S211 Harmon Kardon - now I know why it sound so good.....

[Londonscottish]

I have been repeatedly amazed at how good the Harmon Kardon system sounds in my S211. I have been trying out a whole range of CD's and each time I am really impressed. Anyway it turns out to have 420 watts of grunt and a seven-way set up.....ah that explains it then.....heh heh

Click on the "stereo review" tab if you like that sort of thing

Full Test: 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500

 

[Adam230K]

would definitely be better than the C43, and since i'm guessing thats your comparator I am not surprised that you are impressed!

My 540i's sound system was sublime. bloody miss it.

 

[Londonscottish]

would definitely be better than the C43, and since i'm guessing thats your comparator I am not surprised that you are impressed!

My 540i's sound system was sublime. bloody miss it.

Well my first C43 had what at the time (2000) must have been a very expensive Alpine after market set up (TV/CD/NAV/Amp/Speaker upgrade) which was pretty good.

The second C43 came with a rather poor Sony set up so I retro fitted a decent head unit and added a sub - it was OK after that.

The HK sound reproduction (and volume!) though, is something else.......and having read the spec I now know why Plus of course there's far less engine/road/exhaust/tyre noise getting in the way.

 

[Alps]

i still think the HK setup could do with a bigger sub. 90% of the time the music is on low-mid so its all good, but the times ive wanted to turn it up ive been dissapointed.

 

[Londonscottish]

i still think the HK setup could do with a bigger sub. 90% of the time the music is on low-mid so its all good, but the times ive wanted to turn it up ive been dissapointed.

Maybe I can hear mine more clearly as there's only a fabric parcel shelf between me and it.

I can hear all sorts of bass response at all volumes - in terms of detail it's as good at the sub I've got in my domestic install.

In my previous C43 I'd find myself winding the sub up and down - here I don't feel the need.

 

[lopes80]

i still think the HK setup could do with a bigger sub. 90% of the time the music is on low-mid so its all good, but the times ive wanted to turn it up ive been dissapointed.

+1

I was in my friends Audi, he has a Bang-Olufsen system, WOW!

 

[st4]

Even the standard set up in the 211 is really good and a cut above any other in car stereo I've come across.

 

[gIzzE]

Even the standard set up in the 211 is really good and a cut above any other in car stereo I've come across.

I agree.

The cabin size, shape and position of the speakers is damned good for a stock system, which really does help alot.

The thing is the stock system sounds warm, and this means you can turn it up without it sounding shrill.

It is the best base system I have heard in a car.


My last system was Alpine 9887, Genesis Series 3 amp, Rainbow Vandium speakers and Aliante 10si sub, so that is pretty high praise indeed.

 

[Tan]

Thanks for posting this, it was only today that my cousin and I were talking about where the sub is in my car.

The HK system is a massive improvement over the Bose systems that I had in the SL and the Audi and my brother finds that the Bose system in his 911 is not a patch on the HK system that was in his Sports Coupe.

Do you have any information about the modes available, i.e surround, drivers etc. These seamed to disappear on mine when the 2009 disk was added.

Thanks

Tan

 

[Londonscottish]

Even the standard set up in the 211 is really good and a cut above any other in car stereo I've come across.

Yeah - the 280 I tried had a good system in - I presume it was stock.

 

[Londonscottish]

Thanks for posting this, it was only today that my cousin and I were talking about where the sub is in my car.

The HK system is a massive improvement over the Bose systems that I had in the SL and the Audi and my brother finds that the Bose system in his 911 is not a patch on the HK system that was in his Sports Coupe.

Well I guess Harmon Kardon, Bose, Mark Levinson, etc lend their names to all sorts of installs. I suspect that on the E Class it's a good result as (a) there was a lot of room originally made available for stock speaker enclosures and (b) there was a hefty budget for components. Without either (1) or (2) you're not going to get an amazing result

Do you have any information about the modes available, i.e surround, drivers etc. These seamed to disappear on mine when the 2009 disk was added.

All I've come across is a menu in the audio set up area which offers Factory Settings, 7.1, etc. I didn't touch it as I was not sure what I was doing....