W221 amplifier

[Abed78]

Hi guys
Hope you’re all well. Recently my Harmon Kardon amplifier went on the blink. I tried to get it fixed but was unable to. So I’m stuck do I buy another Harmon Kardon amp or is there an alternative brand that would could possibly do the trick. I don’t mind having to change the command centre if needed be. The car is a w221 2006 s500 which I love but would be better with some tunes. If you any could advice it would be much appreciated
Thanks in advance

 

[mbmb123]

I don't have the HK amp, just the base model.
I tried fixing mine by changing the tiny cooling fan. didn't work. In the end I gambled £200 on a ebay breaker replacement. It's been good for 6 months now.
You'll know how expensive the HK units are. I wonder if you could downgrade to the cheaper amp?

 

[John]

You can't just swap out the amp with an alternative as it is more than just an amp.

It's actually an "Audio GateWay".

I've heard there is or will be a device that can sit on the MOST ring (the fibre optic connection on which the devices all sit in the car) but typically you have to have a working AGW to either get sound directly from it, or if you want to upgrade your audio which would require audio from the AGW and running it through a DSP to a new amp.

So your choices are buying one from a broken car as above or getting your one repaired.

 

[mbmb123]

You can't just swap out the amp with an alternative as it is more than just an amp.

It's actually an "Audio GateWay".

I've heard there is or will be a device that can sit on the MOST ring (the fibre optic connection on which the devices all sit in the car) but typically you have to have a working AGW to either get sound directly from it, or if you want to upgrade your audio which would require audio from the AGW and running it through a DSP to a new amp.

So your choices are buying one from a broken car as above or getting your one repaired.

It not just any alternative, its the cheaper Mercedes base amp.
Wouldn't this contain the audio gateway functionality too? From its connections I know its part of the fibre optic circuit.

 

[John]

It not just any alternative, its the cheaper Mercedes base amp.
Wouldn't this contain the audio gateway functionality too? From its connections I know its part of the fibre optic circuit.

I was more responding to the OP with my post ("or is there an alternative brand that would could possibly do the trick") so apologies for the confusion.

I don't have enough Mercedes-specific knowledge to know whether lower model audio systems similarly run an AGW but I would assume so.

Whether or not it would be compatible is a different story.

Might be worth contacting Comand Online (Richard is often on here) as they have an extensive knowledge of Mercedes-specific audio.

 

[SUPERNOVA1a]

Well my amp gave up the ghost last year and what with all the lockdowns and what. Now that travelling is allowed once more, so started to see about get the audio sorted. On inspection what the fan was doing was trying to engage but would just flicker when the ignition was switched on. Had a look at Braybrooks, which was a promising route to take to get it repaired at £720. Had a telephone conversation with Mercedes Central and was quoted £1018 for a brand new unit. Next had a word with Andy Gayle, the local independent specialist, and they could supply a refurbished exchange unit from Mercedes for £679+vat with a Mercedes two year warranty. Decided to go the route of Andy Gayle for this fix, to save the hassle of going to and fro to Braybrooks or posting. Now the system is all working and looking to doing some travelling. only done done 75 miles in the last 12 months.

 

[Finbob]

The Harmon Kardon amp on my W221 S500 stopped working in April this year. I talked to Richard at Commandonline in Lightwater and he recommended replacing the broken unit with a new one. They fail because of contaminants being sucked in under the boot load space where the amp is located. Their view (supported by what I have read elsewhere) is that repair is ineffective and that refurbished units stop working very quickly.

The job took a couple of hours to complete - I had a pleasant lunch at the pub down the road. Mark, who did the work, also took the time to take me through how the new amp connected to other devices in the car and how to switch between audio sources.

The cost of the new unit isn't cheap, but the help I received from Command Online was exceptional, and I'd certainly recommend them.

 

[ChrisPDuck]

I recently had the H-K amp in my 2006 W221 repaired by a place in Poland, for £255. it_store

Their service was quick and efficient - the experience was only soured by the woeful cross-border service of UPS. I'd recommend it_store for the repair without hesitation, but equally I'd recommend using anyone but UPS to ship to Poland!

When I took the amp out it was spotless, as was the area behind the panelling where it was mounted, so in my case I'm fairly sure it had nothing to do with contaminants. When I pressed the repairers for their diagnosis, they said the "The power section was damaged, we replaced all the components with new ones". A colleague of mine who's an electronics engineer suggested it could be down to what's commonly referred to as the 'capacitor plague', and certainly the fact that all the amps in W221 vehicles from that era seem to fail eventually does seem to bear this out.

My repair has a 1 year warranty, and I'm hoping that power section components from 2024 will have a longer life!

 

[Finbob]

I recently had the H-K amp in my 2006 W221 repaired by a place in Poland, for £255. it_store

Their service was quick and efficient - the experience was only soured by the woeful cross-border service of UPS. I'd recommend it_store for the repair without hesitation, but equally I'd recommend using anyone but UPS to ship to Poland!

When I took the amp out it was spotless, as was the area behind the panelling where it was mounted, so in my case I'm fairly sure it had nothing to do with contaminants. When I pressed the repairers for their diagnosis, they said the "The power section was damaged, we replaced all the components with new ones". A colleague of mine who's an electronics engineer suggested it could be down to what's commonly referred to as the 'capacitor plague', and certainly the fact that all the amps in W221 vehicles from that era seem to fail eventually does seem to bear this out.

My repair has a 1 year warranty, and I'm hoping that power section components from 2024 will have a longer life!

Sorry, I should have included in my post that Command Online performed an inspection of my amp before they recommended replacement - they could see what the problem was. I'm glad that you've had a different, and cheaper outcome.

 

[ChrisPDuck]

Sorry, I should have included in my post that Command Online performed an inspection of my amp before they recommended replacement - they could see what the problem was. I'm glad that you've had a different, and cheaper outcome.

And for my part I should say that I don't doubt Comand Online's diagnosis in your case for one moment - I have the utmost respect for them, and they've been extremely helpful to me on a couple of occasions.

I was only trying to offer an alternative solution, should the circumstances match, for other fellow W221 owners.

 

[BRW707]

Hello everyone with the w221 amp cap plague.
I am in touch with a small one man company here in Sweden where I am. It will take a few weeks or so before he can take a look at my B&O amp and sound processor setup with the exact same problem.
No moist or other contaminents in the trunk where it sits, but I tried to see what I could do myself.
I just had the amp card out of it’s shell and got the fan itself to work with just a 9 volt battery and a few paperclips.
My fault code readers (star and foxwell) both say that there is a bad connection between these two units (amp A2219009503 and sound processor A2219009403).
Fault code D71A I think it was (not sure now).
So either a capacitor (which I hope it is), or a bad connection in the wiring somewhere (and where could that be without tearing apart half a benz…?

 

[BRW707]

I got my amp back from an electronics specialist.
No faults found, also the tiny fan in this one works just fine.
Put it all back together today and started the car.
Not one single push of a button, it all works again.
Don’t know how or for how long it will work, but for now it works. Also the four little tweeters in the doors lit up.

 

[BRW707]

Too early to jump I guess. It stopped after just one day.
I have just one question:
If it did work at some point (for an hour or so), I guess it is already coded to the vehicle, otherwise it would never work, right..?
In that case, I guess it must be a capacitor of some sort. I will try to find out more about this it store then. I have friends that travel to Poland now and then, so freight would be easier/cheaper at least.