drho2004

wow this is the thread i've been looking for.
i just picked up a 2005 C230 SS with the H/K system. and i noticed when i turn up the bass it rattles the rear panel (were the woofer is at) and in some songs with bass drops the doors rattle too. i must say im dissapointed with the h/k sound system. i guess comming from my old car. it was 96 accord with full aftermarket sound system, multiple amps, crossovers, woofers, etc etc.it feels like a downgrade (only part of my purchase that feels that way) i guess you guys are old farts!! with all the music listed on this thread! lol
im a hip hop guy for sure, and i NEED my bass and loudness with no distortion, and no rattles of course. on my old car the whole inside of the doors were coated with dynamat and so was most of the trunk and rear panel. so rattling was minimal. some questions. as you all can tell im going to upgrade the sound system as soon as i can get the $$.
what size are the speakers in the doors? (front, rear)
what kind of speaker are they? (2-way, cone type 2-way)
what size are the tweeters?
were is the amp?
what size is the woofer in the rear panel? (looks like a 8" or 10")
thanks! other that this its a great car!

benzmodz

I had the same problem so I ask Steve to sell me another BOSE amplifier and when I installed it I realised that the severe crackling on the rear door speakers had damaged the drivers.

Now the sound is extremely clean and crisp. I bought a non-W203 BOSE amp and I have to say that now I understand how they are tuned according to the car. I like this one better than the old W203 variant.

jtC320

:p i believe that maybe around 5 months after i bought my car....i popped all my rear speakers and ended up doing a whole new audio system setup and I'm loving it!

drho2004

awesome man. you have any pics? list of components? u install it yourself or had someone do it?

drho2004

so i took my car to my local dealer to get that rear panel rattle fixed under warranty. well they didnt. they told me all they could under warranty was add some more padding or whatever that foam thing is. it didnt help. everytime bass hits, rattle, rattle. form the woofer area. i have the h/k system. also i hear a crackling of highs when i set the system to 'surround' i hear the cracking comming from the center speaker. kinda sucks, it goes away when i set it to 'normal' i took it to the dealer and they were like 'i dont hear anything' and 'there is no speaker there, its just a vent' B.S dang i hate the dealer. anyways...how difficult is it to remove the rear panel? is there a 'how to' somewere? im ready to dynamat the whole rear woofer area, that rattle is gonna drive me insane.

electromethod

Different strokes for different folks. A lot of people think that Premium sound is supposed to be the same as high quality aftermarket, when it isn't. On the same hand, some people think that spending $$$$$ on some of the well known brand names means they are buying a better product (when in reality they aren't). It just comes down to what you are happy with. If you are happy with your premium sound then good for you . I have found out though that most of my friends are content with their sound systems until they sit in one of my cars. I will admit that I blast the volume sometimes but not always. Usually, I end up helping them put a system together in their vehicle afterwards. Remember, anyone can throw subs in the trunk and rattle the block. A good install focuses on SQ and not DB.

Sauceboy01

The E320 has the Harmon/Kardon Sound system, and honestly... My standard system in the C230 sounds much better.

Outland

I have yet to hear a really good sounding factory stereo in a Benz. Even the American cars have better stock stereos.