Mjollnir1983

I had some noise and reverb like popping when using Digital Radio.. But otherwise never had any issue with MP3s etc.

Sneaks09

Anyone have an update from the dealership?

rex5

no update. my dealer says they don't hear it. they must think I am a fool. Anyone even my dad can hear the speakers rattling. I am returning the car. I love listening to music and cannot drive to work hearing it buzzing day in day out for the next 3 years.

Mjollnir1983

Grab the test track mp3 posted in the forums, all the vibrations show up on a like sore thumb after wards.

rex5

they all tell you they can't hear it. Try it with answering an incoming phone call. It is clear as day. BUZZING like crazy. It can't be missed. It does not occur on the radio. CD, MP3 iPod and PHONE CALLS. The speakers are simply not insulated correctly the grate and seat buttons keep vibrating and how did this car go to market like this. Is there no oversight at Mercedes?

floridadriver

At a certain frequency one cell phone when people speak, there's a harmonic buzz in the door, but nothing critical. I've traced it to the buttons for the seat. If you touch them if someone is speaking right at that tone, the buzz will stop.

rex5

Burmester has responded by email and they replied they are looking into this issue.

Meanwhile Mercedes Benz USA says there is no issue with the C class audio system and there is no fix and there is none planned.

I no longer listen to CDs or Mp3. I just listen to the radio and there is no problem with radio music or talk radio. Sadly any CD or Mp3 iPod music causes crackling and buzzing of the speaker grate. It can be extinguished holding the grate.

Phone calls are unbearable. I have the volume as low as I can go so I can still hear it and it helps somewhat.

ManiacGT

Glad they have responded to you. My last email to them some weeks ago on this hasn't been responded to yet, thought they did respond at first.

Thankfully I don't have the issue, I was just trying to help this post.

Gary_W

Have a look at the post I made earlier today on this thread

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ecorded-2.html

Basically, a very cheap iPhone app makes test tones which you can then sweep and isolate the problem frequency. In my car, the left speaker buzzes at 190Hz-225Hz, the centre speaker buzzes around 250Hz and the right door speaker at around 280Hz.

These are the frequencies involved in male voice and many other instruments.... If you've got a solo singer with an acoustic guitar you're in trouble. I also get it with phone calls, spoken word radio, podcasts, the linguatronic speech etc.

The test tone thing also showed that slamming the passenger door was enough to fix it or to break it; if it was working fine, a person getting into the car and shutting the door could then mean buzzing. Or could fix buzzing that has been there.

Hope this helps

I asked on the other thread about aluminium trim vs wooden trim. In my car, it's clearly the aluminium strip that takes off like a mosquito. I'm wondering if the guys out there with wood trim fare better?

ManiacGT

I have wood trim and while I've not tested the tone app I don't have any issues with the Burmester.

StanNH

My first C300 had wood trim, and my current C300 has wood trim. No Burmester issues with either car.

Gary_W

Thanks for the replies - I appreciate it

It's a long way from being conclusive as to the aluminium trim being the issue but it's certainly interesting and I'm hoping more people reply to widen the sample base

My other theory was on the leather dash. I'm not familiar with the USA models but here in the UK, the AMG has a leather dash whereas the Sport has the plastic / vinyl thing. I have the Sport. Now as (in my case) the problem with the door speakers is clearly resonance as you can feel it in the aluminium door panels, then my dash speaker must also be resonance. The fact that it's been changed twice with no benefit makes me think this too. I'm wondering if a leather dash means no rattle on the centre speaker because the grill is on a material with a bit more deadening effect? A bit of a leap of faith for sure but I'm on a roll So do you guys without the problems have a leather dash or vinyl with your wood trims?

StanNH

The packages vary with the market. In the U.S., our Sport is the same as the AMG package. It includes the stitched dash treatment but, even with our leather interior trim package, I believe the material used on the dash is still MB-Tex rather than leather.

seanvree

Everyone seems to have the issue.

I've had mine since November, 11K miles on it now.

I've tried all the settings, USB, bluetooth, Sirrius etc. It's there. It's an issue that needs to be resolved.

it's my biggest complaint. I hate the stereo. I also think it's not loud enough.

ManiacGT

Not everyone.

vic viper

Hate is a strong word, I have no issues here either.

Gary_W

Even with my 9 visits and months of not understanding the issue, I wouldn't say I hate the stereo.

The volume is more than enough to cause permanent hearing damage if you want it to. The frequency sweep I did showed that the system produces bass down to 25-30Hz without the whole car taking off into a shaking fit and that isn't bad at all for a car factory system IMO. There is a gap in the spectrum where the crossover from the subs under the dash to the full range speakers isn't completely covered but it's not a deal breaker.

In fact, if I've shut the door right and it's having a good day and it's fed suitably busy music it sounds awesome and I am fussy For me, if the rattles could be tamed, I'd be happy.

So far we have Maniac and Stan confirming wood trim with leather dash (I noticed UK AMG in Maniac's profile ). It'd be helpful if Vic, with no issues, could confirm spec and if Seanvree who does have issues could do likewise or grab the app and use it to show his dealer why he's upset. It's sooooo much easier than turning up there and saying 'it was doing it all the way here and now it isn't' - I've been there and it drives you nuts as well as making the dealer's life easier in terms of isolating the problem, reporting it to MB and ultimately making this better for everyone.

vic viper

Leather dash, Wood trim in my car, but I doubt that has anything to do with the problem.


My guess is a software bug or a misplaced or inadequate Bluetooth antenna.

ManiacGT

Correct. Real leather is on seats/door inserts only. Door card tops and dash etc are fake leather.

Gary_W

Thanks for the reply, Vic. Another person with leather / wood and no issues.

The reason I think it's not Bluetooth or software:-

1. The audio sources that are causing the issue are not going via Bluetooth. Even the linguatronic on the car makes the rattling. The test tone app is being fed to the Burmeister system via a USB cable. I've had the issue on a CD as well.

2. When playing a test tone through the car at my dealership a couple of days ago, there was no issue until the door was opened and shut a few times. There was then a constant resonance that you could feel on the aluminium panel that changed / lessened if you pushed hard on the panel. I think the problem we have is that some guys are talking about a 'crackle' which may or may not be the same issue we're talking about there. This is pure and simple resonance when you feed the system certain frequencies. The fact that the left, right and centre speakers resonate at slightly different frequencies would also suggest that it's a physical problem, not a software problem.

All IMO of course and I'm happy to have the flaws in my thinking corrected

Gary_W

OK, but is it a material with a bit of 'give' in it? I'm just thinking that if the AMG (or Sport in the USA) has a slightly softer feel and a bit of spring to it when pushed that it might provide a bit of damping for the centre speaker grill.... If I look in my Sport, the grill is push-fit into the dash and the dash is very solid with no give at all. Which is fair enough of course but when the grill is resonating with the test tone app (or for real when you have an audio book on) then the problem goes away if you push down on the grill. That's why I'm wondering if the surround material / the way the grill is fitted into the AMG dash is done differently to the dash I have on the Sport.

Long shot vs the aluminium plates on the doors but I do wonder.

ManiacGT

Yes it's soft touch/has a little give.

Gary_W

Brilliant - thanks for your reply. I appreciate it

seanvree

My car is a 2015 C300 4Matic Sport w/ multimedia package. I have the MBTEX red special edition interior which does have the leather dash and wood panels around the door speakers.

Again, i have 10K on my C300....it's hard to pinpoint when it happens, but I've done EXTENSIVE testing via USB, BT, and CD. Yes, the audio quality and settings effect it, but there is no doubt there is an issue. I notice it comes mostly from the center dash speaker and the right door speaker.

Gary_W

Thanks Sean,

So far yours is the only wood / leather that is doing it as reported on here but of course it's early days - my theory may still hold water but you've made a hole in my boat

I'd still really recommend the app I mentioned - you'll be able to home in on the frequency that's doing it and then push on the door panel / speaker / switches / dash until it goes. It's likely to be a more reliable way forward in terms of your dealer being able to fix it for you under warranty because, if you feed it the right frequency, it really takes off in mine and no-one would be under any illusion as to it actually being a fault. In mine the whole problem is very intermittent and the test showed me that slamming a door is enough to fix or cause the issue until you've opened and shut again!

For the centre speaker, I haven't figured out the common factor yet which causes it / doesn't. I'm seriously involved in an audiobook at the moment which is mono and therefore much of the sound is coming out of that centre speaker. I drove an hour North yesterday and it drove me nuts - buzzing on every sentence. Pushing on the grill fixed it but of course you can't drive for an hour with your hand on a speaker grill and as soon as you released it the problem was back in full. I went to a meeting for an hour and drove back South. The same audio book, same connection, same volume was perfect all the way home

So whilst I was able to prove beyond doubt with the test tone app that the door slamming can cause it, I'm at a loss to understand the intermittent nature of the centre. Heat maybe? The car was parked in the sun during the meeting so perhaps that's all it takes to warm the grill up and make it fit better?? Maybe it's not fond of going North .