Jksellman

OK...let's start out by my admitting I'm an audiophile. I've always redone my car fi to sound the way music should sound (to me). My old 280CE had an Alpine - A/D/S system that sounded great.
The Bose system in the CLK 500 probably sound great to most listeners, but to me it has several problems.
1. It has an automatic level control that makes the volume louder and softer depending on road noise. The litt says this is undetectable, but I find it very detectable and annoying. I had this same "feature" in my Porsche, but I found out which wire to disconnect from the stereo to defeat this "feature".
2. The highs (treble) are not very clean or transparent.
3. The lows (bass) is muddy and boomy.
I have been told that the system in the car is very difficult to change or improve upon. Has anybody had any experience upgrading a Benz sound system on a late model car???

likuidM5

I've got a question as well -

What are other people's thoughts on the sound system? I've heard the "audiophile's" opinion, but what about the average joe? I mean a good system is important to me, but I think the "Bose" name alone says that its no piece of crap.

rgiorgio

I have changed the system in my 99 CLK 320. Nothing is compatible. You wind up changing everything. I had no problem with that and I am glad I did. The Bose just doesn't cut it. I have a CLK 500 on order and want to change that system also. Problem is nobody has found a way to integrate the steering wheel controls.

young

there are actually 2 systems working. 1 is the bose audio pilot which is supposed to be undetectable (but i can still discern it...). the other is the speed-sensitive volume adjustment. that can be disabled thru the DAS at your dealer.

well, i should say that that is the way it is for the C-class, so i'm assuming that the clk would be similar.

Shine

Hang on, guys.
There's a new model in Jap which is able to "integrated" with a
MB, LAN based.
someone I know is working on it.
I myself have no special interest of car stereo, bose Hi-Fi is fine
to me.

rgiorgio

Hey Shine,

More info on integration of steering wheel controls would be great. There are a lot of people looking for a way to do it.

calboy

Just because it is a Bose doens't mean the sound quality is great. If you ask most audiophiles, they will expound on all the various shortcomings of Bose from sound to quality. it is more of a name brand that has been marketed well than anything else.

clkfrk

I think Shine makes a good point - it is fine for him...and fine for me. Audio experts will tell me I am nuts, but I swear I can't hear the difference.....too many rock concerts too long ago.