ViKTORiOUS

My good friend just bought a 2003 CLK320 and he wants to transfer his JL Audio sub box into his CLK, he has BOSE speakers, but his previous speakers are outdated and too small to fit in the speaker grills of the CLK. So he wants to run stock speakers right now with two 10's. Now, is it possible to run this setup with a stock headunit. My cousin has 2 12's with his stock harman kardon speakers and stock headunit in his X5. So, once again is this possible.

Petie

yes, i have a and amp and sub running with my stock HU and Bose speakers, no problems...

ViKTORiOUS

Thanks man!

CiLKY

All you have to do is tap into the rear speakers and run a line converter (speaker wire to RCA) and then you are good to go. Tap in to the AMP in the rear for a remote turn on then the battery is in the trunk. Not a problem really.....

Petie and I have a similiar subwoofer setup. I have a single 12" and Petie has about the same I think? maybe a 10". I have 360 watts powering it. It blends in pretty good.

Of Course He'll eventually want to replace those Bose though cuz I think I've blown mine from turning it up hahaha.

J

Petie

yeah im also running 1 12, Alpine Type-R with a 500 watt mono amp. im extremely happy with the crisp, clear lows from the sub, but like jeremy said, im not at all happy with the highs coming from my bose speakers. i thought they were fine until my dad replaced all the components in his CL600 with Focal Utopia along with extra 6x9s on the rear deck, with 2 10" subs. makes my system sound like dog crap....

ViKTORiOUS

Im selling my MB Quarts and getting a newer set of speakers, but ill be speakerless for a couple months, should i still run my subs with my stock Bose speakers. Mind you, I have 2 hard hitting JL 10W7's. Should this affect the sound of the speakers?

Petie

itll overpower the bose stuff, but if you turn your W7s down to the point they dont distort your bose speakers, id keep them in there. that way if you want to **** off the neighborhood, you still can.....

a friend has 1 JL 13.5 W7 in a Z71 tahoe....i cant imagine what two of those things do to your car.....how much **** have you shaken loose in your car???

ViKTORiOUS

Gas cap, plate frame cracked, so i had to buy a new chrome one, and the interior bulb in my trunk shattared, oh and i bottle of Don P. for a party i was going to attend, and that shattared too.

CLK 2001 Cab

Guys - I've posted a few questions about this but get conflicting answers. You all sound like you'd understand. I have a 2001 CLK430 Cabriolet with the stock MB radio/cassette player and speakers (non-Bose).

I'd like to replace the player with an aftermarket type (Sony, Alpine, etc) with a CD/Mp3 single disc player.

I've been advised against it because supposedly it will screw up the car's electronics. Circuit City down here won't even put a system in a Mercedes because of this. Can you advise me; I'd really like to get something else in the car.

CiLKY

You can put what ever head unit you want, but you;d also need to replace all the stock speakers with aftermarket ones and so on.....I don't think a head unit will work with the stock amplifier.

The good news is you'll have amazing sound with nice speakers that is, the bad news ......major $$$

Jeremy

x15jq

How can I add bass in my clk convertible? Since the trunk isnt really in the same cabin space as the car, it wont radiate bass rite? The soft top cowl and firewall is between so i doubt i will hear bass if i set it up in the trunk. Im afraid ppl outside will hear it and not me.>

Anyone know how the stock bose woofer is working? where is the sub, i was thinking of using the ported assembly thats already there in the midle of the armrest.

Thanks in advance.

mmgrad

when will everyone realize... it is in our own benefit that Circuit City won't take our sales... they don't know what they are doing anyways.... they do all mainstream audio and no nothing except plug & plug... bunch of highschool or college students...

You can do whatever you want... you can install sony/kenwood/alpine/pioneer or whatever you want...

Most likely, when those places say it will screw up your system... they mean the following:

-You will no longer have steering wheel control over stereo
-Display in dash will not display audio info
-If you have Bose system, your fiber optic amp will not work with aftermarket systems
-Same goes for your cd changer, it will not work with aftermarket stuff
-Some are stupid enough to believe that the speakers are connected via fiber optics as well... which they are not... that shows you how bloody brilliant they are

In essense, changing the stereo in a MB is just about as simple/difficult as any other car.

Simply put, their lack of experience in this highline vehicles place them in a position of higher liability if they screw up... so, to play it safe, they just rather turn down your sale..

CiLKY

I thought it was Jerkit City because they just jerk the **** out of your car and slap the new **** in.

CLK 2001 Cab

I only use Circuit City as a n example that demonstrates that apparently it is more difficult to put an aftermarket in a MB than other carts. I wouldn;'t have them do it either.

My car was built for Canada and doesn't have a Bose system (thank goodness) just the stock MB radio/cassette and speakers. I don't have the COMAND system either.

Given this wouldn't you simply remove the old radio/cassette, and install the new player (not a Changer) connecting it to the speakers, electric, and antenna?

Why is eveyone seemingly concerned with the electrical system? and the problems a new installation will(?) cause.

Your answers are good but don't really answer my questions. Maybe there are no easy answers.

x15jq

Doesnt your rear subwoofer between the seat and armresthave a bose sticker on it?

I will be changing my headunit soon, to my understanding, the fiber optic loop is just for the cd changer/canbus..

I have a 99 clk 320 convertible. Im not sure about adding a sub tho becasue im afriad i wont hear it from the outside.

CiLKY

Not sure about a non-bose system but all of our cars have a seperate amplifier in the trunk so that is why none of us can comment. You can see if someone with a clk-320 or a c-class has ever done this.....

The other thing is if you do put in a head unit with the non-bose speakers be prepared to blow em really quickly!

mmgrad

thats right...

simply put.. if you want to upgrade your ICE system, then redo everything... new headunit/speakers/amp(s) and maybe even a sub if you want more bass...

changing the headunit and leaving everything else stock is like doing something halfa$$... and that just isn't good enough for a benz...

besides, speakers don't cost all that much... just a couple bills each set... unless u go real fancy and get competition level stuff...

CLK 2001 Cab - no Bose, no problem... if you want to change the headunit... its pretty simple... pretty much a swap

But there is no aftermarket wire harness made specifically for an MB (well, not easily available at least). So... you'll have to use a VW harness, they are the same size. The only thing is, I believe you need to flip the power & ground as they are in the opposite pin slots.

Does that help???

x15jq

how would i install a sub in a convertible? Would i even hear it in the interoir? Im afraid the streeet behind will hear it and not me.

CLK 2001 Cab

MMGRAD - So it is the BOSE system that causes the problems. Since I have the std. MB radio/cassette (non-bose) There shouldn't be any unusual problems. Great News. Do I have an amp somewhere? Would I have to put one in, if not? The speakers sound good to me right now, just want to put a single disc CD/Mp3 player in.

How does the radio come out? Stereo shops make their own harnesses when necessary so this shouldn't be a problem - Right?

As an aside, why does the BOSE system cause so much trouble?

Don S.



CLK 2001 Cab - no Bose, no problem... if you want to change the headunit... its pretty simple... pretty much a swap

But there is no aftermarket wire harness made specifically for an MB (well, not easily available at least). So... you'll have to use a VW harness, they are the same size. The only thing is, I believe you need to flip the power & ground as they are in the opposite pin slots.

Does that help??? [/B][/QUOTE]

x15jq

Ok i just installed a JVC headunit this evening in my 99 CLK 320. IT DOES HAVE BOSE. It works perfectly fine except it distorts at high voilume, but this is to be expected bc i am driving alot more power into the stock speakers. One thing u will miss is the anti distortion on the stock headunit. You will run the speakers well into clipping if you play it loud enough. Soundsloud and clean now tho. I dont even miss my 6 disc changer.

Next I am going to add bass. I have to figure out a way bc the trunk on the convertible is guarded by a firewall, so i dont think i will hear it in the car if speakers are in the trunk.

Any advice?

Oh, and I used a VW harness/radio antenna adaptor. There are no extra wires to cut, and dont even bother paying a pro to do it, its that easy. Just make sure u swap the hot 12 v and the ignition wire from the vw harness. Plug red into yellow and yellow into red respectively. ONce u get the harness u will see what im saying lol.

Keep the input comin!