C32 AMG, C55 AMG (W203) 2001 - 2007

Help me love the HK Logic 7 Sound System

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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 01:34 PM
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Help me love the HK Logic 7 Sound System

Ok, after a full year of ownership, I have yet to find a stereo setting that works with all my music. I'm finding the system in my C55 to be 'boomy' with bass and not really much else...
Although most of my attention has been on performance mods and maintenance, on occasion I fiddle around with audio settings in an effort to stop my front door pockets from rattling every time I turn up the stereo. I have settled on turning bass way down and moving the fader towards the back seat. Maybe I'm just picky, but I don't think a premium factory sound system should sound like I have a 12" sub loose in my trunk rattling off my trim!
My girl's MK5 Jetta has a more balanced sound system! Now, I am not interested in aftermarket since it is operational and that would mean big bucks- I just need to know if there are settings I should be messing with... btw: I primarily use an AUX in iPod (with no EQ settings turned on)
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 09:42 PM
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there aren't really any settings in the system besides fade and balance and switching between stereo or "Logic7"...I personally think the bass is lacking in this car compared to the equivalent bose systems in infinity or Jeep. Plus I think my sub is coming loose because there is one song that I play that makes something awful rattle in my back dash around the subwoofer area, lol...
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 09:44 PM
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I've gotten used to the sound over time. I use the surround feature and have the bass and treble turned up some. My doors don't rattle; on occasion depending on the song and if the car has been in the sun the rear sunshade will rattle, and sometimes the front center speaker will rattle at certain frequencies. Some songs have weak bass, others overpowering. Overall I live with it and like the way it sounds compared to others.
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Old Aug 22, 2013 | 10:47 PM
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hmm maybe its the sunshade that rattles...never thought about that
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Old Aug 23, 2013 | 01:14 PM
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I have to get a liner for my door pockets or empty them completely- the rattle is crazy for me whenever something is in there. My girlfriend keeps little trinkets in there to annoy me. My sunshade could also be a culprit since I still haven't been able to get it to go down.
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Old Aug 23, 2013 | 06:09 PM
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I'm of the opinion our stock HKs suck. Muddy bass, a lack of strong mids and tinny as Heck highs. We bought the wife a new '02 Passat way back and it's stock Bose sounds much crisper than anything my stereo can do. Occasionally, my bass sounds better, but it's usually too muddy to be very enjoyable.

I had an audiophile-quality stereo in an ungodly noisy VW some 15 years ago and would kick an old lady to have that in this comparably quiet cabin.
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Old Aug 23, 2013 | 09:34 PM
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I added a sub to mine and took out the factory sub and te system is tolerable. I think the factory Pioneer system in my Cobalt sounds better.
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Old Aug 23, 2013 | 11:22 PM
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The rear sunshade is known to break at the plastic rivets holding it in place. It's a real pain to fix it though. The rear deck is not easy to remove. The rattles in the front doors are the power window switch assemblies.
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Old Aug 24, 2013 | 04:08 PM
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Originally Posted by kjb55
The rear sunshade is known to break at the plastic rivets holding it in place. It's a real pain to fix it though. The rear deck is not easy to remove. The rattles in the front doors are the power window switch assemblies.
My driver's door rattles w/ some good bass hits right where the speaker cover takes a turn towards the front of the car. That "point"gets little support from the rest of the grille's design and I think its tab is broken in that spot, allowing it to sit a few millimeters off of the door panel and vibrate.

Overall, the system's kind of flat and doesn't have enough control to change it. I'd like to start w/ a sub, amp and speaker swap and keep the stock HU, but 8ohms has me concerned.
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Old Aug 24, 2013 | 08:03 PM
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I took my door panels off twice for the various mods that I did. Each time I fiddled with the speakers to fix the rattles, no luck. The third time I used the materials in the rattle kit supplied by MB and the directions given in point 7 from another poster here (not sure of his name, my screen print didn't capture it). Not until I did what point 7 says did I eliminate the rattles in the two front doors. The OP also mentions that it greatly enhanced the sound. quality.
Attached Thumbnails Help me love the HK Logic 7 Sound System-c55-speaker-rattle-fix.png  
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File Type: pdf
MB Noise Kit Part Number.pdf (4.0 KB, 276 views)
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Old Aug 25, 2013 | 09:50 PM
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Originally Posted by maverik259
there aren't really any settings in the system besides fade and balance and switching between stereo or "Logic7"...I personally think the bass is lacking in this car compared to the equivalent bose systems in infinity or Jeep. Plus I think my sub is coming loose because there is one song that I play that makes something awful rattle in my back dash around the subwoofer area, lol...
It's the speaker grill on the shelf that rattles with certain bass frequency's. My dealership used automotive self-adhesive felt between the shelf and grills to help keep the grill tight. Since then the rattle has gone away.

I also agree this Harmon-Kardon system is lacking bass and clear sound compared to the BOSE system they used to use in the C class.
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Old Aug 25, 2013 | 11:30 PM
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Yeah, I figure that AMG made up for MBs mediocre sound system with a stellar exhaust note (though not stock)
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Old Aug 27, 2013 | 12:46 PM
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I also had this annoying 'buzzing' sound from the center front speaker. Took to SF MB and they told me it's a fix of $800 ($180 labor+$500~$600 speaker). So I took to mufller shop and took care of the resonator and the problem was 'eased'.
One of these days, though, I'd really wanna new system as the HK system is 7 years old and I'm sure it was much better in 2005.
Rick
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Old Aug 31, 2013 | 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by maverik259
...I personally think the bass is lacking in this car compared to the equivalent bose systems in infinity or Jeep...
I'm with you on that. So far I've compared it with my old 2000 C280 SS's 8-speaker Bose System and the 2013 GLK350's standard 6-speaker system which I have on loan for a week. The GLK has so so so much bass (sans really low-frequency) that I get a migraine (oh, and it they've built it well with no rattling so far) In my opinion the bass in the 2000 Bose sound system sounds richer and deeper than the HK system. The 2006 HK just lacks.
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Old Sep 1, 2013 | 03:31 PM
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I have installed an Rockford amplifier to run all the 4 doorspeakers.Then i have installed an JBL boombox with dual 12" with an Rockford monoblock to run those ones.

now i can play loder so i cant hear the rattle *lol*
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Old Sep 2, 2013 | 05:09 PM
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Where is the factory amp so I can gauge the difficulty of swedepat's solution as it seems quickest and easiest.
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Old Sep 4, 2013 | 01:50 PM
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To the right in luggagecompartment i think?
But i connected my line to amps at the rear of headunit.
A bit trickier, but i also connected speakerlines from new amps to doorspeakers.

I didn´t have any subwoofer and amplifier in mine as std, but still Harman Kardon speakers.

I must say.. dammit,, the new amps giving the speakers the juice they needed.
My pants just above my feets are the ones that 'rattle' now,, no sound from them thou

And then the twin 12"s at rear,,,, yeah!!
Really sounds good with good old punkmusic
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