503C43 ////AMG

My CD changer is no longer working , I put CD's in it and then it says "empty magazine". I researched this the other day and it seems that it is pretty comon, the only problem is all of the fixes they suggest do not work for me. When you get this error you have 1 of 2 problems, the arm that loads and unloads the CD's is stuck or your fiber optic cable isn't sending the signal from the changer to the head unit, I have the latter of the 2. I took the CD changer apart and made sure the mechanics of it were working, I plugged it in after I had taken it apart and watched as it loaded and unloaded the CD's just as it was designed to do. I then moved on to the fiber optic cable. In other threads they stated that there was a large amount of play with the fiber optic plug in the back of the CD changer, this is not the case for me, my plug is pretty snug when it is plugged in. I then checked the back of the head unit to make sure the plug was snug back there, it was. I am now at a loss as my cable if fully intact and it appears that it is snug when plugged into the back of the changer and head unit. I am tired of listening to the radio, I HATE THE RADIO, so I am going to buy a new CD player today. I found a nice little kenwood for $130 that has an Ipod/Iphone hookup and a USB port so I can use a thumb drive. A thumb drive can hold HOURS of music and I won't have to mess around in the trunk anymore with an added bonus of 5 lbs of weight reduction (CD changer weighs about 5 lbs.) . The only problem is the lighting on the CD player is blue and not orange to match my stock lighting... I will post pics when I get it installed.

Benzonline

So your replacing the factory head unit? If you really want to stay OEM, you can find several changers on ebay.

bagelsjustbagel

ill sell you mine. shoot me a PM

Benzonline

Wont work, yours is not fibre optic its analog.

503C43 ////AMG

My CD changer works, its the fiber optics that don't... I don't want to replace it with another CD changer anyway, I hate going into the trunk to change CD's. I want a CD player with a USB port so I can use a thumb drive and never mess with a CD again.

bagelsjustbagel

I have a pioneer deck and i can just use AUX in from my ipod-cpu-whatever (3.5mm jack)

thats my suggestion.

503C43 ////AMG

The Cd player I am getting has the same AUX input for an Ipod/Iphone plus the USB port...

503C43 ////AMG

UPDATE:
Here is a pic of the CD player I bought:
Attachment 201355
I am kind of disappointed with the result, the sound is not as full and the low bass isn't as powerful. The highs and mids are pretty strong and it is louder overall but I think I prefer the stock sound. The stock head unit really makes a difference...

DRBC43AMG

Sorry but the attachment link doesn't work

503C43 ////AMG

I'll check the link when I get home.... I ran across this thread and need some help

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...-bose-amp.html

I just noticed this morning I have a slight "hum" or "buzz" the same type you get when you run your RCA cords to close to your transmission.

Marcus please explain what I need to do to make my new Cd player sound like stock again I want the bass back and the "hum" gone!!!

Benzonline

Did you get the proper harness etc for wiring with the Bose amp? Apparently the aftermarket head unit has to run the same type of voltage as the stock head unit

503C43 ////AMG

I did get the harness that goes from the stock connector to the kenwood Cd player I bought, what voltage is the stock head unit producing?

Benzonline

Im not sure, if you do a search in the regular W202 section in Benzworld I came across this before where I think its producing 3m/v while aftermarket ones produce 5. Sorry im probably typing chinese here Or you could just have it correct and thats the way it is, as its all proprietary and the sound has now been changed due to the different head unit.

503C43 ////AMG

UPDATE:

I hate dealing with car stereo installers!!! I knew I should of installed the damn thing myself but the CD player came with free installation and I figured they couldn't possibly mess up installing a simple little CD player..... WRONG!!

After reading a couple threads it turns out I must need a low level line converter. I took my car back to the stereo installer and told them I was getting a "hum" and the stereo doesn't have as much bass as it used to. I told them I wanted a low level line converter installed, they took out the CD player and rewired it for high level output. So we went from a low level input (which it is supposed to be) to a high level input and still no low level line converter.... Now my stereo is UNBELIEVABLY loud but still lacking the bass it use to have. The installer tried convincing me that I didn't need a low level line converter I argued for a minute and then realized I was arguing with an idiot and I was wasting my time. Looks like I am going to buy one of these line converters and install it myself.

Is there anyone out there that has replaced their stock head unit with an after market CD player??? What did you use?? In another thread MarcusF suggested using a PAC-OEM 2 but I am unsure if this will work for my application, Marcus I await your all knowing reply

ohlord

forum
or the w210 forum for aftermarket HU.

Tony_AMG

try using a vacuum to clean it out of dust inside the magazine and in the cd unit. It was doing it recently and my buddies over at the dealer said just to clean it (vacuum, blow off dust and such). It worked since then, but don't know for how long though.

503C43 ////AMG

Way past that point, I have already installed a new head unit. I am just trying to make it work correctly with the bose system.

KJI3jflarryfe93

this Bööööööööööööse cr(e)(a)ppy (take a pick) amplifier, uses a low level output, you'll need an adapter to solve your aftermarket cd problem.
Humming or buzzing noize is from interference.
those who don't have a BÖSE HIFI in their C43 car, can make their own special HIFI by picking the best stuff available in the shop.
Us dudes that have BOSE in our cars needs to either rip everything out to install better audio stuff or live with the crappy factory sound.

these amps are known to go bad, therefore they are very expensive to replace.
I once asked the stealership about the price of a new BOSE amp, I almost got an heart attack, for dat price of 1 BOSE amplifier I could buy a new complete audio set up, waaaaaaaay better than factory stock amplifier.
Many times I beleive that the stealership is out there to rip us off by keeping their prices high for certain parts!

Benzonline

I find it to be fine, its clear and has enough bass that doesnt make me look ghetto. Besides the best sound in these cars are the engines

KJI3jflarryfe93

you have a tapedeck in your car and the changer in your trunk?
did you play each channels separate when using tapes?
I know it's rare to use a tape nowadays.
I got rid of my AUDIO 30 tapedeck and retrofitted a MB cd player/navigator instead.
Audio is now waaaaaaaaay better and I have my changer connected to my cd deck, so I only have cd playback now.

BOSE audio sounds good if the amp is 100% TOP!
If it's not 100%. you can either hear on drivers side or passengers side audio sound is lower than the other side, this is b/cos of something is wrong with the amp!
BOSE plays pritty ok bass and treble, but it's not Mark levinson quality or NAIM HIFI as in UK cars Bentley.

I think MB uses Harman/Kardon today, AUDI A8 uses Bang & Olufsen Danish HIFI tuner, Beemer uses???????

503C43 ////AMG

B&O is TOP OF THE LINE!!!

KJI3jflarryfe93

take a look at this.
http://www.naimaudio.com/naim-for-bentley

I have this 2 channel hifi system at home.
awesome audio if you are an old skool 2 channel freak.
pure and pleasent eargasm

B&O = body & odor isn't near the NAIM stuff, but they are good too!

MarcusF

503C43, I'm no expert, but I've never seen a Kenwood that was compatible with a BOSE amp. It will work, but with much worse sound quality than if a $15 PAC OEM2 was used. If you're running speaker level inputs to signal a BOSE amp, that's not the best route to go.

503C43 ////AMG

Will it bring the bass back?? With the stock head unit my high mounted brake light was rattling big time with the bass turned up not even 1/2 way, now it barely rattles with the bass up over 1/2 way. I had it hooked up through low level and it was super quiet with almost no bass, now it's hooked up through high level and it is SUPER loud but can easily distort. The pac-oem2 will fix this?? will it be super quiet again? All I want is the stock sound back with the ability to hook up my Ipod and use a USB thumbdrive... What head unit would you have reccomended instead of the kenwood?

Benzonline

Something is not hooked up right if its going Super loud and the bass is low. The #1 head unit ive seen people go with in MB's with Bose is Alpine. Search Benzworld "aftermarket head unit Bose" you'll find the answers.

I just use my ipod through the stock head unit via a Denon tape adaptor and the sound is as good IF not BETTER that the cd changer while retaining the stock look and powerful bass which can also be altered via the ipod's EQ. Ive had people think that I have a sub in the trunk, its quite amusing with the right song lol.