Inexpensive Bluetooth connection for CLS

[TKvS]

I've seen a few posts regarding having your iPod / Smartphone connected to your car stereo / amp via Bluetooth, here's an inexpensive workaround that will give you basic access to the music on your chosen smartphone.

THIS SHOULD WORK ON ANY CAR THAT HAS AN AUX INPUT.

This will NOT provide :

1. Cover artwork on your screen.
2. Connectivity to your phone directory.
3. Steering wheel control.

It is ONLY an inexpensive method for playing .mp3 / flac / ogg music files via your car sound system...however it will route incoming calls via your Comand head unit..

It only costs about 30.00 quid ( minus phone / mp3 player).

What you need:

1. A smartphone, any smartphone that has a 3.5mm headphone outlet.
2. A 3.5mm male-to-male jack audio cord, choose your own length.
3. An Avantree Saturn BT transmitter / receiver.



STEP 1.
Connect the 3.5mm jack cable to the input socket on the rear of the Avantree Saturn.

STEP 2.
Connect the 3.5mm jack cable to the 3.5mm AUX socket in the glove box of your CLS.

STEP 3.
Connect the Avantree BT receiver to your smartphone ( do a BT scan to find it).

Once connected, choose where you want to put the Avantree receiver, I put mine in the glove box.

Select AUX from your Comand head unit.

Select a playlist and start listening, adjust volume levels on both phone and sound system accordingly.

N.B. the Avantree Saturn also has a micro USB socket if you want to connect it to ..say..your DC lighter socket to keep it constantly charged , plus it will also work as a BT Transmitter.

Not the most versatile solution, but means you can listen to all the music on your device.

AMAZON LINK TO AVANTREE SATURN

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0085HOM4K/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[MancMike]

The problem is, for most/all AUX inputs, the volume is very low. I've tried a couple bluetooth audio receivers and they're all both very noisy (picks up noise, even with ferrite rings, etc) and quiet.

I had a BT audio receiver connected to a small headphone valve amp to further boost the volume which fits in the glovebox. I use that to match the volume (with iPhone on full volume), with the volume of a CD playing the same song using the little amp to fill the gap.

The BT audio receiver was the noisy bit though, and quality was pants as that's the DAC. You can spend thousands on a good DAC and so a cheap few quid one isn't going to give good results. I don't know if this one you're suggesting is particularly good, but in my case, I've just resorted to a cable, still via the little amp.

 

[TKvS]

Haven't had any 'noise' problems, as far as volume is concerned, I downloaded a free music player (Rocket player)...that had equalisation built in, using one of the presets gave me a considerable boost.

 

[MancMike]

It's very quiet. Boosting levels to the point the track is clipping on the phone's output level isn't the solution. You need further preampfification for the aux input to match the volume of a CD going through the headunit's power amplification. On the C at least, I don't know about the CLS. Which headunit do you have?

Maybe my interference issue was specific to the receivers I've tried.

 

[TKvS]

Which headunit do you have?

Good question.........I'm like a deer without eyes..........just know that it works..for me !

 

[MancMike]

Can you take a picture or find one on google that looks the same? Maybe higher end headunits than my Audio 20 don't have this problem as much.

 

[TKvS]

Is there any way to bring up head unit details on the screen....like a phone !