Subwoofer in W210 E55

[Horrgakx]

Hi all - Unfortunately I have the tape head unit with the standard crappy speakers so I'm wanting to upgrade and also put a subwoofer in (the boot of) my E55. However I'm thinking the bulkhead might be too heavily built to get reasonable throughput of sound.

Has anyone got experience or advice on fitting a sub to the E55 please?


Thanks.

 

[Londonscottish]

For what it's worth I've got an S211 E500 with Harmon Kardon. The sub is hidden behind the RH panel in the boot with a small mesh grill the only clue. Highly effective.

No idea if you can do this in a W210 saloon but might be worth a look.

I'm sure a decent sub will travel through the bulkhead. Subs produce very long fequency wavelengths which travel a long way through the air or through superstructures.

 

[harry_dhuga]

If you have the ski hatch with the opening section then you don't need to worry as the whole boot will act as a box and the ski hatch as the port allowing deep bass into the cabin - dependant on what sub/amp you are going to use.

 

[Horrgakx]

Don't think I have a ski hatch ;(
I think I'll try to plumb it in anyway and see what its like.

Thanks for the answers.

 

[harry_dhuga]

Don't think I have a ski hatch ;(
I think I'll try to plumb it in anyway and see what its like.

Thanks for the answers.

When I had my E34 M5 I had 2x15" sub's in the boot powered by a 1000w rms digital sub amp and the bass came through into the cabin because the sheer amount of power being pushed into them - I then folded down the rear arm rest and realised that the ski hatch opening was sealed but could be punched out. Once I punched it out (was only a thin piece of metal) the bass was flowing much more easily into the cabin.

So depends how much of a bass head you are as to what kind of sound you are looking for.

What amp/sub are you thinking of using and what is their ratings?

 

[Horrgakx]

No idea of details like that yet, though I see the car has twin rear speaker ports in the shelf.

I'm looking at Alpine head unit, but it just dawned on me that I don't think it has an FM tuner, I "may" have digital radio but being in Cumbria the terrain can prove somewhat challenging.

The Alpine also seems not that good value for money, like I think you might need the Parrot in-car kit to use the phone which in turn, I assume, plugs into the head unit. And the array of external processing puts me off (they're built in to some other units).

Unless anyone can suggest some new stuff that's on the market now? (don't need CD or DVD, iPhone connectivity will be fairly good, as will the ability to read MP3 from USB or memory cards).

 

[Horrgakx]

Still thinking about a sub, but I have discovered that there's the fuel tank in the way!
If I look behind the boot lining at the very front of the boot, the fuel tank is situated there. The bulkhead might be sealed in light of this (anyone know?) making a subwoofer very inefficient.

The only clear holes I can see are the speaker housings in the rear shelf which drop directly into the boot. There are 2 holes per side with a "bass speaker" filling one hole on both sides. Perhaps if I take those out it may allow the air to move into the cabin ...?

 

[Londonscottish]

How about an under-seat sub? (if it would fit)

They do exist - I wanted one for my C43 saloon - couldn't fit one though because of all the seat adjustment gubbins that took up too much space - yoy may have the same problem

 

[Horrgakx]

Yep I have the same problem, all the motors and framework and stuff on the front seats means there's barely room for an iPhone to slide front to back. And under the rear seat is the battery and some electronics boxes (I don't know what they are).

Can you get a good shelf mounted 16cm free-air sub? (I think it's 16cm) Or am I wasting my time and need to go with a box?

 

[Mr E]

No idea of details like that yet, though I see the car has twin rear speaker ports in the shelf.

IIRC that's where the sub was mounted in the HK set-up I had in the saloon.

 

[AANDYY]

This is what I did, very much the DIY attempt but sounds good.
I wasn't brave enough to do what V12 did, post 21 IIRC.

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/electronics/76612-twin-12-sub-install-e300td-w210.html

 

[Jukie]

Yep I have the same problem, all the motors and framework and stuff on the front seats means there's barely room for an iPhone to slide front to back. And under the rear seat is the battery and some electronics boxes (I don't know what they are).

Can you get a good shelf mounted 16cm free-air sub? (I think it's 16cm) Or am I wasting my time and need to go with a box?

I've had two W210s with subs but it was a few years ago. I had twin 10" or 12" free air subs attached to the rear parcel shelf with the amp attached to the internal boot bulkhead (i.e. backing onto the rear seat). The amp drove the subs and the upgraded mind and tweeters I had installed. Had an Alpine DAB/MP3 head unit. Sound was outstanding! DAB reception was pretty good up here in NE Cumbria!

Boy do I miss those installs.....

 

[timskemp]

I'm a fan of sealed boxes, so there's one in the boot of my W211. Never seems to be lacking in power...

 

[Horrgakx]

The issue I've got though is that the fuel tank is behind the rear seats.
Free-air subs will be inefficient, I'm just wondering how much I'd get through to the cabim from a box in the boot...

 

[AANDYY]

I've had two W210s with subs but it was a few years ago. I had twin 10" or 12" free air subs attached to the rear parcel shelf with the amp attached to the internal boot bulkhead Sound was outstanding! DAB reception was pretty good up here in NE Cumbria!

Boy do I miss those installs.....

Did you find there was a big diference in sub bass volume in the front of the car compared to the rear? I.E. lots more in the rear.
I've not noticed this much difference in other cars.