The best speaker set up possible?
Has anyone on here done this possibly if so let me know the set up you got and if you like it or not. I Really want to change this stuff in my car Because I just got it and the stupid speakers that came with the car factory stock are blown! please help me out. Thanks and greatly appreciated.
Now the sub is not doing well and the center(on dash) speaker is buzzing too.
I think is gonna be a pain in the a$$ to do it myself.
I went to BestBuy and got quoted $1500+ for a complete job.
New component speakers 2 amps, trunk sub, hidden in a double wall board to mach oem back of the trunk and not visible.
At the end of the conversation and talk about most of the possible top quality configurations, the guy tells me that this price is only for the labor !
So my friends, i gave up the ideea. Also crutchfield's prices for the component speakers are not too bad, but paired up with install it makes me wanna just ...give up.
I could probably change the door speakers myself, the sub and the tweeter(rear) without new wires... and thats about it.
But that rear tweeter ...hmmm... i cand find one anywhere, except dealer.
I have a 05 C230K with Nav and Harman/Kardon 9 speaker factory setup.
By the way.... if anyone knows where i can get the tweeter for a better price, please let me know.
Last edited by coldbud3; Apr 30, 2009 at 09:02 AM.

Now the sub is not doing well and the center(on dash) speaker is buzzing too.
I think is gonna be a pain in the a$$ to do it myself.
I went to BestBuy and got quoted $1500+ for a complete job.
New component speakers 2 amps, trunk sub, hidden in a double wall board to mach oem back of the trunk and not visible.
At the end of the conversation and talk about most of the possible top quality configurations, the guy tells me that this price is only for the labor !
So my friends, i gave up the ideea. Also crutchfield's prices for the component speakers are not too bad, but paired up with install it makes me wanna just ...give up.
I could probably change the door speakers myself, the sub and the tweeter(rear) without new wires... and thats about it.
But that rear tweeter ...hmmm... i cand find one anywhere, except dealer.
I have a 05 C230K with Nav and Harman/Kardon 9 speaker factory setup.
By the way.... if anyone knows where i can get the tweeter for a better price, please let me know.

Has anyone on here done this possibly if so let me know the set up you got and if you like it or not. I Really want to change this stuff in my car Because I just got it and the stupid speakers that came with the car factory stock are blown! please help me out. Thanks and greatly appreciated.
Matthew Polk at Polk Audio is making some very nice speakers that fit the W203 without cutting the car to pieces & Infinity - also part of the Harmon empire is also good. Both of these are reasonably priced for their performance. Then you need a decent amp with high current capability and decent power supplies - NO CLASS D - they are crap crap crap. Only thing in their favour is they run cool. You don't need huge BS power specs that quote nonesense peak power outputs in the 1000s of watts. You just need a good 50 watts per channel RMS or greater amp in a black box. You don't need flashing lights, bells & whistles, power meters & all that crap. They do nothing but degrade performance. Buy a simple beefy amp & hide it away.
Cables are another huge scam. Use a decent high SWG cable for the power supply connected to the battery. Use a reasonable, decently screened cable from the head unit to the amp. The best speaker cable you could possibly use in a car is a 20 buck - bright orange - heaven forbid! - Weed Eater extension cable from Home Depot (made in the Philippines) that would wire 10 cars so buy the shortest you can get & you will be happy. High signal strength cables, such as speaker cables, make very little difference in the short runs in a car.
A car is a hostile environment for audio & there are limits to what you can achieve. You also don't need all that gold plated crap that makes the car look like it's been to a suspect dentist. Good Luck
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; Apr 30, 2009 at 12:09 PM.
The one thats above the dashboard, i looked at it from above and doesn't look like is removable from the top.
It looks like it need open heart surgery.
Well i think you guys are right about the other speakers, but what about that sub, should it stay where it is right now(behind rear left headrest{behind the headrest of the passanger behind the driver
} ) or be moved into the trunk ?What about the overall completion time for such a project ?
Is there a DIY on the center speaker removal ?
Thanks guys.
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maybe you should state what kind of music you listen to? So we can get a better idea. The best speakers for opera won't sound as good for hip hop. If you get the idea.
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The one thats above the dashboard, i looked at it from above and doesn't look like is removable from the top.
It looks like it need open heart surgery.
Well i think you guys are right about the other speakers, but what about that sub, should it stay where it is right now(behind rear left headrest{behind the headrest of the passanger behind the driver
} ) or be moved into the trunk ?What about the overall completion time for such a project ?
Is there a DIY on the center speaker removal ?
Thanks guys.
Matthew Polk at Polk Audio is making some very nice speakers that fit the W203 without cutting the car to pieces & Infinity - also part of the Harmon empire is also good. Both of these are reasonably priced for their performance. Then you need a decent amp with high current capability and decent power supplies - NO CLASS D - they are crap crap crap. Only thing in their favour is they run cool. You don't need huge BS power specs that quote nonesense peak power outputs in the 1000s of watts. You just need a good 50 watts per channel RMS or greater amp in a black box. You don't need flashing lights, bells & whistles, power meters & all that crap. They do nothing but degrade performance. Buy a simple beefy amp & hide it away.
Cables are another huge scam. Use a decent high SWG cable for the power supply connected to the battery. Use a reasonable, decently screened cable from the head unit to the amp. The best speaker cable you could possibly use in a car is a 20 buck - bright orange - heaven forbid! - Weed Eater extension cable from Home Depot (made in the Philippines) that would wire 10 cars so buy the shortest you can get & you will be happy. High signal strength cables, such as speaker cables, make very little difference in the short runs in a car.
A car is a hostile environment for audio & there are limits to what you can achieve. You also don't need all that gold plated crap that makes the car look like it's been to a suspect dentist. Good Luck
When I was referencing cables, it was the mistake alot of people make of buying a quality piece of hardware and then thinking a piece of 16ga speaker wire and grounding it to the mounting screw on the amp is a proper way to power it. Between that and the cheap 20ft for $5 RCA interconnects you'll be chasing noise for years......
Its not like physical properties of copper wire changes when you pay too much for it or anything.

It is frankly more important to use highly flexible wire that can tolerate the endless opening & closing of doors than any other property.
Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; May 1, 2009 at 07:45 AM.

If you want a ghetto blaster that damages your hearing then that is a different matter.
So i love deep bass, rich full surround...but not very loud, the most like 80% max volume.
I love the high pitched sound effex and deep reveb sub sound but dont wanna over do it like the getto machine.
So im thinking of 4 component set setup + 1 sub and 2 amps.(1 amp dedicated for the sub)
To disconnect the center speaker do i have to remove the Head Unit or can it be done from the top(remove grill) ?


Whats your toughts on the rear sub ? Keep in mind that i have the H/K 9 speaker factory setup. I have a feeling that it should have a better place in the trunk, but i'm worried about the overwheeellmmingg vibrations .
Ohh.. and you guys think that the current speaker wires are acceptable for a new component setup ?

Whats your toughts on the rear sub ? Keep in mind that i have the H/K 9 speaker factory setup. I have a feeling that it should have a better place in the trunk, but i'm worried about the overwheeellmmingg vibrations .
Ohh.. and you guys think that the current speaker wires are acceptable for a new component setup ?
The vent is only held in by two screws inside the lower corners and pops out.
I've replaced the entire HK System in my C. You have fiber from the head unit back to the amplifier in the passenger side wheel well of your trunk, this is where all the speaker wires to the doors can be found. Take the HK Amp off the bracket and you have a great place to mount your component crossovers. I also have an XM tuner back in the same location, there actually is a great deal of room behind the carpet there.

Last edited by Glyn M Ruck; May 5, 2009 at 06:47 PM. Reason: Correcting info
Matthew Polk at Polk Audio is making some very nice speakers that fit the W203 without cutting the car to pieces & Infinity - also part of the Harmon empire is also good. Both of these are reasonably priced for their performance. Then you need a decent amp with high current capability and decent power supplies - NO CLASS D - they are crap crap crap. Only thing in their favour is they run cool. You don't need huge BS power specs that quote nonesense peak power outputs in the 1000s of watts. You just need a good 50 watts per channel RMS or greater amp in a black box. You don't need flashing lights, bells & whistles, power meters & all that crap. They do nothing but degrade performance. Buy a simple beefy amp & hide it away.
Cables are another huge scam. Use a decent high SWG cable for the power supply connected to the battery. Use a reasonable, decently screened cable from the head unit to the amp. The best speaker cable you could possibly use in a car is a 20 buck - bright orange - heaven forbid! - Weed Eater extension cable from Home Depot (made in the Philippines) that would wire 10 cars so buy the shortest you can get & you will be happy. High signal strength cables, such as speaker cables, make very little difference in the short runs in a car.
A car is a hostile environment for audio & there are limits to what you can achieve. You also don't need all that gold plated crap that makes the car look like it's been to a suspect dentist. Good Luck
One should always audition speakers before buying with music that are familiar to the listener. Bring a variety of music, typically ones you'll listen to. If you listen to live music then by all means bring them. Acoustic guitars and sax solos are excellent music to differentiate the subtle characteristics of good speakers. If the set is good, you should almost hear the pick hitting the strings or the throaty sound of the sax.
Turn them up loud with the bass and treble settings on flat. If they sound painful to your ears then move along to the next set. Good speakers will always sound good no matter what type of music you're listening to as long as the source is good.
Components with titanium tweeters tend to be bright but could be overly bright at times. Silk dome tweeters are usually subtle and reserved but could also be pricey. A good feature to look for is tweeter level attenuators.
Again, a good source is important. Don't expect hifi sound from a low bit mp3. Instead try to use original CDs, AAC is ok but DVD audio is better.

Things in favour of class D are, cheap to build, compact, low heat generation. Now someone needs to try and design out the cold, clinical, lifeless sound.
I agree with your other comments apart from tweeters. That's old thinking. B&Ws diamond tweeters are of some of the hardest material around & are spectacular but reserved. Nearly as good as the Magneplanar ribbon. It's all in the engineering.
So i love deep bass, rich full surround...but not very loud, the most like 80% max volume.
I love the high pitched sound effex and deep reveb sub sound but dont wanna over do it like the getto machine.
So im thinking of 4 component set setup + 1 sub and 2 amps.(1 amp dedicated for the sub)
To disconnect the center speaker do i have to remove the Head Unit or can it be done from the top(remove grill) ?
Don't forget about Armin Van Burren
Last edited by W203E35; May 7, 2009 at 04:53 AM.
focals aren't bad- but they are quite harsh. i'm not a fan of most anything mainstream aside from the GTi subwoofers from JBL. i also agree with Glen- the true idea is to reproduce the music perfectly. that's part of the reason i like to listen to a lot of old bb king, john lee hooker, etc. even though the recordings aren't the greatest- that's part of the music and it sounds "great" to me.



