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Similar experience on my MY2014 W212. Installed an Audison AP Bit 4.9 amp and sound processor. The installation is fully plug and play as a separate harness can be purchased from Audison. Sounds way better than stock without tuning as I have yet to get my components and sub installed. This can definitely be improved without forking out an arm and a leg.
Update. Finally upgraded my components and went with the Rainbow Vanadium Series Speakers. Still running them in but definitely felt the difference compared to stock. I'm now down with getting a proper sub and I'm all set.
I'm a degreed classical musician and I think the Burmester is an excellent sound system. I don't know if that qualifies me as a sound expert, but I love the Burmester.
I have a base C300 as a loaner while my 2010 S550 is in the shop. As "bad" as the Audio 20 in the C is, the standard Harman/Kardon in the S was worse. Imagine more anemic bass plus 5 four inch mids so harsh they peel the skin off of your scalp, and no midrange controls in COMAND. I ended up getting so deep into correcting it I wrote a blog about it. (Link and audio specs on the S550 in sig). Sounds great now though, $5k later
When I bought the S, the first thing I tried, which actually made the system reasonably listenable, was to run the music through an EQ app that allowed customization. The app is EQu by Elephant Candy. It requires an IDevice, and your files have to be local on the device, no Itunes Match or Itunes radio. I posted a thread yesterday with grabs of the curve I ended up with on the C. I've been listening too it now for a couple of days and it's a massive improvement overall. Here's the thread:
Here's a grab of the curve. The COMAND settings are in the title of the preset.
What you're up against in the C is a lack of midbass. Typically you'd have a set of conventional 6" woofers somewhere in the doors that would cover that for you. Instead, MB went with more of a mid-woofer vs a true sub. It does play low, but it's also responsible for the entire mid bass range. That results in bass that can sound a bit loose and boomy.
The remainder of the speakers are 4" units tasked with both midrange and highs, because there apparently are no tweeters. As with the subs, you're asking a single speaker to do the work of two speakers. So, when you try to warm up the midbass, the low bass gets too loose, and when you tighten up the mids you also lose the highs.
The custom curve in the thread addresses those issues as well as seems possible given the physical limitations of the hardware. I did notice that I had to watch the gain on the app carefully to prevent overdriving the 4" speakers. There is a "safe" headroom setting that will do that for you, but you may want more volume. In which case switch to "loud" but watch the volume starting out.
Here's the curve and COMAND settings for "Safe" headroom selected in the app. The dynamic compression in Safe dulls some of the Mids and highs so the COMAND settings are different.
To my ear, although I wouldn't be totally thrilled with it, I could live with the sound quality of the C's base system thru the EQu app. Actually, I'm really digging the whole car. Obviously not as floaty and serene as an S, but still a great driving car. I'd have to get the Burmester and I'd probably end up transplanting my $750 Focal KRS100 door speakers, the Prima DSP amp and the little JL sub amp. Hmmm.
Ok, since I'm getting interested in the C I stopped by to see my buddy in MB sales to audition the Burmester. (I say my buddy and not my sales guy because he's never sold me anything, but I can always bug him to demo stuff.) The Burmester is a great sounding system out of the box. I don't think I'd change a thing.
I also turned him on to the EQu app for the standard sound system. He was amazed and asked if I could set it up on his phone so he could show buyers who weren't in the market for the upgraded system how to get the most out of the standard system. So, one convert.
I read this thread and hear different and opposite opinions. No one has mentioned their sound source. You know this car is capable of playing hd music like audio DVDs. If one person compares a better source and another a lesser source like bt audio, their impressions will be different.
I read this thread and hear different and opposite opinions. No one has mentioned their sound source. You know this car is capable of playing hd music like audio DVDs. If one person compares a better source and another a lesser source like bt audio, their impressions will be different.
First of all, mad props on the new C63. I saw one in the flesh for the first time yesterday and... DAMN. If I had that engine I doubt I'd ever bother to turn the radio on in the first place.
I think the consensus opinion on the Audio 20 system is that the sound reproduction is inaccurate and generally poor irrespective of source, while the Burmester is consistently regarded as being superior not only with respect to the Audio 20, but in terms of car audio in general. Owners describe being "embarrassed" to have passengers hear the base system, and the sense generally is that it's unworthy of the car. Having auditioned both systems I would agree on both counts. They do occupy opposite ends of the spectrum.
I don't think the Audio 20's shortcomings have anything to do with the bitrate of the source material. It's a matter of the physics of using single, lower quality drivers to cover a wider frequency range than is optimal, and a very thin sounding factory EQ. Irrespective of source, fixing the EQ will give you the most bang for the buck.
(From a practical standpoint most owners are unlikely to replace their existing music library with DVD Audio discs, and the format itself was considered "dead" back in 2007.)
Unfortunately, with any internal source (DVD/CD/USB/SD) there is no way to process the signal chain pre-amp and apply correction. For that you'd need to get pretty deep into the system... a DSP/Amp, a sub and upgraded speakers as one member in the thread did.
But a $2.99 app and an Iphone will make the existing system much more enjoyable.
Well I'm about to get very interested in the Burmester since it looks like I'm picking up a C450 this weekend, and I just paid $600 to have all of my aftermarket Audison/Focal gear pulled from the S and the stock system restored. I anticipate using my Prima 8.9 and the Focal KRS100 speakers in the C. I'll be leaving the front "subs" in place, creating three way active components in the front doors/foot wells with the Focals and Burmester subs, leaving the 2 way rear door components in place, and adding a sub and my small 300w JL sub in the trunk.
If I didn't already own all of the gear I doubt I'd bother to do anything to the Burmester, but knowing now what that stuff, especially the Prima, can do there's no way I'd leave it in a box in the garage.
Tonely the Burmeister is nice and flat. But the stage sux, Not deep and no center.
I have some gear setting in a closet. Two DSPs, the Arc PS8 and the JBL MS8. Also have the Focal KX33 but it requires a big sealed box. I think the only mod I would make to the system would be adding a processor.
Well I'm about to get very interested in the Burmester since it looks like I'm picking up a C450 this weekend, and I just paid $600 to have all of my aftermarket Audison/Focal gear pulled from the S and the stock system restored. I anticipate using my Prima 8.9 and the Focal KRS100 speakers in the C. I'll be leaving the front "subs" in place, creating three way active components in the front doors/foot wells with the Focals and Burmester subs, leaving the 2 way rear door components in place, and adding a sub and my small 300w JL sub in the trunk.
If I didn't already own all of the gear I doubt I'd bother to do anything to the Burmester, but knowing now what that stuff, especially the Prima, can do there's no way I'd leave it in a box in the garage.
Congrats Mike, I think. You've had a few false starts here, so I'll make the congrats stick, WHEN you post pics of the new ride! Yes I will!
With me, who the F knows. I've never been this conflicted over a car. I think after 10 years, walking away from the S is harder than I thought, no matter how cool the thing is I'm going to. Now that the audio is out of my 2010 I'm really going to have to jump ship at least on that particular S.
So yeah, please hold your applause until I actually get a C. This is the closest I've gotten. The deal itself is done. Just the 5 hr drive and the paperwork. We'll know by Friday PM.
With me, who the F knows. I've never been this conflicted over a car. I think after 10 years, walking away from the S is harder than I thought, no matter how cool the thing is I'm going to. Now that the audio is out of my 2010 I'm really going to have to jump ship at least on that particular S.
So yeah, please hold your applause until I actually get a C. This is the closest I've gotten. The deal itself is done. Just the 5 hr drive and the paperwork. We'll know by Friday PM.
Tonely the Burmeister is nice and flat. But the stage sux, Not deep and no center.
I have some gear setting in a closet. Two DSPs, the Arc PS8 and the JBL MS8. Also have the Focal KX33 but it requires a big sealed box. I think the only mod I would make to the system would be adding a processor.
Holy crap! Don't call it a Burmiester! The audio purity police will be kicking down the doors. But I agree. A good processor can make a modest system sound good, and a decent one sound really great. I think the Burmester is decent, but by default it had be tuned in a way that sounds reasonably powerful and clear to most listeners over most material most of the time. It'll bug me incessantly until I can fine tune it.
So is the speaker array;
Front Doors: 2 Way Components
Foot wells: 2 Shallow Mount Subs
Center Dash: ? Size mid
Rear Doors: 2 Way Components
Rear shelf: Left & Right Surrounds
That would account for the advertised 9 channels and 13 drivers. Anybody know if the amp is behind the left trunk liner?
Hypothetically it's at Jack Ingram Mercedes in beautiful Montgomery Alabama. Basically the same colors and wheels as the C300 I was going to build, but I scrapped the Drive and Park Assists in exchange for the performance bits. Good trade I think. Have a look. It's the only 450 they have.
Hypothetically it's at Jack Ingram Mercedes in beautiful Montgomery Alabama. Basically the same colors and wheels as the C300 I was going to build, but I scrapped the Drive and Park Assists in exchange for the performance bits. Good trade I think. Have a look. It's the only 450 they have.
It's optioned exactly the way I would have optioned it AND it's Palladium Silver with Open Pore Black Ash! I'm cautiously excited for you Mike! Yes I am!
I just purchased the Focal K2 Power 100 KRS for my front speakers. Is there anything else I can do that's plug-in-play? I want to do everything at once.
I just purchased the Focal K2 Power 100 KRS for my front speakers. Is there anything else I can do that's plug-in-play? I want to do everything at once.
Those Focal speakers really make a difference. You're going to like it.
11-23-2015, 04:49 PM
excellent.
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