Bluetooth - Poor sound quality

[snakepilot]

Thanks for the quick reply Carlsbad. I am thinking that I will order the Bluetooth cradle from AWS and the RZR directly from Verizon and try it. I have 15 days to return it to Verizon if it doesn't work. Then I can get the AWS RZR by paying their much higher price. Obviously, I would rather save the hassle if I knew it would not work, but from what I am reading on this board (thanks everyone!) it looks like a good bet that it should work.

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[kjb55]

Hello Ben:

This link answers the question, I found it at benzworld...

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w203...t-install.html

The Chicago roads are still salty!!

Hope this helps solve the Sprint question.

Thanks,
Ken.

Originally Posted by Ben'z

Hi, KJB55,

Don't worry!
Take your time!

Ben

[Ben'z]

Hi, Ken,

Thanks for your help!
I will try!

Ben

[carlsbad]

I picked my car up this morning (dealer had it for 8 days with a phone specialist assigned to the task of trying to fix my phone quality).

Bottom line: No improvement

Longer version:

Dealer called last Thursday and said they had been on the phone with AWS and had identifed the problem. AWS had documentation of 4 similar cases like mine (complete with VIN numbers) where the cause was the microphone

Dealer said they were awaiting authorization from MB to replace the part but were having some challenges getting it as the sensors did not show the part as faulty. That said they sounded confident this was the source of the problem.

Days later they call me from my car phone to ask me how it sounds. I was on a cell phone in the mountains when they called and I could make out each word clearly but it still sounded less crisp than what I would have desired.

I knew from past experience that when I place calls to a voice mail or to another cell phone from the car, the sound quality is better than when I talk to someone live or on a land line.

When I picked up the car this morning I was told that a voice modual had been replaced and some software in the command unit was updated. They were not clear if the voice modual meant the microphone or just part of the microphone.

I got in the car and placed a call to my office. First person I spoke to said the sound quality was terrible. They were straining to hear me and indicated the call sounded muffled

I called the service technican at the dealer on his cell phone and he could not hear me very well so he hung up on me.

I then called another dealer and they couldn't understand me

I then called the MB regional office and they could understand me but said it sounded like I was calling from a speaker phone and indicated the call was not crisp. They have assigned my case to a regional manager

I made several additional calls and each met with mixed results

When I was reading the service invoice it noted that calls placed to various people all indicated the phone was in working order

For some reason, when the dealer tests my system they always seem to indicate its working fine but whenever I place calls the people I talk to (and no they are not the same people each time), all complain that the voice quality on their end is terrible

I had hoped to end up with any phone (preferably not a blue tooth) that would work in this car but they did not go in that direction. As it stands now I have the Razr, permanently mounted in the cradle, using the exterior antenna, but it is a bluetooth phone.

I need a couple of days to regroup and figure out next steps but for now I remain frustrated with my MB phone in Carlsbad

[Skylaw]

Carlsbad, as I mentioned in offline correspondence, I'm about to test the story AWS gave me when I discussed your situation (without mentioning your screen name). I have ordered the same RAZR BT cradle, and should have it in my '05 by Friday. I am using a Verizon V3c CDMA phone with Verizon firmware 01.15.04, an approved phone and firmware combination.

The outlines of what AWS told me are at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...bluetooth.html

Your post and correspondence provided less than hopeful news, but thank you for taking the time.

I will write up the results and compare them to the detailed discussion AWS gave me about connectivity and compatibility. I still remember a bit of my engineering, I am married to a telecommunications expert, and I can evaluate their story.

I have excellent connectivity and voice quality with the MB branded Motorola V710 plugged into its cradle in my MHI system. That is what I am taking out of my car to install the RAZR BT cradle. The microphones, voice control module, and MHI system seem very much up to snuff as I start this. I am also not located close to any known source of RF interference in the Bluetooth band (it uses the frequency spectrum that was once allocated to airport landing systems, among other things), and I have very good cell coverage where I am. The conditions provide a good opportunity for the RAZR BT cradle to work properly.

I would continue to use the V710, but dislike carrying its bulk in my pocket, and have never liked belt clips. However, if the RAZR cannot be made to work satisfactorily, I'll go back to the V710 - then deal with AWS. They try to lock you into not being able to return their equipment, providing assurances that the "approved" combinations work fine and only "unapproved" systems are problematic. However, I'm their worst nightmare if their equipment just won't work properly - a recently retired attorney with lots of spare time.

[snakepilot]

Skylaw,
I just ordered the cradle from AWS and have a Verizon V3M with approved software that I will be using in my 2007 SL 550.
We'll see what happens. I'll be along with you if it doesn't work.

[rtx2008]

I've had my s550 4matic LE edition for two days.

I almost didn't get the car because of Carlsbad's and other posts. Maybe I just got lucky. I have a Blackberry 7130C and am using the MHI bluetooth adapter.

The voice quality is excellent on my end and good on the other. My receptionist states that she couldn't tell for sure that I was even on a speaker phone. My daughter just said that the reception was no worse than normal with normal being my Bberry with a Plantronics 640 bluetooth earpiece.

The surprise I got is that upon starting the car and waiting a minute or two, during which time the phone operates fine with the system, my entire Outlook address book with many hundreds of names is loaded into the system and thus accessible through Comand. I never dreamed that this would happen. My phone isn't even on the approved list.

[jm55]

Just picked up my 07 SL55 last Saturday. Installed the BT Puck and use a Cingular RAZR. I have asked several people and none have any problem hearing me. I have had the same experience on our 07 S550 picked up last September. Used both a Cingualr RAZR and ROKR in that car. Had no problem with either phone. With as many complaints and the fact that I have had no problem with either vehicle, this makes it sound more like it is either the year model of the car or perhaps the carrier of the phone might in some way change the software in the phone that might make it a problem. At this point my experience has been postive in two different cars.

[Skylaw]

Carlsbad,

I posted the results of my field testing (through use) of the V3 Bluetooth cradle for MHI at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/show...6#post2222126; they were good, and unfortunately I was not able to come up with any logical reason for the problems you and some others are experiencing except 1) equipment malfunction, either with your phone's Bluetooth circuitry, the V3 cradle, or your MHI system; or 2) being located in an area with extremely weak cell coverage, or 3) being in an area with very, very high strength radio frequency transmissions.

Thank you for your input, online and off; I will continue to follow your posts.

[rod9999]

I have studied this problem trying several motorola phones. I first use a cingular v60 (pluged in to car) sound quality fair. Cingular (AT&T) then changed it's network from TDMA to GSM so I bought a v60s with a new cradle. Sound quality sucked. I the purchased the motorola bluetooth puck and motorola E815, (switched to Verizon) Sound quality sucked. I then tried an LG vx8300 SOUND QUAILITY EXCELLENT. What I have discovered is that it is the Motorola phones that suck (tried razr to). I have a euro command (phone book will not down load) however I suspect that if I do the 3-5-7 trick and change it back to non-Euro allfeatures will work, right now with euro caller ID works, can dail from car last calls made work, Again Sound quality is excellent. Give it a try you get 15 days to return phone. Just the messenger

[schooner]

Originally Posted by carlsbad

I picked my car up this morning (dealer had it for 8 days with a phone specialist assigned to the task of trying to fix my phone quality).

Bottom line: No improvement

Longer version:

Dealer called last Thursday and said they had been on the phone with AWS and had identifed the problem. AWS had documentation of 4 similar cases like mine (complete with VIN numbers) where the cause was the microphone

Dealer said they were awaiting authorization from MB to replace the part but were having some challenges getting it as the sensors did not show the part as faulty. That said they sounded confident this was the source of the problem.

Days later they call me from my car phone to ask me how it sounds. I was on a cell phone in the mountains when they called and I could make out each word clearly but it still sounded less crisp than what I would have desired.

I knew from past experience that when I place calls to a voice mail or to another cell phone from the car, the sound quality is better than when I talk to someone live or on a land line.

When I picked up the car this morning I was told that a voice modual had been replaced and some software in the command unit was updated. They were not clear if the voice modual meant the microphone or just part of the microphone.

I got in the car and placed a call to my office. First person I spoke to said the sound quality was terrible. They were straining to hear me and indicated the call sounded muffled

I called the service technican at the dealer on his cell phone and he could not hear me very well so he hung up on me.

I then called another dealer and they couldn't understand me

I then called the MB regional office and they could understand me but said it sounded like I was calling from a speaker phone and indicated the call was not crisp. They have assigned my case to a regional manager

I made several additional calls and each met with mixed results

When I was reading the service invoice it noted that calls placed to various people all indicated the phone was in working order

For some reason, when the dealer tests my system they always seem to indicate its working fine but whenever I place calls the people I talk to (and no they are not the same people each time), all complain that the voice quality on their end is terrible

I had hoped to end up with any phone (preferably not a blue tooth) that would work in this car but they did not go in that direction. As it stands now I have the Razr, permanently mounted in the cradle, using the exterior antenna, but it is a bluetooth phone.

I need a couple of days to regroup and figure out next steps but for now I remain frustrated with my MB phone in Carlsbad

Carlsbad,
Keep us posted on your progress...I just joined this forum to research the very problem you speak of...I have been told by many that my V60s phone sounds horrible through the MB system (echoing, scratchy, tunnel, etc.)...but I hear the callers perfectly. I have also been told that callers hear an echo of their voice when simply on the speakerphone function outside of the car. End game, my V60 sits in the cradle to be charged, and when someone calls, I pull it out of the cradle to answer it. So I have no handsfree function which is unbelievable. I have inquired many times with the dealership, but they say nothing is wrong. Thinking that my V60s phone simply is broken, I went out and bought a BT "puck" for the car and now am trying to figure out what phone to purchase...after reading your messages, I now am thinking of returning my "puck" ASAP. Have you tried using a non Motorola phone per rod9999's message?

[Ben'z]

Originally Posted by schooner

Carlsbad,
Keep us posted on your progress...I just joined this forum to research the very problem you speak of...I have been told by many that my V60s phone sounds horrible through the MB system (echoing, scratchy, tunnel, etc.)...but I hear the callers perfectly. I have also been told that callers hear an echo of their voice when simply on the speakerphone function outside of the car. End game, my V60 sits in the cradle to be charged, and when someone calls, I pull it out of the cradle to answer it. So I have no handsfree function which is unbelievable. I have inquired many times with the dealership, but they say nothing is wrong. Thinking that my V60s phone simply is broken, I went out and bought a BT "puck" for the car and now am trying to figure out what phone to purchase...after reading your messages, I now am thinking of returning my "puck" ASAP. Have you tried using a non Motorola phone per rod9999's message?

Do you want to sell the puck?

[Sully1957]

I have a 2000 E320 and am intrigued by the Argos system for adding Bluetooth capability to my car. I have never had the phone installed, so have no issues with an existing cradle. The folks at EIS claim that their module, installed in the trunk and hooked into the existing cabling will enable me to use the OEM integrated phone system in the car with a Bluetooth phone. I have an LG VX-8600. Has anyone tried this Argos system and what are your thoughts. Are there any other options I should consider?

The Argos is priced at $867 including shipping and cabling. It is apparently very easy to install.

Thanks

[nrosoff]

I have owned well over 15 MB's in my lifetime. I stopped buying them in 2005 because of all the Quality problems they have. Bluetooth integration was just one of many issues I had.

I bought an Audi A8. Their MMI system full integrates with any Bluetooth phone, transfers my phone book, connects and disconnects seamlessly, does not require any additional hardware (i.e. a Bluetooth "puck") and sounds great.

When is MB going to wake up ????????????????????????

[jgsx]

I think MB finally has a bluetooth kit that works well on their latest generation cars (ie new S class). The 01-04 W203s were awful, the 05-07 W203s were Ok. Hopefully the W204s will work great. The problem is _NOT_ the mic. you could be using a 99 cent ebay mic or a $500 professional one, it won't make any difference.

[CLIFF4781]

The bluetooth puck works well when signal strength is above 3 bars. Sucks below that. It appears to me it is a window problem with the infrared reflecting glass decreasing signal. I can roll down 1 window and the signal strength increases. Works much better with the cradle. One would thing Mercedes would solve that problem if they really want to be the top Car in the world !!!

[yikes]

did anyone ever figure out how to improve the outgoing sound quality with the bluetooth unit?

im in the similar boat as many where incoming audio is fine but others says iit sounds like m talking from inside a can

[jlohr]

I would be interested if anyone has figured out this problem. I just replaced my Mikbox with v60 puck by reverting back to stock V3 setup on my 2003 SL55. Reception on my end is fine but receiving party hears me talking through a tube or as Carlsbad said, “a fish bowl.” My phone is a Nexus One android. It sync’s to the Bluetooth puck immediately everything works fine during static tests (not moving). As soon as I start driving the fishbowl phenomenon begins to progressively get worse, finally a freeway speeds no one can even understand me. I spoke with MB Care and the technical people were perplexed like they have never heard of this problem. They suggested I have my dealership check the microphone. The Mic worked fine last week with the Mikbox.

Any ideas out there would be a big help.

[goestooslow]

Well I finally found the right thread but it appears that there is no solution and the dealers (including mine in Austin) say the horrible sound quality is fine...

When calling my '04 SL500 which has the v60 BT adapter puck linked to the latest Blackberry the sound is great until the car starts rolling and as the speed picks up the background noise does as well, making the conversation very difficult (top up, windows closed, fans off, etc). It is as if the mic is picking up all the ambient road noise and has no noise cancelling technology (which it may not). I can only assume that the issue lies with the v60 adapter or the mic picking up all ambient noise.

Anyways, I have searched and can't see that anyone has come up with a solution short of replacing the entire system?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Cartronics]

The Argos fixes this problem, but you may be aware of this already.

[goestooslow]

No, I was not aware that the Argos resolved this issue. If that is the case it appears to be the most cost effective solution if I want to use the integrated hands-free. Thank you.