Acapulco Bill

MB is always looking to save some $ by subcontracting overseas in this global economy. The C Sport hood badge is one example (I will start another thread), but in the case of the iPod amplifier, there is just no excuse for the horrible engineering and shoddy electronic construction of this critical component.
MB socks you more than $800 for the cable, interface and (supposedly included) iPod amplifier. Supposedly included, because MB SCREWED UP TERRIBLY in the gain specifications of the iPod interface, so to solve this issue, you the consumer and "loyal" Benz fan, get stuck paying another $100 for the iPod amplifier, a stupid German engineer couldnt figure out that another 12dB of gain was needed (that´s 8 TIMES THE VOLTAGE!!!).
So MB began production of the iPod amplifier patch/band-aid in Germany, then decided to save $0.80 and outsource them to China (this on a $100 retail MB part).
The result is your Chinese iPod amplifier with NO GAIN AT ALL!!! Worse yet, the unit produces 30% THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) which makes Sarah Brightman sound like Janis Joplin. (Worse actually, can you imagine?) Its just HORRIBLE. Didnt drive my W204 for 7 MONTHS because I was heartbroken that first the MB salesperson PROMISED me in writing that the C300 Sport came with the Harman Kardon system, made me pay for the installation of the iPod interface/amplifier, and then this gawd awful noise...
FORTUNATELY my daily drive is a Ford MONDEO (besides great sound, this Belgian-made beauty is TWICE the car at HALF the price. Roomier and more comfortable too!)
Besides the paint-flaking hood badge (ALSO Chinese), the defective leather seats, the exhaust system of two different lengths, doors that didnt close correctly, etc, etc etc.
Anyway, check out YOUR iPod amp, or make the MB dealer who installed the thing prove to you that you got your money´s worth, and not both economically and sonically RIPPED OFF by cheap, inferior China-outsourced parts that have no quality control at all, period.
Pictures attached, PLEASE make sure your iPod integration kit came with the German version of MB part number A204 870 3994.

noka

I have the factory iPod integration with my non-MM car. It only has the the steering wheel control with gauge cluster interface, but it sounds fine and I have no trouble navigating my collection.

Acapulco Bill

@noka: The factory installations in Germany on the assembly line are probably all with German iPod amplifiers, but WHO KNOWS?. Glad your sound is good but you should check the iPod amplifier anyway.
Mine was done by the local (180 miles away) MB dealer using a factory-supplied boxed iPod integration KIT, which, although shipped from Germany, included a CHINESE iPod amplifier.
Had to get the German-sourced iPod amplifier from Mercedes-Benz of San Diego, and smuggle it into Mexico. The MB dealer swapped it, and WHAT A HUGE DIFFERENCE!

Imageboi

wow ok guess i'll have to check this out..

Imageboi

also where is the amplifier located at??

Imageboi

Bill where the amplifier located??

Acapulco Bill

@Imageboi: Its installed behind the cardboard in the glove box. The iPod interface itself is a long narrow box, into the end of this box the iPod Amplifier plugs in. Then the white cable that goes to the iPod itself plugs into this amplifier.

sknight

Sorry, but the biggest problem I see here is the OP, a male, is listening to Sarah Brightman.

You should seriously be listening to something that rocks, not Sarah Brightman.

Acapulco Bill

@sknight: I would have said my good friend (r.i.p.) Elisabeth Schwarzkopf or another Stevie Nicks, but I was trying to appeal to a wider audience.

sknight

Never compromise. It makes you no better than Mercedes with this part.

Was hoping you'd come up with at least one death metal band.

Acapulco Bill

@sknight: What death metal band female sings BEAUTIFULLY, IYO?

sknight

Then you haven't included Opeth, Celtic Frost, Triptykon, and others. Of those, Opeth is more "death", but you're showing that you're discounting them because of the label.

Here's one example of Triptykon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt1HU14vdlk

and the predecessor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYGueXHH1qw

Acapulco Bill

No, of course not, just didn´t know that anything that synthesized "DEATH" and "BEAUTY" in the same opus, the LAST time was Verdi's "Requiem".

sknight

Incidentally, Sarah is fairly involved with the metal community, so she often gets a free pass, I guess.

Anyhow, back to the MB talk.

aerove26

Hey guys i'm a new member of this forum, although i've been around for a while i haven't posted much i got a brand new 2011 c300 in march. However i had the ipod interface added by the dealership before i picked up the car. I started to notice the distortion in sound right away when i listen to pink Floyd or maiden. Especially when there are gaps of silence in the songs. so i took the car back and they replaced the ipod cable. Then the same happened and i took it back again and they couldn't reproduce the issue so i went back and reproduced the issue while the shop foreman was trying to figure out what it was. They changed the same cable but to no avail. so i talked to them when i picked up the car and they are clueless. How do i get to the amp and check it out people. can anyone post a DIY for this ?

What should i ask the dealership to do ?

Thanks a ton for your help guys!

Cartronics

You can get them at the dealer, and the original poster is correct ... we are MB specialists, and while there are a lot of quality items made in China... someone seriously screwed up the Chinese made amplifier.... it STINKS.
There are also, complete digital fiber optic versions of iPod systems available too, but not from the factory. But for those with the factory kit, make sure you get the non-Chinese version of the signal amplifier.

aerove26

i asked them but they seem pretty helpless now. also noticed you are in atlanta. do you guys have a store location ?

Cartronics

Not a retail store.. We have a shop for appointment work.. but all of our shipping is done from a secure location warehouse in Buckhead. Due to the value of inventory and also some trade secrets, we do not allow the general public access to the warehouse. However, you are welcome to come by the shop with an appointment. Otherwise, you can find us at RBM or MB of Buckhead or Hennessey

killerg

my sport badge is peeling off, 2k miles on the car.

JaCe88

Am I the only one here who fails to see how being manufactured in China has anything to do with the fact that it wasn't engineered correctly?

As far as I'm aware, the only thing you could really blame on the cost cutting measures and building in China are if the build quality was crap or it didn't last- neither of which seem to apply here.

Cartronics

You are totally correct, being made in China has nothing to do with the quality (or shouldnt), however, it is the only one MB contracted that stinks. It is the only way the consumer can identify the "bad" one. We have several items made in China (and elsewhere), and we have certain criteria that must be maintained for our standards...so being made in China is not a bad thing...a bad design is a bad thing.

JaCe88

Fair enough. To paint them all with the same brush would be foolish considering the sheer volume of things coming out from China nowadays which have very low defect rates.

aerove26

ok, getting back to the issue. The shop foreman told me to listen to music "with the volume not at max and not using the boost feature"

Really! thats all they can say after having the car in the shop twice and replacing the ipod connector cable twice! .. they just dont want to touch the amp , i wonder why. can anyone suggest any solution? my dealer is RBM north of atlanta. So far i have had a great experience with them, however, even they dont seem to have an answer for this issue.

As for the ipod issue. the distortion this time is worse that what i had before taking the car in.

grane

The real problem is thinking an iPxxx of any form is viable music source. It is a convenience device. It drives ear buds.

Cartronics

This would have absolutely NOTHING to do with the iPod cable. What sample rate and format is the source material in? The amp in your car is pretty clean, and if anything less than lossless format is used, then you are going to hear it.