pacman...

I was conducting some experiments with my W211 E55amg with the audio components...I tried 3 brands so far Audison 5CH (which was great), old school MOSFET 5CH Rockford Fosgate, and Soundstream Tarantula 5CH...they all worked out fine but def the Audison was the cleanest...then my rep came in and said he has a Alpine amp (MODEL MRA-D550) he wanted me to try out and I laughed (personal choice I dislike Alpine) but he said since you got optical problems cause of your OEM system you might wanna try it cause it has 2 optical inputs on it?!?!? WTF??? so I'm currently waiting on the amp to come in so I can run some tests and figure which way am I going to go as far as power...does anyone on this forum have anyluck on testing this before I start to cut and dice again??

I have tried to search on here but only info I keep running into is about Audison or Mr. AMGFAN's sick w211... so if you got some input please don't be shy and help me out thanks...

P.S. Incase you haven't noticed I work as an audio installer but i know very little about the MOST system and its ins and outs...thanks

jbondox

Its a sad industry when the rep doesnt know what he is talking about and the guy who is making his living doing audio doesn't know MOST... I now understand why people rather them do it their selves... as it would look like the vehicle would be a guinea pig

pacman...

For one, how many cars come with MOST in them that I work on a day by day basis?? (usually work on high end cars but most of them come with an amplified system but not OPTICAL WIRING!!) and 2, I asked for help in the matter not some sarcastic remark that pretty much sums up one of my favorite quotes: "Opinions are like *******s, everyone's got one!!"...BTW if you do any sort of unique customizing to your vehicle your car I considered a guinea pig too, I don't think in the box and copy everyone else!!! I try and make it a project....just wanted some input from some of the people that may know more then me...not too familiar with the system options, since I keep reading that you can cause batteries to drain over time die and or cause failure of some sort in the system is you mess with it...I can do the usual and rip out all the guts and start from scratch...but just wanted an experts advice on the matter...so please if you got some input for assistance it would be gratefully appreciated...

thanks

JonMBZ

I am no expert in aftermarket options, but this may be helpful for you.

http://www.mobridge.us/products/most-digital-pre-amp

6spdcoupe

Your rep should be fired. New product or not, he should know how things work. He should also know that the only thing the input on that and MOST have in common is the light. Worst part .. it's an old discontinued amp. He has had Plenty of time to learn.

Hats off to you though for coming in here and asking rather than trying it on your, or a clients car. Simply put though .. it won't work. Even IF you could figure out a way to get the signal in, you then have no control over the amp.

pacman...

LOL!!! funny thing is that I have said this before, he should be fired but w/e not my problem...but in respect to the amp answer thanks...

And also, I was trying to find a solution to the MOST, which now I know I have to redo the whole system then...lol...let the rewiring begin...FML...I guess I'll do what amgfan told me to do and have a MB trickle charger installed for quick charging...

jbondox

there is a guy on the 211 forum that just did his first radio install in one, ask him. It doesn't matter if you don't work on high end cars or not, most has been around for close to a decade and D2B prior to that. Hell Saab had a most amp at one time!

I am just saying as i did before that if this is your industry of profession, you should know the bare bones minimum, such as what CAN, D2B, MOST, GMLAN, Class II, ETC.. hell add ultrasonic sensors, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular, GPS, and a lot of other stuff... now if your stuck working on box Chevy's... I wonder how you found this forum.

now... not saying that the above was constructive... here is a link for you

http://archive.pac-audio.com/protoco...o/protocol.asp

you have a test at the end of the week... j/k

pacman...

LOL!!! Thanks, but it's not that I don't work on high end cars...I do...but for the most part most of the high end cars such as Porsche and lambo come with the more simplified version of an amplified system and they are easier to bypass then this one without having such a dramatic effect on the charge system...I mean the MOST loop is awesome cause its so clean, but what sucks is that aftermarket companies don't make lots of effort to produce MOST product...

@Jbondox - If you come across the radio install info again please post the link so that I may see it, I tried to search and found tons of different links but none explaining a proper solution...without going the OEM command and stuff, I would like to install full high end system cause I have the capabilities but don't want to wake up one day and have a power drain issue...thank you...

Cartronics

Gentlemen, the original poster was asking for info....

That Alpine amp has Toslink optical. It CAN be used in a Mercedes if you have something like the mObridge DA1000. However, it will not be as good as the Audison, as the Alpine has no preprocessor. It could be used AFTER the Audison. ALthough the rep SHOULD be shot for not knowing much about optical. Every German car used it for the last 8+ years, and some longer than that. Even some UK (now Indian) cars use it, as well as the Swedish and others. Very common place these days from Europe (where all the cars with character come from (personal choice)).
I have to agree that jbodox is correct via my above statements. He enjoys slamming our company for some reason, but in this instance I have to agree with him. People with differences can agree from time to time

6spdcoupe

Still incorrect. THAT Alpine amp listed above canNOT work with it, regardless of a Mobridge, Motus or any other device before or after an Audison - or again any other device you choose - piece. Unless your gonna throw a HU in as well, then what's the point of all the other work ?

Cartronics

I assumed it was a typo above on the model number (I have never seen a MRA-D550 - but not an Apline dealer either), as I have used the MRA-F350 (or should I say attempted to use), with the mObridge DA1000. It worked fine from a technical standpoint, but sounded like crap, as I had no processor in front of it. I tried it on the bench for a client to verify that it would work. It did... but needs a processor. And since you need something like BitOne in front of it, why would you put a crappy amp like that after a BitOne? But it does work....

6spdcoupe

Not a typo and requires a few selected Alpine decks to control it. Otherwise .. no dice. I am not an Alpine dealer either, nor do I have any intent on picking them up, I do however pay attention to my 'competing' products.

Why does Any amplifier 'need' a processor ? I wanna run passive, do I still 'need' a processor ? So all amps 'sound like crap' without a processor in front of them ?

Also why all hell bent on the BitOne, it appears that for you it HAS to be placed in front of everything. Why ? Why only that one ?

No debate here, just questioning your logic.

Cartronics

Basically because we have been selling the DA1000 to Audison dealers. The DA1000 was a bit of a joint project with the BitOne in mind. The factory COMAND in a Mercedes (or PCM in a Porsche) preprocess and control what the amp does. It sends those commands to the amp and the amp controls the soundspace on the MOST bus. When you hook up a DA1000, you have to remove the factory amp, thereby removing the processing. So something like the BitOne (the most popular in recent couple of years in the high end shops) is what has been used. We are not Audison dealers, but work with many of them to pretest equipment for them.
The newer DA2000 removes the need for a preprocessor, and can be used direct with any amp and use analog RCA instead of Toslink. It keeps the pre processing of the factory COMAND in place. But that is brand new... so up till this past month, we used a DA1000, BitOne and Amp of choice. It is late, so I hope I explained that in an understandable manner.... getting very tired. If more questions... I maybe can help tomorrow.

6spdcoupe

I understand quite well HOW these things work, I have been doing it for a little while.

However please realize you are on an open forum that is public and what you state makes it seem like the BitOne is the holy Grail and all else sub par. When in fact the DA1000 works Very well with the Zapco DSP6 as well and many were used with the DA too, including, but not limited to the Aussies. If you reference Matt with this, I am sure he will confirm.

Also in your wording, you make it seem as if this applies in all vehicles. Yes it is an MBZ board, but google searches may land someone here to read this as well as many members have other - non German- vehicles that may take this advice to mean it applies across the board.

I am sure this is not your intent and I am not being confrontational. Although when speaking openly more explanation and clarification should be shown.

Cartronics

Agreed, I did not mean to say the BitOne was the Holy Grail.... although some think it is. I have no particular interest in any of them... it is just what most of our dealers tend to use. I am sure many many others are just as good. So if my statements lead anyone to think the BitOne is the ONLY product that can be used... I apologize. I meant it only as an EXAMPLE of what we see as typical from our dealers. It is what they have asked us to pre-test for them, that is all.

jbondox

I will say the bit1 is the holy grail!

I love that processor, though I am looking forward to alpine's new pxah800 ... I haven't heard about zapco in a long time since my buddy jeff smith used to pimp it. Zapco was the stuff to have.

pacman...

Hey Jbondox, did you ever come across that thread about the radio install??

jbondox

i seen it a few days before I posted, and haven't searched for it.. 211 section

pacman...

the amg section or the other one...?

jbondox

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