Stereo getting finished finally!
08-07-2005, 01:12 AM
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Stereo getting finished finally!
Hey everyone - long time since I've had a chance to get on here. So the new Eclipse AVN 5495 finally came out after about a three month delay. Then they had a recall on the first batch...lol. So my car is finally in the shop getting the head unit put in to complete the stereo.
I should have it back by the end of this next week and I will post pics and let you all know if I can integrate the steering wheel controls etc., but the double-din AVN 5495 is off the hook if it works out.
Wish me luck guys!!!
I should have it back by the end of this next week and I will post pics and let you all know if I can integrate the steering wheel controls etc., but the double-din AVN 5495 is off the hook if it works out.
Wish me luck guys!!!
08-24-2005, 12:45 AM
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Man what an ordeal getting this stereo has been - it was backordered for like two weeks - apparently the supply and demand thing is crazy with Eclipse right now. Anyhow, it arrived at the shop today and I will (hopefully) be picking it up Friday afternoon. 
When I talked to them today they were finishing up the custom faceplate for it and mounting the nav antenna under the hood as well as the sensors.
I have now been without my CLS for just over 3 weeks - I feel like a heroin addict in withdrawal...lol. But I am excited becuase it will be like sitting in it for the first time again. I could have picked up the car in the meantime, but it's an hour away and Eclipse kept telling the me "a few more days" for the last few weeks.
I'll post pics and feedback on the new system as soon as I get the car back.
When I talked to them today they were finishing up the custom faceplate for it and mounting the nav antenna under the hood as well as the sensors.
I have now been without my CLS for just over 3 weeks - I feel like a heroin addict in withdrawal...lol. But I am excited becuase it will be like sitting in it for the first time again. I could have picked up the car in the meantime, but it's an hour away and Eclipse kept telling the me "a few more days" for the last few weeks.
I'll post pics and feedback on the new system as soon as I get the car back.
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08-27-2005, 03:18 AM
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YESSSSS!!!!! I picked it up yesterday and spent about 4 hours tuning it at the shop - had a few changes after having it one night and took it back for the final changes today - and IT IS OFF THE HOOK!!!!! Hands down the best stereo I have ever had - even better than the one Reus did for me last time in my 03 E-Class - they actually managed to top themselves which I thought was impossible.
It's late tonight so I will post some pics of the install tomorrow.
They built a custom faceplate which looks super-clean. I'm thrilled with it, but the guys at Reus made a template for it and still want to try some other materials.
Here is what I can tell you so far:
1. The Eclipse stereo is CRAZY. It will either record all discs you play as they play to the 30 gig hard drive it has built in or you can manually select to only record certain tracks as they play. It uses Gracenotes database of over 270,000 albums to index virtually every song just like an IPod - sort by artists, album, music type (rock, pop, hip hop, etc.). It is the craziest thing ever - hold about 3,000 songs at digital quality.
2. This unit normally only will play DVD's when parked and the parking brake is on - pretty typical for all of these types of players. To bypass this problem you simply need to ground the wire and that problem is solved. I watched Sin City driving back from Newport tonight.
3. Nav is Harrddrive based!!! This is one of the best features since it requires no *** DVD.
I know alot of people on the forum way back in April when I first started thinking about swapping the head unit wanted to know the impact it had on the car itself so here are the details:
1. No 'malfunction' items at all - when you shuffle through the menu, the audio simply has two hash marks "--" where it used to say the track of the song - so nothing bad there.
2. The steering wheel volume and track controls no longer work, but I already knew that was coming - no biggie - that's what remote controls are for. I actually like it better that way. (Though it was funny when I first tested out the stereo and found myself trying to raise the volume on the steering wheel...lol)
3. I never used the integrated phone option so there was no difference there.
Hope these details help since I know I was the guinea pig...lol.
As for the stereo, it is just INSANE!!! Plays beautiful at all volumes - can crank it till you can't stand it without any distortion and at the same time, it plays beautifully at normal playing volumes. The system has the best balance of instruments and vocals I have EVER heard in a car and they installed a simple custom bass knob next to the seat contour controls on the driver seat so I can easily adjust it depending on the music type and volume to compensate the bass.
I'm sure Reus will use it at next Years L.A. Auto Show so if any of you go to it, you can check it out in person.
Sorry if I'm ranting on and on - I'm just blown away by the end result of this project. I wish Eclipse had not caused the almost month long delay, but it was sooooooo worth the wait!!!
I posted this link here long ago, but everyone should check out Reus Systems if you haven't already - they work on cars nationwide and often even fly out to do installations and stereo removals from lease returns anywhere you need them to go. www.reusaudio.com. They make all of their own speakers and they are simply the best there is. I'm their biggest fan so I can't help but plug them.
Talk to everyone tomorrow - if there are any questions, feel free to ask away.
It's late tonight so I will post some pics of the install tomorrow.
They built a custom faceplate which looks super-clean. I'm thrilled with it, but the guys at Reus made a template for it and still want to try some other materials.
Here is what I can tell you so far:
1. The Eclipse stereo is CRAZY. It will either record all discs you play as they play to the 30 gig hard drive it has built in or you can manually select to only record certain tracks as they play. It uses Gracenotes database of over 270,000 albums to index virtually every song just like an IPod - sort by artists, album, music type (rock, pop, hip hop, etc.). It is the craziest thing ever - hold about 3,000 songs at digital quality.
2. This unit normally only will play DVD's when parked and the parking brake is on - pretty typical for all of these types of players. To bypass this problem you simply need to ground the wire and that problem is solved. I watched Sin City driving back from Newport tonight.
3. Nav is Harrddrive based!!! This is one of the best features since it requires no *** DVD.
I know alot of people on the forum way back in April when I first started thinking about swapping the head unit wanted to know the impact it had on the car itself so here are the details:
1. No 'malfunction' items at all - when you shuffle through the menu, the audio simply has two hash marks "--" where it used to say the track of the song - so nothing bad there.
2. The steering wheel volume and track controls no longer work, but I already knew that was coming - no biggie - that's what remote controls are for.
I actually like it better that way. (Though it was funny when I first tested out the stereo and found myself trying to raise the volume on the steering wheel...lol)3. I never used the integrated phone option so there was no difference there.
Hope these details help since I know I was the guinea pig...lol.
As for the stereo, it is just INSANE!!! Plays beautiful at all volumes - can crank it till you can't stand it without any distortion and at the same time, it plays beautifully at normal playing volumes. The system has the best balance of instruments and vocals I have EVER heard in a car and they installed a simple custom bass knob next to the seat contour controls on the driver seat so I can easily adjust it depending on the music type and volume to compensate the bass.
I'm sure Reus will use it at next Years L.A. Auto Show so if any of you go to it, you can check it out in person.
Sorry if I'm ranting on and on - I'm just blown away by the end result of this project. I wish Eclipse had not caused the almost month long delay, but it was sooooooo worth the wait!!!
I posted this link here long ago, but everyone should check out Reus Systems if you haven't already - they work on cars nationwide and often even fly out to do installations and stereo removals from lease returns anywhere you need them to go. www.reusaudio.com. They make all of their own speakers and they are simply the best there is. I'm their biggest fan so I can't help but plug them.
Talk to everyone tomorrow - if there are any questions, feel free to ask away.
10-05-2005, 08:34 AM
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'10 MB E63, '08 ML550 ('05 E55, '05 SL55, '08 E63 GONE)
I just had Reus Systems upgrade the audio in my SL55. Pictures to follow... thus far VERY impressed with their work...
~ Ian
~ Ian
