Quality of Standard Sound System

[Aletank]

I bought a new Stereo/CD Changer for my old car(A 98 Rover 400) About 2 years back costing £500 which consisted of a -

Sony XR-C7200R Radio/Cassette   &
Sony CDX-727 CD Changer(10 disk)

In my Rover it was great sound, So when I purchased my 99(T) C200 Sport 2 weeks back I had the system transfered replacing the Blaupunkt Toronto RDM 128 Single CD/Radio. Now in the Mercedes the sound quality just aint the same, there's no real Bass to speak of sounds a bit tinny and not that much volume.

My C200 has 8 speakers I think, 1 in each door ,2 on the back shelf and 2 tweaters in the dash. There all connected and working, I first thought some wasn't working.

Is this normal for the standard system to be of low quality ?

Could I do anything to improve the quality and still keep the current standard speakers ? If not what do you suggest ?

Does anyone know what the  spec. would be on my current speakers ?

Just any advice/info on this would be greatly appreciated .It just seems strange how Mercedes have over looked this area !!

MANY THANKS

 

[Mark300SL]

I  have just sold a Rover 218VVC coupe to make way for the SL, and the speakers in the Rover were superb in comparison.

I had fitted a Kenwood Mask Minidisc to the Rover and this was removed before we sold it and subsequently fitted to the SL

I am now looking at fitting replacement speakes in the SL as the sound quality - whilst ok is nothing like as good as we are used to. They dont have the power capacity and distort easily, which is a pain as I bought the SL to drive with the roof down - this requires more volume not less !

Mark

 

[Koolvin]

read this:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/cgi-bin....pioneer

 

[Aletank]

Thanks guys, I think I'll go to this guy on Monday(when he's back off hol)Auto Audio Services . He fitted my Stereo originally and is local, I'll see what he suggests.

He's got some speakers listed on his site "Audio Design" , Are these a quality make does anyone know ? He has all the other makes too.

I'll let you know hoe I get on, on Monday anyway

THANKS AGAIN    <img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

 

[fuzzer]

I disagree about the speakers , I thought they were shit too when i had my Mercedes special cd .


Not any more , Nakamichi to the rescue .. sounds fab now

I know what u mean about the sony . Our old C220 cdi had a sony head unit in it and it was really bad....

 

[Aletank]

I've just been to Road Range(Liverpool Main Dealer) enquiring about speaker upgrades, they said they have one option and thats Bose speakers -

Front £70 + VAT Each
Rear &nbsp;£40 + VAT Each

The sales guy said that the standard C-Class speakers thats in there at the moment &nbsp;are about £12 &nbsp;each!! LOL

 

[fuzzer]

Tounge hanging out .......


You can ger bose speakers?<img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>


Do you have the part numbers?

Thanks

Jason

 

[Koolvin]

C43's and C36's came standard with BOSE and it even had a AMP and sub.

 

[Aletank]

Sorry Fuzzer no part number, the guy looked it all up on the computer while i was there..............Maybe they would tell you if you phoned a dealer- parts dept.

Even the parts guy said I would be better of going to a Car Audio shop , I'd get better quality for less money

 

[Koolvin]

dont forget that bose optioned mercs also had bose updated wiring too <img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

 

[Billy]

My 1999 (T) C43 didn't have any BOSE, it was a £750 option!

 

[GrahamC230K]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">My 1999 (T) C43 didn't have any BOSE, it was a £750 option!

</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>


Skip the BOSE!

Tell us all about your C43! We need pics, spec list, options etc

Describe the power to me in as much detail as possible.

Sorry if this sounds **wierd** ! &nbsp;LOL it's the closest I will come for a while.

 

[Koolvin]

damm... I know for a fact it was standard on the US AMG's

RIP OFF BRITIAN!!!!


all the C's have leather, aircon, sunroofs and power seats as standard even on base models.

 

[GrahamC230K]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">damm... I know for a fact it was standard on the US AMG's

RIP OFF BRITIAN!!!!


all the C's have leather, aircon, sunroofs and power seats as standard even on base models.</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

I would rather have decent suspension and headlamps.  <img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Look on the bright side.  <img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Back on Topic:

I don't find the original speakers too bad. I admit I am tempted by upgrades, but try fading front/rear to suit your taste and it's not bad (I have bias to the rear), takes the edge of the harshness, and gives the impression of more depth.
I have had my old Kenwood MASK (KRC758R) unit in my two BMW's and W202 C and the sound has not suffered in the Merc.

I have to say though, my new Kenwood (KDC-PSW9521) makes the best of a otherwise basic system. Set the speaker size, adjust all the bass and zillions of other settings and you can get good results.

 

[fuzzer]

Oi , there is nothing wrong with elegance suspension ... helps me keep the coffee in the cup in the morning as the roads are shocking.

 

[GrahamC230K]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Oi , there is nothing wrong with elegance suspension ... helps me keep the coffee in the cup in the morning as the roads are shocking. </td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

I was not referring to your Elegance suspension! <img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>

I believe I am correct in sying the US spec cars have totally different suspension set-up. The US Sport models are way higher by default. Some of the US guys who have lowered their cars, still don't look as low as mine. &nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='???'>

 

[Koolvin]

us cars = dune buggys

 

[Aletank]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Back on Topic:

I don't find the original speakers too bad. I admit I am tempted by upgrades, but try fading front/rear to suit your taste and it's not bad (I have bias to the rear), takes the edge of the harshness, and gives the impression of more depth.
I have had my old Kenwood MASK (KRC758R) unit in my two BMW's and W202 C and the sound has not suffered in the Merc.

I have to say though, my new Kenwood (KDC-PSW9521) makes the best of a otherwise basic system. Set the speaker size, adjust all the bass and zillions of other settings and you can get good results.
</td></tr></table><span id='postcolor'>

I've tried messin with the faders etc and do have it on the rear more. But the quality just isn't there that I've been used to for the last 2 years from my Rover. When I first installed my stereo in the Mercedes I thought &quot; Is that it !!&quot; It just seems a waste of a good stereo system at the moment let down by the speakers, especially as I've heard what it can sound like.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Aletank,

I'll be interested to see what you do.

I have been tempted as I said, but it is the number of speaker sthat has put me off.

I like the Pioneer, Front door and tweeters Koolvin has got. You can get for about £100.
But then I would have to bias more to the front as the other speakers would otherwise still distort and let the system down. I don't like too harsh high frequencies so I don't think this would suit me.
That means that the rear doors and shelf would also have to be upgraded. The cost of the extra 2 pairs and the difficulty if replacing spkrs in the rear deck puts me off.

The other option is to ditch the rear doors and even the possibly the rears and just upgrade the front, perhaps with a sub, but I don't feel comfortable with that idea for some reason.

 

[Dave B]

Aletank:  I've got the Blaupunkt RDM168 single CD player and was fairly dissapointed when I first got the car.  However, I managed to get a decent sound out of it by tweaking the bass and lower mid-ranges on the built-in the equalizer.   It'll never be brilliant with the standard cones but it's not such a bad head unit....got the steering wheel remote, just need a cd changer <img src="http://www.mbclub.co.uk/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''>

Question:  anybody tell me whereabouts in the car MB stick the CD changers...when they fit them that is ??