Qwertyco
New Member
Recently upgraded the standard basic front door speakers to something a little better, and very happy with the sound quality improvement.
I took the Hertz Uno 17cm speakers out of the C220 before I sold it as I was quite impressed with them.
The standard CLS front speakers are totally uninspiring.
First I 3D printed some tweeter carriers to fit the Hertz tweeters into the CLS housings:
I found some matching tweeter sockets on AliExpress, so the tweeters are plug and play.
Next I aquired some almost original front speakers from another Merc model, different part numbers but almost identical.
Gutted them and again printed some 3D adaptors to take the Hertz 170mm speakers.
Next, the tricky bit: I got a pair if 3.5" Hifonics coaxials, to go in the space where the missing speakers should be.
Again some trial and error 3D printing before I came up with something that would fit, as the Hifonics are obviously quite bigger than the Merc speakers for this position.
If I was doing this again I would have gone for Alpine 3.5" speakers, which are a good bit shallower than these. Anyway, I got them to fit at the 3rd attempt.
This required removing the original plastic speaker holders with a very hot modeling knife and a blowtorch to cut/melt throught he very tough glue!
Also had to cut the speaker hole in the panel of course.
3.5"s are fed straight off the same feed as the 170mm's.
Panels back and everything looks original.
Sound quality is massivly better, I actually bought a little Pioneer GM D1004 amp to fit, but having second thoughts now as the whether I actually neeed it now.
Next job is a pair of Alpine SPE-17SF Components into go in the rear doors.
These are made and ready to fit, again fitted to a pair of original gutted speakers I got from another Merc model.
Sadly you need to destroy the original speakers to remove them from the rear doors, but the new/modified ones are easily fitted and removed.
Watch this space for the next exiting installment . . . . . .
I took the Hertz Uno 17cm speakers out of the C220 before I sold it as I was quite impressed with them.
The standard CLS front speakers are totally uninspiring.
First I 3D printed some tweeter carriers to fit the Hertz tweeters into the CLS housings:
I found some matching tweeter sockets on AliExpress, so the tweeters are plug and play.
Next I aquired some almost original front speakers from another Merc model, different part numbers but almost identical.
Gutted them and again printed some 3D adaptors to take the Hertz 170mm speakers.
Next, the tricky bit: I got a pair if 3.5" Hifonics coaxials, to go in the space where the missing speakers should be.
Again some trial and error 3D printing before I came up with something that would fit, as the Hifonics are obviously quite bigger than the Merc speakers for this position.
If I was doing this again I would have gone for Alpine 3.5" speakers, which are a good bit shallower than these. Anyway, I got them to fit at the 3rd attempt.
This required removing the original plastic speaker holders with a very hot modeling knife and a blowtorch to cut/melt throught he very tough glue!
Also had to cut the speaker hole in the panel of course.
3.5"s are fed straight off the same feed as the 170mm's.
Panels back and everything looks original.
Sound quality is massivly better, I actually bought a little Pioneer GM D1004 amp to fit, but having second thoughts now as the whether I actually neeed it now.
Next job is a pair of Alpine SPE-17SF Components into go in the rear doors.
These are made and ready to fit, again fitted to a pair of original gutted speakers I got from another Merc model.
Sadly you need to destroy the original speakers to remove them from the rear doors, but the new/modified ones are easily fitted and removed.
Watch this space for the next exiting installment . . . . . .
