05 C230K, ipod kit sound quality
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Joined: Feb 2005
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05 C230K, ipod kit sound quality
guys, i just had the kit installed, the sound quality is really poor, i mean its worse then the radio... is there something wrong with it or is that the best i'm gonna get out of it? also does either the changer or the head unit have capability to play mp3?
thanks for your help
thanks for your help
Almost a Member!
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 32
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From: Singapore
MY04 C200K 5AT
I have the kit installed and I don't have any problems with it at all. Sound quality is fair - you get the same quality as you'd get if you plugged the iPod into a home stereo or even into decent headphones. Again, as with all mp3 players, sound quality largely depends on the mp3 encoding bitrates, etc.
I think I'd get your integration kit looked at if the sound quality is that bad.
I have used an iPod Gen3 (first one with dock connector), and an iPod Video in my car, and they both sound the same. Only gripe I have with the system are:
1. The volume level from the ipod is quite low, so I have to turn the volume up when compared to listening to the CD or radio.
2. The central display only displays 9 characters, so sometimes you end up navigating playlists blind - can't they have some scrolling effect to allow you to see the entire album name, artist name, etc?
I think I'd get your integration kit looked at if the sound quality is that bad.
I have used an iPod Gen3 (first one with dock connector), and an iPod Video in my car, and they both sound the same. Only gripe I have with the system are:
1. The volume level from the ipod is quite low, so I have to turn the volume up when compared to listening to the CD or radio.
2. The central display only displays 9 characters, so sometimes you end up navigating playlists blind - can't they have some scrolling effect to allow you to see the entire album name, artist name, etc?
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 46
Likes: 1
From: Southern California
2017 E300, 2017 GL450
i have the Ipod Kit as well, and I have absolutely no problems with sound quality except it seems about 25% lower then if I were to play a CD or listen to the radio, so i have to turn it up a few notches at times. Other then that, its perfectly fine and is a great companion to the premium HK soundsystem.
Aside from it being a defective Ipod Kit or perhaps a defective Ipod, my guess is it's a simple case of GIGO
Garbage in, Garbage out. If you have low quality MP3's on your IPOD, get rid of them. Your ears will thank you.
Aside from it being a defective Ipod Kit or perhaps a defective Ipod, my guess is it's a simple case of GIGO
Garbage in, Garbage out. If you have low quality MP3's on your IPOD, get rid of them. Your ears will thank you.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 270
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From: Aliso Viejo, CA
2007 E550, 2011 BMW 335i
i HAD the kit in my car, and i could't sand it. The quality was horible, i had the system replaced and looked at three times. There was too much noise and hiss and much disortion. I could actually hear the hard drive spinning while looking for songs. Perhaps my situation is unique, but i had to gt rid of it. I use what i had, which is the ice link from Dension. With this is i have no problem, CD quality, and no volume issues.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Orange County
2005 C Wagon (No snickering please!)
The Ipod kit uses the same input as the Aux input cable. If you can live without the remote operation and display of the Ipod, you can use the Aux input with an aftermarket headphone amplifier to match the volume level with the radio.
There are some MOST compatible changers that can play MP3's from CD's.
MP3 is a very lossy encoding technique, even done right the sound is less than desireable when played on quality sound equipment.
I encode music for my car using AC3, or Dolby TrueHD, depending on the quality of the source material. I play back from my laptop through the Aux input cable. Sometimes I go slumming, and carry just a Muvo MP3 player. It holds a thousand songs, or one phone message from my mother-in-law.
There are some MOST compatible changers that can play MP3's from CD's.
MP3 is a very lossy encoding technique, even done right the sound is less than desireable when played on quality sound equipment.
I encode music for my car using AC3, or Dolby TrueHD, depending on the quality of the source material. I play back from my laptop through the Aux input cable. Sometimes I go slumming, and carry just a Muvo MP3 player. It holds a thousand songs, or one phone message from my mother-in-law.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: So Cal.
2019 GT3 RS, 2017 M3 30 Jahre
Originally Posted by Moviela
I encode music for my car using AC3, or Dolby TrueHD, depending on the quality of the source material. I play back from my laptop through the Aux input cable. Sometimes I go slumming, and carry just a Muvo MP3 player. It holds a thousand songs, or one phone message from my mother-in-law.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,848
Likes: 15
From: Orange County
2005 C Wagon (No snickering please!)
I use the creative Audigy2 Zs most of the time.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102185
If I need to record in the field, I use an Emu 1616.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16829102185
If I need to record in the field, I use an Emu 1616.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,144
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, B.C. Canada
05 C55
i've had mine for about 4 months now and i love it!
quailty is great! volume is a bit low and the display sucks but nothing else.
oh, also, MB told me i cant have it anywhere but my Glove COmp. which sucks cuz i'm always reaching over and bothering the passenger in doing so, i want to move it to the arm rest (which i was told they cant do!).
also, if you have engough storage always rip CDS or import MP3s at the highest possible, mine is CD quality. each mp3 is like 15 mb. i have a 30 gig video and i doubt i can exceed that amount of space even with my complete family guy episodes in ther :P
quailty is great! volume is a bit low and the display sucks but nothing else.
oh, also, MB told me i cant have it anywhere but my Glove COmp. which sucks cuz i'm always reaching over and bothering the passenger in doing so, i want to move it to the arm rest (which i was told they cant do!).
also, if you have engough storage always rip CDS or import MP3s at the highest possible, mine is CD quality. each mp3 is like 15 mb. i have a 30 gig video and i doubt i can exceed that amount of space even with my complete family guy episodes in ther :P
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,848
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From: Orange County
2005 C Wagon (No snickering please!)
I use the m version, and the ADC's are the quietest out there. The preamps are great too. There is just about every connector on the box, so any sound can be transferred. For live recording, there is little better. I mostly record wild sound used to guide ADR sessions later in post. Binaural recordings using a pair of blue bottles are so quiet you think you are still on location.
Oh, the sound is better than the Unicorn (MOTU) hardware.
Oh, the sound is better than the Unicorn (MOTU) hardware.
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 253
Likes: 0
From: Hartford, CT USA
2013 C300 Sport 4Matic
nice, do you use the pre-amps it came with? For my 828, I'm using the pre-amp from my Focusrite Platinum Voicemaster, because I didn't like the one built into the 828. I been looking for diff soundcards though, but I want to stay away from the Digi stuff. I guess I gotta try that Emu out. I have one of their sound modules (MoPhatt) and love it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,211
Likes: 2
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
I have my iPod plugged into the AUX port on Comand and it sounds decent, depends on the song. What makes the radio sound better sometimes is that it's louder when you switch from iPod to radio so it may give the impression that it's better. I've run for hours on long trips with iPod and with FM and I think overall, the iPod is a cleaner sound. The CD sounds the best, better than FM and iPod by a long shot, but then again, who uses CD's anymore, it's not kewl.
