Harmon Kardon

[col-l]

Hi Everyone,
New to MB coming from Jag

Just bought a new E220 with the Harmon Kardon audio. Adjusted the equalizer settings with full bass but find that the subwoofer is rather weak - not much bass. Interested in others thoughts.

Thanks
(I can't add my car details to the post - have tried)

 

[StuartK]

Yes it is weak compared to previous systems I've had in BMW and Audi

 

[texasjohn]

I sat in XFs recently with the 440w and 1200w B&W systems, a couple of days ago recently. They were excellent systems. The MB Harman-Kardon (at least that in the C and E class cars) is pants in comparison. I had Harman in a C Class estate and yesterday sat in an E Class coupe with Harman, playing about with the system a bit.

I used to have a W211 E500 with standard audio. I spent 800-900 fitting a sub in the rear deck (the same location that the Harman sub is fitted), putting in new component speakers in the front doors and running all that off an Alpine 4ch amp. It was much, much better than the Harman-Kardon. Putting a sub in the rear deck isn't a bad idea but the thing Harman put in that location is more of a 'large speaker' than a proper subwoofer, although the weakness in bass is more a result of a lack of any enclosure. Hover over speaker no.4 in this link and you will see it Harman Kardon Mercedes E-Class Sedan - Technical Details

On BMWs the Harman system puts 8" subs under each front seat and uses the sill cavity as an expansion chamber, it is a much more effective approach and they are only driven by 70w each side. See item 3 in this link and you'll see the 'port' into the sill from the bottom of the sub enclosure http://www.mini.harmankardon.com/en/vehicles/MINI/technicalMini.aspx (yes it is Mini, but it's the same principle. BMW link not working).

 

[HB]

The eclass 212 HK is a pile of utter crap. The one in my 211 is head and shoulders above.

 

[ViperCLS63]

Hi Everyone,
New to MB coming from Jag

Just bought a new E220 with the Harmon Kardon audio. Adjusted the equalizer settings with full bass but find that the subwoofer is rather weak - not much bass. Interested in others thoughts.

Thanks
(I can't add my car details to the post - have tried)

I have just swapped from a C220 (Audio 20) to a CLS63 (HK) and the C220 had a considerably better sound system! The HK just sounds sort of empty, it's very disappointing.

 

[carnut]

I asked my MB dealer today to check if all the speakers were working properly and they explained that each speaker reacts to certain inputs; very complicated DSP

I looked this up and this URL makes for interesting reading

Mercedes-Benz Introduces Innovative ?FrontBass? Car-Audio System and Exclusive ?Signature Sound? Demo Disc | The Absolute Sound

also

http://www.harmankardon.co.uk/content?ContentID=mercedes-benz-sl-class

 

[Steveml63]

Hi,
Funnily enough the system in our ML63 works really well.
Interior wise an E class is probably similar volume to an ML - but the E class has a lower powered amp and smaller speakers - so this probably explains why it sounds so weak.
You can compare the systems on the Harmon Karodon link in the above post.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Alfie]

We have a range of fixes for those unhappy with their HK. [email protected]

In any event HK is a lot better than the entry level Burmester stuff.......

 

[Petrol Pete]

My 2006 C55 AMG Estate has HK pro7 and the bass is practically unusable at max, I find this out every time my teenage son messes with it and turns it up to 'eleven' !

I can only assume (for whatever reason) MB have gone soft on the bass on newer cars.,shame really.

Bass is rarely set much over +3 in my car.

 

[c63chris]

We have a range of fixes for those unhappy with their HK. [email protected]



In any event HK is a lot better than the entry level Burmester stuff.......

Agreed the HK in my SL sounds much better than the Burmester in the C220


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