system, but that's not saying much.
I guess in fairness savage geese does audio reviews using objective technology, not simply personal impressions. With that being said, something could be perfectly balanced from a machine POV but sounds very different to the human ear.
Reviews are embargoed until July 9. Expect every youtube review site (probably including SG) to publish a review at the exact same time probably in the morning.
Reviews are embargoed until July 9. Expect every youtube review site (probably including SG) to publish a review at the exact same time probably in the morning.
They weren't terribly impressed with the B&O system ...
"Speaking of songs, the 2025 MDX is the first actual Acura to be fitted with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, rather than the Panasonic/ELS systems that have been a staple for nearly two decades. Standard on the MDX Technology, A-Spec and Advance packages/trims is a 19-speaker system, while the Type S Advance (the only Type S version there is) gets 31 speakers, 12(!) of which are in the ceiling, 24 channels of power, two amplifiers and an 8.8-inch subwoofer. The latter is a bit too aggressive, though, especially when using the 3D surround levels. And although I’m not an audio expert, I was ultimately underwhelmed. I found it very inconsistent between audio tracks and had a hard time finding appropriate levels despite the Beosonic one-touch control (you move a round dot within a larger circle divided between higher and lower treble/bass settings) that’s admittedly a bit fiddly to operate while moving."
They weren't terribly impressed with the B&O system ...
"Speaking of songs, the 2025 MDX is the first actual Acura to be fitted with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, rather than the Panasonic/ELS systems that have been a staple for nearly two decades. Standard on the MDX Technology, A-Spec and Advance packages/trims is a 19-speaker system, while the Type S Advance (the only Type S version there is) gets 31 speakers, 12(!) of which are in the ceiling, 24 channels of power, two amplifiers and an 8.8-inch subwoofer. The latter is a bit too aggressive, though, especially when using the 3D surround levels. And although I’m not an audio expert, I was ultimately underwhelmed. I found it very inconsistent between audio tracks and had a hard time finding appropriate levels despite the Beosonic one-touch control (you move a round dot within a larger circle divided between higher and lower treble/bass settings) that’s admittedly a bit fiddly to operate while moving."
RIP ELS! We miss you already!
It may not be found on any pro review but someone on AZ mentioned the new B&O system doesn't play multichannel FLAC files?!!! I hope I'm wrong and that it was ZDX only...
Still only gave it an A which is the same score he gave the previous ELS system. That's also the same score as the 14-speaker Macan Bose system and the 13-speaker Mercedes Burmester system. He did confirm with Acura that it does have full 5.1 audio support. It still isn't the highest scoring audio system which is a little disappointing considering all the hype.
Still only gave it an A which is the same score he gave the previous ELS system. That's also the same score as the 14-speaker Macan Bose system and the 13-speaker Mercedes Burmester system. He did confirm with Acura that it does have full 5.1 audio support. It still isn't the highest scoring audio system which is a little disappointing considering all the hype.
Great to hear about the 5.1 support! I guess the B&O Audio in the ZDX was more limited since it's a JV product?
They weren't terribly impressed with the B&O system ...
"Speaking of songs, the 2025 MDX is the first actual Acura to be fitted with a Bang & Olufsen sound system, rather than the Panasonic/ELS systems that have been a staple for nearly two decades. Standard on the MDX Technology, A-Spec and Advance packages/trims is a 19-speaker system, while the Type S Advance (the only Type S version there is) gets 31 speakers, 12(!) of which are in the ceiling, 24 channels of power, two amplifiers and an 8.8-inch subwoofer. The latter is a bit too aggressive, though, especially when using the 3D surround levels. And although I’m not an audio expert, I was ultimately underwhelmed. I found it very inconsistent between audio tracks and had a hard time finding appropriate levels despite the Beosonic one-touch control (you move a round dot within a larger circle divided between higher and lower treble/bass settings) that’s admittedly a bit fiddly to operate while moving."
This person lost me after his expert line lol! Leave it to experts to judge. It's like asking a guy who only eats at Mcdo and fast food chains, about a Michelin star resto. I am sure his answers will be the quantity was not enough and I paid too much for 2 bites
Still only gave it an A which is the same score he gave the previous ELS system. That's also the same score as the 14-speaker Macan Bose system and the 13-speaker Mercedes Burmester system. He did confirm with Acura that it does have full 5.1 audio support. It still isn't the highest scoring audio system which is a little disappointing considering all the hype.
That's pretty good. If it's the same as ELS. I will miss ELS but as many mentioned in the past here, ELS was unknown and B&O will add to the brand prestige. Some really big car brands use B&O. I respect Acura's choice...
This person lost me after his expert line lol! Leave it to experts to judge. It's like asking a guy who only eats at Mcdo and fast food chains, about a Michelin star resto. I am sure his answers will be the quantity was not enough and I paid too much for 2 bites
And yet Charlie from DM Sound made similar comments, finding it to be overall a slight degradation from the ELS system. Even if we call it a wash, what was the point? Is the B&O name really that much of a draw that it was worth making the change if the end user experience doesn't improve?
And yet Charlie from DM Sound made similar comments, finding it to be overall a slight degradation from the ELS system. Even if we call it a wash, what was the point? Is the B&O name really that much of a draw that it was worth making the change if the end user experience doesn't improve?
B&O forgot to leave some cash in the cupholders...
All joking aside, Acura is following in the footsteps of other makes in joining the Harman line of products. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em right?
And yet Charlie from DM Sound made similar comments, finding it to be overall a slight degradation from the ELS system. Even if we call it a wash, what was the point? Is the B&O name really that much of a draw that it was worth making the change if the end user experience doesn't improve?
Brand equity matters. The majority of people can't tell the difference between a good system and a great system, but they do know that other luxury cars use B&O and nobody else uses ELS.
Personally, I think Acura had beat 'em with ELS. Or at least matched 'em.
Agreed! The ELS reminds us of audiophile times when you could pop in a DVD-A and enjoy HQ MCH audio (I still have quite a bit of DVD-A and SACDs with fewer players to play them)!
Not the biggest loss but the article also mentioned that the satellite radio is gone! Folks who move around the country will have to find other means to follow their favorite team!
Brand equity matters. The majority of people can't tell the difference between a good system and a great system, but they do know that other luxury cars use B&O and nobody else uses ELS.
Sure brand equity matters, but ELS was far from an economy brand. In fact, I always felt ELS was a huge positive for the Acura brand.
Other than Acura fans, not many other folks know what ELS is. Heck, even if you google ELS it's nowhere to be found.
People in the know about car audio absolutely know about ELS. And if they don't, I'd argue the audio isn't really important to them. Of all the reasons people shopping Acuras ultimately take their money elsewhere, the ELS branded audio system is far enough down the list that it easily could have been left alone. I contend it should have been left alone. If anybody here didn't buy an Acura because of the ELS system, I'd like to hear from them.
And when I google "ELS Audio", the first result is a direct link to Acura. That is not a bad thing. The ultimate irony will be if one of the more prestigious auto brands partners with ELS at some point.
People in the know about car audio absolutely know about ELS. And if they don't, I'd argue the audio isn't really important to them. Of all the reasons people shopping Acuras ultimately take their money elsewhere, the ELS branded audio system is far enough down the list that it easily could have been left alone. I contend it should have been left alone. If anybody here didn't buy an Acura because of the ELS system, I'd like to hear from them.
And when I google "ELS Audio", the first result is a direct link to Acura. That is not a bad thing. The ultimate irony will be if one of the more prestigious auto brands partners with ELS at some point.
People here are enthusiasts who do their research. Your regular buyer isn't going to know ELS is good; they just know B&O is fancy because it's used on other fancy cars. And those people outnumber enthusiasts by orders of magnitude. There are plenty of people who check the box for Burmester, B&W, B&O, hell even Harmon Kardon and Bose not because they care that much about audio, but because they want high end and they associate those names with high end.
People here are enthusiasts who do their research. Your regular buyer isn't going to know ELS is good; they just know B&O is fancy because it's used on other fancy cars. And those people outnumber enthusiasts by orders of magnitude. There are plenty of people who check the box for Burmester, B&W, B&O, hell even Harmon Kardon and Bose not because they care that much about audio, but because they want high end and they associate those names with high end.
But do those high end audio names actually influence purchase decisions for people who don't care that much about audio? Will Acura ultimately sell more MDX's because of this B&O partnership? I suspect very few. And there are probably others like myself who view the move in a negative way. I can get B&O elsewhere, but Acura is was the only place I could get ELS.
But do those high end audio names actually influence purchase decisions for people who don't care that much about audio? Will Acura ultimately sell more MDX's because of this B&O partnership? I suspect very few. And there are probably others like myself who view the move in a negative way. I can get B&O elsewhere, but Acura is was the only place I could get ELS.
No one cares about audio and that's why car companies are downgrading. BMW's base audio is the HiFi system and it's absolute crap! Even the "upgraded" Harman Kardon systems in some BMW models are a mere 205W now!
@HotRodW believe me I love the ELS system and I think it's a great product. But as @fiatlux mentioned, outside of Acura loyalist, not many know the brand. My colleague has a TLX TYPE S and we were talking about his sound system. Believe me, he had no clue about the arginine of ELS and who is behind it and etc.
That said, I haven't tested the new system, so I better shut up
Well, I tested the B&O in a ZDX today. It sounds really good, on par with the ELS. However, I could not get it to play discrete 5.1, no matter how I changed the settings. The rear channels would keep playing through the back and front speakers. An MDX with the ELS played it perfectly btw. Unless I was doing something wrong, it looks like we're losing that feature. I also didn't like the touchscreen, too much reaching and distraction to take your eyes off the road. Looks like I'll be getting a 22-24 MDX.
OK, so this is weird. I take the exact same USB stick I tested in the ZDX, then today I tried it in a 2025 MDX Type-S and it would not detect the USB stick. I tried it in all 4 USB ports (using an adapter for the USB-C ports like I did in the ZDX), and it never found it.
It's formatted Fat32 like what was customary with the ELS systems. Has anyone else tested a 2025 MDX audio using USB, and did you have any problems or use a different file type? I can't find any information on the audio requirements like Acura gave on the ELS systems.
I now have the exact MDX in this Video posted. The reviewer did a very good job in the review. Owning (leasing) a new 25 since 2/1/25, I can honestly say, I miss my 22's ELS system. I'm sure it was $$$$$$ saver for Acura to switch and possibly it was easier for them to do this to work with their new Touch Screen (Over-Hyped IMHO) and Google Based InfoT. system /Maps. Althouigh sounds are Subjective, I find the B&O system either too Tinny or the Bass to forceful and overwhelming the Music. The ELS had easy 3 Band Equalizer and either Surround sound on /off. This one is more fickle and too many controls to Tweak the sound with. Don't get me wrong, it is an excellent sound, but IMO takes more tweaking including an Oversized front Center Speaker, foof mounted speakers, etc... Sometimes I hear Too Much BASS, making it BOOMY. which I hate. FWIW, I think the 22's Acura NAVI system had more legible Maps, a easier way to use it (especially if you used Alexa to send the navigation / directions requests to the system). Yes, Google Maps / WAZE have instant traffic info providing routes to better avoid the the traffic than the Acura NAVI, but I found it easier to use, easier to store addresses, etc.
OK, so this is weird. I take the exact same USB stick I tested in the ZDX, then today I tried it in a 2025 MDX Type-S and it would not detect the USB stick. I tried it in all 4 USB ports (using an adapter for the USB-C ports like I did in the ZDX), and it never found it.
It's formatted Fat32 like what was customary with the ELS systems. Has anyone else tested a 2025 MDX audio using USB, and did you have any problems or use a different file type? I can't find any information on the audio requirements like Acura gave on the ELS systems.
The information on supported formats is in the owner's manual. It's easier to find if you download the PDF version and search it. To save you time it's on page 334 of the manual. It's not exactly a list of supported formats, but I take it that it indirectly lists the supported formats.
I was able to listen to a USB in my '25 MDX Advanced. I loaded several hi-res music files to a SD card, using a SD to USB-C adapter to connect, I also bought a USB-C thumb drive. Both worked. However, there is only one port that this works with. There are the two USB-C ports in the console storage box and it's the one on the left that can read the files.
All the files I had loaded are in FLAC format.
I now have the exact MDX in this Video posted. The reviewer did a very good job in the review. Owning (leasing) a new 25 since 2/1/25, I can honestly say, I miss my 22's ELS system. I'm sure it was $$$$$$ saver for Acura to switch and possibly it was easier for them to do this to work with their new Touch Screen (Over-Hyped IMHO) and Google Based InfoT. system /Maps. Althouigh sounds are Subjective, I find the B&O system either too Tinny or the Bass to forceful and overwhelming the Music. The ELS had easy 3 Band Equalizer and either Surround sound on /off. This one is more fickle and too many controls to Tweak the sound with. Don't get me wrong, it is an excellent sound, but IMO takes more tweaking including an Oversized front Center Speaker, foof mounted speakers, etc... Sometimes I hear Too Much BASS, making it BOOMY. which I hate. FWIW, I think the 22's Acura NAVI system had more legible Maps, a easier way to use it (especially if you used Alexa to send the navigation / directions requests to the system). Yes, Google Maps / WAZE have instant traffic info providing routes to better avoid the the traffic than the Acura NAVI, but I found it easier to use, easier to store addresses, etc.
Cost cutting is everywhere and Acura is no exception. I used to consider Acura an audiophile's brand but the switch to B&O audio brings the brand back into the rest of the fold (slightly above average?).
At least the B&O system still plays MCH FLAC files right....right?
The information on supported formats is in the owner's manual. It's easier to find if you download the PDF version and search it. To save you time it's on page 334 of the manual. It's not exactly a list of supported formats, but I take it that it indirectly lists the supported formats.
I was able to listen to a USB in my '25 MDX Advanced. I loaded several hi-res music files to a SD card, using a SD to USB-C adapter to connect, I also bought a USB-C thumb drive. Both worked. However, there is only one port that this works with. There are the two USB-C ports in the console storage box and it's the one on the left that can read the files.
All the files I had loaded are in FLAC format.
igor74, you bring up another kinda of Faux Paux on Acura's part. In the 25s they converted the 2 Center Console USB ports to Type "C" ports. So I had to buy (not a lot of $$$) a USB port Converter from A to C so I could play my Flash Drives! Another PIA. From time to time I would record music to Flash Drives (Via PC, or stereo equipment I have which doesn't require PC hookups to do so). But all those sources use Type A USB Ports. All my FDs are Type A. May I ask - How do You load Hi-Res Music files to an SD card ? Using your PC? Where you have to copy to the PC's HD and Then copy to the SD card? I'm NOT adept to this.
igor74, you bring up another kinda of Faux Paux on Acura's part. In the 25s they converted the 2 Center Console USB ports to Type "C" ports. So I had to buy (not a lot of $$$) a USB port Converter from A to C so I could play my Flash Drives! Another PIA. From time to time I would record music to Flash Drives (Via PC, or stereo equipment I have which doesn't require PC hookups to do so). But all those sources use Type A USB Ports. All my FDs are Type A. May I ask - How do You load Hi-Res Music files to an SD card ? Using your PC? Where you have to copy to the PC's HD and Then copy to the SD card? I'm NOT adept to this.
A port converter works but is inelegant. Buy something like this and call it day!
Elin, thx for the advice. I will order one and call it a Day !! Looks like one for all the photos on our phones is also in order coming with SanDisk software!
