Andonixxx

Hey guys, i was just wondering how to do this:

I would like to install a subwoofer on the trunk with the original stereo, I know that these cars have fiber optic so i'm lost with the way this car works, i can do it on a regular car with regular wiring but i've never done anything with fiber optic plus having the original stereo.

I just dont want to change the inside look of the car with another stereo.... would i have to buy something to the stereo to make it work? change wiring? has anybody ever done this? i'm pretty sure that somebody has done this!!!!

any help will be appreciated!!!! THANKS IN ADVANCE

aolsen

you'll have to STF since this has been discussed before.

I'd like to add a sub to my car too sometime...

Andonixxx

sorry about my ignorance but whaat does stf stands for? search the forum?

aolsen

lol, "search the forum"

Andonixxx

jajaja that's what I tough

bumpnzx3

depending on your car's options- you may not have fiber optic. if it just has the standard stereo- you can use your prior knowledge to ad a sub- it's the exact same.

06c230hwd

yeah i dont have nav or the harmon kardon system or anything.. so i just tapped right into the rear speaker wires for the input source on my amp. if your amp does not have this option then just go buy a 'speaker level input box' (not quite sure what they are called). anyhow- this will allow you to tap into speaker wire and it converts signal to female RCA outputs so you can just use your RCA on your amp.

Andonixxx

so if I have standard stereo I might not have fiber optic?

Andonixxx

how do i know if its got fiber optic or regular wiring?????

C24owner

If you have "bose" on the speaker grills then you have a fiber optic connection from your head unit to the bose amp in the trunk.

Just tap into any of the rear speakers with a line level converter and you'll be fine.

Moviela

C class cars use fiber optics to transport signal level sound between devices. There are two systems. Up to 2004 the cars used a system called D2B when Bose supplied speakers and amplifiers. Starting in 2005 the system changed to MOST, and Harmon Kardon supplied Logic 7 speakers and amplifiers for premium audio systems. All cars have fiber optics. All speakers are connected with copper wires. The MOST fiber optics carry the signal to the head unit for the Tele-Aid, the telephone, the multi-disc changer, the optional power amplifier (with subwoofer and surround processor), and Sirius radio receiver. If you don't have any of those options, the fiber is dark. Almost all cars, however, have a multi-disc changer in the glove box.

If your car has no amplifier in the trunk on the passenger side wheel arch, the speakers in the doors are connected on copper wire to an amplifier in the head unit. You can add a sub in the trunk quite easily. A quality sub with amp is made by Infiniti called Basslink II. This amp allows connection to the speaker wires in the door sills to run the sub. The Basslink also has an optional integrated amp that is quite sweet. It will pack a bit more punch into the existing speaker system. The amp is tunable to get the right thump into the car in front of you too.

Andonixxx

its not as bad as a tough i just have to put time to do it!!!

06c230hwd

Some good info! I wasn't sure if they started using HK after the facelift or in 2006. So after reading your input I can conclude that my audio system should be 'fiber-optic' (teleaid capable, and of course the cd changer). But last time I checked all my speaker wires have copper connections! Maybe it is just fiber from the changer directly to the HU?

JohnCL

You are so wrong. The bad information posted these days is astounding.


Adding a sub is very easy to do with a line level adapter or something similar. I added a JL sub to my coupe with no problems at all.

jay_mark_paul

Its called a "high low converter".....

Andonixxx

got it I know what it is that allows to run an RCA cable to an amplifier with a radio that only has speaker wire outputs

thankss

acr2001

Wow some of the stupidity in this thread is astounding (I dont mean all of you)

Let me make this really simple for those who still are somehow having trouble understanding:

ALL C CLASS VEHICLES HAVE FIBER OPTICS.

If you want to add a sub THE FIBER DOES NOT MATTER AT ALL.
You're not going to touch the fiber to do this install!!!

There is no such thing as a fiber optic speaker connection, its NOT POSSIBLE, ALL SPEAKERS USE REGULAR WIRES TO GET THEIR SIGNAL!! JUST TAP THOSE for the new sub!!!

IF you have BOSE then you MAY have an issue because the signals on the WIRES (NOT FIBER!!!!) may be different from what your amp/sub expects (I'm not too sure about that)

acr2001

ALL speakers (ON EARTH) use metal wires to get the signal!
Speakers are analog devices! You can't feed a fiber optic signal into them!
The only difference with the upgraded audio system is that the audio runs through fiber optics TO THE AMP which then has wires running to the speakers JUST LIKE ANY OTHER AUDIO SYSTEM ON EARTH. You simply tap those wires either way. Having the upgraded audio system makes NO DIFFERENCE when it comes to this. It does not matter. at all.

As far as fiber optics and whether your car has it - ALL the C Classes use a fiber loop for the audio devices!! The loop is only for the DEVICES to communicate with each other. Not the speakers.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm yelling, but a lot of people around here seem to have a problem understanding this.

06c230hwd

ahem.
wireless?
good day sir.





lol. j/k but yeah thanks for the info! (even though ive had my system in for weeks, therefore wasnt too worried :-P)

acr2001

Even wireless speakers have a receiver and amp at the other end which gets wired up to the speaker.

bumpnzx3

I was told, by an MB service tech at my local dealership, that if the car had the upgraded sound, it would have an outboard amp (which I already knew). He also said that amp would get it's signal via fiber optic cable. I don't like to use those converters on customer's cars, but when I have to, I never use the output signal from the amp- I always use the output from the head unit in order to lower the possibility of noise.

If I am incorrect in the fiber optic signal cable from the HU to the amp, then I stand corrected- bad information being passed on by an MB TECH is astounding.

acr2001

You said:

"depending on your car's options- you may not have fiber optic. if it just has the standard stereo- you can use your prior knowledge to ad a sub- it's the exact same."

This is wrong because everyone has fiber optics, the only difference is the external amp. As far as your argument that output from the head unit would be better, yes this is true, but it still makes no difference, because on a stereo without fiber to an external amp, the amp is internal, so you are in essence tapping into the same signal either way. There shouldn't be any extra noise introduced with an external amp thanks to the fiber optic connection which is lossless.

Also you said "IF" it has the standard stereo you can use your prior knowledge to do the install. Truth is it doesn't matter, you're still going to tap the same wires in the same place and they will have the same signal going through them.

bumpnzx3

you should have no noise after the amp- but you never know. especially in something like a factory amp- no where near the quality of something like McIntosh, older A/D/S/, etc. the fiber optic cable may be loseless- but it would still have to pass through the circuits in the amp prior to going through his converter

it's just me, but i wouldn't tap into a signal after the factory amp- hence me saying what i did originally. all of my own personal audio installs as well as installs i do for others- i aim to have to cleanest sound possible with the budget and equipment i am given to work with.

i don't really know why i am thinking this much about it though- it's obvious the orginal poster isn't after a SQ system- he just wants to add a little bump in the trunk. noise isn't as big of an issue when dealing with the substage.

Mu9enx

good thread, i was also confused! thanks to acr and moviela for clearing this up for me!

acr2001

Happy to help.