Sound upgrade?

[sagesingh]

if you haven't already installed, I do car audio systems specialising in the jl audio, mtx, jehnert and PG range.

PM me if you need any advise, or need anything doing. Although technically I do not do MBClub discount (yet), I will give you 10%.

Ps. i would recommend a JL Audio amp as the sound quality they produce are better than most. Alpine would be a close second.

 

[sinewave]

GIzzE have you located the pinouts yet?

Had a Google about but not having much luck.

Don't spose ya live in Cheshire per chance?

 

[gIzzE]

Sorry, I had a look but not got them.

When I got my car I thought it had a gateway in the back so found them out, in the end it didn't so I just used the pin outs from the head unit.

They are out there though, think I got them from Mercedes-Benz Forum forums.

 

[isojet]

Update; took Gizze's advice and went for a Alpine mrx v60 {ok i upgraded a little bit} reason being just in-case i needed to add a sub, what a difference! sounds fantastic on the original speakers and was definitely the right upgrade for my requirements , the amp and fitting cost £340 but i'v also had a quick disconnect thing added so i can take it with me if i sell the car. thanks for your advice GiZZe..

 

[sinewave]

Who did you use isojet and how long did they take??


Any pics?

 

[gIzzE]

They really do add something pretty good for not a lot of money.

The thing is it also keeps the speed dependant volume and EQ, which does change with Mercs as you go faster to take into account ambient noise.
If you get a cleansweep or similar you will loose all that, as an audiophile I think that is good, but in the car I'm not so sure.

Glad you're happy with it.

 

[isojet]

Thanks giZZe, great advice mate, and sinewave i used my local audio independent retailer, in fairness he tried the usual sales pitch but once he realized what i was looking for he gave me a great price {cash} and after the deed was done he complimented me on my choice of amp which made me feel good especially after i heard the new sound when installed, and as a bonus no total upgrade, just an amp, if you want to get the best out of your system go for an upgraded amp 100% and then if your still not pleased add a sub..

 

[isojet]

giZZe, whats your take on tyres? i'v got pirelle's at the mo, almost new cost a fortune but they were on the car when i bought it last month, there almost new, probably done 2k at the most but the road/tyre noise is unbelievable, thought my bearings had gone at one point, pzero's, what have you got on your car?

 

[MD5]

Update; took Gizze's advice and went for a Alpine mrx v60 {ok i upgraded a little bit} reason being just in-case i needed to add a sub, what a difference! sounds fantastic on the original speakers and was definitely the right upgrade for my requirements , the amp and fitting cost £340 but i'v also had a quick disconnect thing added so i can take it with me if i sell the car. thanks for your advice GiZZe..

I happened upon a Car Audio specialist yesterday, so popped in with this thread in mind. I very nearly left the car with him to have an Alpine MRX F35 fitted, but he also suggested an MRX F65, which he didn't have in stock, and I was with the better half on a different shopping trip anyway.
Along with Isojet's V60 and the new V70, this is now playing havoc with my indecisive nature, so I'd appreciate a bit of help please!


I have a 2004 E class estate 7 seater, NTG1 COMAND, with the nav DVD reader in the n/s/r, and a multi CD and DVD player head unit up front. I can't really see myself adding a sub woofer to this car (with my type of music and accommodating one? - the estate gets used in all of its variables), but may retain the unit for another car, which may have one added, but not essentially. I suspect, therefore, that the V60 and V70 maybe overkill in relation to the standard, non HK speakers in the car, but if the difference between them and the F65 are night and day, then that would help my decision, if anyone knows?

The head unit is just a control unit, think of it as the fascia with the actual radio in the boot hidden away. You would upgrade this as you would any oem head unit.

Would this be the case with the estate car, and could anyone suggest the best location for an additional amp please?

 

[gIzzE]

With your comand version yeah, everything is in the boot, makes adding an amp really easy.

Simply adding a 4 channel amp will make all the difference, any half decent one will be OK.

 

[MD5]

Thanks gIzzE. I phoned a couple of places more local to me yesterday, and some of the rubbish that you mentioned earlier was quite apparent, with one dealer intimating I was silly for not having my DVD in motion hacked!

My only reservation is the capability of my speakers, as some think anything above the F30 would be too powerful for them. I've pm'd Isojet, but don't know how often he frequents. Does anyone know how robust they are in standard form please, and whether or not they would need replacing a few months up the road?

 

[gIzzE]

They will take loads of juice, and speakers prefer to have more power.

Speakers melt with distortion, and amps distort when they run out of puff, so put a bigger amp in and you won't get to the point where distortion kicks in.


I really do wonder about some of these so called 'professional installers'. ??!!

 

[b1g1an]

gIzzE, I remember discussing improving the standard audio in the last of the original 1 series combo units with you over on babybmw where it was a case of replacing speakers, particularly the lack of tweeters, to get the system to sound normal rather than anything special. Will be picking up a CLS in the next week or so and my initial feeling is the sound from the COMAND and standard speaker set has that same nothingness to it as the beemer, the sound floating about in the footwells somewhere, but in this instance a ton of bass dominating everything. As the CLS is an E-class in drag can I take it all your advice would apply just the same.

I assume the 4 channels are front and rear, left and right and all get equal improvement as opposed to the 1 series way of just pretending the rears aren't there anymore and concentrating on the front.

Also you say just tap the front inputs, so does this mean the fader in the headunit no longer works as I tend to use that to quieten the back of the car a bit if the kids go to sleep.

Any help much appreciated, thanks.

 

[gIzzE]

The sound set up in the Merc is much better than the 1er.

You can take the sound for front and rear and put it into a 4 channel amp no problem, this will keep the fader.
I use the rear channels to add a bit of weight, but use the crossover on the amp to cut everything above 400hz, or slightly higher if the amp allows it.
This keeps the soundstage up front but gives a lot more in the 45-400hz region, so will sound nice and weighty.

 

[b1g1an]

That's great thanks, I take it we're still talking that Alpine amp you recommended to do the necessary?

Will probably be after more advice when I've got the car in my mitts and go to tackle the job but thanks again for now.

 

[gIzzE]

Yeah the Alpines will work fine, if you want to spend a bit more than a nice Genesis would be great, but they do get hot so mounting position needs to be thought about more.

Depends what you want to spend, to tap into the speaker level the Alpine, Pioneers etc. work a treat.

 

[b1g1an]

I'm not looking for great volume or to shake the body panels, just to bring it to life a bit and if I can do it for £150 that sounds good to me.

Just from fiddling with the system at the dealers the best way can think of describing the current sound is like someone has the stereo in the next room wicked up a bit so it's very bassy and no top end, I just want to be in the same room. I did check to see if someone had just turned the treble down but it was actually a bit high.

 

[gIzzE]

I found the bass needs to be dropped on the E Class, only a couple of clicks, but it took all the overpowering boominess away.
The treble just adjusts from very upper mid, from what I can tell, so upping that just adds some nasty harshness, adjusting the bass is adjusting lower mid so will take away the 'muffled voices' effect.

Unless of course someone has friend the tweeters in it already!

I am in Wymondham, so if you want to pop over with it when you get it I can have a listen and see what I think, if you think there may be a problem with it.

 

[gIzzE]

You could buy this.....

E90 / 91 Blaupunkt stereo upgrade - everything you need! - BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum - E90Post.com

That will give you a plug and play install.
And very good it is too.

£150 is a bargain.

 

[gIzzE]

Oh, didn't realise it was a 3 year old post that had been bumped!!