Burmester vs Basic Audio
#126
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Mercedes C W205, Previous: Mercedes ML W164
Have a look at this video of my new Mercedes C Class 2.0 liter petrol (price 77k euro's). I think a positive mark about the burmester is that it just looks better than the standard black stereos. If you want I can make a separate video for the burmester sound. Have a look here --> Hope you guys like it.
#127
MBWorld Fanatic!
The Audio 20 consists of 4 4" midrange speakers in the doors and a subwoofer in the passenger footwell. It lacks enough drivers for decent sound. The 4" mids in the doors pull double duty as the tweeters, and the sub has to cover everything else. Not ideal.
The Burmester is a proper system, with plenty of power and a good mix of drivers. There is no comparison in terms of audio quality. I spent around $5k modding the audio in my W221 (see link in sig), but I wouldn't change a thing in the Burmester.
The Burmester is a proper system, with plenty of power and a good mix of drivers. There is no comparison in terms of audio quality. I spent around $5k modding the audio in my W221 (see link in sig), but I wouldn't change a thing in the Burmester.
#128
Senior Member
This morning, as I was waiting for my Van Pool driver to show up at the Park and Ride, I decided to truly test out my Burmester system. I found a great track on Apple Music, and then cranked the system all the way up. I realized that it checks a box that I have always wanted ever since I started buying cars: A sound system that sounds as good or better than the headphones I'm using day to day. The Burmester handled the very loud playback fantastically and put a smile on my face.
Wouldn't hesitate to check that box if I were getting another C, and it's a must have for the GLC that my wife and I are considering currently.
Wouldn't hesitate to check that box if I were getting another C, and it's a must have for the GLC that my wife and I are considering currently.
#130
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2021 E450, 2020 C43, 2015 C300, 2007 C280
Burmester system is better than a 2015 E-Class
I just got done driving a loaner 2015 E-Class for a week. The Burmester system in my 2015 C300 is much better than the Harmon-Kardon Logic 7 system in the E-Class. For example, the Logic 7 has one setting for surround sound: one and off. The Burmester has three settings (in addition to on-off): Front, Rear, and Both. In all settings, the surround effect of the Burmester is superior. Also, the Burmester system has better defined bass.
#131
I just got done driving a loaner 2015 E-Class for a week. The Burmester system in my 2015 C300 is much better than the Harmon-Kardon Logic 7 system in the E-Class. For example, the Logic 7 has one setting for surround sound: one and off. The Burmester has three settings (in addition to on-off): Front, Rear, and Both. In all settings, the surround effect of the Burmester is superior. Also, the Burmester system has better defined bass.
#132
in c class burmester audio is 590 watts 13 speakers.
in c class coupe(c205) burmester audio is 640 watts 14 speakers.
does anyone know where is or what kind of speaker is 14th one.
it is same in glc(ie 640w 14sp)
in c class coupe(c205) burmester audio is 640 watts 14 speakers.
does anyone know where is or what kind of speaker is 14th one.
it is same in glc(ie 640w 14sp)
#133
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2021 E450, 2020 C43, 2015 C300, 2007 C280
New, duplicate thread
I couldn't find any exact specs online regarding the Burmester sound system in the C Class (e.g. where are all of the speakers located, etc...) but knowing already that it's a 13 speaker 590-watt system, after some searching online, I was actually able to find it in a document (attached to this post) pertaining to two different Burmester systems available for the S Class (which I'm assuming the lower-end one is the same system as the C, because it's showing it also as a 13 speaker 590-watt system)
Anyways, I was really surprised to see that there is actually no designated sub for this system! Can anyone confirm if the image attached is correct for the C? When I test drove the C450 a few months ago, the system sounded great, and the bass did sound quite full... but was still surprising to see on this document that there's no subwoofer at all for this upgraded sound system...
Anyone that listens to music with a lot of bass, are you happy with the sound?
Anyways, I was really surprised to see that there is actually no designated sub for this system! Can anyone confirm if the image attached is correct for the C? When I test drove the C450 a few months ago, the system sounded great, and the bass did sound quite full... but was still surprising to see on this document that there's no subwoofer at all for this upgraded sound system...
Anyone that listens to music with a lot of bass, are you happy with the sound?
Last edited by gfmohn; 03-09-2016 at 01:07 PM.
#134
today i went to the Mercedes dealer in cyprus,
i downloaded c205 user manual on my phone.
in that user manual for c coupe it says 14 speakers 640w
i asked the dealer about this.in their documents it says 13 speakers 590w like
sedan c.
in sedan 8 speakers are 4 midranges plus 4 tweeters in doors. two subwoofers or woofers(whatever they are called) in footwell of driver and front passenger, one center speaker on top of dashboard and two on the rear parsel shelf total 13,
in c sedan front tweeters are in corners of mirror housing but in coupe as the mirrors are attached on the doors panels the tweeter are aside midrange drivers.
regarding my c204 harman kardon sound system , bass and treble adjustment diminishes when you turn up volume, especially subwoofer bass level stays at a constant level after a point in volume control which is always annoys me.(may be its like that to stop woofer going into clipping range )
i hope it is not the same in burmester system.
on a new c coupe in showroom with standard audio 20 cd i checked the equalizer settings and happily found out that the adjustment doesn't neutralize with higher volume levels. but strangely bass notes are faded out when fader is set at full rear . may be because of woofer location in front footwell.
i downloaded c205 user manual on my phone.
in that user manual for c coupe it says 14 speakers 640w
i asked the dealer about this.in their documents it says 13 speakers 590w like
sedan c.
in sedan 8 speakers are 4 midranges plus 4 tweeters in doors. two subwoofers or woofers(whatever they are called) in footwell of driver and front passenger, one center speaker on top of dashboard and two on the rear parsel shelf total 13,
in c sedan front tweeters are in corners of mirror housing but in coupe as the mirrors are attached on the doors panels the tweeter are aside midrange drivers.
regarding my c204 harman kardon sound system , bass and treble adjustment diminishes when you turn up volume, especially subwoofer bass level stays at a constant level after a point in volume control which is always annoys me.(may be its like that to stop woofer going into clipping range )
i hope it is not the same in burmester system.
on a new c coupe in showroom with standard audio 20 cd i checked the equalizer settings and happily found out that the adjustment doesn't neutralize with higher volume levels. but strangely bass notes are faded out when fader is set at full rear . may be because of woofer location in front footwell.
#135
MBWorld Fanatic!
I will most likely be getting my C200 in less than a week and I would like to know whether it is worth waiting 5 months to get place an order to get the Burmester audio sound system. It is $3080 extra in my country just for the Burmester.
Could someone please give me feedback regarding the basic audio?
Could someone please give me feedback regarding the basic audio?
#137
Burmester Audio
Anyone who truly appreciates music will want the Burmester Audio... As a guitarist the sound is just fantastic... The bass is thunderous & clean with crystal clear highs... I thought my E-Class sounded good until I bought this car... And not to mention there is very little loss at high volume too... (as far as I can tell)... Very Satisfied!!!
#138
Junior Member
Coming from a W204 with standard audio. In my oppinion standard audio in W205 is not worse. I think the bass in W205 is less boomy (it's positive), as in more firm, and the audio benefits from having smaller speakers in the doors. Of course this system can't really compete with a high end stereo system but when I need that I listen to music at home.
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#140
MBWorld Fanatic!
No, although the guy who plays guitar is correct. The midrange where guitars, especially acoustic guitars live is decent. Now if he were a bass player or drummer he'd have some complaints
#141
#142
Newbie
Hey everyone. I ordered a C300 with the Burmester Tweak. This is the first thread that I visited on the forums since audio is a HUGE part of my life (my user name is one that I've used since I owned a BMW M3 back in 1997). I have a pretty high end home stereo, so I have learned to always buy the best stereo in a car that the manufacturer offers. I listen to records 2-3 hours a day though a fantastic TT and Cartridge combo. I am hopeful I'll love the Burmester but also skeptical about all the positive posts in this thread. I have yet to hear a car stereo that I can crank up and not cringe due to harshness and muddy sound. I finally get to pick up the car tomorrow, so I'm going to give the system a good test. I'm bringing along some of my best mastered CDs for the ride home. Hopefully I'll be impressed!
#143
MBWorld Fanatic!
You're not going to be impressed. Trust me.
Four of the wispiest, paper coned, off the shelf 4" midranges in the doors you'll ever see, paired on passive (cap) crossovers to standard 1" silk dome tweets. Two 8" shallow mount "subs" in a resonating chamber in the front footwells that are supposed to fill the void up to the 4" and can't without getting sloppy and boomy. (No actual woofers in the car.)
That's the main speaker array. Three more dainty 4" (like that's what it needs) "surround" speakers. No Burmester sourced anything. Pretty speaker grilles though.
It's salvageable but the fix ain't cheap:
Www.w205audio.wordpress.com
PS, I picked up a vintage Marantz 6100 TT last year with an Empire cartridge. Rediscovering vinyl. There's a service called The Edit that texts you album recommendations. If you reply Yes they ship it out. Not expensive.
Four of the wispiest, paper coned, off the shelf 4" midranges in the doors you'll ever see, paired on passive (cap) crossovers to standard 1" silk dome tweets. Two 8" shallow mount "subs" in a resonating chamber in the front footwells that are supposed to fill the void up to the 4" and can't without getting sloppy and boomy. (No actual woofers in the car.)
That's the main speaker array. Three more dainty 4" (like that's what it needs) "surround" speakers. No Burmester sourced anything. Pretty speaker grilles though.
It's salvageable but the fix ain't cheap:
Www.w205audio.wordpress.com
PS, I picked up a vintage Marantz 6100 TT last year with an Empire cartridge. Rediscovering vinyl. There's a service called The Edit that texts you album recommendations. If you reply Yes they ship it out. Not expensive.
Last edited by Mike5215; 06-08-2016 at 11:45 AM.
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#145
Super Member
Hey everyone. I ordered a C300 with the Burmester Tweak. This is the first thread that I visited on the forums since audio is a HUGE part of my life (my user name is one that I've used since I owned a BMW M3 back in 1997). I have a pretty high end home stereo, so I have learned to always buy the best stereo in a car that the manufacturer offers. I listen to records 2-3 hours a day though a fantastic TT and Cartridge combo. I am hopeful I'll love the Burmester but also skeptical about all the positive posts in this thread. I have yet to hear a car stereo that I can crank up and not cringe due to harshness and muddy sound. I finally get to pick up the car tomorrow, so I'm going to give the system a good test. I'm bringing along some of my best mastered CDs for the ride home. Hopefully I'll be impressed!
Interestingly I have found the main influence pertinent to creating wondrous car audio is in fact the acoustics within the vehicle; the inherent shape and size of the interior coupled with materials used. The "solidity" of the interior is also paramount in achieving this mobile audio nirvana, in other words you want to hear a deeper non resonating "thud" when you knock on interior surfaces with your fist rather than a hollow reverberating plastic sound. Mercedes are normally ideal in this regard whereas a Japanese vehicle (for instance) will always sound hollow with less presence and authority in comparison regardless of hardware.
Last edited by TheTherapist; 06-08-2016 at 10:08 AM.
#146
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2021 E450, 2020 C43, 2015 C300, 2007 C280
Dead links
....
It's salvageable but the fix ain't cheap:
Www.w205audio.wordpress.com
PS, I picked up a vintage Marantz 6100 TT last year with an Empire cartridge. Rediscovering vinyl. There's a service called The Edit that texts you album recommendations. If you reply Yes they ship it out. Not crazy expensive.
Attachment 332909
Attachment 332908
It's salvageable but the fix ain't cheap:
Www.w205audio.wordpress.com
PS, I picked up a vintage Marantz 6100 TT last year with an Empire cartridge. Rediscovering vinyl. There's a service called The Edit that texts you album recommendations. If you reply Yes they ship it out. Not crazy expensive.
Attachment 332909
Attachment 332908
Your link to Www.w205audio.wordpress.com is also dead, at least as a link. Clicking on it merely results in another iteration of the page. Of course, it is a valid URL, so readers can copy and paste it into their browsers.
#148
MBWorld Fanatic!
True. The S Class in particular is a well insulated listening space, although I Hushmatted my 221 extensively when I re did the audio, mostly to quell rattles.
The C is quite a bit less vault-like. Even with acoustic glass, and despite having a solid feel on the road, wind noise and tire noise are a problem, most noticeably at highway speeds.
My wife and I on the drive home from trading the S550 for the C300:
"It's really loud in here!"
"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT."
Plus, the stock audio system couldn't get on top of it, because pushing the volume up added too much harshness and boom.
The mod + Hushmat + Michelin Pilot SS tires did the trick though.
The C is quite a bit less vault-like. Even with acoustic glass, and despite having a solid feel on the road, wind noise and tire noise are a problem, most noticeably at highway speeds.
My wife and I on the drive home from trading the S550 for the C300:
"It's really loud in here!"
"I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT."
Plus, the stock audio system couldn't get on top of it, because pushing the volume up added too much harshness and boom.
The mod + Hushmat + Michelin Pilot SS tires did the trick though.
#149
MBWorld Fanatic!
iTrader: (1)
I feel like opinions on sound systems are only to be taken with a huge grain of salt.
Most of these people expect their sound systems, to somehow, miraculously, up sample the quality of radio output.
Seriously? I don't care if it's HD radio, etc. You're only going to get as good of sound that the transmission is extending.
I heard the same thing over on the Audi forums. Just think it's silly.
Plug in a SD card with FLAC files on it, then do your evaluation of the difference between the sound systems.
Most of these people expect their sound systems, to somehow, miraculously, up sample the quality of radio output.
Seriously? I don't care if it's HD radio, etc. You're only going to get as good of sound that the transmission is extending.
I heard the same thing over on the Audi forums. Just think it's silly.
Plug in a SD card with FLAC files on it, then do your evaluation of the difference between the sound systems.
#150
MBWorld Fanatic!
Since the DAC in the car can only handle maximum sample rates of 44k and a bit depth of 16, anything in FLAC that will play from the SD has already been down sampled to CD quality anyway. Playing the source CD would get you the same result. Although I agree it's more convenient than carrying discs around.
If you really want to hear something cool, run a hi res audio file through a DAC capable of 256k/24 bit playback and a really good system. Blows away CD, which is itself a lossy format relative to the studio master. But the enormous file sizes make hi res impractical in the car. I have 12TB of capacity on the home system. A single three minute track in hi res runs 300 mb.
But yeah, terrestrial radio, and satellite radio are non starters. Has anyone here suggested otherwise? There are so many ways to play music in the car why use the radio?
Unfortunately, the problems with the Burmester are baked in and have little to do with the source material. Sometimes in a deficient system, better source material exacerbates the shortcomings.
If you really want to hear something cool, run a hi res audio file through a DAC capable of 256k/24 bit playback and a really good system. Blows away CD, which is itself a lossy format relative to the studio master. But the enormous file sizes make hi res impractical in the car. I have 12TB of capacity on the home system. A single three minute track in hi res runs 300 mb.
But yeah, terrestrial radio, and satellite radio are non starters. Has anyone here suggested otherwise? There are so many ways to play music in the car why use the radio?
Unfortunately, the problems with the Burmester are baked in and have little to do with the source material. Sometimes in a deficient system, better source material exacerbates the shortcomings.
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