Recommended Amp/Speakers?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
2000 BMW328i
Recommended Amp/Speakers?
Upgrading the stock stereo on my c230; not interested in losing any space to a subwoofer, and want to keep the factory look, so will settle for what I can do with just an amp and upgraded speakers. Any suggestions from anyone who has done this? I'm leaning toward MB Quarts. BTW I already have the CD changer.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,439
Likes: 1
This has been discussed so many times.....you will be getting nowhere if you dont change the headunit. The headunit is the most important unit of the entire system, its where the source of the sound comes from....
If you insist on factory look, too bad, there's nothing that can help you improve drastically, dont waste yr money.
If you insist on factory look, too bad, there's nothing that can help you improve drastically, dont waste yr money.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 8,189
Likes: 1
From: SF
2007 VW GTI
harris said it well. sure the factory look is nice, but do you really want to have a stock headunit going to a $1300 set of amps/subs/speakers? that's like buying a HDTV to watch VHS tapes. makes no sense.
as far as headunits go, i'm looking into the alpine 7995 or 7982.
as far as headunits go, i'm looking into the alpine 7995 or 7982.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Liverpool,UK
2003 C180k Avantgarde SE Sport Auto
I've just done simliar to my W202, I already had changed my head unit and fitted a multi-changer so that was OK. I went to a few Audio shops and they was sugesting a Sub in the boot, which like you I didn't want. So this is what I fitted
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenwood 4 Channel 500 watt Amp(KAC-749S) - £200
Kenwood 170mm 260 watt Subwoofers,rear shelf, (KFC-W1705)-£95 The Subs
Clarion 165mm 150 watt Speakers,front,(SRR1733)-£79
Clarion 130mm 120 watt Speakers,rear,(SRR1333)-£59
Total of £433 all inclusive of fittings etc and all installed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It sounds superb now, I've got a crisp clear sound with a superb bangin Bass :p
Here's some pics - I've took the grills of so you can see the speakers but they all fit on perfectly looking totally original
Couple Of The Car It's Self
The Door Speakers
The Subwoofers
The Amp
The CD Changer
Here's my forum posts with my same query as you are havin now
MB Owners Club Post
Talk Audio post
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kenwood 4 Channel 500 watt Amp(KAC-749S) - £200
Kenwood 170mm 260 watt Subwoofers,rear shelf, (KFC-W1705)-£95 The Subs
Clarion 165mm 150 watt Speakers,front,(SRR1733)-£79
Clarion 130mm 120 watt Speakers,rear,(SRR1333)-£59
Total of £433 all inclusive of fittings etc and all installed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It sounds superb now, I've got a crisp clear sound with a superb bangin Bass :p
Here's some pics - I've took the grills of so you can see the speakers but they all fit on perfectly looking totally original
Couple Of The Car It's Self
The Door Speakers
The Subwoofers
The Amp
The CD Changer
Here's my forum posts with my same query as you are havin now
MB Owners Club Post
Talk Audio post
Last edited by Aletank; Aug 24, 2002 at 11:21 AM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
2000 BMW328i
I know this has been discussed at length, but my motivations are different from most of the posts I have read here. I understand that many of you are willing to give up clear AM reception for the sake of crisper sound or boomier bass -- I am not. Aren't any of you baseball fans? ; ) Many of you are also willing to give up the stock look. I have done this before, but am not interested in doing so with this car.
I am only looking to improve the sound quality as much as possible within the contraints I have described. I know this is achievable, as I have done it with other cars in the past (in one case defeating the BOSE). I realize that it will not sound as good as the systems you have, but I can live with that. Even an incremental upgrade is worth the $ and effort to me. I do not plan on spending $1300 -- it will likely be less than $1000.
If you're interested, I will follow up when I'm done and let you know how it turns out.
I am only looking to improve the sound quality as much as possible within the contraints I have described. I know this is achievable, as I have done it with other cars in the past (in one case defeating the BOSE). I realize that it will not sound as good as the systems you have, but I can live with that. Even an incremental upgrade is worth the $ and effort to me. I do not plan on spending $1300 -- it will likely be less than $1000.
If you're interested, I will follow up when I'm done and let you know how it turns out.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 370
Likes: 1
From: Miami, Florida
2001 C240
i don't know a lot about car audio, but i did have bass in my ML320, it had a Bose system... all i added was 3 subs and an amp, now how can they add subs without replacing the bose head unit and not be able to add highs and mids without replacing the head unit? 
